Diamond. pation of diamonds, or occafioned any degree of fution. By this heat rubies were foftened, and loft fome of their colour, but preferved their form and weight. By addition of a third lens, a further degree of fufion was given to rubies. Even then rubies could not be made to unite with glafs. By having been expofed to this heat, the furface of the rubies which had fuffered fufion, loft much of their original hardnefs, and were nearly as foft as crystal. But their internal parts, which had not been fused, retained their hardnefs. Emeralds by this heat were rendered white, or of various colours, and foon afterwards were fufed. They were found to have loft part of their weight, and to be rendered lefs hard and brittle.

Experiments were alfo made by order of the emperor Francis I. on precious ftones; from which we find, that diamonds were entirely diffipated by having been expofed in crucibles to a violent fire of a furnace during 24 hours; while rubies by the fame heat were not altered in weight, colour, or polish. By expofing diamonds during two hours only at a time, the following alterations produced on them by fire were obferved. Firft, they lost their polifh; then they were split into thin plates; and, lailly, totally diffipated. By the fame fire, emeralds were fufed. See Magafin de Hambourg, tom. xviii.

The action of fire on diamonds has, notwithstanding the above mentioned experiments, been lately doubted in France; and the queition has been agitated by feveral eminent chemifts with much intereft, and numerous experiments have been made which throw fome light on the fubject. M. D'Arcet found, not only that diamonds included in porcelain crucibles clofe, or covered with perforated lids, and expofed to the long and intenfe heat of a porcelain furnace, were perfectly diffipated; but alfo, that these ftones could in a few hours be totally volatilifed with a much inferior degree of heat, by exposing them in a coppel, under the muffle of an effay-furnace. In this latter experiment, he obferved that the diffipation was gradual, and that it was effected by a kind of exfoliation. The diffipation of diamonds expofed in coppels was confirmed by M. Macquer; who further obferved, that the diamonds were, before the diffipation began, rendered, by the fire, brilliant and shining, as it were, with a phofphoric light. In order to determine whether the diffipation of diamonds was actually effected by their reduction into vapour, or by a combuftion or other effect of air upon them, Meffrs Lavoifier, Macquer, and Cadet, expofed diamonds to intenfe heat in an earthen retort, during feveral hours, but without any other effect than that their polish was destroyed, and about 4th of their weight diminished. M. Mitouard put diamonds in a tobacco-pipe filled with pounded charcoal and accurately clofed with lute. He further fecured the diamonds from accefs of air or flame, by placing the tobacco-pipe in a crucible, to which another crucible was inverted and carefully luted. The diamonds, thus fecluded from external air, having been exposed to the moft intense heat which could be excited in a well conftructed furnace, were not thereby altered or diminifhed. M. Mitouard was induced to believe, that the charcoal conduced to the prefervation of diamonds not merely by excluding the air, but by fome peculiar property, which he fuppofes may be the fame as that by

which this fubftance defends metals from deftruction by Diamond. fire. He was confirmed in his opinion, by obferving that diamonds were not preferved from the action of fire by furrounding them with powder of chalk and of calcined hartfhorn, and including them in close veffels, fo well as when the charcoal had been employed. Some chemifts even thought that the perfect exclufion of air alone was fufficient to preferve diamonds, and doubted whether the balls and crucibles of porcelain employed by M. D'Arcet had excluded the air with fufficient accuracy. Indeed, in one of M. D'Arcet's own experiments, a diamond included in a ball of porcelain had refifted the action of fire. In order to afcertain this queftion, M. Cadet expofed diamonds in covered and luted crucibles to the violent heat of a forge during two hours; by which operation the diamonds loft only th part of their weight. He infers, that the destruction of diamonds by fire in open vessels is not a true volatilization; but merely an exfoliation, caufed by the fire expanding the air contained between the thin plates of which these ftones confist, and that by this exfoliation or decrepitation these plates are reduced to fo fine a powder as to escape obfervation. M. D'Arcet objected against the experiments of his adverfaries, that they were not of fufficient duration to decide against his, which had lafted feveral days. He renewed and multiplied his experiments, which confirmed him in his opinion of the volatilization of diamonds in veffels perfectly closed; and that this effect of fire on diamonds is not a mere exfoliation or mechanical feparation of the plates of which these ftones confift, he infers from the parts of the diamonds pervading the most folid porcelain crucibles without being perceptible, and from the luminous appearance first noticed by M. Macquer, and which was afterwards obferved by M. Roux to be an actual flame.

Diamonds are found only in the East Indies, and in Brafil in South America. The diamond mines are found only in the kingdoms of Golconda, Vifapour, Bengal, and the island of Borneo. There are four mines, or rather two mines and two rivers, whence diamonds are drawn. The mines are, 1. That of Raolconda, in the province of Carnatica, five days journey from Golconda, and eight from Vifapour. It has been difcovered about 200 years. 2. That of Gani, or Coulour, feven days journey from Golconda eastwardly. It was difcovered 140 years ago by a peafant, who digging in the ground found a natural fragment of 25 carats. 3. That of Soumelpour, a large town in the kingdom of Bengal, near the Diamond-mine. This is the most ancient of them all: it fhould rather be called that of Goual, which is the name of the river, in the fand whereof thefe ftones are found. Laftly, the fourth mine, or rather the second river, is that of Succudan, in the island of Borneo.

DIAMOND-Mine of Raolconda.- In the neighbourhood of this mine the earth is fandy, and full of rocks and copfe. In these rocks are found feveral little veins of half and fometimes a whole inch broad, out of which the miners, with a kind of hooked irons, draw the fand or earth wherein the diamonds are; breaking the rocks when the vein terminates, that the track may be found again, and continued. When a fufficient quantity of earth or fand is drawn forth, they wash it two or three times, to feparate the ftones there.

from.

Diamond. from. The miners work quite naked, except for a thin linen cloth before them; and befides this precaution, have likewife inspectors, to prevent their concealing of ftones: which, however, maugre all this care, they frequently find means to do, by watching opportunities when they are not obferved, and fwallow. ing them down.

DIAMOND-Mine of Gani or Coulour.-In this mine are found a great number of ftones from 10 to 40 carats, and even more; and it was here that famous diamond of Aureng-Zeb the Great Mogul, which before it was cut weighed 793 carats, was found. The ftones of this mine are not very clear; their water is ufually tinged with the quality of the foil; being black where that is marshy, red where it partakes of red, fometimes green and yellow, if the ground happen to be of thofe colours. Another defect of fome confequence is a kind of greafirefs appearing on the diamond, when cut, which takes off part of its luftre. -There are ufually no lefs than 60,000 perfons, men, women, and children, at work in this mine.

When the miners have found a place where they in tend to dig, they level another fomewhat bigger in the neighbourhood thereof, and inclofe it with walls about two feet high, only leaving apertures from fpace to fpace, to give paflage to the water. After a few fuperfitious ceremonies, and a kind of feaft which the mafter of the wine makes for the workmen, to encourage them, every one goes to his bufinefs, the men digging the earth in the place first discovered, and the women and children carrying it off into the other walled round. They dig 12 or 14 feet deep, and till fuch time as they find water. Then they ceafe digging; and the water thus found ferves to wash the earth two or three times, after which it is let out at an aperture reserved for that end. This earth being well washed, and well dried, they fift it in a kind of open fieve, or riddle, much as we do corn in Europe; then thrash it, and fift it afresh; and laftly, fearch it well with the hands to find the diamonds. They work naked as in the mine of Raolconda, and are watched after the like manner by infpectors.

round with ftones, earth, and fafcines, and lading out Diamond. the water, dig about two feet deep: the fand thus got is carried into a place walled round on the bank of the river. The reft is performed after the fame manner as at Coulour, and the workmen are watched with equal ftriétnefs.

DIAMOND-Mine in the island of Borneo, or river of Succudan.-We are but little acquainted with this mine; the queen who reigns in that part of the island not allowing strangers to have any commerce in thefe ftones: though there are very fine ones to be bought at Batavia, brought thither by ftealth. They were anciently imagined to be fofter than thofe of the other mines; but experience hows they are in no refpect in-. ferior to them.

Befide these four diamond-mines, there have been two others difcovered; one of them between Coulour and Raolcenda, and the other in the province of Carnatica; but they were both clofed up almost as foon as difcovered that of Carnatica, because the water of the diamonds was always either black or yellow; and the other, on account of their cracking, and flying in pieces when cut and ground.

The diamond, we have already obferved, is the hardett of all precious ftones. It can only be cut and ground by itself and its own fubitance. To bring it to that perfection which zugments its price fo confi derably, they begin by rubbing feveral against each other, while rough; after having first glued them to the ends of two wooden blocks, thick enough to be held in the hand. It is this powder thus rubbed off the ftones, and received in a little box for the purpose, that ferves to grind and polish the stones.

Diamonds are cut and polished by means of a mill, which turns a wheel of foft iron fprinkled over with diamond-duft mixed with oil of olives. The fame duft, wel ground, and diluted with water and vinegar, is ufed in the fawing of diamonds; which is performed with an iron or brafs wine, as fine as a hair. Sometimes, in lieu of fawing the diamonds, they cleave them, efpecially if there be any large fhivers therein But the Europeans are not ufually daring or expert e

The first water in diamonds means the greateft purity and perfection of their complexion, which ought to be that of the pureft water. When diamonds fall fhort of this perfection, they are faid to be of the fecond or third water, &c. till the ftone may be proper ly called a coloured one: for it would be an impropriety to fpeak of an imperfectly coloured diamond, or one that has other defects, as a tone of a bad water only.

A 2

ference

value, we muft multiply the fquare of double their Diamond. weight by 2, which will give their true value in pounds. Thus, to find the value of a wrought diamond weighing two carats; we firft find the fquare of double the weight, viz 4X4=16; then 16X2=32. So that the true value of a wrought diamond of two carats is 321. On thefe principles Mr Jefferies has conftructed tables of the price of diamonds from 1 to 100 carats.

Diamond. ference than can be expected in two bodies of the fame fpecies; and indeed, on an accurate trial, does not prove to be the cafe with diamonds. The Brafil diamonds differ a little in weight one from another, and greatly vary from the standard set by Mr Boyle for the fpecific gravity of this gem in general; two large diamonds from that part of the world being carefully weighed, one was found as 3518, the other as 3521, the specific gravity of water being reckoned 1000. After this, ten East India diamonds were chosen out of a large parcel, each as different from the other in fhape, colour, &c. as could be found. Thefe being weighed in the fame fcales and water with the former, the lighteft proved as 3512, the heaviest as 3525, ftill fuppofing the water to be 1000.- Mr Ellicot, who made thefe experiments, has drawn out a table of their feveral differences, which is done with great care and accuracy; and, taking in all the common varieties in diamonds, may ferve as a general rule for their mean gravity and differences.

Specific In air. In water. gravity

5. An Eaft India diamond,26,485

pale blue

18,945 3512

23,33 16,710 3524

20,66 14,800 3525

20,38 14,590 3519 16,1 3515

8. Ditto, very bad water, honeycomb coat 9. Ditto, very hard bluifh caft 22,5 10. Ditto, very foft, good? 22,615 16,2 3525

water

Therefore if any thing is to be concluded as to the fpecific gravity of the diamond, it is, that it is to wa ter as 3517 to 1000.

For the valuation of diamonds of all weights, Mr Jefferies lays down the following rule. He first fuppofes the value of a rough diamond to be settled at 21. per carat, at a medium; then to find the value of diamonds of greater weights, multiply the fquare of their weight by 2, and the product is the value required. E. G. to find the value of a rough diamond of two carats; 2X2=4, the fquare of the weight; which, multiplied by two, gives 81. the true value of a rough diamond of two carats. For finding the value of manufactured diamonds, he fuppofes half their weight to be lol in manufacturing them; and therefore, to find their

The greatest diamond ever known in the world is one belonging to the king of Portugal, which was found in Brafil. It is ftill uncut: and Mr Magellan informs us, that it was of a larger fize; but a piece was cleaved or broken off by the ignorant countryman, who chanced to find this great gem, and tried its hardness by the stroke of a large hammer upon the anvil.

This prodigious diamond weighs 1680 carats: and although it is uncut, Mr Romè de l'Ifle fays, that it is valued at 224 millions sterling; which gives the eftimation of 79,36 or about 80 pounds fterling for each carat viz. for the multiplicand of the fquare of its whole weight. But even in cafe of any error of the prefs in this valuation, if we employ the general rule above mentioned, this great gem must be worth at leaft 5,644,800 pounds fterling, which are the product of 1680 by two pounds, viz. much above five millions and a half fterling.

neas.

The famous diamond which adorns the fceptre of the Empress of Ruffia under the eagle at the top of it weighs 779 carats, and is worth at least 4,854,728 pounds fterling, although it hardly coft 135,417 guiThis diamond was one of the eyes of a Malabarian idol, named Scheringham. A French grenadier, who had deferted from the Indian fervice, contrived fo well as to become one of the priests of that idol, from which he had the opportunity to steal its eye: he run away to the English at Trichinapeuty, and thence to Madras. A fhip-captain bought it for twenty thousand rupees: afterwards a Jew gave feventeen or eighteen thousand pounds fterling for it: at laft a Greek merchant, named Gregory Suffras, offered it to fale at Amfterdam in the year 1766: and the late prince Orloff made this acquifition, as he himself told Mr Magellan in London, for his fovereign the empreis of Ruffia. Dutens, page 19. and Bomare, page 389. of his Mineralogy, relate the above anecdote. The figure and fize of this diamond may be seen in the British Museum in London: it is far from being of a regular form.

The diamond of the great Mogul is cut in Rofe; weighs 279 carats, and it is worth 380,000 guineas. This diamond has a fmall flaw underneath near the bottom: and Tavernier, page 389. who examined it, valued the carat at 150 French livres. Before this diamond was cut, it weighed 793 carats, according to Romè de l'Ifle: but Tavernier, page 339. of his fecond volume, fays, that it weighed 900 carats before it was cut. If this is the very fame diamond, its lofs by being cut was very extraordinary.

Another diamond of the king of Portugal, which weighs 215 carats, is extremely fine, and is worth at leaft 369,800 guineas.

The diamond of the grand duke of Tufcany, now of the emperor of Germany, weighs 139 carats; and is worth at least 109,520 guineas. Tavernier fays,

that

Diamond. that this diamond has a little hue of a citron colour; and he valued it at 135 livres tournoifes the carat. Robert de Berquen fays, that this diamond was cut into two that the grand Turk had another of the fame fize: and that there were at Bifnagar two large diamonds, one of 250 and another of 140 carats. This Robert de Berquen was the grandfon of Louis de Berquen, who invented the art of cutting diamonds.

The diamond of the king of France, called the Pitt or Regent, weighs 1364 carats: this gem is worth at least 208,333 guineas, although it did not cost above

the half of this value.

The other diamond of the fame monarch, called the Sancy, weighs 55 carats: it coft 25,000 guineas: and Mr Dutens fays, that it is worth much above that price.

4

g

Brilliant DIAMOND, is that cut in faces both at top and bottom; and whofe table, or principal face at top, is flat. To make a complete fquare brilliant, if the rough diamond be not found of a square figure, it must be made fo; and if the work is perfectly executed, the length of the axis will be equal to the fide of the fquare bafe of the pyramid.-Jewellers then form the table and collet by dividing the block, or length of the axis, into 18 parts. They take from the upper part, and from the lower. This gives a plane at diftance from the girdle for the table; and a fmaller plane at distance for the collet; the breadth of which will be of the breadth of the table. In this ftate the ftone is faid to be a complete fquare table diamond.-The brilliant is an improvement on the table-diamond, and was introduced within the last century, according to Mr Jefferies. To render a brilliant perfect, each corner of the above defcribed table diamond, must be fhortened by of its original. The corner ribs of the upper fides must be flattened, or run towards the centre of the table less than the fides; the lower part, which terminates in the girdle, must be of one fide of the girdle; and cach corner rib of the under fides must be flattened at the top, to answer the above flattening at the girdle, and at bottom must be of each

fide of the collet.

The parts of the fmall work which completes the brilliant, or the star and skill facets, are of a triangular figure. Both of thefe partake equally of the depth of the upper fides from the table to the girdle; and meet in the middle of each fide of the table and girdle, as alfo at the corners. Thus they produce regular lozenges on the four upper fides and corners of the flore. The triangular facets, on the under fides, joining to the girdle, must be half as deep again as the above facets, to answer to the collet part.-The ftone here defcribed is faid to be a full-fubftanced brilliant.If the ftone is thicker than in the proportion here mentioned, it is faid to be an over-weighted brilliant. If the thick nefs is lefs than in this proportion, it is called a preadbrilliant.-The beauty of brilliants is diminished from their being either over-weighted or fpread. The true proportion of the axis, or depth of the ftone to its fide, is as 2 to 3.-Brilliants are diftinguished into fquare, round, oval, and drops, from the figure of their refpec tive girdles.

Cornish DIAMOND, a name given by many people to the cryftals found in digging the mines of tin in Corn

Diana.

wal. Thefe cryftals are of the nature of the Kerry- Diamond, ftone of Ireland, but fomewhat inferior to it: they are ufually bright and clear, except towards the root, where they are coarfe and foul, or whitish. They are ufually found in the common form of an hexangular column terminated at each end by an hexangular pyramid.

Rofe-DIAMOND is one that is quite flat underneath, with its upper part cut in divers little faces, ufually triangles, the uppermoft of which terminate in a point.-In rofe diamonds, the depth of the stone from the base to the point must be half the breadth of the diameter of the bafe of the ftone. The diameter of the crown muft be of the diameter of the bafe. The perpendicular, from the base to the crown, must be of the diameter of the ftone. The lozenges which appear in all circular rofe-diamonds, will be equally divided by the ribs that form the crown; and the upper angles or facets will terminate in the extreme point of the ftone,. and the lower in the bafe or girdle.

Rough DIAMOND, is the ftone as nature produces it in the mines.

A rough diamond muft be chofen uniform, of a good fhape, tranfparent, not quite white, and free of flaws and shivers. Black, rugged, dirty, flawey, veiny stones, and all fuch as are not fit for cutting, they ufe to pound in a steel mortar made for that purpose; and when pulverized, they ferve to faw, cut, and polifh the reft. Shivers are occafioned in diamonds by this, That the miners, to get them more eafily out of the vein, which winds between two rocks, break the rocks with huge iron levers, which shakes, and fills the stone with cracks and hivers. The ancients had two mistaken notions with regard to the diamond: the first, that it became foft, by fteeping it in hot goat's blood; and the fecond, that it is malleable, and bears the hammer. Experience shows us the contrary; there being nothing, capable of mollifying the hardness of this ftone; tho its hardnefs be not fuch, that it will endure being. ftruck at pleafare with the hammer.

Faditions DIAMONDS. Attempts have been made to produce artificial diamonds, but with no great fuccefs.-Thefe made in France, called temple diamonds, on account of the temple at Paris, where the best of them are made, fall vattly fhort of the genuine ones; accordingly they are but little valued, though the confumption thereof is pretty confiderable for the habits of the actors on the ftage, &c. See PASTES.

DIAMOND, in the glafs-trade, an inftrument ufed for fquaring the large plates or pieces; and, among glaziers, for cutting their glafs.

Thefe forts of diamonds are differently fitted up. That ufed for large pieces, as looking-glaffes, &c. is fet in an iron ferril, about two inches long, and a quarter of an inch in diameter; the cavity of the ferril being filled up with lead, to keep the diamond firm: there is alfo a handle of box or ebony fitted to the ferril, for holding it by.

DIAMOND, in heraldry, a term ufed for expreffing. the black colour in the atchievements of peerage.

Guillim does not approve of blazoning the coats of peers by precious ftones in lead of metals and colours; but the English practice allows it. Morgan fays the diamond is an emblem of fortitude. DIANA, the goddefs of hunting.

According to Cicero,,

Diana. Cicero, there were three of this name: a daughter of Jupiter and Proferpine, who became mother of Cupid; a daughter of Jupiter and Latona; and a daughter of Upis and Glauce. The fecond is the most celebrated, and to her all the ancients allude. She was born at the fame birth as Apollo; and the pains which the faw her mother fuffer during her labour gave her fuch an averfion to marriage, that the obtained of her father to live in perpetual celibacy, and to prefide over the travails of women. To fhun the fociety of men, the devoted herfelf to hunting; and was always accompa nied by a number of chofen virgins, who like herfelf abjured the ufe of marriage. She is reprefented with quiver and attended with dogs, and fometimes drawn in a chariot by two white flags. Sometimes the appears with wings, holding a lion in one hand and a panther in the other, with a chariot drawn by two heifers, or two horfes of different colours. She is reprefented as tall; her face has fomething manly; her legs are bare, well fhaped, and ftrong; and her feet are covered with a bufkin worn by huntreffes among the ancients. She received many furnames, particularly from the places where her worship was established, and from the functions over which the prefided. She was called Lucina, Ilythia, or Juno Pronuba, when invoked by women in childbed; and Trivia when worfhipped in the crofs-ways, where her ftatues were generally erected. She was fuppofed to be the fame as the moon and Proferpine or Hecate, and from that circumftance fhe was called Triformis; and fome of her ftatues reprefented her with three heads, that of a horfe, a dog, and a boar. Her power and functions under thefe three characters have been beautifully expreffed in thefe two verfes :

Terret, luftrat, agit, Proferpina, Luna, Diana,

Ima, fuprema, feras, fceptro, fulgore, fagitta. She was alfo called Agrotera, Orithia, Taurica, Delia, Cynthia, Aricia, &c. She was fuppofed to be the fame as the Ifis of the Egyptians, whofe worfhip was intro. duced into Greece with that of Ofiris under the name of Apollo. When Typhon waged war againft the gods, Diana metamorphofed herself into a cat to avoid his fury. She is generally known, in the figures that reprefent her, by the crefcent on her head, by the dogs which attend her, and by her hunting habit. The most famous of her temples was that of Ephefus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world: (See EPHESus). She was there reprefented with a great number of breasts, and other symbols which fignified the earth or Cybele. Though fhe was the patronefs of chastity, yet the forgot her dignity to enjoy the company of Endymion, and the very familiar favours which the granted to Pan and Orion are well known: (See ENDYMION, PAN, ORION). The inhabitants of Taurica were particularly attached to the worship of this goddefs, and they cruelly offered on her altar all the strangers that were fhipwrecked on their coafts. Her temple in Aricia was ferved by a priest who had always murdered his predeceffor; and the Lacedemonians yearly offered her human victims till the age of Lycur gus, who changed this barbarous cuftom for the facri fice of flagellation. The Athenians generally offered her goats; and others a white kid, and fometimes a boar pig or an ox. Among plants, the poppy and the ditamy were facred to her. She, as well as her

brother Apollo, had fome oracles; among which those of Egypt, Cilicia, and Epheftis, are the moft known. DIANE ARBOR, or ARBOR LUNE, in chemistry, the beautiful cryftallizations of filver, diffolved in aquafortis, to which fome quickfilver is added: and fo called from their refembling the trunk, branches, leaves, &c. of a tree. See CHEMISTRY, n° 754.

DIANE Fanum, (anc. geog.), a promontory of Bithynia: Now Scutari, a citadel oppofite to Conftantinople, on the eat fide of the Bofporus Thracius.

DIANE Portus, a port of Cortica, fituated between Aleria and Mariana, on the east fide.

DIANDRIA (from dis twice, and amp a man), the name of the fecond clafs in Linnæus's fexual fyftem, confifting of hermaphrodite plants; which, as the name imports, have flowers with two ftamina or male

organs.

The orders in this clafs are three, derived from the number of styles or female parts. Moit plants with two ftamina have one ftyle; as jelfamine, lilac, privet, veronica, and baftard alaternus: vernal grafs has two ftyles; pepper, three.

DIANIUM (auc. geog.), a town of the Contefta ni, in the Hither Spain; famous for a temple of Diana, whence the name: Now Denia, a small town of Valen cia, on the Mediterranean. Alfo a promontory near Dianium: Now El Cabo Martin, four leagues from Denia, running out into the Mediterranean.

DIANTHERA, in botany: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the diandria clafs of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 40th or der, Perfonate. The corolla is ringent; the capfule bilocular, parting with a fpring at the heel; the itamina cach furnished with two antheræ placed alternately.-There is only one fpecies, a native of Vir ginia and other parts of North America. It is a low herbaceous plant, with a perennial root, sending out upright talks a foot high, garnished with long narrow leaves of an aromatic odour, ftanding clofe to the ftalks. From the fide of the talks the footitalks of the flowers are produced, fuftaining small spikes of flowers.-This plant is very difficult to be preferved in Britain; for though it is hardy enough to live in the open air, it is very fubject to rot in winter. It may be propagated by feeds fown on a gentle hot-bed; and in the winter the plants must be kept in a dry stove.

DIANTHUS, CLOVE-GILLIFLOWER, CARNATION, PINK, SWEFT-WILLIAM, &c.: A genus of the digynia order, belonging to the decandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 22d order, Caryophyllei. The calyx is cylindrical and monophyllous, with four fcales at the bafe. There are five pe tals, with narrow heels; the capfule is cylindrical and unilocular.-There are a great number of fpecies; but not more than four that have any confiderable beauty as garden-flowers, each of which furnithes fome beautiful varieties. 1. The caryophyllus, or clove-gilliflower, including all the varieties of carnation. It rifes with many fhort trailing fheots from the root, garnished with long, very narrow, evergreen leaves; and amidit them upright flender flower-ftalks, from one to three feet high, emitting many fide-fhoots; all of which, as well as the main ftalk, are terminated by large folitary flowers, having fhort oval feales to the calyx, and crenated petals. The varieties of this are very nume 5

rous,