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turally from the Perfons themfelves ; 'tis produc'd either by fome Paffion, as in 2)ido, or fome Dependance, as in Tttr- nus and Mezentfais. To this Artifice he adds Epifodes, accommodated to the general CharaBer, by which he in- terrupts the particular A&ioris which require an oppofite Character,
Claudians Conduct, in this refpea, is unpardonable 5 from the horrible Characters of 'Pluto and the Furies, with all the Terrors of Hell, he paffes to the Gaiety and Plea- fures of the Graces, gilded Palaces, flowery Fields, &c. He has as many different prevailing Characters in his three Books, as Homer and Virgil in their fixty. See Epic, pc.
Character is alio us'd for certain vifiblc Qualities, which claim Refpcct, or Reverence to thofe vefted there- with.
The Majefly of Kings gives 'cm a Character, which procures Rcfpecl from the People. ABimop mould fuflain his CharaBer by Learning and folid Piety, rather than by worldly Luftre, gsfc. The Law of Nations fecurcs the CharaBer of an Embaffador from all Infults.
Character is alfo us'd, among Divines, cfpecially thofe of the RomijJj Church, for a certain indelible Mark, or Impreffion, which certain Sacraments leave behind 'em in thofe who receive 'em. See Sacrament.
The Sacrament's that leave this CharaBer, are incapa- ble of being repeated. The CharaBer is generally fup- pos'd to be fome thing Phyfical.
Tis the Sacraments of Baptifm, Confirmation, and Or- dination, which leave fuch indelible CharaBer.
Character of a '■Plant. See Genus, Characteris- tic, &C.
CHARACTERISTIC, in the general, is that which characterizes a Thing, or Perfon, i.e. conflitutes its Cha- raBer. whereby it is diftinguifh'd. See Character.
Characteristic, is peculiarly us'd in Grammar, for the principal Letter of a Word; which is preferv'd in moitof its Tenfes and Moods, its Derivatives and Com- pounds.
The CharaBerift-ic frequently mews its Etymology ; and ought conflantly to be retain'd in its Orthography ; Such is the Letter r in Courfe, Fort, Sec.
The CharaBerijlics arc of great ufe in the Greek Gram- mar, efpecially in the Formation of the Tenfes ; as being the fame, in the fame Tenfes of all Verbs of the fame Conjugation, excepting in the Prefent Tenfe, which has feveral CharaBerijlics ; and the Future, the Aorijitis pri- mus, the Preterit perfeB, and the Plufqtiam perfeB Tenfe of the fourth Conjugation, which have two Charac- terises. Sec Tense, "Verb, Mood, $$c.
Characteristic of a Logarithm, is its Index, or Ex- ponent. See Index, £*?£.
Characteristic Triangle of a Curve, in the higher Geometry, is a rectilinear right-angled Triangle, whofe Hypothenufe is a part of the Curve, not fenfibly different from a right Line. 'Tis fo call'd, becaufe Curve Lines are us'd to be diflinguifh'd hereby. See Curve.
Suppofe, e. gr. the Semiordinate p m, (Tab. Analyfis, Fig. 7.) infinitely near another PM; then will Vp be the Differential of the Abfciffe : and letting fall a Perpendicu- lar, MR=P/, R7« will be the Differential of the Se- miordinate. Draw, therefore, a Tangent TM; and the infinitely fmall Arch Maw, will not differ from aright Line: confequcntly M m R is a rectilinear right-angled Triangle ; and conflitutes the CharaBcriJlic Triangle of that Curve. See Triangle.
CHARAG, the Tribute which Chriflians and Jews pay to the Grand Signior.
It confifts of 10, iz, or 15 Francs ^w Ann. according to the Eftate of the Party. Men begin to pay it at 9 or 16 Years old; Women are difpens'd with, as alio Priefls, Rab- bins, and Religious.
CHARCOAL, a fort of artificial Coal, or Fuel, confin- ing of Wood half burnt 5 chiefly us'd where a clear ftrong Fire, without Smoke, is requir'd j the Humidity of the Wood being here moitly diffipated, and cxhal'd in the Fire wherein it is prepar'd. See Fuel, and Coal.
The Microfcope difcovers a furprifing Number of Pores in Charcoal : Tncy are difpos'd in order, and traverfe it Jcn^thwife 5 fo that there's no piece of Charcoal, how long foever, but may be eafily blown thorow. If a Piece be broke pretty fhort, it may be feen thro' with a Microfcope. In a Range, the 18th Part of an Inch long, Dr. Hook rec- kon'd 150 Pores; whence he concludes, that in a Charcoal of an Inch Diameter, there are notlefs than 5 Millions, 7 hundred 24. thoufand Pores.
'Tis to this prodigious Number of Pores, that the Blackncfs of Charcoal is owing : for the Rays of Light ftriking on the Charcoal, are recciv'd and abforb'd in its Pores, inftead of being reflected ; whence the Body muft of neccfliry appear black : blacknefs in a Body being no more than a want of Reflexion.
Charcoal was antiently us'd to diflinguifli the Bounds of Eltates and Inheritances ; as being incorruptible, when let very deep within Ground. In effccT:, it preferves it fe]f f long, that there are many Pieces found emire in the an- tient Tombs of the Northern Nations.
M. tZ)odart fays, there is Charcoal made of Corn, proba- bly as old as trie Days of Cdefar : he adds, that it has kept fo well, that the Wheat may be Hill dillinguifh'^ from the Rye ; which he looks on as a Proof of its Incor- ruptibility.
The Method of making Charcoal.
The beft is that made of Oak, cut inro Lengths of about three Foot. The Ground whereon the Operation is to be pcrfbrm'd, is bar'd of all the Turf, and other corn- buflible Matter ; and is in form Circular, a Stake being driven in the Centre. This Area is fill'd up wirh Wood eight Foot high, plac'd alternately lengthwiie, and perpen- dicularly ; then cop'd atop into the Form of a Sugarloaf, and all Inequalities fill'd up with fmall Wood, till it lie ve- ry clofe: the whole to be cover'd over moderately thick with Turf, and other Rubbifh.
A moveable Skreen being then fet up againfl: the Wind ; the Stake is pull'd up, and Fire fet to the Pile, by pouring into the Cavity (omcCha?~coal and other Coal fully kindled ; the Vent, or Tunnel a-rop, is then cover'd with Turf, and Vent-Holes made thro' the Stuff that covers the Pile, two or three Foot apart, quite round, a Foot from the Top, The next Day a new Range of Holes is made, a Foot and a half below the firfl ; and thus on to the Bottom : ob- ferving, that as the Pile cools, and finks to the Centre, it muft be continually fed with fhort Wood, that no Part remain unfir'd ; and that if any Part chars falter than other, the Vent-Holes there are to be ftopp'd up.
A Pit is thus burnt in five or fix Days : As it cools, the Smoke grows thinner and bluer. The Heap requires two or three Days to cool ; which is promoted by flopping the Vents, and ftripping off the Covering by degrees, about a Yard at a time ; at firfl only taking off i:he coarfeft Part and leaving the reft ; that the Pile may neither cool too fait, nor endanger the Reduction of the whole into Afhes. Laftly, the Coals are taken out from around the Bortom, by which means the whole Mafs, Coals and Rubbifh, links down, and exfinguifhes the Fire at once.
Charcoal for Pouder-Mills, is ufually made of Eldar- Wood ; the Procefs the fame, but fini/h'd in two Days.
CHARDS, in Gardening. The Chards of Artichokes, are theLeaves of fair Artichoke Plants, ty'd and wrapp'd up, all over but theTop in Straw, during the Autumn and Winter; this makes 'em grow white, andlofe fome of their Bitternefs.
Chards of Beets, are white Beets, coTer'd with dry Dung, during the Winter Seafon, when they produce large Tops, with a downy Cotton Shoot ; which is the true Chard, to be us'd in Pottages, Intermefles, £f?c.
CHARGE, in Gunnery, the Load of a Piece ; or the Quamity of Pouder and Ball, or Shot, wherewith it is pre- par'dfor Execution. See Gunpouder, Ball, Shot, &c.
The Rules for charging large Pieces in War, are, That the Piece be firft clean'd or fcour'd within fide ; that the proper Quantity of Gunpouder be next driven in and ramm'd down ; care, however, being taken, that the Pou- der ben't bruis'd in ramming, which weakens its Effect ; that a little Quantity of Paper, H.iy, or the like, bo ramm'd over it, and thatthen the Ball, or Shot be intruded.
If the Ball be redhot, a Tampion, or Trencher of green Wood, to be driven in before it.
The Weight of Gunpouder necefTary for a Charge, h commonly in a fubduple proportion to that of the Ball. See Cannon, and Bullet,
Charge, in Heraldry, is apply'd to any Figure, or Thing, bore, or reprefented in an Efcutcheon, or Coat of Arms ; whether it be Animal, Vegetable, or other Matter. See Bearing, Escutcheon, &c.
Too many Charges are not deem'd fo honourable as few- er. Sec Charged.
Charges peculiar to the Art and Ufage of Armory, a* the Crofs, Chief, 'Pale FeJJe, &c. arc call'd proper Charges $ and frequently Ordinaries. See Ordinary.
Bloom rcitrains the Term Charges to thofe Additions, or Rewards of Honours frequently plac'd on Efcutcheons 5 as Ca?ito?is, Quarters, Gyrons, Flafques, &c.
Charge, in the Manage, a Cataplafm, Apparatus, or Unguent, made of Oil, Honey, Greafe, Turpentine, and fometimes of Lees of Wine, and other Matters, apply'd externally t« a Horfe, igc. for the cure of Strains, Bruifes, Swellings, &c.
Charge, or Overcharge, in Painting, is an exaggerated Reprcfentation of any Perfon ; wherein the Likenefs is preferv'd, but, -withal, ridicuPd.
Few Painters have the Genius necefTary to fucceed in thefe Charges : The Method is, to pick out and heighten fomcthing already amifs in the Face, whether by way of
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