MON 
dical and synodical month is this ; the first 
is called periodical in respect of the moon’s 
orbit ; but the synodical is so called in re- 
spect of its connection with the other lumi- 
nary. Now after the time of its conjunc- 
tion, the sun does not continue in the same 
place of the zodiac, but moves forwards 
towards the east, upon which it falls out 
that the moon, finishing its course, does 
not find the sun again in the same place 
where it left him, he being removed almost 
a whole sign from his former place, so that 
to overtake the sun again, it plainly appears 
that a certain space of time is requisite be- 
sides the periodical, which makes up the 
synodical month. 
A civil or political month, consists of a 
certain number of days according to the 
laws and customs of the different countries 
wherein it is used, either having no regard 
to the solar or lunar months ; as those of 
the Egyptians in their equal year ; of the 
Romans in the year of Romulus, &c. ; or 
coming pretty near to the solar astronomi- 
cal month, as the Julian; or else the lunar 
astronomical, as the Jewish, Turkish, and 
others. The British, and most European 
nations, make twelve months in the year, 
viz. January, February, &c. See Janu- 
ary, &c. 
Civil solar months, are such civil months 
as are accommodated to tlie astronomical 
months, or those which are to consist alter- 
nately of thirty and thirty-one days, except- 
ing one month of the twelve, which, for 
every fourth year, consisted of thirty days, 
and for the other years of twenty-nine. 
This form of civil months was introduced 
by Julius Ca»sar ; but under Augustus the 
sixth month, till then, from its place, called 
Sextilis, was denominated Augustus, in 
honour of that prince; and to make the 
compliment yet the greater, a day was 
added to it, so that it now consists of 
thirty-one days, though till then it had 
only thirty : to make up for which, a day 
was taken from February, so that from 
thenceforward it only consisted of twenty- 
eight days, and every fourth year of twenty- 
nine ; though before it had ordinarily con- 
sisted of twenty-nine days, &c. and such 
are the civil or calendar months which now 
obtain throughout Europe. 
Civil lunar months are to consist alter- 
nately of twenty-nine and thirty days : thus 
will two civil mouths be equal to two astro- 
nomical ones, abating for tlie odd minutes, 
and consequently the new moon will be 
hereby kept to the first day of each such 
MON 
civil month, for a long time together. 
However, to make them keep constantly 
pace with the civil months, at the end of 
each nine hundred and forty-eight months, 
a month of twenty-nine days must be add- 
ed ; or else every thirty-third month must 
consist of thirty days. This was tlie month 
in civil or common use among the Jews, 
Greeks, and Romans, till the time of Julius 
Caesar. 
Month, in law, is generally a lunar 
month of twenty-eight days, unless other- 
wise expressed. 
MONTIA, in botany, so called in ho- 
nour of Joseph Monti, a genus of the Tri- 
andria Trigynia class and order. Natural 
order of Pontulaceas, Jussieu. Essential 
character: calyx two-leaved; corolla one- 
petalled, irregular ; capsule one-celled, two- 
valved. 'ITiere is but one species, viz. M. 
fcntana, water chickweed : native of many 
parts of Europe. 
MONTIN lA, in botany, so called in 
memory of Laurence Montin, a Swedish 
botanist, a genus of the Dloecia Tetran- 
dria class and order. Natural order of Ca- 
lycanthemae, Onagrae, Jussieu. Essential 
character : calyx four-toothed, superior ; 
petals four. Female filaments barren ; style 
bifid; capsule oblong, two-celled. There 
is only one species, viz. M. acris, glaucus 
montinia, a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope. 
MONUMENT, in architecture, a build- 
ing destined to preserve the memory, &c. 
of the person who raised it, or for whom it 
was raised; such are a triumphal arch, a 
mausoleum, a pyramid, &c. The first mo- 
numents that were erected by the ancients 
were of stones, which were laid over tombs, 
on which were cut the names and actions 
of the deceased. These stones were dis- 
tinguished by various names, according as 
their figures were different: the Greeks 
called those which were square at the base 
and were the same depth^thronghout their 
whole length, steles; from whence our 
square pilasters, or attic columns, are de- 
rived: those which were round in their 
base, ■ and ended in a point at top, they 
called styles ; which gave occasion to the 
invention of diminished columns : those 
which were square at the foot, and termi- 
nated in a point at the top, in the manner 
of a funeral pile, they called pyramids : to 
those whose bases were more in length than 
in breadth, and which lose still lessening to 
a very great height, resembling the figure 
of the spits or instriimeiits used by the ancj. 
