A C A 
er, heavier, of a darker colour, and fomewhat fliarper 
in take, than the true fort. 
Acacia German, the juice of unripe (Toes infpiflated 
nearly to drinefs over a gentle fire, care being taken to 
prevent its burning. It is moderately aftringent, fimilar 
to the Egyptian acacia, for which it has been commonly 
fubftituted in the ftiops. It is given in fluxes, and other 
diforders where ftyptic medicines are indicated, from a 
fcruple to a drachm. 
Acacia, among antiquaries, fomething refembling a 
roll or bag, feen on medals, in the hands of feveral con- 
fuls and emperors. Some take it to reprefent a handker¬ 
chief rolled up, wherewith they made fignals at the games; 
others, a roll of petitions or memorials; and fome, a pur¬ 
ple bag full of earth, to remind them of their mortality. 
ACACIANS, in eccleliaftical hiftory, the name of fe- 
veral lefts of heretics; fome of which maintained, that 
the Son was only a fimilar, not the fame, fubfiance with 
the Father; and others, that he was not only a diftinft, 
but a diflimilar, fubftance. Two of thefe lefts had their 
denomination from Acacius bifliop of Caefarea, who lived 
in the fourth century, and changed his opinions, fo as, at 
different times, to be head of both. Another was named 
from Acacius patriarch of Conftantinople, who lived in 
the clofe of the fifth century. 
ACACIUS, furnamed Luscus, becaufe he was blind 
of one eye, was bifliop of Caefarea in Paleftine, and fuc- 
ceeded the famous Eufebius : he had a great fliare in the 
banifliment of Pope Liberius, and bringing Felix to the fee 
of Rome. He gave name to the above left, and died 
about the year 365. He wrote the life of Eufebius, and 
feveral other works. 
Acacius (St.) bifhop of Amida, in Mefopotamia, in 
420, was diftinguilhed by his piety and charity. He fold 
the plate belonging to his church, to redeem feven thou- 
fand Perfian flaves who were ready to die with want and 
mifery ; and, giving each of them fome money, fent them 
home. Veranius their king was fo aftefted with this noble 
inftance of benevolence, that he defired to fee the bifliop ; 
and this interview procured a peace between that prince 
and Theodolius I. 
ACAD, or Achad, a town in which Nimrod reigned, 
called Archad by the Seventy; lituated in Babylonia to the 
eaftward of the Tigris. 
ACADEMIAL, adj. Relating to an academy, belong¬ 
ing to an academy. 
ACADEMI AN, f. A fcholar of an academy or uni- 
verlity ; a member of an univerfity. IVood, in his Athena 
Oxonienfes, mentions a great feaft made for the academians. 
ACADEMICAL, adj. [academicus,'LaX.~] Belonging to 
an univerfity. 
ACADEMICIAN,yi [ acajcmicien , Fr.) The member 
of an academy. It is generally ufed in lpeaking of the 
profeifors in the academies of France. 
ACADEMlC,yi A ftudent of an univerfity. 
Academic, aclj. [ acadcmicus , Lat.) Relating to an 
univerfity: 
While through poetic fcenes the genius roves, 
Or wanders wild in academic groves. Pope. 
ACADEMICS, or Academists, a denomination giv¬ 
en to the cultivators of a fpecies of philofophy originally 
derived from Socrates, and afterwards illuftrated and en¬ 
forced by Plato, who taught in a grove near Athens, con- 
i'ecrated to the memory of Academus, an Athenian hero ; 
from which circumftance this philofophy received the 
name of academical. Before the days of Plato, philofophy 
had in a great meafure fallen into contempt. The contra¬ 
dictory fyftems and hypothefes which had fuccefsfully been 
urged upon the world were become fo numerous," that, 
from a view of this inconftancy and uncertainty of human 
opinions, many w^ere led to conclude, that truth lay be¬ 
yond the reach of our comprehenlion. Abfolute and uni- 
verfal fccpticifm was the natural confequence of thiscon- 
clufion. In order to remedy this abufe of philofophy and 
Vol. I. No. 3. 
A C A 
of the human faculties, Plato laid hold of the principles 
of the academical philofophy ; and, in his Phaedo, reafons 
in the following manner:—“ If we are unable to difeover 
truth (fays he), it muff be owdng to two circumffances : 
either there is no truth in the nature of things; or the 
mind, from a defeft in its powers, is not able to appre¬ 
hend it. Upon the latter fuppofition, all the uncertainty 
and fluctuation in the opinions and judgments of mankind 
■ admit of an eafy folution. Let us therefore be modeft, 
and aferibe our errors to the real weaknefs of our own 
minds, and not to the nature of things themfelves. Truth is 
often difficult of accels: in order to come at it, we muff pro¬ 
ceed with caution and diffidence, carefully examining every 
ftep; and, after all our labour, we fliall frequently find 
our greateff efforts difappointed, and be obliged toconfefs 
our ignorarice and w'eaknefs.” 
Labour and caution in their refearches, in oppofition to 
rath and huffy decifions, were the diftinguiffiing charafte- 
riftics of the difciples of the ancient academy. A philo- 
fopher, poflefled of thefe principles, will be flow in his 
progrefs; but will feldom fall into errors, or have occa- 
lion to alter his opinion after it is once formed. Vanity 
and precipitance are the great fourcesof fcepticifm: Lur¬ 
ried on by thefe, inffead of attending to the cool and deli¬ 
berate principles recommended by the academy, feveral of 
our modern philofophers have plunged themfelves into an 
abfurd and ridiculous kind of fcepticifm. They pretend 
to diferedit fubjefts that are plain, fimple, and eallly com¬ 
prehended; but give peremptory and decifive judgments 
upon things that evidently exceed the limits of our capa¬ 
city. Of thefe, Berkeley and Hume are the mod confide- 
rable. Berkeley denied the exiftence of every thing, ex¬ 
cepting his own ideas. Mr. Hume has gone a ftep further, 
and queftioned even the exiftence of ideas ; but at the fame 
time has not helitated to give determined opinions with 
regard to eternity, providence, and a future date, miracu¬ 
lous interpofitions of the Deity, &c. fubjefts far above the 
reach of our faculties. In his eflay on the academical or 
fceptical philofophy, he has confounded two very oppoiite 
fpecies of philofophy. After the days of Plato, indeed, 
the principles of the firft academy were grofsly corrupted 
by Arcefilas, Carneades, See. This might lead Mr. Hume 
into the notion that the academical and fccptical philofophy 
were fynonymous terms. But no principles can be of a 
more oppoiite nature than thofe which were inculcated bv 
the old academy of Socrates and Plato, and the fceptical 
notions which were propagated by Arcefilas, Carneades, 
and the other difciples of the fucceeding academies. 
ACADEMIST,yi The member of an academy. This 
is not often ufed.—it is obferved by the Parilian acadcmijls, 
that fome amphibious quadrupeds, particularly the lea- 
calf or feal, hath his epiglottis extraordinary large. Ray. 
ACADEMY, f. [anciently, and properly, with the ac¬ 
cent on the firft fyliable, now frequently on the fecond. 
Academia , Lat.) An aflembly or fociety of men, uniting 
for the promotion of fome art. The place where feiences 
are taught. An univerfity. A place of education, in 
contradiltinftion to the univerfities or public fchools. The 
thing, and therefore the name, is modern. 
The firft academy was a fine villa or pleafure houfe, in 
one of the fuburbs of Athens, about a mile from the city; 
where Plato, and the wife men who followed him, held 
aflemblies for difputes and philofophicalconference; which 
gave the name to the feet of academics. The houfe took 
its name. Academy, from one Academus, or Ecadenuts, a 
citizen of Athens, to whom it originally belonged: he 
lived in the time of Thefeus; and here he ufed to have 
gymnaftic fports or exercifes. 
This academy was farther improved by Ciinon, and 
adorned with fountains, trees, fliady walks, See, for the 
convenience of .the philofophers and men of learning, who 
here met to confer and difpute for their mutual improve¬ 
ment. It was furrounded with a wall by Hipparchus, the 
Ion, of Piliftratus; and it was alfo ufed as the burying-' 
place for iiluftr-ious perfons, who haddeferved well of the 
M republic. 
