KoS B L E 
nius varius, Seba. Indianifche gattorugine, Seeligm. Au- 
genwimper, Muller. 
The more common fpecies of this genus are as follow : 
The galeria, with a tratifverle creft upon the head, in¬ 
habitant of the European feas. The criftatus, with a lon¬ 
gitudinal briftly creft betwixt the eyes. The cornutus, 
with a limple ray above the eyes, and a (Ingle back fin. 
The phycis, with crefted noftrils, a cirrus or beard on the 
under lip, and a double fin on the back. The muftelaris, 
with three rays on the fore part of the back fin. The 
Iumpenus, diftinguifned by many dufky-coloured areolae 
running acrofs its body. The raninus, with fix divifions 
in the belly fins, found in the lakes of Sweden. The three 
moll curious of the fpecies are delineated in the annexed 
engraving; where fig. i. is the blennius gunellus, or but- 
ter-fifh. Fig. 2. the fuperciliofus, or Indian viviparous 
blenny with feales. Fig. 3. the viviparous blenny with¬ 
out feales, found on the coafts of Northumberland, and 
in the North Sea. 
BLENNORRHOE'A,/ [from (SAs^a, mucus, and psw, 
to flow.] A difeharge of whitifli mucus from the urethra 
in the venereal difeafe. It isatnproperly called a gonorrhoea. 
BLENOD', a town of France, in the department of 
the Meurte, and chief place of a canton, in the diftridt of 
Toul: five miles-fouth of Toul, and fourteen fouth-w eft 
of Nancy. 
BI.EON'NE, a riverof France, which runs into the Du¬ 
rance, near Mees, in the department of the Lower Alps. 
BLENT. The obfolete participle of To blend. 
BLEPHA'RIDES, J. [from (Saei paper, an eye-lid.] 
The hairs on the edges of the eye-lids; alfo that part of 
the eye-lids themfelves on which the hairs grow. 
BLEPH AROP'TOSIS, f. [from / 3 As< papov, palpebra , 
eyelid, and 7rWij, cafus, defeent, called alfo ptofis.~\ A 
difiocation, or difplacing of either or both eye-lids, by 
elongation, retraction, turning inwards or outwards, with 
different fymptoms in different fpecies ; but the true ble- 
pharoptofy, or praeternatural defeent of the eye-lid, arifes 
from a wound of the frontal nut Teles of the temple, or 
the fuperior levator of the eye-lid, or from any large 
tumor dragging down the eye-lid ; from inflammatory or 
cold defluxions elongating the palpebra; from mere re¬ 
laxations of the eye-lids, brought on by fuperfluous fe- 
rum ; or From a palfy of the palpebra, which is fome- 
times conftant, fometimes periodical. Amongft the reme¬ 
dies for any paralytic affedlion, electricity fhould be had 
recourfe to, as occafioning the nervous fyftem to exert its 
power, and, by that means, recover the aCtion of the muf- 
cular fibres of the eye-lid. The ufe of alum, with an in- 
fufion of oak-bark, is recommended for an external ap¬ 
plication ; which not fucceeding, the relaxed (kin mull be 
cut away, and the edges of the wounds confined together 
by futures, and healed in that fituation. See Dr. Wallis’s 
Nofologia Oculorum. 
BLEPH ARO'TIS,/ [from gtetpufos, the eye-lid.] An 
inflammation of the eye-lids. 
BLEPHAROXYS'TON, f. [from ( 3 a ttpxpov, the eye¬ 
lid, and f-u, to ferape off.] The rafp-like probe ; an in- 
ftrument for cleanfing or feraping off foul fubftances from 
the eye-lids. 
BLE'R ANCOURT, a town of France, in the depart¬ 
ment of the Aifne, and chief place of a canton, in the dif- 
tridf of Chauny : two leagues fouth of Chauny, and three 
and a half north-weft of Soiflons. 
BLERE, a town of France, in the department of the 
Indre and Loire, and chief place of a canton, in the diftriCt 
of Anrboife, containing about 1400 inhabitants : two leagues 
fouth of Anrboife, and four eaft-fouth-eaft of Tours. 
BLER'GIES, a town of France, in the department of 
the Somme : eight miles fouth-w eft of Poix. 
BLES'CHINO, a town of Bohemia, in the circle of Ko- 
nigingratz : three miles eaft of Konigingratz. 
BLE'SEN, a town of Poland, in the palatinate of Po- 
fen : forty-eight miles weft of Pofen. 
B L E 
BLESLE, a town of France, in the department of the 
Upper Loire, and chief place of a canton, in the diftriCt 
of Brioude, fituated on the Alaignon, and containing two 
parifhes : fix leagues north of St. Flour, and three and 
a half weft of Brioude. 
To BLESS, v. a. preterite and participle blejfed or hlejl\ 
[ blejfian , Sax.] To make happy ; to profper; to make 
fuccefsful : 
The quality of mercy is not drain’d ; 
It droppeth as the gentle rain of heav’11 
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blefs'd: 
It blcjj'eth him that gives and him that takes. Shakefpeare. 
To wifh happinefs to another; to pronounce ablefllng up¬ 
on him.—And this is tire blefling wherewith Mofes the 
man of God blcffcd the children of Ifrael before his death. 
Deuteronomy .—To confecrate by a prayer.—He biffed, and 
brake, and gave the loaves. Matthew. —Topraife; to glo¬ 
rify for benefits received ; to celebrate : 
But blejs'd be that great Pow’r that hath us blefs’d 
With longer life than earth and heav’n can have. Davies. 
It feenrs, in one place of Spenfer, to fignify the fame as to 
wave, to brandijh, to Jlourifk. This fignification is taken 
from an old rite of our Romifh anceftors, who, blejjing a 
field, directed their hands in quick fucceftion to all parts 
of it : 
Whom-wlren the prince to battle new addreft. 
And threat’ning high his dreadful ftroke did fee, 
His fparkling blade about his lread he biejl, 
And fmote off quite his right leg by the knee. Fairy Queen. 
BLESS (Henry), painter of hiftory and landfcape, was 
born at Bovine, near Dinant, in 1480. He acquired his 
fkill merely by the ftrength of his natural genius, aflifted 
by a diligent ftudy of the works of Patenier. His beft 
performances were bought up by the emperor Rodolph. 
His ftyle of compofition in hiftorical fubjeds relembles 
the manner of the Flemifh artifts of that age. His pic¬ 
tures were fo delicately pencilled and finiflied, and his 
landfcapes in particular fo agreeably invented, fo full of 
variety, and well executed, that even in Italy his works 
were in great requeft, and were diftinguifhed by the ap¬ 
pellation of the owl-piblures : for he introduced an owl, as 
his peculiar mark, into every pidure he painted; by 
which the works of this mafter are indifputably known. 
He died in 1550. 
BLESS'ED, particip. adj. [from To blcjs.~] Happy; 
enjoying felicity .—Blejfed are the barren. Luke .—Holy and 
happy ; happy in the favour of God.—All generations 
fhall call me blejfed. Luke .—Happy in the joys of heaven. 
—Blejfd are the dead which die in the Lord. Rev. 
BLESS'EDLY, adv. Happily.—This accident of Cli- 
tophon’s taking, had fo bleJJ'edly procured their meeting. 
Sidney. 
BLESS'EDNESS,yi Happinefs; felicity.—Many times 
have I, leaning to yonder palm, admired the blejfednejs of 
it, that it could bear love without the lenfe of pain. Sid¬ 
ney .—SanCtity : 
Earthlier happy is the rofe diftill’d, 
Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn, 
Grows, lives, and dies, in fingle blejfednejs. Shakefpeare. 
Heavenly felicity.—It is filch an one, as, being begun in 
grace, paffes into glory, blejfednejs, and immortality. South. 
—Divine favour. 
BLESS'ER,_/i He that bleffes, or gives a blefling ; he 
that makes any thing profper.—When thou receiveft 
praife, take it indifferently, and return it to God, the 
giver of the gift, or blejfr of the action. Taylor. 
BLESS'ING, /. Benediction ; a prayer by which hap¬ 
pinefs is implored for any one. A declaration by which 
happinefs is promifed in a prophetic and authoritative 
manner.—The perfon that is called kneeleth down be¬ 
fore the chair, and the father layeth his hand upon his 
Bead, or her head, and giveth the blejjing. Bacon. —Any of 
