SEX 
S E Z 
81 
brass, into twelve ounces: the ounce was called uncia, from 
unum ; and two ounces sextants, as being the sixth part of 
a pound. 
Sextans was also a measure which contained two ounces 
of liquor, or two cyathi. Hence, 
“ Sextantes, Caliste, duos infundi Falerni.” 
SEXTANS, the Sextant, in Astronomy, a constellation 
of the southern hemisphere, made by Hevelius out of un¬ 
formed stars. In Hevelius’s catalogue it contains 11, but in 
the Britannic catalogue 41 stars. 
SE'XTANT, s. [sextant , Fr.] The sixth part of a circle. 
An astronomical instrument made in that form.—At the be¬ 
ginning of the eclipse the moon was in the zenith, so that it 
was found most convenient to make use of the sextant. 
Cook and King's Voyage. 
The use and application of the sextant is the same with 
that of the quadrant. 
SEXTARIUS, an ancient Roman measure, containing 
two cotylae, or two heminae. 
SE'XTARY, or Se'xtky, s . The same as sacristy. 
Johnson. 
SEXTEN, a large village of Austria, in Tyrol, near the 
source of the Drave, with some well frequented mineral 
springs. 
SEXTERY-LANDS, lands given to a church, &c., for 
maintenance of the sexton. 
SE'XTILE, adj. [sextilis, Lat.] Is such a position or 
aspect of two planets, when at 60 degrees distant or at the 
distance of two signs from one another, and is marked thus *. 
Harris. 
Planetary motions and aspects, 
In sexti/e, square and trine. Milton. 
The moon receives the dusky light we discern in its sextile 
aspect from the earth’s benignity. Glanville. 
SE'XTON, s. An under officer of the church, whose 
business is to dig graves.—A stool and cushion for the sex¬ 
ton. Shakspeare .—When any dies, then by tolling a bell, 
or bespeaking a grave of the sexton, the same is known to 
the searchers corresponding with the said sexton. Graunt. 
The office of sexton in the pope’s chapel, is appropriated 
to the order of the hermits of St. Augustine, and he is 
generally a bishop. When the pope is sick, he administers 
to him the sacrament of extreme unction, &c., and enters the 
conclave, in quality of first conclavist. 
SEXTON’S RIVER, a river of the United States, in Ver¬ 
mont, which rises in Grafton, and runs into the Connec¬ 
ticut; 2 miles south of Bellows Falls. 
SE'XTONSHIP, s. The office of a sexton. 
SEXTULA, a word used by some old pharmaceutic writers 
to express the sixth part of an ounce, that is, four scruples, 
or one drachm and one scruple. 
SE'XTUPLE, adj. [sextuplus, Lat.] Sixfold; six 
times told.—Man’s length being a perpendicular from the 
vertex unto the sole of the foot, is sextuple unto his breadth, 
or a right line drawn from the ribs of one side to another. 
Brown. 
SEXTUS, or Sixth, in the Canon Law, denotes a collec¬ 
tion of decretals, made by pope Boniface VIII., usually thus 
called from the title, which is “ Liber Sextusas if it 
were a sixth book added to the five books of decretals, col¬ 
lected by Gregory IX. 
SEXTUS (Empiricus), a Roman physician, of the empiric 
sect, who followed Heraelides and others in the adoption of 
that system which Serapion and Philinus begun. He is said 
to have been the pupil of Herodotus, the physician, and the 
preceptor of Satuminus. There are two works extant, with 
the name of Sextus attached to them ; but Le Clerc believes, 
that they are not both the production of this physician, who 
only composed that which is entitled “ Sexti Placiti.” 
SE'XUAL, adj. [sexuel, Fr.] Distinguishing the sex; 
belonging to the sex.—There is a wonderful spirit of soci¬ 
ality in the brute creation, independent of sexual attachment. 
Barrington. 
VOL. XXII1. No. 1555. 
SEXUAL SYSTEM. See Botany. 
SEXUNX, in old Pharmacy, the weight of six ounces, or 
half a pound troy. 
SEYCHELLES. See Sechelles. 
SEYEROE, a small island of Denmark, to the north-west 
of Zealand ; 6 miles in length, and 1 in breadth. 
SEYI.AND, a considerable island on the north coast 
of Norwegian Lapland, in lat. 70. 30. N. long. 23. 0. E. 
It is covered with lofty mountains, and is scarcely inha¬ 
bited. 
SEYMAN, a small island in the Red Sea. Lat. 15. 20. 
N. long. 57. 30. E. 
SEYMOUR’S CANAL, an inlet on the east coast of 
Admiralty island, extending in a north-west direction for 
about 29 miles. 
SEYNE, a town in the south-east of France, department 
of the Var. It is well built, contains 5700 inhabitants, has 
a harbour with neat quays, and carries on an extensive sardel 
and tunny fishery ; 3 miles south-west of Toulon. 
SEYNE, a small town in the south-east of France, in the 
department of the Lower Alps. It has some cotton manu¬ 
factures. Population 2500; 12 miles south-south-west of 
Barcelonetta, and 15 north of Digne. 
SEYSSEL (Claude de), an historical and political writer, 
who flourished in the beginning of the sixteenth century, 
was brought up to the law, which he practised with great 
applause at Turin. He obtained the places of master of 
requests and counsellor under Lewis XII. of France. He 
attended in the name of that prince at the council of Lateran, 
and was promoted to the bishopric of Marseilles in 1510, 
and to the archbishopric of Turin in 1517. He died in 
1520, leaving behind him a great number of works, on 
theological, juridical, and historical subjects. He also 
translated into the French language Eusebius’s Ecclesiastical 
History, Thucydides, Appian, Diodorus, Xenophon, Justin 
and Seneca. He is said to have been the first who alleged 
the Salic law as influencing the succession to the crown of 
France. His “ Grand Monarchic de France,” published in 
1519, and translated by Sleidan into the Latin language, 
maintains that the French constitution is a mixed monarchy, 
and that the king is dependent on the parliament. In his 
“ Histoire de Louis XII. Pere du Peuple,” he is the perpetual 
panegyrist of that prince, but gives some curious facts 
respecting the reign of Lewis XI., whose vices are exposed 
by way of contrast. 
SEYSSEL, a town in the south-east of France, depart¬ 
ment of the Ain. ’The Rhone divides it into two parts, and 
here becomes navigable, which renders Seyssel the principal 
entrepot of the commodities exported from the south-east 
part of France to Switzerland. Population 2300; 13 miles 
north of Belley. 
SEYSUMAH, a town of Hindostan, province of Malwah, 
district of Mundesor, belonging to the Mahrattas, situated on 
the eastern side of the river Chumbul. Lat. 24. 55. N. long. 
75. 37. E. 
SEY-SUR-SAONE, a small town in the east of France, 
on the river Saone. 
SEZANE, or Cezane, a small town of the Sardinian 
States, in Piedmont, on the Doria; 7 miles east of Brian- 
qon. 
SEZANNE, a small but ancient town in the north-east 
of France, department of the Marne, situated on the small 
rivers Auges and Morin. It has some manufactures of wool¬ 
lens, caps and leather, and a considerable trade in wine, 
corn and wood. An action took place between the Aus¬ 
trians and French here, on the 14th of March, 1814. Popu¬ 
lation 4200; 30 miles south-west of Chalons-sur-Marne. 
SEZENICZ, a small town in the east of Bohemia, on 
the Elbe, containing 1000 inhabitants; 10 miles north of 
Chrudim. 
SEZYPE. See Zyppe. 
SEZZA. See Sesse. 
SEZZE ET VILLA FRANCA, a small town in the 
east of the Sardinian States, province of Alessandria, on the 
Bormida, with a population of 230o. 
Y SFACCHIA, 
