ANA 
tilled, yields a spirit exceeding arrack or 
rum, and serves to make punch, and also to 
promote urine. The ripe fruit is sometimes 
roasted and sliced, and thus used for giving 
an agreeable flavour to punch. The restrin- 
gency of the juice has recommended it as a 
remedy in dropsical habits. From one end 
of the apple proceeds the nut, which is kid- 
ney-shaped, inclosed in two shells, the outer 
of an ash colour, and smooth, and the inner 
covers the kernel. Between these shells is 
lodged a thick, inflammable, and very caus- 
tic oil, which, incautiously applied to the 
lips and mouth, inflames and excoriates 
them. This oil has been successfully used 
for eating off ring-worms, cancerous ulcers, 
and corns ; but it should be very cautiously 
applied. Some females have used it as a 
cosmetic, in order to remove the freckles 
and tan occasioned by the scorching rays of 
the sun, but it proves so corrosive as to peel 
off the skin, and cause the face to inflame 
and swell ; but after enduring the pain of 
this operation for about a fortnight, thin 
new skin, as it may be called, appears fair 
like that of a new-born infant. This oil also 
tinges linen of a rusty iron colour, that can 
hardly be got out ; and when smeared on 
wood it prevents decay, and might, there- 
fore, serve for preserving house timber and 
ships’ bottoms. The fresh kernel has a 
delicious taste, and abounds with a sweet 
milky juice ; it is an ingredient in puddings, 
&c. and is eaten raw, roasted, and pickled. 
■The negroes of Brazil, who are compelled 
by their masters, the Portuguese, to eat this 
nut, for want of other sustenance, obtain 
relief from this involuntary use of it in va- 
rious disorders of the stomach. When the 
kernel is ground with cacao, it improves 
the chocolate ; but if it be kept too long it 
becomes shrivelled, and loses its flavour and 
best qualities. The milky juice of the tree, 
obtained by tapping or incision, will stain 
linen of a deep black, which cannot be 
washed out ; but whether this has the same 
property with that of the eastern anacar- 
dium, has not yet been ascertained ; for the 
inspissated juice of that tree is the best sort 
of lac which is used for staining black in 
China or Japan. 
ANACHRONISM, in matters of litera- 
ture, an error with respect to chronology, 
whereby an event is placed earlier than it 
really happened, in which sense it stands 
opposite to parachronism. 
ANACREONTIC verse, in ancient poe- 
try, a kind of verse, so called from its being 
much used by the poet Anacreon. It consists 
ANA 
of three feet and a half, usually spondees and 
iambics and s metimes ahapests; such is 
that of Horace, 
Lydia die per omnes. 
The word anacreontic is sometimes pla- 
ced at the beginning of convivial songs, 
glees, &c. denotes a gay hilarity of move- 
ment, and a free and easy style of per- 
formance. 
AbiACYCLUS, in botany, a genus of 
plants of the Syngcnesia Polygamia Super- 
flua. Essen, char, receptacle chaffy, seeds 
crowned with an cmarginate margin, those 
at the ray membranaceous at the sides. 
There are five species : of which the creti- 
cus and orientalis grow naturally in the 
islands of the Archipelago. They are low 
plants, whose branches trail on the ground. 
Tlie first sort has fine cut leaves, like those 
of chamomile; the flowers are small, white, 
and grow single with their heads declining ; 
these are like those of common may- weed. 
The second has leaves like those of the ox- 
eye ; the flowers are white, and like those 
of chamomile. 
ANAGALLIS, 'in botany, a genus of 
plants, belonging to the Pentandria Mono- 
gynia class of Linnaeus ; the flower of which 
is monopetalous, multifid, and orbicular ; 
the fruit is a globose capsule, containing 
only one cell, and dividing horizontally into 
two hemispheres ; the seeds are numerous 
and angular. There are six species. 
ANAGRAM, in matters of literature, a 
transposition of the letters of some name, 
whereby a new word is formed, either to 
the advantage or disadvantage of the person 
or thing to which the name belongs ; thus, 
from Galenus is formed Angelus : from 
James, Simea; and so of others. 
Those who adhere strictly to the defini- 
tion of an anagram, take no other liberty 
than that of omitting or retaining the letter 
h, at pleasure ; whereas others make no 
scruple to use e for ce, v for w, s for z, and c 
for k : and vice versa. 
ANAGYRIS, bean-trefoil, in botany, a 
genus of plants with papilionaceous flowers, 
the vexillum of which is shorter than any of 
the other petals, and its fruit an oblong pod, 
containing kidney-like seeds : to this it is to 
be added, that three leaves stand on every 
petal. It belongs to the Diadelphia Decari- 
dria class of Linnmus. 
According to Martyn, there are three 
species : viz. the feetida, cretica, and ino- 
dorata. The first grows wild in the South 
of France, in Spain, Italy, and Sicily ; also 
