B E A 
third, beam, &c. the greateft beam of all is called the 
midjhip beam. 
Beam of a Plough, that in which all the parts of the 
plough-tail are fixed, 
‘Beam-Tree, f. in botany. See Crataegus Aria. 
To Beam, v. n. To emit rays of beams : 
Each emanation of his fires 
That beams on earth, each virtue he infpires. Pope. 
BEA'MINSTER, a market-town in Dorfetfliire, fitu- 
ated on the borders of the county, in a deep fertile vale, 
furrounded by gardens and orchards. Its difiance from 
London is 136 miles, from the fea eight, from the bor¬ 
ders of Somerfet four, Dorchefter fifteen, and Evcrfiiot 
nine. The town was nearly deftroyed by fire in 1645, and 
again in 1686. A little river called the Bert, ifl'ues from 
feveral fprings on the north, and, after flowing through 
the town, and the valley which lies between it and Brid- 
port, falls into the fea at Bridport harbour. The cloth- 
ing-trade was efiablilhed here at an early period, and is 
(lill in a thriving (late. Here is a large fail-cloth manu¬ 
factory, and alfo of locks and other iron, tin, and copper, 
goods, for home confumption and exportation. In the 
middle of the town Bands the market-houfe, which is a 
modern building. The church, which is dedicated to the 
Virgin Mary, (lands on an eminence on the fouth fide of 
the'town; it con lilts of a body, two fide-aifles, a chancel, 
and a fmall aide on the north, anciently uled for a chan¬ 
try. The tower is near 100 feet high, ornamented with 
the image of the Virgin Mary. Here is-an aims-houfe, 
founded in 1634, by Sir John Strode, of Parnhaiu ; and 
alfo a free-fchool, for teaching twenty poor boys, founded 
by Mrs. Frances Tucker, in the reign of William III. 
The work-houfe was anciently an alms-houfe, founded 
by Gilbert Adams, mercer, in 1626, who gave, by his 
will, a fuin of money for its maintenance, with which 
was purchafed an eftate, about four miles from the town, 
of the annual value of eighteen pounds. Another eftate, 
called Emlcy-wood, fituated in the parifli of Corfcombe, 
was given to the poor of Beaminfter, by the Rev. William 
Hillary, of Binfteed, in the county of Hants, in 1712. 
This benefaftion was directed to take place after the expi¬ 
ration of ninety-nine years from his deceafe. The hills 
which furround Beaminfter afford very extenfive and plea¬ 
ting prol'pefts, particularly Levyfdown, the fubject of a 
fine poem, by the Rev. William Crowe, public orator of 
the univerfity of Oxford. The market-day is on Thurf- 
day ; and a fair is annually holden on the 19th of Septem¬ 
ber, which has exilted ever fince the 12th year of Edw. I. 
Of late years there have been two other fairs, for cattle, 
cheefe, &c. on the 4th of April and 9th of October. 
BEA'MY, adj. Radiant; ihining ; emitting beams : 
All feeing fun ! 
Hide, hide in (hameful night, thy beamy head. Smith. 
Having the weight or inaffinefsuf a beam : 
His double-biting axe, and beamy fpear j 
Each afking a gigantic force to rear. Dryden. 
Having horns or antlers : 
Rouze from their defert dens the bridled rage 
Of boars, and beamy (tags in toils engage. Dryden. 
BEAN,/! in botany, fee Vicia Faba. The ancients 
made ufe of beans in gathering the votes of the people, 
and for the election of magiftrates. A white bean ffigni- 
fied ab/b/ittion, and a black one condemnation. Beans had a 
myfterious ufe in the lemuralia and parentalia-, w here the 
matter of the family, after w a filing, was to throw a fort of 
black beans over his head, dill repeating the words, “I 
redeem myfelf and family by thefe beans.” Ovid gives a 
lively defcription of the whole ceremony in verfe. Abfti- 
nence from beans was enjoined by Pythagoras, one of 
whofe fymbols is, ccTTEs-^icOai, abjlint a fabis. The 
Egyptian prieffs held it a crime to look at beans, judging 
the very fight unclean. Th ejlamen dialis was not permit- 
Vol. II. No. 105. 
B E A 8zif' 
ted even to mention the-name. The precept of.Pythagoras 
lias been varioufly interpreted: fome underhand it. of for¬ 
bearing to meddle in trials and verdicts, which were then 
by throwing beans into an urn : others, building on the 
equivoque of the word xua/i®-, which equally fignifies a 
bean and a human tejlicle, explain it by abftaining from ve- * 
nery. Clemens Alexandrians grounds the abftinence from 
beans on this, that they render women barren ; which is' 
confirmed by Theophraftus, who extends the effect even' 
bo plants. Cicero fuggqfts another realon for this abfti¬ 
nence, viz. that beans are great enemies to tranquillity of 
mind. For a reafon of this kind it is, that Amphiaraus is 
laid to have abltained from beans, even before Pythagoras, 
that he might enjoy a clearer divination by dreams. 
“Every Bean has its black.” This proverb is an emblem 
of human frailty and imperfection ; and intimates, that it ; .s 
as natural for every man to have his failings, as it is fora 
bean to have its black eye ; experience has in all ages but 
too fulficiently evinced the truth of it in the wifeft and bed 
of men. The Latins fay : nemo fine crimine vivit. With 
which agrees the French: il n'y a perfonne fans defaut. But 
Horace goes farther, and comes nearer to our proverb: 
vitiis nemo fine nafcitur, ‘ no one is born without vice.’ Gr. 
orao-rio-i y.ogvftx\otn Xopov tyyus^on. The Germans fay : 
es if. kein menfcli ehnc cin aber, ‘.no man is without a bur, or ■ 
an exception,’ or, auch dieJ'onne hat ihre Jlecken , ‘ even the 
fun is not without fpots.’ 
Bean-Coi>, y.' A fmall fifiling vefiel or pilot-boat, com¬ 
mon on the fea-coaft and in the rivers of Portugal. It is 
extremely (harp forward, having its ftem bent inward above 
into a great curve : the ftem is alfo plated on the fore-lide 
with iron, into which a number of bolts are driven, to 
fortify it, and refill the ftroke of another veffel, which • 
may fall atlnvart-haufe. It is commonly navigated with 
a large lateen fail, which extends over the whole length 
of the deck, and is accordingly well fitted to ply to wind¬ 
ward . ^ • 
Bean-Flour, called by tlie Romans lomentum , was of 
repute among the ancient ladies as a cofmetic, wherewith 
to frnooth the (kin, and takeaway wrinkles. 
Bean-Fly, f. in natural hiftory, the name given by 
authors to a very beautiful fly, of a pale purple colour, 
frequently found on bean-flowers. It is produced from 
the worm or-maggot called by authors mida. 
Bran-Goose, y. in ornithology. See Anas. 
Bean, Malacca. See Anacardium. 
Bean, Kidney, or French, fee Phaseolus. Bean- 
Caper, fee Zygophyllum. , Bean-Treeoil, fee A- 
nagyris and Cytisus. 
BEANE, a river of England, which runs into the Lea 
near Hoddefdon, in the county of Hertford. 
To BEAR, v. a. pret. I bore, or bare ; part. pa(T. bore, 
or born. [ beoran , beran, Sax. bai.ran. Gothic. It is founded 
as bare, as the ate in care- and dare.] This is a word tiled 
with fuch latitude, that it is not eafily explained.—We 
fay, to bear a burden, to bear forrow or reproach, to bear a 
name, to bear a grudge, to bear fruit, or to bear children. 
The word bear is ufed in very different fenfes. Watts. —To 
carry as a burden.—And Solomon had threefcore and ten 
thoufand that bare burdens. 1 Kings. —As an eagle ftirreth 
up her neft, fluttereth over her. young, fpreadeth abroad 
her wings, taketh them, bearcth them on her wings. Deute¬ 
ronomy. —To convey or carry : 
A gueft like him, a Trojan gueft before, 
In fliew of friend (hip, fought the Spartan (bore, 
And ravifti’d Helen from her hufband bore. Garth. ’ 
* 
To carry as a mark of authority. To carry as a mark of 
diftinCtiun.—His ftipreme fpfrit of mind will bear its bed 
refemblance, when it reprefentsthe fiipreme infinite. Chcyne. 
—So we fay to bear arms in a coat. To carry, as in a (how: 
Look like the time ; bear welcome in your eye, 
Your hand, your tongue ; look like the innocent flower, 
Be but the ferpent under’t. Shakejpcare. 
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