DEL 
produce wheat, rice, millet, fugar, indigo, pulfe, and 
fruits of various forts. The principal rivers are the 
Jumnah and the Ganges : the climate is more temperate 
than that of Agra, and was formerly the richefl part of 
Hindooftan ; but, having been the feat of continual wars, 
it has "been miferably laid vvafte, and many parts of it 
almoft depopulated. As it now remains, it conftitutes, 
perhaps, the whole of the dominions of the once Great 
Mogul. Delhi is the capital. 
DEL'HI, a city of Afia, at prefent the nominal capi¬ 
tal of Hindooftan, and actually fo during the greate.fi; part 
of the time fince the Mahometan conqueft. Its ancient 
name is faid to have been Inderput. Shah Jehan, grand- 
fon of Acbar, and father to Aurungzebe, made this city 
his refidence, to avoid the heat of Agra, and, adding 
greatly to its (ize, diredted it to be called Shahjehanabacl. 
It contains three principal ftreets, which are long and 
fpacious ; the others are narrow, crooked, and dirty. It 
has two grand mofques, built at a great expence, of red 
itone brought from Fattipour; and two others, whofe 
cupolas are covered with gold. The number of fmall 
ones is incredible : it is compofed of two towns, the Old 
Town, founded by the Gentoos; the New, by the em¬ 
peror Shah Jehan ; and, in the whole, rather more than 
nine miles, but not twelve, in circumference. The re¬ 
fidence of the Mogul is a magnificent palace, built of red 
done, about a thoufand ells in length, and'fix hundred in 
breadth, and coft 10,500,000 rupees. The outfides of the 
houfes are mean, but the infide is faid to be in general 
handfome, and well furnifhed. In the year 1399, this 
city was taken and plundered, with dreadful cruelties, 
by Timur Bek, who carried away immenfe riches, and 
the principal part of the inhabitants as (laves. In 1739, 
Nadir Shah invaded Hindooftan, and entered Delhi on 
the 2d of March, demanding the fum of twenty-five mil¬ 
lions fterling. This fum was not obtained without great 
difturbances, which occafioned the (bedding of much 
blood ; great cruelties were exercifed, and many, prefted 
for their quotas, killed themfelves. On the 6th of May 
the conqueror left Delhi; the lofs fuftained by the em¬ 
peror and the people, in jewels, treafures, goods, de- 
ftruction of fields, and of the buildings, amounted to 
near one arrib of rupees, or 125,000,0001. fterling. Out 
of this Nadir Shah carried away to the value of feventy 
krores, or 87,500,0001. in jewels and other effefls ; be- 
fides above twelve millions fterling which fell to the 
ihare of the officers and foldiers. The charges of his 
irmy, while he continued there, the arrears, pay, and 
gratuity, advanced them, with what property was de- 
ftroyed by fire, and fields laid wafte, amounted to near 
twenty krores, or twenty-five millions. Of the inhabi¬ 
tants of the empire, from the arrival of the Shah in 
Hindooftan to his return, two hundred thoufand were de- 
ftroyed. Lat. 28. 37. N. Ion. 77. 40. E. Greenwich. For 
the political hiftory, and prefent (late, of this once famed 
metropolis, fee the article Hindoostan. 
DE'LIA, f in antiquity, a feftival celebrated every 
fifth year in the ifland of Delos, in honour of Apollo. It 
was firft inftituted by Thefeus, who, at his return from 
Crete, placed a ftatue there, which he had received from 
Ariadne. At the celebration they crowned the ftatue of 
the goddefs with garlands, appointed a choir of mufic, 
and exhibited horfe-races. They afterwards led a dance, 
in which they imitated, by their motions, the various 
windings of the Cretan labyrinth, from which Thefeus 
had extricated himfelf by Ariadne’s afliftance. There 
was another feftival of the fame name, yearly celebrated 
by the Athenians in Delos. It alfo was inftituted by 
Thefeus, who, when he was going to Crete, made a vow, 
that if he returned victorious, he would yearly vifit, in 
a folemn manner, the temple of Delos. The perfons 
employed in this annual proceffion were called Deliajhe 
and Thtori. The fhip, the fame which carried Thefeus, 
and had been carefully preferved by the Athenians, was 
called Thcoria and Delias. When the fhip was ready for 
the voyage, the prieft of Apollo folemnly adorned the 
Vol. V. No. 305. 
DEL 677 
ftern with garlands, and an univerfal luftration was made 
all over the city. The Theori were crowned with lau¬ 
rels, and before them proceeded men armed with axes, 
in commemoration of Thefeus, who had cleared the way 
from Trcezen to Athens, and delivered the country from 
robbers. When the fhip arrived at Delos, they offered 
folemn facrifices to the god of the ifland, and celebrated 
a feftival to his honour. After this they retired to their 
(hip, and failed back to Athens, where all the people of 
the city ran in crowds to meet them. Every appearance 
of feftivity prevailed at their approach, and the citizens 
opened their doors, and proftrated themfelves before the 
Deliaftae, as they walked in proceflion. During this fef¬ 
tival it was unlawful to put to death any malefactor, 
and on that account the life of Socrates was prolonged 
for thirty days. Delia is alfo a furname of Diana, be. 
caufe flie was born in Delos. 
DELI'BAMENTA, f. in antiquity, a libation to the 
infernal gods, always offered by pouring downwards. 
To DELI'B AXE, v. a. [from dclibo, Lat. ] To take a. 
tafte of.—When he lias travelled, and delibated the French 
and the Spanifli. Alarm. Antiquary. 
DELIB A'TION, j. [delibatio, Lat. ] Aneflay; a tafte. 
To DELIBERATE, v. n. [delibero, I.at.] To think, 
in order to choice ; to hefitate : 
When love once pleads admiffion to our hearts. 
In fpite of all the virtue we can boaft, 
The woman that deliberates is loft. Addifon. 
DELI'KjER ATE, ddj. [deliberates,'La.t.'] Circumfpecl; 
wary; advifed ; difereet. Slow; tedious; not hidden; 
gradual.—Commonly it is for virtuous confiderations, 
that wifdom fo far prevaileth with men as to make them 
defirous of flow and deliberate death, again ft the ftream of 
their fenfual inclination. Hooker. 
DELIBERATELY, adv. Circumfpectly; advifedly; 
warily. Slowly; gradually.—He judges of little inde¬ 
cencies; knows what is not to be written; and never 
hazards himfelf fo far as to fall, but plods on deliberately 
and as a grave man ought. Dry den. 
DELI'BERATENESS,yi CircumfpeClion; warinefs; 
coolnefs; caution.—They would not flay the fair pro. 
dilution of adts, in the order, gravity, and deliberatenefs, 
befitting a parliament. King Charles. 
DELIBERA'TION, /I [deliberation Lat.] The aft of 
deliberating; thought in order to choice.-—If mankind 
had no power to avoid ill or choofe good by free delibe¬ 
ration, it fliould never be guilty of any thing that was 
done. Hammond. 
DELI'BER ATI VE, adj. [deliberations, Lat.] Pertain¬ 
ing to deliberation ; apfto confider. 
DELIBERATIVE,yi The difeourfe in which a quef- 
tion is deliberated.—In deliberatives, the point is, what is 
evil; and of good, what is greater ; and of evil, what is 
lefs. Bacon. 
To DELI'BRATE, v. n. [from the Lat. dc, from; and 
liber, bark. J To ftrip off the bark, to peel. Not vfed. 
DELIBRA'TION, J. The adt of taking oft'the bark. 
Scott. 
DE'LICACY,yi [dclicatcjfe, Fr. of ddiciee, Lat.] Duin- 
tinefs ; pleafantnefs to the tafte : 
On hofpitable thoughts intent, 
What choice to choofe for delicacy beft. Milton. 
Nicety in the choice of food. Any tiling highly pleafing 
to the fenfes: 
Thefe delicacies 
I mean of tafte, fight, fimell, herbs, fruits, and flow’rs, 
Walks, and the melody of birds. Milton. 
Softnefs ; elegant or feminine beauty.—-A man of goodly 
prefence, in whom ftrong making took not away delicacy, 
nor beauty fiercenefs. Sidney. —Nicety ; minute accura¬ 
cy.—Van Dyck has even excelled him in the delicacy of 
his colouring, and in his cabinet pieces. Drydcn. —Neat- 
nefs ; elegance of drefs. Politenefs of manners : contrary 
tc grojfnefs, Indulgence; gentle treatment. —- Periods 
