MAR 
in the sun shine, and was but lately returning 
into darkness, appeared small, though un- 
doubtedly increasing in size. Its not being 
visible in the year 1783, is no objection to 
tliese phenomena, being owing to the po- 
sition of the axis, by which it was removed 
out of sight. It has been commonly related 
by astronomers, that the atmosphere of 
this planet is possessed of such strong re- 
fi-active jiowers, as to render the smalt fixed 
stars near which it passes invisible. Dr. 
Smith relates an observation of Cassini, 
where a star in the water of Aquarius, at 
the distance of six minutes, from the disk of 
Mars, became so faint before its occulta- 
tion, tliat it could not be seen by the naked 
eye, nor with a three feet telescope. This 
would indicate an atmosphere of a very ex- 
traordinary size and density ; but the fol- 
lowing observations of Dr. Herschel seem 
to show that it is of much smaller dimen- 
sions. “ 1783, Oct. 26th. There are two 
small stars preceding Mars, of different 
sizes j with 460 they appear both dusky 
red, and are pretty unequal; with 218 they 
appear considerably unequal. The distance 
from Mars of the nearest, which is also the 
largest, with 227 measured 3' 26" 20"'. 
Sometime after, the same evening, the dis- 
tance was 3' 8" 55 ", Mars being retro- 
grade. Both of them were seen very dis- 
tinctly. They were viewed with a new 
twenty feet reflector, and appeared very 
bright. October 27th, the small star is not 
quite so bright in proportion to the large 
one, as it was last night, being a good 
deal nearer to Mars, whieh is now on the 
side of the small star ; bnt when the planet 
was drawn aside, or out of view, it appeared 
as plainly as usual. The distance of the 
small stai' was 2' 5" 25'". The largest of 
the two stars (adds he), on which the above 
observations were made, cannot exceed the 
twelfth, and the smallest the thirteenth or 
fourteenth magnitude; and I have no rea- 
son to suppose that they were any other- 
wise affected by the approach of Mars, than 
what the brightness of its superior light may 
account for. From other phenomena it ap- 
pears, however, that this planet is not with- 
out a considerable atmosphere ; for besides 
the permanent spots on its surface, I have 
often noticed occasional changes of partial 
bright belts, and also once a darkish one in 
a pretty high latitude ; and these alterations 
we can hardly ascribe to any other cause 
than the variable disposition of clouds and 
vapours floating in the atmosphere of the 
planet.” 
VOL. IV. 
MAR 
marshalLia, in botaiiy, a genus of 
the Syngenesia Polygamia iEqualis class and 
order. Generic character : calyx common, 
many-leaved, spreading; leaflets linear lan- 
ceolate, blunt, concave, almost equal, per- 
manent; corolla compound, uniform, lon- 
ger than the calyx ; stamen filaments five, 
capillary ; pistil germ ovate ; pericarpium 
none; seeds solitary; receptacle chaffy. 
MARSHALLING a coat, in heraldry, is 
the disposal of several coats of arms belong- 
ing to distinct families, in one and the same 
escutcheon or shield, together with their 
ornaments, parts, and appurtenances. 
MARSHALSEA court, is a court of re- 
cord originally instituted to hear and deter- 
mine causes between the servants of the 
king’s household, and others, witliin the 
verge; and has Jurisdiction of things within 
the verge of the court, and of pleas of tres- 
pass, where either party is of the king’s fa- 
mily, and of all other actions personal, where - 
in both parties are the king’s servants ; but 
the court has also power to try all personal 
actions, as debt, trespass, slander, trover, 
action on the case, &c- between parly and 
party, within the liberty, which extends 
twelve miles about Whitehall. The judges of 
this court are the steward of the king’s house- 
hold, and knight-marshal for the time being ; 
the steward of the court, or his deputy, is 
generally an eminent counsel. It can ti'y 
all causes, and sits every week, so that judg- 
ment can be obtained in a fortnight or tliree 
weeks. It has jurisdiction of all debts 
above as well as below 40s. But if a cause 
of importance is brought in this court, it 
is frequently removed into the court of 
King’s Bench, or Common Pleas, by an 
habeas corpus cum causa. This cannot be 
done unless, the debt is above 20f. The 
court would have a great deal of practice, 
on account of tlie expedition of it, if it were 
not confined by having only a fixed number 
of attornies. 
MARSHMALLOW, in botany and me- 
dicine. See Alth,«:a. 
MARSILEA, in botany, a genus of the 
Cryptogamia Miscellaneae. Generic cha- 
racter : calyx common oval ; corolla none ; 
stamens, filaments none; anthers several, 
inserted round each pistil; pistil in each 
cell several; pericarpium none; seeds as 
many as there are pistils ; receptacle mem- 
brane somewhat fleshy, clothing the cells 
internally. There are three .species, natives 
of France, Italy, and the East Indies. 
MARTIN (Benjamin), in biography, 
was born in 1704, and became one of the 
S 
