604. B A C 
alfo the vane A at the centre is called the horizon-vant t 
that on the arch of fixty degrees at B the Jhade-vane , and 
that on the other arch at C the fght-vane. 
In order to ufe the back-ftafr, the {hade-vane is to be 
fet upon the fixty arch, at an even degree of fome lati¬ 
tude, lefs by ten or fifteen degrees than you judge the 
complement of the fun’s altitude w ill be; alfo the hori¬ 
zon-vane being put on at A, and the fight-vane on the 
thirty arch F G, the obfcrver turns his back to the fun, 
lifts up the inftrument, and looks through the fight-vane, 
raifing or falling the quadrant, till the (hadow of the up¬ 
per edge of the (hade-vane falls on the upper edge of the 
flit in the horizon-vane ; and then, if he can fee the hori¬ 
zon through the faid (lit, the obfervation is exaft, and the 
vanes are right fet: but, if the fea appear inftead of the 
horizon, the" fight-vane mud be moved downward towards 
F ; or, if the iky appear, it nnrft be moved upward to¬ 
wards G ; thus trying till it comes right. The obferver 
then examines how many degrees and minutes are cut by 
that edge of the fight-vane that anfwers to the fight-hole, 
and to them he adds the degrees cut by the upper edge 
of the fliade-vane ; then the hum is the fun’s difiance from 
the zenith, or the complement of the altitude; that is, 
of his upper limb when the upper end of the ihade-vane 
is ufed in the obfervation, or of his lower limb when the 
lower part of that vane is ufed ; therefore in the former 
cafe add fixteen minutes, the fun’s diameter, and fubtraft 
fixteen minutes in the latter cafe, to give the zenith dif- 
tance or co-altitude of the fun’s centre. Mr. Flamftead 
contrived a glafs lens, or double convex, to be placed in 
the middle of the lhade-vane, which throws a (mall bright 
foot on the flit of the horizon-vane, inftead of the (hade ; 
which is a great improvement, if the glafs be truly made; 
for, by this means, the inftrument may be ufed in hazy 
weather, and a much more accurate obfervation made 
at all times. 
BACK-STAIRS,^ [from back and fairs.] The pri¬ 
vate (lairs in the houfe.—I condemn the practice which 
hath lately crept into the court at the bacli-Jlairs, that fome 
pricked for (herifts get out of the bill. Bacon. 
B ACK-ST AYS, f. [from back and fay. ] Ropes or 
flays which keep the malts of a (hip from pitching forward 
or overboard. 
BACK-SWORD, f. [from back and /word. ] A fword 
with one (harp edge. Ufed figurately for a cudgel, or the 
art of defending one’s felf with a cudgel. 
BACK'WARD, or Back'wards, adv. [from back and 
weard, Sax. that is, towards the back; contrary to for¬ 
wards.] With the back forwards.—They went backward, 
and their faces were backward. Gcnejis ,— Towards the 
B A C 
back.—In leaping with weights, the arms are firft ca(t 
backwards, and then forwards, with fo much the greater 
force ; for the hands go backward before they take their 
rife. Bacon. —On the back: 
Then, darting fire from her malignant eyes, 
She caft him backward as he drove to rife. Dryden. 
From the prefent ftation to the place beyond the back. 
Regreffively.—Are not the rays of light, in palling by the 
edges and (ides of bodies, bent feveral times backwards 
and-forwards with a motion like that of an eel? Newton.~~ 
Towards fomething paft.—To prove the pollibility of a 
thing, there is no argument to that which looks back¬ 
wards; for what has been done or differed may certainly 
be done or differed again. South. —Reflex : 
No, doubtlefs; for the mind can backward caft 
Upon herfelf, her underftanding light. Sir J. Davies. 
From a better to a worfe date : 
The work went backward ; and, the more he drove 
T’ advance the fuit, the farther from her love. Dryden. 
Paft ; in time paft.—They have fpread one of the word 
languages in the world, if we look upon it lome reigns 
backward. Locke.'' —Perverfely ; from the w long end : 
I never yet faw man, . 
But (lie would fpell him backward ; if fair-fac’d, 
She’d fvvear the gentleman fliould be her fifter; 
If black, why, nature, drawing of an antick, 
Made a foul blot; if tall, a launce ill-headed. Shakcfpearc. 
Backward ,adj. Unwilling; averfe.—Our mutability 
makes the friends of our nation backward to engage with, 
us in alliances. Addifon. —Hefitating : 
All things are ready, if our minds be fo : 
Peri(h the man wliofe mind is backward now ! Skakefpeare . 
Sluggifh ; dilatory.—The mind is backward to undergo the 
fatigue of weighing every argument. Watts. —Dull; not 
quick or apprehenlive.—It often falls out, that the back¬ 
ward learner makes amends another way. South. — Late; 
coming after fomething elfe : as, backward fruits ; back¬ 
ward children: fruits long in ripening ; children How of 
growth. 
Backward, f. Things or date behind orpaft; poetical: 
What feed thou elfe 
In the dark backward or abyfm of time ? Skakefpeare. 
BACK'WARDLY, adv. Unwilling; averfely; with 
the back forward : 
Like Numid lions by the hunters chas’d, 
Though they do fly, yet backwardly do go 
With proud afpedf, difdaining greater hafte. Sidney. 
BACKWARDNESS,_/l Dullnefs; unwillingnefs; (lug- 
gifhnefs.—The thing by which we are apt to excufe our 
backwardnefs to good works, is the ill fuccefs that hath 
been obferved to attend well-defigning charities. Atterbury. 
—Slownefs of progreftion ; tardinefis. 
BACK-WORM. See Filanders. 
BA'CO, a town of Afia, and capital of Mindora, one 
of the Philippine iflands ; the environs are well watered 
by fprings from mountains, covered with farfaparilla : a 
Spanilh judge refides there. 
BACO'FEN, a town of Bohemia, in the circle of Bole- 
daw, five miles north-north-eall of Jung Buntzlau. 
BA'CON, J. [Menagitis derives it from bake, becaufe 
it is dried by fmoke; others from beten. Sax. a beech tree, 
becaufe hogs are fatted with the mad of beech.] The fle(h 
of a hog falted and dried: 
High o’er the hearth a chine of bacon hung, 
Good old Philemon feiz’d it with a prong. Dryden. 
* To fave one’s bacon,' is a phrafe for preferving one’s felf 
from being hurt; borrowed from the care of houfewives 
in the country, where they have feldom any other provi- 
fion in the houfe than dried bacon, to fecure it from the 
marching foldiers. 
What 
