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S E V 
cian,was born at Tarsia, in Calabria, in the year 1580. 
His early inclination led him to the study of the law ; but 
he subsequently abandoned that pursuit for the profession 
of medicine, and received the degree of doctor in the uni¬ 
versity of Naples. He became ultimately one of the most 
celebrated professors of that school, and taught anatomy and 
surgery with such reputation, as to attract a crowd of students 
to the university. His method of treating surgical subjects 
in his writings was highly commended by Bartholin. He 
was, however, a harsh practitioner, and censured the inert¬ 
ness of his contemporaries, for neglecting the cautery and 
the knife, as employed by the ancients, and himself carried 
the use of the actual cautery to a great extent. He died at 
Naples, on the 15th of July, 1656, at the age of seventy-six. 
He was a man of bold and original mind, but somewhat 
attached to paradox; and was the author of several publica¬ 
tions, of which we have the following catalogue. “ Historia 
Anatomica, Observatioque medica eviscerati hominis;” 
3629. “ De recondita abscessuum natura Libri octo;” 
1630; which passed through many editions. “ Vipera 
Pythiae, id est, de Viperee natura, veneno, et medicina 
1643. “ Zootomica Democritea, id est, Anatome generalis 
totius animantium, Lib. v." 1645; containing the result 
of his dissection of a great many animals. “ De effi- 
caci Medicina, Libri iii.” 1646. In this work he extols the 
advantages of fire and steel in the cure of diseases. “ De 
Lapide fungifero, de Lapide fungimappa, Epistolae duae;” 
3649. “ Therapeuta Neopolitanus, sive curandarum Fe- 
brium et Morborum internorum Methodus;” 1653. “ Tri- 
membris Chirurgia;" 1653. “ Seilo-Phlebotome castigata, 
sive de Vense Salvatellae usu et abusu censura;” 1654. 
“ De Aqua Pericardii, cordis adipe, poris choledocis 
1654. At the time of his death, Severinus was preparing for 
publication some papers, which he meant to illustrate by 
engravings; they were published together, and entitled, 
“ Antiperipatias, hoc est, adversus Aristoteleos de respira- 
tione piscium Diatriba.” “ Commentarius, in Theophrastum 
de piscibus in sicco viventibus.” “ Phoca anatonnce spec- 
tatus;” 3661. A sort of extract or abridgment of his writ¬ 
ings on surgery was also published in 1664, with the title of 
“ Synopseos Chirurgicse Libri vi.” See Eloy. Diet. Hist. 
SEVE'RITY, s. [ severite , old Fr. severitas, Lat.] 
Cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment.—Never were so 
great rebellions expiated with so little blood, as for the se¬ 
verity used upon those taken in Kent, it was but upon a 
scum of people. Bacon. —Hardness ; power of distressing. 
—Though nature hath given insects sagacity to avoid the 
winter cold, yet its severity finds them out. Hale .— 
Strictness; rigid accuracy.—Confining myself to the seve¬ 
rity of truth I must pass over many instances of your 
military skill. Dryden. —Rigour; austerity; harshness; 
want of mildness; want of indulgence. 
Strict age, and sour severity. 
With their grave saws, in slumber lie. Milton 
SEVERN, a large and important river of England, second 
only to the Thames, and also the principal river of Wales. 
It rises in Plinlimmon hill, on the borders of Montgomery 
and Cardigan shires, not far from the coast of Cardigan bay, 
and after a very circuitous course, passing through the coun¬ 
ties of Montgomery, Shropshire, Worcester and Gloucester, 
loses itself in the Bristol channel. Descending from the 
mountains, it bears the name of the Hafren river, till it arrives 
at Llanidloes, and flowing towards Newtown, between hills 
pleasantly fringed with wood, it assumes its proper name of 
the Severn. From thence its course is almost due north, 
through the delightful vale of Montgomeryshire. Beyond 
Welchpool it enters the great plain of Shropshire, and after 
making a considerable compass, turns abruptly to the south¬ 
east. It then almost encircles the town of Shrewsbury, and 
continuing the same direction, passes Colebrookdale, soon 
after which it flows southward to Bridgenorth, Bewdley, 
Worcester and Gloucester, dividing near the latter city into 
two channels, which re-uniting soon afterwards/constitute a 
great tide river. Below Gloucester its course is chiefly to the 
s e v 
south-west. The character of tjhis river does not much assi¬ 
milate with its mountainous origin; it soon loses its native 
rapidity, forming large vales, and generally burying itself 
within deep banks. At Llanidloes it ceases to be a torrent, 
and forms a delightful valley, more like the extensive vales 
of England, than those stripes of cultivation which prevail 
within the mountains of Wales. Below Colebrookdale the 
scenery along the banks becomes very picturesque, but it 
soon relapses into its former sameness of appearance, till it 
reaches Bewdley. At Stourport it is joined by those numer¬ 
ous canals which bear all the commerce of Birmingham, 
Kidderminster, and the various trading towns of Warwick, 
Stafford, and Worcester shires; this being their principal 
port, and the outlet for their various productions. Crowded' 
with barges, the river now rolls through a pleasant country, 
and is a broad and tranquil stream towards Worcester. 
After this it almost disappears between its banks, in the midst 
of the vast plain of Gloucestershire, until it again emerges, 
and gradually widens into the great estuary of the Bristol 
channel. From its source in Pimlimmon-hill to the sea, the 
Severn runs about 200 miles. It is navigable to Pool Quay, 
in Montgomeryshire, and by means of its numerous canals 
this navigation is extended into the very heart of the king¬ 
dom, being united with the Thames on the east, and with 
the Trent, the Humber and the Mersey towards the north; 
thus forming the grand outlet and channel for the commerce 
of the kingdom on the south-west. The navigation of the 
river itself, however, is in many parts very imperfect, being 
interrupted by shallows, and the great irregularities of the 
water; the inconveniences of which various plans have been 
proposed to remove. The vessels chiefly used in this navi¬ 
gation are barges, trows, wherries and boats. For further 
particulars regarding the Severn, see the different counties 
and towns through which it passes. 
SEVERN, a river of the United States, in Maryland, 
which runs into the Chesapeak, a little below Annapolis. 
SEVERN, a river of North America, which runs into 
Hudson’s Bay, with a settlement at the mouth, called Severn 
House. Lat. 56. N. long. 88. W. 
SEVERN, a river of North America, which runs from 
Lake Simcoe to Lake Huron. 
SEVERN, a river of the United States, in Virginia, 
which runs into the Chesapeak Bay. Lat. 37. 23. N. long. 
76. 27. W. 
SEVERN, Vale of, an extensive and fertile vale in 
England, in the county of Gloucester, extending along the 
banks of the river Severn. It is the rich pasture of this vale 
which furnishes to the kingdom those quantities of cheese, 
for which this country is so famous. The air is so mild, even 
in winter, that the vale seems to enjoy a different climate 
from the adjoining Cotswold hills. See Gloucester. 
SEVERNDROOG, a small rocky island of Hindostan, on 
the coast of the Concan. It is joined to the continent by a 
reef of rocks, which forms a safe bay for vessels on the south 
side. This place was taken by the Mahrattas from the king 
of Bejapore, in the 17th century, but during the reign of 
Sahoo Rajah, about the year 1730, Conajee Angria, his 
admiral, revolted, and established this place as the head¬ 
quarters of a gang of pirates. It was taken by the British in 
1756, by a small force under commodore James, and was 
then restored to the Mahrattas, but has probably been again 
taken during the late war. Lat. 17. 47. N. long. 73.13. E. 
SEVERNSTOKE, or Stoke-upon-Severn, a parish of 
England, in Worcestershire; 3 miles from Upton, and 112 
from London. Population 600. 
SEVERO, St., a small town in the east part of the king¬ 
dom of Naples, in the Capitanata. It is the see of a bishop ; 
26 miles west-south-west of Manfredonia, and 77 north-east 
of Naples. 
SEVERUS (Lucius-Septimius), a Roman emperor. See 
Rome. 
SEVESE, a small town of Austrian Italy, on the river 
Luro; 8 miles north-north-west of Milan. 
SEVIER, a county of the United States, in the east part 
of East Tennessee. Population 4495, including 294 slaves. 
SEVIER- 
