theoricon 
spectacles: see theorie' 2 .'] In Athenian antiq., 
a public appropriation, including, besides the 
moneys for the conduct of public festivals and 
sacrifices, supplementary to the impositions 
(liturgies) on individuals for some of these pur- 
poses, a fund which was distributed at the rate 
of two obols per person per day to poor citizens, 
ostensibly to pay for their seats in the theater 
or for other individual expenses at festivals. 
Also, in the plural form, theoriea. 
Before the end of the Peloponnesian War the festival- 
money (theoricon) was abolished. Encyc. Brit., VII. 68. 
theoriquet, n. Same as theorie 1 . 
theorisation, theorise, etc. See theorization, 
etc. 
theorist (the'o-rist), . [< theor-y + -ist.~\ One 
who forms theories ; one given to theory and 
speculation; a speculatist. It is often used 
with the implication of a lack of practical ca- 
pacity. 
The greatest theorists in matters of this nature . . . have 
given the preference to such a form of government as that 
which obtains in this kingdom. 
Addison, Freeholder, No. 51. 
Truths that the theorist could never reach. 
And observation taught me, I would teach. 
Cowper, Progress of Error, 1. 11. 
That personal ambition ... in which lurked a certain 
efficacy, that might solidify him from a theorist into the 
champion of some practicable cause. 
Hawthorne, Seven Gables, xii. 
theorization (the"o-ri-za'shgn), n. [< theorize 
+ -at-ion.] The act or the 'product of theoriz- 
ing; the formation of a theory or theories; 
speculation. Also spelled theorisation. 
The notorious imperfection of the geological record 
ought to warn us against . . . hasty theorization. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XII. 117. 
theorize (the'o-riz), r. '. ; pret. and pp. theo- 
rized, ppr. theorizing. [< theor-y + -ize.~] To 
form a theory or theories; form opinions solely 
by theory ; speculate. Also spelled theorise. 
The merest artisan needs to theorize, 1. e. to think to 
think beforehand, to foresee; and that must be done by 
the aid of general principles, by the knowledge of laws. 
/. F. Clarke, Self Culture, p. 139. 
theorizer (the'o-ri-zer), . [< theorize + -er 1 .] 
A theorist. Also spelled theoriser. 
With the exception, in fact, of a few late absolutist 
theorizers in Germany, this is, perhaps, the truth of all 
others the most harmoniously re-echoed by every philoso- 
pher of every school. Sir W. Hamilton. 
theorizing (the'o-ri-zing), . [Verbal n. of 
theorize, r.] The act or process of forming a 
theory or theories ; speculation. 
Whatever may be thought of the general theorizings of 
the last two, it is clear that their method is not the pa- 
tiently inductive one of Darwin. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XXXV. 754. 
theorizing (the'o-ri-zing), p. a. Speculative. 
Gallatin had drifted further than his school-mate from 
the theorizing tastes of his youth. 
H. Adams, Albert Gallatin, p. 519. 
theory (the'o-ri), w. ; pi. theories (-riz). [Early 
mod. E. theorie; < OF. theorie, F. theorie = Sp. 
teoria = Pg. theoria = It. teoria = D. G. theorie 
= Sw. Dan. teori, theory, < L. theoria, <Gr. 6ea- 
pia, a viewing, beholding, contemplation, spec- 
ulation, theory, < Beupeiv, view, behold, < 6eup6f, 
spectator: see theorem.] 1. Contemplation. 
Minsheu. 
The pens of men may sufficiently expatiate without 
these singularities of villany; for, as they increase the 
hatred of vice in some, so do they enlarge the theory of 
wickedness in all. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., vii. 19. 
2. Perception or consideration of the relations 
of the parts of an ideal construction, which is 
supposed to render completely or in some mea- 
sure intelligible a fact or thing which it resem- 
bles or to which it is analogous ; also, the ideal 
construction itself. Thus, political economists, in or- 
der to explain the phenomena of trade, suppose two or 
three men, actuated by calculation of interests aloue, to be 
placed on a desert island, or some other simple situation. 
The perception of how such men would behave constitutes 
a theory which will explain some observed facts. In pre- 
cisely the same way, an engineer who has to build a ma- 
chine or a bridge imagines a structure much more simple 
than that which he is to make, and from the calculation 
of the forces and resistances of the ideal structure which 
is theory, infers what will best combine economy with 
strength in the real structure. 
The Queen confers her titles and degrees. . . . 
Then, blessing all : "Go, children of my care ! 
To practice now from theory repair." 
Pope, Dunciad, iv. 680. 
They [the English] were much more perfect in the theory 
than in the practice of passive obedience. 
Macaulay, Sir James Mackintosh. 
3. An intelligible conception or account of how 
something has been brought about or should be 
done. A theory, in this sense, will most commonly, 
6278 
though not always, be of the nature of a hypothesis; but 
with good writers a mere conjecture is hardly dignified by 
the name of a theory. Theory is often opposed to fact, as 
having its origin in the mind and not in observation. 
Conjectures and theories are the creatures of men, and 
will be found very unlike the creatures of God. 
Reid, Inquiry into Human Hind, i. 1. 
Divine kindness to others is essentially kindness to my- 
self. This is no theory; it is the fact confirmed by all ex- 
perience. Channing, Perfect Life, p. 89. 
The distinction of Fact and Theory is only relative. 
Events and phenomena, considered as particulars which 
may be colligated by Induction, are Facts ; considered as 
generalities already obtained by colligation of other Facts, 
they are Theories. 
Whewett, Philos. Induct. Sciences, I. p. xli. 
For she was cramm'd with theories out of books. 
Tennyson, Princess, Conclusion. 
4. Plan or system ; scheme; method. [Bare.] 
If they had been themselves to execute their own theory 
in this church, . . . they would have seen, being nearer. 
Hooker, Eccles. Polity, v. 29. 
5. In math., a series of results belonging to 
one subject and going far toward giving a 
unitary and luminous view of that subject: 
as, the theory of functions. 6. Specifically, 
in music, the science of composition, as dis- 
tinguished from practice, the art of perform- 
ance Ampere's theory, an electrodynamic theory 
proposed by Andre Marie Ampere, according to which 
every molecule of a magnetic substance is supposed to be 
traversed by a closed electric current. Before magnetiza- 
tion the combined effect of these currents is zero, but by 
the magnetizing process they are supposed to be brought 
more or less fully into a parallel position ; their resultant 
effect is then equivalent to a series of parallel currents tra- 
versing the exterior surface of the magnet in a plane per- 
pendicular to its axis and in a certain definite direction, 
which when the south pole is turned toward the observer is 
that of the hands of a watch. These hypothetical currents 
are called theAmperian currents. This theory is based upon 
the close analogy between a solenoid traversed by an elec- 
tric current and a magnet. (See solenoid.) Ampere con- 
ceived that the magnetic action of the earth is the result of 
currents circulating within it, or at its surface, from east 
to west, in planes parallel to the magnetic equator. Anti- 
phlogistic theory. See antiphlogistic. Atomic theory. 
See atomic. Automatic theory. Same as automatism, 2. 
Binary theory of salts. See binary. Brunonlan 
theory. See Brunonian. Carnot's theory, the theory 
that heat is an indestructible substance which does work 
by a fall of its temperature, as water does work by descend- 
ing from one level to another. See Carnot's principle, under 
principle. Cell or cellular theory. See cell. Contact 
theory of electricity. See elecirifUy. Corpuscular 
theory. See %A(i,i. Daltonian atomic theory. See 
Daltonian. Derivative, dynamic, eccentric theory. 
See the adjectives. Electromagnetic theory of light. 
See%Ad, l. Erosion, germ, Grotlan theory. See 
the qualifying words. Governmental theory of the 
atonement. See atonement, 3 (o). Lunar, mechani- 
cal, mosaic, mythical theory. See the adjectives. 
Naturalistic theory. See mythical theory. Newtoni- 
an theory of light. Seelighti, l. Organic, Plutonic, 
ppriferan, reflex, retribution theory. Nee the quali- 
fying words. Satisfaction theory of the atonement. 
See alonement,3 (a). Solar theory. See solarium. Sub- 
limation theory. See sublimation. The bow-wow and 
pooh-pooh theories of language. See language. 
Theory of cataclysms or catastrophes. See cataclysm. 
Theory of chances. See probability. Theory of cog- 
nition, of development, of divisors, of emission, of 
equations, of exchanges, of faculties, of forms, of 
functions, of incasement, of numbers, of parallels, 
of preformation, of projectiles. See cognition, etc. 
Theory of special creations. See creation. Undula- 
tory theory of light. See Kghti, l. Young-Helmholtz 
theory of color. See color. =Syn. 3. Theory, Hypothesis, 
Speculation. (See def. 8.) Speculation is largely the work 
of the imagination, being often no more than the raising 
of possibilities, with little reference to facts ; hence the 
word is often used contemptuously. 
theosoph (the'o-sof), n. [= F. theosophe = Sp. 
tedsofo, < ML. theosophus, a theologian, < LGr. 
(eccl.) 8c6ao<t>of, wise in things concerning God, 
< (fe<5f, god, + oo<t>6<;, wise. Cf. theosophy.] A 
theosophist. 
Within the Christian period we may number among the 
Theosophs Neo-Platonists, &c. Chambers's Encyc. , IX. 400. 
theosopher (the-os'o-fer), . [< theosoph-y + 
-er 1 .] A theosophist. 
Have an extraordinary care also of the late Theosophers, 
that teach men to climbe to Heaven upon a ladder of lying 
figments. N. Ward, Simple Cobler, p. 18. 
The ascetic, celibate theosopher. ffingsley, Hypatia, xxii. 
theosophic (the-o-sof'ik), a. [< theosoph-y + 
-ic.] Same as ttieosophical. 
theosophical (the-o-sof'i-kal), a. [< theosophic 
+ -al.] Of or pertaining to theosophy or the- 
osophists. 
A theosophical system may also be pantheistic, in ten- 
dency if not in intention ; but the transcendent character 
of its Godhead definitely distinguishes it from the specu- 
lative philosophies which might otherwise seem to fall 
under the same definition. Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 278. 
From the end of the year 1783 to the beginning of the 
year 1788 there existed a society entitled " The Theosophi- 
cal Society, instituted for the Purpose of promoting the 
Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, by translating, 
printing, and publishing the Theological Writings of the 
Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg. " 
N. and <?., 7th ser., XI. 127. 
theragain 
theosophically (the-o-sof'i-kal-i), adv. In a 
theosophie manner; toward, or from the point 
of view of, theosophy. 
The occurrence being viewed as history or as myth ac- 
cording as the interpreter is theosophically or critically 
inclined. W. 11. Smith. 
theosophism (the-os'o-fizm), n. [< theoaojili-i/ 
+ -ism.] Theosophical tenets or belief. 
Many traces of the spirit of Theomphism may be found 
through the whole history of philosophy ; in which no- 
thing is more frequent than fanatical and hypocritical 
pretensions to Divine illumination. 
Enfield, Hist. Philosophy, ix. 3. 
theosophist (the-os'o-fist), n. [< theosoph-y + 
-ist.] One who'professes to possess divine il- 
lumination; a believer in theosophy. 
I have observed generally of chymists and theosophists, 
as of several other men more palpably mad, that their 
thoughts are carried much to astrology. 
Dr. H. More, A Brief Discourse of Enthusiasm, xlv. 
Theosophist [is| a name which has been given, though 
not with any very definite meaning, to that class of mys- 
tical religious thinkers and writers who aim at displaying, 
or believe themselves to possess, a knowledge of the di- 
vinity and his works by supernatural inspiration. In this 
they differ from the mystics, who have been styled theo- 
pathetic, whose object is passively to recover the sup- 
posed communication of the divinity and expatiate on the 
results. The best-known names at this day of the theo- 
sophic order are those of Jacob Bbhme, Madame Guyon, 
Swedenborg, and Saint-Martin. Schelling and others, who 
regarded the foundation of their metaphysical tenets as 
resting on divine intuition, have been called theosophists, 
but with less exactness. 
Brande and Cox, Diet. Sci., Lit., and Art. 
theosophistical (the-os-o-fis'ti-kal), a. [< tlie- 
osopliint + -ic-al.] theosophical.' 
theosophize (the-os'o-fiz), v. i. ; pret. and pp. 
theosophized, ppf. thfosophizing. [< theosoph-i/ 
+ -i:e.~] To treat of or practise theosophy. 
theosophy (the-os'o-fi), w. [= F. theosophie, < 
LGr. ffeoaotyia, knowledge of things divine, wis- 
dom concerning God, < feooo^op, wise in things 
concerning God: see theosoj>h.~\ Knowledge 
of things divine; a philosophy based upon a 
claim of special insight into the divine nature, 
or a special divine revelation. It differs from moat 
philosophical systems in that they start from phenomena 
and deduce therefrom certain conclusions concerning God, 
whereas theosophy starts with an assumed knowledge of 
God, directly obtained, through spiritual intercommunion, 
and proceeds therefrom to a study and explanation of phe- 
nomena. 
But Xenophanes his theosophy, or divine philosophy, is 
most fully declared by Simplicius. 
Cudtcorth, Intellectual System, p. 377. 
Theosophy is distinguished from mysticism, speculative 
theology, and other forms of philosophy and theology, to 
which it bears a certain resemblance, by its claims of direct 
divine inspiration, immediate divine revelation, and its 
want, more or less conspicuous, of dialectical exposition. 
It is found among all nations Hindus, Persians, Arabs, 
Greeks (the later Neo-Platonism), and Jews (Cabala) and 
presents itself variously under the form of magic (Agrip- 
paof Nettesheim, Paracelsus),or vision (Swedenborg, saint 
Martin), or rapt contemplation (Jacob Boehme, Oettinger). 
Scha/-Herzog, Encyc., p. 2348. 
The philosophies or theoeophies that close the record of 
Greek speculation. E. Caird, Philos. of Kant, p. 17. 
It is characteristic of theosophy that it starts with an ex- 
plication of the Divine essence, and endeavours to deduce 
the phenomenal universe from the play of forces within 
the Divine nature itself. Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 278. 
Theosophy is but a recrudescence of a belief widely pro- 
claimed in the twelfth century, and held to in some form 
by many barbaric tribes. Amer. Jour. Psychol., I. 546. 
theotechnic (the-o-tek'nik), a. [< theotechn-y 
+ -ic.] Of or pertaining to the action or inter- 
vention of the gods; operated or carried on by 
or as by the gods. 
Erring man's theotechnic devices. 
Piazzi Smyth, Pyramid, p. 5. 
The theotechnic machinery of the Iliad. Gladstone. 
theotechny (the'o-tek-ni), n. [< Gr. feof, god, 
+ rtxvi/, art: see technic.~\ In lit., the scheme 
of divine intervention; the art or method of 
introducing gods and goddesses into a poetical 
composition. 
The personages of the Homeric Theotechny, under which 
name I include the whole of the supernatural beings, of 
whatever rank, introduced into the Poems. 
Gladstone, Juventus Mundi, vii. 
theotheca (the-o-the'ka), n. [NL., < Gr. 8e6$, 
god, + $7107, receptacle.] In the Horn. Cath. 
Ch., same as monstrance. [Rare.] 
TheotocOS (the-ot'o-kos). n. [< LGr. feoroKOf, 
bearing God, mother of God, < Gr. Se6f, god, + 
Tixretv, TfKftv, bring forth, engender.] The mo- 
ther of God : a title of the Virgin Mary. Also 
Theotokos. 
theowt, . A Middle English variant of thetr 1 . 
thert, tuli'. A Middle English form of there. 
theraboutent, </' A Middle English form of 
t/icri'tiboiit. Chaucer. 
theragaint, adv. A Middle English form of 
thereayain. ( 'liaueer. 
