REG 
Refraction, in general, is the devia- 
tion of a moving body from its direct course, 
occasioned by the ditfereut density of the 
medium it moves in ; or it is a change of 
direction, occasioned by a body’s falling ob- 
liquely out of one medium into another of a 
different density. The great law of refrac- 
tion, which holds in all bodies, and all me- 
diums, is, that a body, passing obliquely out 
of one medium into another wherein it 
meets with less resistance, is refracted or 
turned towards the perpendicular ; and, on 
the contrary, in passing out of one medium 
into another wherein the resistan ce is greater, 
it is refracted or turned from the perpendi- 
cular. Hence the rays of light, falling out 
of air into water, are refracted towards 
the perpendicular ; whereas a ball thrown 
into the water, is refracted from it. Now 
the reason of this difference is, that water, 
which resists the motion of light less than air, 
resists that of the ball more ; or, to speak 
more justly, because water, by its greater 
attraction, accelerates the motion of the rays 
of light more than air does. See Optics. 
Refraction in island ci'ystal. There is 
a double refraction in this substance, con- 
trary ways, whereby not only oblique rays 
are divided into two, and refracted into op- 
posite parts, but even perpendicular rays, 
and one half of them refracted. 
REGALIA, in law, the royal rights of a 
King, which, according to civilians, are six : 
power of judicature ; power of life and 
death ; power of war and peace ; goods with- 
out owner, as waifs, strays, &c.; assess- 
ments ; and minting of money. 
REGIMEN, in grammar, that part of 
syntax, or construction, which regulates the 
dependency of words, and the alterations 
which one occasions in another. 
REGIMENT, in war, is a body of men, 
either horse or foot, commanded by a colo- 
nel. Each regiment of foot is divided into 
companies, but the number of companies is 
not alwaj s alike, though our regiments gene- 
rally consist of ten companies, one on the 
right of grenadiers, and another on the left 
of light troops. Regiments of horse most 
commonly consist of six troops, but some 
have nine. Regiments of dragoons, in time 
of war, are generally composed of eight 
troops, and in time of peace, of six. Each 
regiment has a chaplain and a surgeon. See 
Troop and Company. Some German re- 
giments consist of 2000 foot, and the regi- 
ment of Picardy, in the old French service, 
consisted of 120 companies, or 6000 men. 
REGISTER, a public book, in which is . 
REG 
entered and recorded memoirs, acts, and 
minutes to be had recourse to occasionally, 
for knowing and proving matters of fact. 
Of these there are several kinds ; as, 1. Re- 
gisters of deeds in Yorkshire and Middle- 
sex, in which are registered all deeds, con- 
veyances, wills, &c. that affect any lands or 
tenements in those counties, which are 
otherwise void against any subsequent pur- 
chasers, or mortgagees, &c, ; but this does 
not extend to any copyhold estate, nor to 
leases at a rack rent, or where they do not 
exceed twenty-one years. The registered 
memorials must be engrossed on parch- 
ment, under the hand and seal of some^of 
the grantors or grantees, attested by wit- 
nesses who are to prove the signing or seal- 
ing of them, and the execution of the deed. 
But these registers, which are confined to 
two counties, are in Scotland general, by 
which the laws of North Britain are ren- 
dered very easy and regular. Of these 
there are two kinds ; the one general, fixed 
at Edinburgh, under the direction of the 
Lord Register; and the other is kept in the 
several shires, stewartries, and regalities, 
the clerks of which are obliged to transmit 
the registers of their respective courts to the 
general register. No man in Scotland can 
have a right to any estate, but it must be- 
come registered within forty days of his 
becoming seised thereof ; by which means 
all secret conveyances are cut off. 2. Parish 
registers are books in which are registered 
the baptisms, marriages, and burials of each 
parish. 
Among dissenters who admit of infant 
baptism, each minister is supposed to keep 
a register of the several children baptized 
by him. But as these are frequently lost, 
by the succession of new ministers to the 
same congregation ; or at best do not give 
an account of the date of the births, which 
may have happened many weeks or months 
before baptism, it is now almost generally 
the custom among dissenters of all denomi- 
nations to register the birtlis of their chil- 
dren at the Library in Red-cross Street, 
Cripplegate, for which the charge is six- 
pence. This register is admitted in the 
courts of law. 
Register, is also used for the clerk or 
keeper of a register. Of these we have se- 
veral, denominated from the registers they 
keep; as Register of the High Court of 
Delegates; Register of the Arches Court 
of Canterbury; Register of the Court of 
Admiralty; Register of the Prerogative 
Court ; Register of the Garter, &c. 
