jgo4 COM 
of the ratios be placed frafilion-wife, then the addition 
or compofition of the ratios, is performed by multiply¬ 
ing the fraftions together: 
Thus, the ratio of a : b, or of 2 : 4, 
added to the ratio of c : d, or of 6 : 8, 
makes the ratio of ac : bd, or of 12 : 32; and fo 
the ratio of ac to bd is faid to be compounded of the 
ratios of a to b, and c. to d, See. 
COMPO'SITIVE, adj. Compounded; or, having the 
power of compounding. 
COMPO'SITOR, fi. lie that ranges and adjufts the 
types in printing; diftinguifhed from the prdTman, who 
makes the imprelFicn upon paper. 
CO'MPOS r, fi. [Ft. compojitum, Lat.] A mixture of 
various fubftances for enriching the ground; manure. 
See the article Husbandry. 
Avoid what is to come 
And do not fpread the compoji on the weeds, 
To make them ranker. Shakefipeare. 
In vain the nurfling grove 
Seems fair awhile, cherifh’d with fofter earth ; 
But wlien the alien compofi is exhauft, 
Its native poverty again prevails. Philips. 
‘ To COMPO'ST, v. a. To manure; to enrich with foil. 
»—As for earth, it compofieth itfelf; for I knew a garden 
that had a field poured upon it, and it did bear fruit ex¬ 
cellently. Bacon. 
COMPOSTEL'LA, or San Jago de Compostello, 
a city of Spain, and capital of Galicia, fituated in a beau¬ 
tiful plain, on all Tides furrounded with agreeable hills, 
between the Sar- and Sarela, which unite about half a 
league below. It is the lee of an archbilliop. In the me¬ 
tropolitan church are prefer.ved, as they believe, the re¬ 
mains of St. James, the patron of Spain, to whom the 
.church is dedicated, and from.whom the town is named ; 
there are twelve parilh churches within the walls, four¬ 
teen religious houfes, and four hofpitals. The annual 
revenue of the archbilliop is faid'to amount to fixfy tliou- 
iand ducats : an univerlity was eftablilhed here in 1532. 
The order of St. Jago takes its title from this city, the 
knights of which poffefs eighty-Teven commanderies, witli 
an annual income of two hundred thoufanu ducats : nine¬ 
ty-eight miles weft of Altorga. Lat. 42. 52. N. Ion. 8. 17. 
L. Peak of Teneriffe. 
COMPOST! LTA, a rich town in New Spain, and 
province of Xalilco, built in 1331, fituated near the South 
Sea, 400 miles north-welt of Mexico. The loil is barren, 
and tiie air unhealthy ; but it has feveral mines of filver at 
St. Pecaque. in its neighbourhood. Lat. 21. 20. N. Ion. 
88. 25. VV. Ferro. 
COMPOS'To (La), a town of Savoy : nine miles er.lt- 
north-eall of Chambery. 
COMPOS'TURE, fi. Soil ; manure. Not ufed: 
The earth’s a thief, 
That feeds and breeds by a compofiure Itol’n 
t From gen’ral excrements. Shakefipeare. 
COMPOSURE,/. The aft of compofing or inditing, 
v—Their own forms are not like to be lb found, or com- 
prehenlive of the nat ure of the duty, as forms of public 
compofiure. King Charles. —Arrangement; combination ; 
mixture; order.—Hence languages arile, when, by inlti- 
tution and agreement, fuch.a compofiure of letters, inch a 
word, is intended to lignify fuch a certain thing. Holder. 
■■ —The form ariiing from the difpofition of the various 
parts : 
In compofiure of his face, 
Liv’d a fair but manly grace, Crefihanja. 
Frame; make; temperament.—The duke of Bucking¬ 
ham fprung, without any help, by a kind of congenial 
compofiure, to the likeaels of our late fovereign and maker. 
, IVsilon, 
COM 
To reel the ftreets at noon, and Hand the buffet 
With llaves that fmell of fweat; fay this becomes him! 
As his compofiure muft be rare indeed. 
Whom thefe things cannot blemilh. Shakefipeare., 
Adjuftment.—God will rather look to the inward rap-- 
tures of the mind, than to the outward form and compo¬ 
fiure of the body. Duppa. —Compofition; framed difeourfe. 
—Difcourfes on fuch occalions are feldom the productions 
of leifure, and fhould be read with thole favourable allow¬ 
ances that are made to hafty compofiures. Atterbury. —In. 
the compofiures of men, remember you are a man as well as 
they; and it is not their realon, but your own, that is 
given to guide you. IVatts. —Sedatenefs ; calmnels ; tran¬ 
quillity—The calmelt and ferenelt hours ol life, when 
the palfions of nature are all filent, and the mind enjoys 
its molt perfeft compofiure. IVatts. 
To whom the virgin majelly of Eve, 
As one who loves, and Tome unkindnefs meets, 
With fweet aultere compofiure thus replied. Milton, 
Agreement ; compofition; fettlement or differences.— 
The treaty at Uxbridge gave the faireff hopes of an happy 
compofiure. King Charles. 
Van guard! to right and left the front unfold. 
That all may fee, who hate us, how we feek 
Peace and compofiure* Million. 
GOMPOTA'TION, fi. ficompotatio ? Lat.] The aft of 
drinking or tippling together.—Secrecy to words lpoke 
under the rofe, only mean, in compotaiion, from the an¬ 
cient cultom in fympqfiac meetings, to wear chaplets of 
roles. Ercvj/u. 
If thou wilt prolong 
Dire conipotatlon, forthwith reafon quits- 
Her empire to confufion and miflule, 
And vain debates ; then twenty tongues at once 
Confpire in fenfelefs jargon ; nought is heard 
But din and various clamour, and mad rant. Philips. 
To COMPOU'ND, 'V.aficompouo, Lat.] To mingle many 
ingredients together in one mafsf- To form by uniting 
various parts.—Whofoever edmppundeth any like if, lhail 
be cut off. Exodus , xxx.—The ideas, being each but one 
lingle perception, are eafier got than the more complex 
ones; and therefore are not liable to the uncertainty 
which attends thole compounded ones. Lode. —To mingle 
in different pofitions,; to combine.—We cannot have a 
Tingle image that did not enter through the fight; but we 
have the power of altering and compounding thole images 
into all the varieties of piClure. Addifion. —[In grammar,] 
To form one word from two or more words.—Where it 
and Tigris embrace each other under the city.of Apamia, 
there do they agree of a joint and compoundid name, and 
are called Pfio-Tigris. Raleigh. —To compofe by being 
united : 
Wlio’d be fo mock’d with glory, as to live 
But in a dream of friendfhip ? 
To have his pomp, and all what ftate compounds; 
But only painted, like his varnilh’d friends! Shakefipeare , 
To adjuft a difference by Tome receffion from the rigour 
of claims.—I would to God all ftrifes were well compound¬ 
ed. Shakefipeare. —If there be any difeord or fuits between 
any of the family, they are compounded and appealed. Ba¬ 
con. —To difeharge a debt by paying only part.—Shall L, 
ye gods ! he cries, my debts compound? Gay. 
TcCOMPOU'ND, <v. n. To come to terms of agree¬ 
ment, by abating fomething of the firff demand. It has 
fior before the thing accepted or remitted : 
Pray but.for half the virtues of this wife; 
Compound fior all the reft, with longer life. Dry den. 
To bargain in the lump.—Here’s a fellow will help you 
to-morrow : compound with him by the year. Shakefipeare. — 
To come to terms, by granting lomething on each fide : 
Once 
