A S I 
part.of Lydia, lying between the Maeander and Cayfter, 
and the maritime provinces from Ephefus to A(ia, and the 
promontory Ledhirn, were left to the Proconfular Afia. 
“ Lhe Afiatic Diocefe is fometimes taken in a more drift 
fenfe, as diftimft from the Proconfular Afia, and the pro- 
vinces under the jurifdidtion of the proconful, and i'ome- 
times in a more extenfive fenfe,as comprehending alfo the 
Proconfular Afia. According to this acceptation, all Afia, 
in the reign of Theodofius the Younger, confided of ele¬ 
ven provinces, three whereof were under the jtirifdiflion 
ot the proconful of Afia, viz. the Proconfular Proper, 
■which he governed by himfelf; the Confular Ilellefpont, 
and that ot Rhodes, with the other iflands called Cyclades, 
which were firft made a province by Vefpafian, and placed 
under a prefident: eight were under the vicarius or lieu¬ 
tenant ot Afia, viz. Lydia, Caria, Phrygia Salutaris, 
Phrygia Pacatiana, Pamphylia, Lycia, Lycaonia, and Pi- 
fidia ; thefe eight made up what was properly called the 
Asiatic Diocele. Thefe are the terms we mod commonly 
meet with in reading the ancient hiftorians and geogra¬ 
phers, for the explanation of which we are chiefly in¬ 
debted to the learned biftiop Uflier, who thought it well 
worth his while to examine the various acceptations of 
Afia Proper in a particular treatife.” 
Asia is reprelented in painting and fculpture by an 
elegant female, attired in a rich and embroidered garment, 
crowned with a garland of flowers and fruits; holding in 
her right hand fprigs ot the fundry fpices it affords, and in 
her lett a cenfer fmoking with them : at her feet a camel. 
The garland denotes, that Afia produces delightful tilings 
iieceflary for human life j her garments the great plenty 
of tliofe rich materials; the fprigs of fpices, that (lie 
difiributes them to other parts of the world ; the cenfer 
dignifies the odoriferous gums and fpices it produces. 
The camel is proper to Afia. 
A'SIA MI'NOR, or Lesser Asia. See Natolia. 
AS 1 A'NO, a town of Italy, in the principality of Pied¬ 
mont, and lordfhip of Vercelli, four miles fouth of Ver- 
celli. 
ASIAN'TE, a country of Africa, eafiward of the Gold 
Coafl, (ituated about lat. 5. 35. N. Ion. 17.45. E. Ferro. 
ASIAT'IC, adj. and f. Belonging to Afia, 
ASIAT'IC SOCIETY. See Society. 
ASI'DE, adv. [from a and fide.\ To one fide; out of 
the perpendicular direftion: 
The (form ruffl'd in, and Arcite flood aghaft; 
J. he flames were blown ajidc, yet fhone they bright, 
Fa lin'd by the wind, and gave’a ruffled light. Dry den. 
To another part; out of the true direction.—He had no 
brother; which though it be a comfortable thing forkings 
to have, yet it draweth the fubjedts eyes a little afidc. 
, Bacon.— From the company ; as, to fpeak afide. —He took 
him afide from the multitude. Mark vii. 33. 
AS'lGRUM, /. in botany. See Hypericum. 
AS ILUS,/ \_abqjfiliendopecora ,from its attacking cattle. ] 
The Horned I'LYj in entomology, a genus belonging to 
the order of diptera: the characters of. which are: rof- 
trurfi horny, porretfed, firaight, and bivalved ; body ob¬ 
long and conic. Thefe infects are generally found in 
iwampy meadow ground, where they prove very trouble- 
fotne to cattle. They are armed with a fling, which in- 
flids a painful wound. The probofeis, though (harp 
enough to penetrate the thickeft (kin, is neverthelefs per¬ 
forated, and fupplies the place of a pump, in fucking out 
the blood of animals. T here are leventy-two fpecies now 
afeertained. 
1. Afilus crabroniformis, the ferruginous afilus: tho¬ 
rax gibbous; abdomen oval, (lender, and tapering; the 
three firft fegments of the abdomen are black, the reft 
yellow ; the feet and wings are of an iron colour. The 
graziers imagine, and perhaps with juftice, that of all the 
jnfed tribe, this is the moft noxious to black cattle ; the 
veiy noife or their wings lets them a running; and, be¬ 
fore they flop, they generally make their efcape into a 
ASK 263 
river, if any is near. Inhabits Europe. This is fhown 
on the annexed engraving, at fig. 3. 
2. Afilus tipuloides : naked, cinereous ; legs ferrugi¬ 
nous, laft joint black ; three black lines on the thorax. 
Inhabits Europe. See the engraving, at fig. 4. 
3. Afilus flavus : hairy, black; thorax cinereous be¬ 
hind; abdomen above hairy, fulvous; beard white. 
Inhabits Europe. See the engraving, fig. 5. 
The other fpecies are very little known, and do not 
require a particular defeription. 
ASINA'RA, a fmall ifland in the Mediterranean, near 
tlie north-weft coaft of Sardinia, about ten leagues in cir¬ 
cumference, fertile and populous. In the mountains are 
great numbers ef wild boars,, deers, buffaloes, and falcons. 
Lat. 41. 5. N. Ion. 26. 9. E. Ferro. 
AS'INARY, adj. [ afnarius , Lat.] Belonging to an afs. 
ASINE'GO,yi [Portuguefe, a little afs.] A foolifh 
fellow.—They apparelled me as you fee, made a fool, or 
an afnego, of me. Maim. Antiquary. 
A'SINES, adj. [Gr. from u neg. and cua, to hurt. ] In¬ 
nocent, not injurious to health. 
ASINEL'LA, a river of Italy, in the kingdom of Na¬ 
ples, which runs into the Adriatic, near Penac, in the 
Abruzzo Citra. 
AS'lNINE, adj. [afims, Lat.] Belonging to an afs. 
ASIN'IUS (Pollio), conful and Roman orator, diftin- 
guithed himfelf under Auguftus by his exploits and lite¬ 
rary works. He is frequently commended by Horace and 
Virgil, and is (aid to have collected the firft library at 
Rome. He died at Frefcati, when eighty years of age. 
ASI'NUS, in natural hiftory, the Ass ; for which fee 
the article Equus, vol. vi. p. 888. 
ASIREF', a town of Perfia, on the fouth coaft of the 
Cafpian Sea, in tile province cf Taberiftan, eleven leagues 
eaft of Ferabad. 
To ASK, v. a. \_afcian, Saxon.] To petition ; to beg ; 
fometimes with an accufative only ; fometimes with for: 
When thou doft ajk me blefing, I’ll kneel down, 
And aft of thee forgivenfs. Shakefpeare. 
In long journies, afi your mafter Ifave to give ale to the 
horfes. Swift. —To demand ; to claim : as, To ajk a price 
for goods.— Ajk me never fo much dowry and gift, and I 
will give according as ye (ball fay unto me : but give me 
the damfel to wife. Gen. xxxiv. 12.— To queftion.—O in¬ 
habitant of Aroer, (land by the way and efpy ; afi him 
that fieetb, and her that efcapetfi, and fay, What is done ? 
Jer. xlviii. 19.—To enquire ; with after before the thing. 
—He faid, Wherefore is it that thou dolt ajk after my name ? 
And he blelled him there. Gen. xxxii. 29.—To require, 
as phyfically neceliary.—Theadminiftration paftesinto dif¬ 
ferent hands at the end of tw o months, which contributes 
to difpatch : but any exigence of ftate afs a much longer 
time to conducFany defign to its maturity. Addifon. 
To ASK, v. n. To petition; to beg: vvith_/er before the 
thing.—My fon, haft thou finned ? do fo no more, but ajk 
pardon for thy former fins. Ecclus. xxi. 1. — To make en¬ 
quiry; with for or of before the thing. To enquire.— 
Stand ye in the ways, and fee, and ajk for the old paths, 
where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye final 1 find 
reft for your fouls. Jer. vi. 16. 
ASK, f. The water-newt. See Lacerta pdlufris. 
ASKA'NCE, oV Askaun'ce, adv. Sideways; obliquely ■; 
Some fay he bid his angels turn afkance 
The poles of earth, twice ten degrees, and more, 
From the fun’s axle; they with labour pufh’d 
Oblique the centric globe, Milton* 
ASKAU'NT, adv. Obliquely; on one fide ; 
Since the fpace, that lies on either fide 
The folar orb, is without limits wide, 
Grant that the fun had happen’d to prefer 
A feat cfkaunt, but one diameter: 
Loft to the light by that unhappy place, 
This globe had lain a frozen lonefome rnafs, Blackmore. 
AS'KEL on 
