Cassini. In 1703, Maraldi returned to 
France, with a rich treasure of subjects in 
natural history, chiefly collected at Verona, 
which he presented to the Acadenjy of 
Sciences. In the year 1718, he tvas em- 
ployed, with three other academicians, in 
prolonging the French meridian to the 
soutltern extremity of that kingdom. Still, 
however, the greatest part of his time was 
occupied within the walls of the observatory 
of Paris, where he was incessantly employed 
in observing every thing that was curious 
and useful in the motions and phenomena 
of the heavenly bodies, in ingenious appli- 
cations of the methods laid down by Cas- 
sini, in verifying theories with which it is of 
consequence to be acquainted, in correcting 
other theories which are susceptible of im- 
provement, and in completing his catalogue. 
This last mentioned great work he did not 
live entirely to finish ; for just after he had 
placed a mural quadrant on the terrace of 
the observatory, in order to observe some 
stars towards the north and the zenith, he 
fell sick of a fever, and died in December 
1729, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He is 
highly commended for seriousness, inte- 
grity, sincerity, a generous spirit, the purest 
morals, and an interesting simplicity of 
manners. He was not proud of the rank 
which he held in the scientific world, and 
was never more gratified than when he 
could render service to others, by commu- 
nicating to them freely the discoveries and 
improvements which he had made, at the 
expense of inconceivable labour and appli- 
cation. He did not publish his catalogue, 
or any other of his productions, but com- 
municated an immense number of papers to 
the Royal Academy of .Sciences, which are 
inserted in their “ Memoirs ” for almost 
every year from 1699 to 1729, and not un- 
commonly several papers in the same year. 
MARANTA, in botany, Indian arrow- 
root, a genus of the Monandria Monogynia 
class and order. Natural order of .Scita- 
mineae. Cannae, Jussieu. Essentia! cha- 
racter : calyx three-leaved ; corolla trifid ; 
nectary three-parted, the third part bearing 
the anther on its upper side. There are five 
species, of which M, arundinacea, Indian 
arrow-root, has a thick, fleshy, creeping 
root, fidl of knots, from which arise many 
smooth leaves, six or seven inches long, and 
three broad towards their base ; the stalks 
about two feet high, the ends of which .are 
terminated by a loose bunch of small white 
flowers, standing upon peduncles two inches 
long 5 the flowers are cut into six narrow 
segments, indented on their edges ; these sit 
upon the embryo, which afterwards turns 
to a roundish three-cornered capsule, in- 
closing one hard rough seed. It is called 
Indian arrow-root, because it was thought 
to extract the poison from wounds inflicted 
by the poisoned arrows of the Indians. The 
root washed, pounded fine, and bleached, 
makes a powder and starch ; it is recom- 
mended as a proper food for infants, and is 
gelatinous like salep. It is a native of 
.South America, and is cultivated in the 
West Indies; it is found in great plenty near 
La Vera Cruz. 
MARATTIA, in botany, so named in 
honour of Giovanni Francesco Maratti, an 
Italian botanist, a genus of the Ciyptoga- 
mia Filices class and order. Natural order 
of Filices or Ferns. Essential character : 
capsules oval, gaping longitudinally at top, 
with several cells on each side. There are 
three species. 
MARBLE is a kind of stone, found in 
great masses, and dug out of pits or quar- 
ries. It is of so hard, compact, and fine a 
texture as readily to take a beautiful po- 
lish, and much used in ornaments of build- 
ings, as columns, statues, altars, tombs, 
chimney-pieces, tables, and the like. There 
are infinite numbers of different kinds of 
marble. Some are of one simple colour, 
as white or black ; others variegated with 
stains, clouds, waves, and veins : but all 
opaque, excepting the white, which, cut 
into thin pieces, becomes tranisparent. 
Marble is found in considerable quantities, 
in most of the mountainous parts of Eu- 
rope. Derbyshire is that county of Eng- 
land most abounding in this article. Near 
Kemlyn Bay, in the island of Anglesea, 
there is a quarry of beautiful marble, cr.lled 
Verde di Corsica, being common to this 
place, some parts of Italy, and Corsica. Its 
colours are green, black, white, and dull 
purple, irregularly disposed. Italy is that 
part of Europe which produces the most 
valuable marble, and in which its exporta- 
tion makes a considerable branch of fo- 
reign commerce. The black and the milk- 
white marble, coming from Carara, a towm 
in the duchy of Massa, are particularly 
esteemed. 
Marbles, Arundel, andient marbles 
with a chronicle of the city of Athens in- 
scribed on them, many years before our 
.Saviour’s birth; presented to the Univer- 
sity of O.xford by Thomas Earl of Arundel, 
whence the name. See Arendeli.in. 
MARBLING, in general, the painting 
