ATT 
moiirs contaminated by a faline fulplnireous and fcorbu- 
tic dyfcracy, the molt efficacious of the attenuants are the 
horfe-radilh, fcurvy-grals, water and garden creifes, muf- 
tard, gum ammoniacum, benjamin, myrrh, the oil of fix¬ 
ed nitre, oil of tartar per deliquium, folutions of nitre, fpi- 
rit of fal ammoniac, fait of wormwood with lemon-juice, 
and the falls of the medicinal waters. When grumous or 
coagulated blood, occafioned by contufions or blows, is to 
be attenuated, and again diffiolved, the intention is gene¬ 
rally anfwered by the roots of Solomon’s feal, vinegar, and 
crabs eyes, the regenerated tartar, and nitre prepared with 
antimony. And in cafes where the lymph has acquired a 
preternatural thicknefs and vifcidity, efpecially if from a 
venereal taint, the curative intention is moft effectually 
anfwered by guaiacum, the acrid tinCture of antimony, 
calomel, aethiops mineral, and the lik<£; which, w hen Ikil- 
fully ufed, are of fingular efficacy in dilfolving and atte¬ 
nuating the vifcid juices impacted in the glands of the liver. 
See Medicine. 
To ATTEN'UATE, v. a. [ attenuo , I.at.] To make 
thin, or (lender: oppofed to condenfe , or incraJJ'ate, or thick¬ 
en. —The finer part belonging to the juice of grapes, be¬ 
ing attenuated and fubtilized, was changed into an ardent 
fpirit. Boyle. —Vinegar curd, put upon an egg, not only 
dilfolves the flicll, but alfo attenuates the white contained 
in it into a limpid water. Wifcman .—It is of the nature of 
acids to diflblve, or attenuate , and of alkalies to precipi¬ 
tate or incraffiate. Newton. 
ATTEN'UATE, adj: Made thin, or (lender.—Vivifi- 
cation ever ccnlilteth in fpirits attenuate, which the cold 
doth congeal and coagulate. Bacon. 
ATTENUA'TION,yi The aft of making any thing 
thin or (lender ; leffiening.— Chiming with a hammer up¬ 
on the outfide of a bell, the found will be according to the 
inward concave of the bell; whereas the elifion or attenu¬ 
ation of the air can be only between the hammer and the 
outfide of the bell. Bacon. 
Attenuation, among alchemifis, was alfo ufed for 
pulverization, or the a<5! of reducing a body into an im¬ 
palpable powder, by grinding, pounding, or the like. 
AT'TER,y. later, Sax. venom.] Corrupt matter. A 
word much ufed in Lincolnfhire. 
Atter, or Otter, of Roses. See Rose. 
AT'TERBURY (Dr. Francis), fon of Dr. Lewis At- 
terbury, was born at Milton in Buckinghamftiire, in 1662; 
educated at Weftminfter; and from thence defied to 
Chrifi-Church in Oxford, where he loon diltinguilhed him- 
felf by his fine genius and turn for polite literature. The 
year he was made M. A. 1687, lie exerted himfelf in the 
controverfy with the papifis, vindicated Luther in the 
ftrongeft manner, and (hewed an uncommon fund of learn¬ 
ing, enlivened with great vivacity. In 1690 he married 
Mifs Ofborn, a difiant relation of the duke of Leeds; a 
lady of great beauty, but with little or no fortune. In 
1691 he was defied lechtrer of St. Bride’s church in Lon¬ 
don, and preacher at Bridewell chapel. An academic 
life, indeed, mult have been irkfome and inlipid to a per- 
fon of his aftive and afpiring temper. It was hardly pof- 
fible that a clergyman of his fine genius, improved by (tti¬ 
dy, with a fpirit to exert his talents, fhonld remain long- 
unnoticed; and we find that he was foon appointed chap¬ 
lain to king William and queen Mary. 
In 1700, a large field of activity opened, in which At- 
terbury was engaged four years with Dr. Wake, after¬ 
wards archbilhop of Canterbury, and others, concerning 
the “ Rights, Powers, and Privileges, of Convocations 
in which, whatever way the truth of the queftion may be 
fuppofed to lie, he difplayed fo much learning and inge¬ 
nuity, as well as zeal for the interefis of his order, that 
the lower houfe of convocation returned him their thanks, 
and the univerfity of Oxford complimented him with the 
degree of D. D. January 29, 1700, he was inftalled arch¬ 
deacon of Totnefs, being promoted to that dignity by Sir 
Jonathan Trelawney, bilhop of Exeter. The fame year 
he was engaged, with fome other learned divines, in re¬ 
viling an intended edition of the “ Greek Teffament,” 
with Greek ■“ Scholia,” collected chiefly from the fathers, 
by Mr. archdeacon Gregory. At this period he was po¬ 
pular as preacher at the Rolls Chapel ; an office which 
had been conferred on him by Sir John Trevor, a great dif- 
cerner of abilities, in 1698, when he refigned Bridewell, 
which he had obtained in 1693. Upon the acceffion of 
queen Anne in 1702, Dr. Atterbury was appointed one of 
her majefty’s chaplains in ordinary ; and, in October 1704, 
was advanced to the deanery of Carlifle. About two 
years after this, he was engaged in a difpute with Dr. 
Hoadly, concerning the advantages of virtue with regard, 
to the prefent life ; occafioned by his fermon, preached 
Augufi 30, 1706, at the funeral of Mr. Thomas Bennet 
a bookfeller. In 1707, Sir Jonathan Trelawny, bilhop of 
Exeter, appointed him one of the canons relidentaries of 
that church. In 1709, he was engaged in a frefli difpute 
with Dr. Hoadly, concerning “Pallive Obedience;” oc¬ 
cafioned by his Latin Sermon, entitled “ Concio ad Cle- 
rum Londinenfem, habita in Ecclelia S. Elphegi.” In 
1710, came on the famous trial of Dr. Sacheverell, whofe 
remarkable fpeecli on that occafion was generally fuppofed 
to have been drawn up by Atterbury, in conjundion with 
Dr. Smalridge and Dr. Freind. The fame year Dr. At¬ 
terbury was unanimoufly chofen prolocutor of the lower 
lioufe of convocation, and had the chief management of 
affairs in that houfe. May 11, 1711, he was appointed 
by the convocation one of the committee for comparing 
Mr. Whifione’s doctrines with thofc of the church of Eng¬ 
land ; and in June following, he had the chief hand in 
drawing up “ A Reprefentation of the Prefent State of 
Religion.” In 1712, Dr. Atterbury was made dean of 
Chrifi-Church, notwithftanding the ftrong intereft and 
warm applications of feveral great men in behalf of his 
competitor Dr. Smalridge. The next year faw him at 
the top of his preferment, as well as of his reputation ; 
for, in the beginning of June 1713, the queen, at the re¬ 
commendation of lord chancellor Harcourt, advanced him 
to the bifliopric of Rochefter, with the deanery of Weft- 
minifter in commendam ; he was confirmed July 4, and 
confecrated at Lambeth next day. 
At the beginning of the fucceeding reign, his tide of 
profperity began to turn; and he received a fenfible mor¬ 
tification foon after the coronation of George I. when, 
upon his offering to prefent his majefiy with the chair of 
fiate Or royal canopy, his ow n perquilites as dean of Weft- 
minifier, the offer was rejected, not without fome evident 
marks of perfonal diflike. During the rebellion in Scot¬ 
land, when the Pretender’s declaration was difperfed, the 
archbilhop of Canterbury, and the bilhops in and near 
London, had publiflied A Declaration of their Abhorrence 
of the prefent Rebellion, and an Exhortation to the 
Clergy and People to be zealous in the difeharge of their 
Duties to his Majefiy King George : but the bifhop of 
Rochefter refilled to fign it ; and engaged bilhop Smal¬ 
ridge in the fame refufal, on account of fome refledions 
it contained again!! the high-clmrch party. He appeared 
generally among the proteftors again!! the meafures of the 
miniftry under the king, and drew up the reafons of the 
protefts with his own hand. 
On April 26, 1722, he fuftained a fevere trial in the lofs 
of his lady; by whom he had four children ; Francis, who 
died an infant; Ofborn, (Indent of Chrifi-Church ; Eliza¬ 
beth, who died in September 29, 1716, aged feventeen ; 
and Mary, who had been then (even years married to Mr. 
Morice. And in this memorable year, on a fuppolition 
of his being concerned in a plot in favour of the Pretender, 
he was apprehended Augufi 24, and committed prifoner to 
the tower. Two officers, the under-fecretary, and a mef- 
fenger, went to the bifhop’s houfe at Weftminifter, with 
orders to bring him and his papers before the council. He 
happened to be in his night-gown when they came in; and, 
being made acquainted with their bufinefs, he delired time 
to drefs himfelf. In the mean time his fecretary came in ; 
and the officers went to fearch for his papers; in the fealing 
