A C R 
23. Acroftichum platyneuron: pinnas alternate ovate 
crenate fertile bowed upwards. This fpecies has the air 
of common polypody. It is a native of Virginia. 
24. Acroftichum trifoliatum: leaflets ternate lanceolate. 
This is a native of Jamaica. 
IV. Frond fubpinnate. . 25. Acroftichum filiquofum: 
pinnas alternate, pinnulate upwards, linear, the lower 
ones two-parted. 26. Acroftichum thalirtroides : pinnas 
alternate, on each fide pinnatifid, the barren ones broader. 
Natives of Ceylon. Thefe are fuppofed by Koenig to 
be one and the fame fpecies. 
27. Acroftichum marantte : fronds fubbipinnate, pin¬ 
nas oppofitely coadunate, very hirfute underneath, a little 
toothed at the bafe. It is a native of the fouthern coun¬ 
tries of Europe. 
28. Acroftichum ilvenfe : fronds fubbipinnate, pinnas 
oppofitely coadunate, obtufe, hirfute underneath, quite 
entire at the bafe. This has a great fimilitude to the fore¬ 
going, but it is fcarcely longer than the finger, never fo 
high as feven inches. It is allied to the polypodies by 
having the fructifications in dots, but they are clofely 
crowded. 
29. Acroftichum ebeneum : pinnas feffile oblong finu- 
ate, the uppermolt fhorteft and quite entire. 30. Acrof¬ 
tichum furcatum : dichotomous, leaflets pinnate; pinnas 
parallel lanceolate approximating, quite entire. V. Frond 
bipinnate. 31. Acroftichum aculeatum : fronds ftiper- 
decompound, pinnas bifid, ftipes prickly. Thefe are all 
three natives of Jamaica. 
32. Acroftichum cruciatum: leaflets oppofite lanceo¬ 
late, the loweft appendaged croflwife. It is a native of 
Cominica. 
33. Acroftichum barbarum : leaflets oppofite, pinnas 
lanceolate obtufe ferrate feffile alternate. This is a native 
of Africa. 
34. Acroftichum calomelanos : pinnas alternate lanceo¬ 
late acuminate pinnatifid. This is a native of South Ame¬ 
rica and Jamaica. 
35. Acroftichum viviparum: fronds viviparous, pin¬ 
nas in pairs one-fided, pinnules pinnatifid forked fubu- 
late, bearing the fructifications on the inner margin. It 
is a native of the Ifles of France and Bourbon. 
36. Acroftichum velleum, or woolly acroftichum : 
fronds bipinnate; all the pinnas ovate cordate gafiied on 
the fide and very hirfute underneath. This is a native of 
■ Madeira. Found there by Mr. Francis Maffon. 
37. Acroftichum (implex : fronds entire fmooth petiol- 
ed ; the barren ones lanceolate acuminate, the fertile ones 
linear-lanceolate. 38. Acroftichum petiolatum : fronds 
entire fmooth petioled ; the barren ones linear-lanceolate, 
the fertile ones linear. 39. Acroftichum latifolium : 
fronds petioled, broad>-lanceolate, very fmooth, entire, 
margined ; the fruit-bearing ones ovate-lanceolate ; flioots 
creeping. 40. Acroftichum villofum : fronds broad-lan¬ 
ceolate, fomewhat crenulate, villous on both fides. 41. 
Acroftichum mufcofum : fronds petioled entire fcaly; 
the barren ones oblong-lanceolate blunt, the fertile ones 
linear-lanceolate. 42. Acroftichum ferrulatum: fronds 
linear toothed, fruit-bearing at the tip ; Ihoots very fliort 
rooting. 43. Acroftichum graminoides: fronds naked li¬ 
near, fubdichotomous and fruit-bearing at the tip. 44. 
Acroftichum fulplnireum : fronds bipinnate, pinnas al¬ 
ternate ovate . pinnatifid, leaflets retufe ferrate.—Thefe 
are all natives of Jamaica. 
Propagation and Culture. Few of the fpecies have been 
yet introduced into gardens. Thofe of Europe may be 
either preferved in pots, filled with gravel and limerub- 
bifh ; or planted on walls and artificial rocks. The thir- 
ty-fixth fpecies, with fome few others, may be preferved 
in the green-houfe ; but the greater part, being natives of 
very hot climates, mull be planted in pots, and plunged 
into the bark-pit. 
ACROSTOLIUM, in ancient naval architecture, the 
extreme part of the ornament ui'ed on the prows of their 
.Vol. I. No. 7. 
Ihips, which was fornetimes in the Ihape of a buckler, 
helmet, animal, &c. but more frequently circular, or fpi-' 
ral. It was ufual to tear them from the prows of van- 
quilhed veffels, and fix them to the conquerors, as a fignal 
of victory. 
ACROTELEUTIC, f among ecclefiaftic writers, an 
appellation given to any thing added to the end of a plalm ; 
as the Gloria Patri, or Doxology. 
ACROrERIA,yi [from axpoy, Gr. the extremity of 
any body.] In architecture, fmall pedeftals, ufually with¬ 
out bales, anciently placed at the middle or two extremes 
of pediments or frontifpieces, ferving to fupport the fta- 
tues, &c. It alfo figniftes the figures placed as ornaments 
on the tops of churches, and the fliarp pinnacles that Hand 
in ranges about flat buildings with rails and ballufters. 
Among ancient phyficians, it fignified the larger extre¬ 
mities of the body, as the head, hands, and feet. It has 
alfo been ufed for the tips of the fingers, and fornetimes 
for the eminences or procefles of bones. 
ACROTHYMION,/! [from acp®-,extreme, and Qvy.ov r 
thyme.] A fort of wart deferibed by Cellus as hard, 
rough, and with a narrow balls and broad top; the top is 
of the colour of thyme, it eafily fplits and bleeds. This 
tumour is alfo called thymus. 
To ACT, v. n. [ago, aBum , Lat.] To be in aCtion, not 
to reft. To perform the proper functions. To praCtife 
arts or duties; to conduCt one’s felf. To produce effects 
in fome paffive fubjert: 
Hence ’tis we wait the wond’rous caufe to find 
How body aBs upon impallive mind. Garth. 
The ftomach, the inteftines, the mufcles of the lower bel¬ 
ly, all aB upon the aliment; befides, the chyle is not 
fucked, but fq.ueez.ed into the mouths of the Iarteals, by 
the aCtion of the fibres of the guts. Arbutknot. 
To Act, v. a. To bear a borrowed character; as, a 
ftage-player. To counterfeit; to feign by aCtion: 
Honour and fhame from no condition rife; 
AB well your part, there all the honour lies* Pope. 
Toartttate; to put in motion ; to regulate the movements. 
—Perhaps they are as proud as Lucifer, as covetous as 
Demas, as falfe as Judas, and, in the w hole courfe of their 
converfation, aB , and are aB'ed , not by devotion, but de¬ 
fig n. South. 
Act ,J. [aBum, Lat.] Something done; a deed ; an ex¬ 
ploit, whether good or ill: 
The confeious wretch mult all his aBs reveal; 
Loth to confefs, unable to conceal; 
From the firlt moment of his vital breath, 
To his laft hour of unrepenting death. Drydcn. 
Agency; the power of producing an effect. ACtion; the 
performance of exploits; production of effetts: 
Who forth from nothing call'd this comely frame, 
His will and aB, his word and work, the fame. Prior. 
The doing of fome particular thing - , afteptaken; apur- 
pofe executed. A ftate of reality; effort.—God alone ex¬ 
cepted, who artually and eveiiaftingly is whatfoever lie 
may be, and which cannot hereafter be that which now lies 
is not; all other things belides are fomewhat in pollibiliu, 
which as yet they are not in aB. Hooker. —Incipient agen¬ 
cy ; tendency to 311 effort. A decree of a court of jus¬ 
tice, or ediCt of a legiflature..—They make edicts for ufti- 
ry to fupport ufurers, repeal daily any wholefome a cl 
eltabliflied again!! the rich, and provide more piercing 
fratutes daily to chain up and reltrain the poor. Shake/pcare. 
—Record of judicial proceedings.—judicial aBs are alt 
thofe matters which relate to judicial proceedings; and, 
being reduced into w riting by a public notary, are record 
ed by the authority of the judge. Aylijfe. 
Act, in logic, is particularly underlluod of an opera¬ 
tion of the human mind. Thus to difeern and examine, 
are arts off the underftanding; to judge and affirm are afts 
C c ' off 
