DEG 
causing it to take place at a teniperafure 
somewhat lower. The nitrogen, or azote 
of the nitric acid, passes off in tlie state of 
gas, and the potash with which the acid 
was united, remains mixed, or united with 
the body formed by the combination of 
the oxygen, and the inflammable substance. 
DEFORMITY, the want of that unifor- 
mity necessary to constitute the beauty of 
an object. See Beauty. 
DEGLUTITION, in medicine, tlie act 
of swallowing the food, performed by 
means of the tongue driving the aliment 
into the oesophagus, which, by the contrac- 
tion of the sphincter^ protrudes the con- 
tents downwards. 
DEGRADATION, a punishment Of de- 
linquent ecclesiastics. The canon -law 
distinguishes it into two sorts, the one 
summary, by word only ; the other solemn, 
by stripping the person degraded of those 
ornaments and rights which are the ensigns 
of his order or degree. 
DEGRADED cross, in heraldry, a cross 
divided into steps at each end, diminishing 
as they ascend towards the centre, called 
by the French perronn^e. 
DEGREE, in geometry, a division of a 
circle, including a three hundred and six- 
tieth part of its circumference. Every cir- 
cle is supposed to be divided into three 
hundred and sixty parts, called degrees, 
and each degree divided into sixty other 
parts, called minutes; each of these mi- 
nutes being again divided into sixty se- 
conds, each second into thirds, and each 
third into fourths, and so on. By this 
means no more degrees or parts are reck- 
oned in the greatest circle than in tlie least 
that is, and therefore if the same angle at 
the centre be subtended by two concen- 
trical arches, as many degrees are counted 
in the one as in tlie other ; for these two 
arches have the same proportion to their 
whole peripheries. 
Degree of latitude. See Latitude. 
Degree of longitude. See Longitude 
and Earth. 
Degree, in universities, denotes a qua- 
lity conferred on the students or members 
thereof, as a testimony of their proficiency 
in the arts or sciences, and intitling them to 
certain privileges. The degrees are much 
the same in all universities, but the laws 
thereof, and the previous discipline or ex- 
ercise differ. The degrees are batchelor,' 
master, and doctor, instead of which last, 
in some foreign universities, they have li- 
centiate. 
DEI 
in each facility therfe are. two degrees, 
batchelor and doctor, which were anciently 
called batchelor and mister; In the arts, 
likewise, there are two degrees which still 
retain the aiicifent denomination, viz. bat- 
chelor and master. 
With regard to obtaining degrees at Oxs 
ford and Cambridge, matters are nearly oii 
the same footing, only at Cambridge the 
discipline is somewhat more severe, and 
tile exercises more difficult. For the de- 
gree of batchelor of arts, besides residence 
in the university near four years, it is re- 
quired that the person in the last year have 
defended three questions in natural philo- 
sophy, mathematics, or ethics, and answered 
the objectiohs of three several opponents 
at two several times ; as also that he have 
opposed three times. After w’hich, being 
examined by the master and fellows of the 
college, he is referred to seek his degree 
in the schools, where he is to sit three days, 
and be examined by two masters of arts 
appointed for the purpose. For the degree 
of master of arts, the candidate is obliged 
three several times to maintain two philo- 
sophical questions in the public schools, 
and to answer the objections brought against 
him by a master of arts. He must also 
keep two acts in the batchelors school, and 
declaim once. To pass batchelor of divi- 
nity, the candidate must have been seven 
years master of arts : he must have opposed 
a batchelor of divinity twice, kept one di- 
vinity act, and preached before the univer- 
sity once in Latin and once in English, 
For the degree of doctor, see Doctor. 
Degrees, in music, are the little inter-- 
vals whereof the concords, or harmonical 
intervals are composed, 
DEISTS, in the modem sense of the 
word, are those persons in Christian coun- 
tries, who acknowledging all the obligations 
and duties of natural religion, disbelieve 
the Christian scheme, or revealed religion. 
They are so called from their belief in God 
alone, in opposition to Christians. The late 
learned Dr. Clarke, taking the denomina- 
tion in the most extensive signification, dis- 
tinguishes Deists into four sorts. 1. Such 
as pretend to believe the existence of an 
eternal, infinite, independent, intelligent 
Being, and who teach that this Supreme 
Being made the world, though they fancy 
he does not at all concern himself in the 
management of it. 2. Those who believe 
not only in the beuig, but also tlie providence 
of God with respect to the natural world, 
but wiio, not allowing any difference be- 
