P O E
( %' )
P OE
In this Senfe the Word coincides with what we other- wife call Metaphyficks. See Metaphysicks.
Pneumaticks is more commonly ufed among us, for the Doctrine of the Air ; or the Laws wherein that Fluid is condens'd, rarified, gravitates, &c. See Air.
Some make Pneumaticks a Branch of Mechanicks ; becaufe it confiders the Air in Motion, with the Effects thereof— 'Tis certainly a Sifter of Hydroftaticks ; the one considering Air in the fame manner that the other does Water. See Mechanicks, and Hydrostaticks.
Wolfius, in lieu of Pneumaticks, ules the Word Aerometry, q.d. the Doctrine of Meafuring the Air. See Aerometry.
The Doctrine and Laws of Pneumaticks will be found un- der the Articles, Air, Atmosphere, Elasticity, Gra- vity, Compression, Condensation, Rarefaction, Expansion, chr.
Pneumatick Engine, Machina Pneumatica, the Air- Pump. See Air-Pump.
PNEUMATOCELE, in Medicine, a flatulent or Windy Hernia; or a Tumor of the Membranes of the Te- fticles, proceeding from pent up Vapours; and attended with > tenfive pain. See Her n i a.
Sometimes, one of the Tefies only is- thus inflated, fome- times both, and fometimes likewife the Scrotum. See Te- sticle.
This Hernia is of all others the lighted, and leaft dange- rous. — It is cured by Difcutients internally, and Fomenta- tions and Cataplafms externally.
The Word is form'd from the Greek xnviut, Wind, and 3£ttAH> Tumor.
PNEUMATOMACHI, ancient Hereticks fo call'd becauft they oppofed the Divinity of the Holy Spirit; pla- cing him in the Number of Creatures. See Epiphanius.
PNEUMATOSIS, a Term which fome Authors ufe for the Generation or Formation of Animal Spirits, in the Brain. See Spirit and Brain.
PNEUMONICKS, Medicines proper in Difeafes of the Lungs, where Refpiration is affected. See Lungs, Respi- ration, ej-c.
Of this Number are Sulphur, Lung-wort, Hyflbp, Ground- Ivy, and Cats-foot -, ufed in Phthifes, Afthma's, Peripneumo- nies, Pleurifies, &c. See Asthmatic, Antiphthisic, &c.
The Word is form'd from the Greek -md/twy, Lungs, or rnium, Spiritus, Breath. f.
POCK. See Pox.
P O C K E T 0/ WM, is half a Sack. See Pack «/ Wml.
POD, probably of the Dutch Beetle or Bode, an Habita- tion ; the Husk of any Pulfe. See Pulse.
PODAGRA, in Medicine, the Gout in the Feet. See Gout.
It is thus called from the Greek <**s, Foot, and iftitu, Ifeiz.e.
Fodagra dentium, fometimes, tho' with Impropriety enough, is ufed for the Tooth-ach. See Odontalgia and Toothach.
PODESTATE,or Podest, a Magiftrate, or Officer of Juftice and Policy, in a free City.
The Word is originally Italian, podefia ; and is chiefly u- fed for certain Magiftrates of Venice and Genoa, whofe Fun- ction is to administer Juftice in thofe Republicks.
The Podefiate in Venice correfponds to the Praetor in an- cient Rome; tho' Appeals lie from his Decifions, to the New Auditors, or the new Civil Quaranty. See Q_u A- « a n t 1 a.
PO D EX, in Anatomy, &c. the fame as the Anus, or Fundament. See Anus.
PODOMETER, or Pedometer. See Pedo- meter.
POEM, Poem a, a Compofition in Verfe, of a due Length and Meafure. See Verse.
Poems are of as many kinds as there are Branches of Poe- try. See Poetry.
We have Epic-Poems, Dramatic-Poems, &c. See Epic, Dramatic, Lyric, &c.
POESY,Poesis. See Poetry.
The Word is form'd from the Greek ttatntstt, of laotta, fa- cio, fabricor, fingo, / make, I frame, I invent.
Hence, Alchymy, or the Art of making Gold, was anci- ently call'd Poefy, Chryfopoefy, &c. See Alchymy, &c.
POETICAL, fomething that relates to Poetry or Poets. See Poetry and Poet.
In this fenfe we fay, a Poetical Genius, a Poetical Phrafe, Poetical Licence, Poetical Fury, &c.
Poetical Juftice, is chiefly ufed in refpect of the Dra- ma, to denote a Diftribution of Rewards and Punifliments to the feveral Perfons, at the Cataftrophe or clofe of the Piece, anfwerable to the feveral Characters they have ap- pear'd in.
Whatever Difficulties and Diftrefles the Virtuous and In- nocent may labour under, and how profperoully foever it may go with the wicked, in the Courfe of the Piece ; the Poet vfually takes care to give each of 'em their due e'er he parts with fhf m,-VTis controverted whether this Piece of Juftice
be indifpenfiblei and whether it mayn't be allowed to hvi'i Virtue opprefs'd and Vice flourifhing ? See Tragedy, (T«
Moft Languages have their Poetical Words, which are never ufed on other Occafions.— Theft prove of great Advan- tage to.the Poets ; who arc hereby enabled to raife the Style and Diction into the Poetical Character, with the greater Eafe.
The French lament the want of a Set of Such Words in their Language ; for want hereof their Poetry appears in a too familiar Garb, not fufficiently diftinguifhed from the common Language. 'Tis too referved; not being allowed any BoldneSTes, or Flights, but what might pafs in Profe; To this, in good meafure, is attributed the little Succefs their Authors have met withal la the Epic Way. See French. Epic, &c.
Poetical Rifing and Setting. See R 1 s 1 n g and S e t- ting.
The ancient Poets referring the rifing, &c. of the Stars to that of the Sim ; make three kinds of riling and fttting ; via.. Cofmical, Acronycal, and Heliacal. See each under its pro- per Article Cosmical, &c.
^ POETICKS, Foetice, the Doflrine of Poetry ; or the Laws and Rules of conducting Pieces or Compositions of Poetry. See Poetry.
Ariftotle's Poeticks is a Work infinitely valued ; and M. Da-
cier's Comment thereon is one of his belt Pieces Horace,
Vieta, Vojfms and Scaliger, have likewife published Poeticks in Latin. The Duke of Buckingham, in Englifli : And Me- nardiere, Hedelin, and Defpreaux in French.
POET, Poet a, an Author who compofes Poems, of Difcourfes in Verfe. See Poetry and Verse.
Cicero relates it as a Saying of Democritus and Plato, that there could be no good Poet fine afflatufuroris, without a Tincture of Madnefs ; and Ariftotle calls Poets exprefsly, Maniaci, Maniacs, Madmen. See Enthusiasm.
M. Spanheim tells us, that the Arab-Authors are more poe- tically given than thofe of any other People ; and adds, that that there are more Verfes among the Arabians than among all the other Nations put together.
The Word Tlmms, Poet, Signifies Maker ; whence the
Poets were anciently call'd Fatifts. The Name they were
properly denoted by among the Romans, was Vates, which Signifies Prophet. See Prophet.
By a Law of the Emperor Philip, inferted in the Code L. 10. T. 52. Poets are exprefsly excluded from the Immu- nities granted the ProfelTors of all other Sciences.
Homer, Virgil, Milton, and Taffo, are the chief, almoft
the only juft, Epic Poets Sophocles, Euripides, Shakefpear,
Otway, and Racine, Tragic Poets. Ariftophanes, Menan-
der, Plautus, Terence, Fletcher, Johnfon, Moliere, &c. Comic
Poets. Horace, Cowley, and Malberb, Lyric Poets. 1
Juvenal, Perjius, Regnier, Boileau, Dryden, and Oldham, Sa- tyrick Poets. See Epic, Tragic, Comic, &c.
POETRY, Poesy, the Art of compofing Poems, or Pieces in Verfe. See Poem and Verse.
The Word is form'd from the Greek nsinro* i of tuut, fa- cio. See Poesy.
If a Verfe be confider'd as a mere Series of juft fix Feet following one after another in the ftme Line ; Poetry and Verification will appear two very different Things : But Boflh, in his Idea of Verfe, includes Cadences, peculiar Con- ftruffions Arrangements and ExpreiTions, unknown incom- mon Difcourfe; and above all, a certain noble, bold, eleva- ted, metaphorical Turn and manner of Diction — Thefe, he obferves, are lb effential to Poetry, that without them the moft exact Arrangement of long and Short Syllables, makes little elfe but a kind of meafur'd Profe : whereas thefe, in a Difcourfe that has no poetical Feet or Meafures, do yet give it the poetical Character, and make it a kind of uomeafurcd Poetry.
The Rules of Poetry and Verfifying are taught by Art, and acquired by Study; but this Force and Elevation of Thought, which Horace calls fomething divine, and which alone makes the Poetry ol any Value, muft be derived from Nature; or, according to Ariftotle, from fome happy Tranfports to which that Author gives the Name of Madnefs Eu'jvss » no;im*» K»i 5 M*>7*;.— But there muft ever be conceived a juft Solid Judgment at the Head of this Fury of the Poets Imagina- tion.
Hence, the Critic concludes that, the End of Poetry is to pleafe ; its Caufe, either the Excellence of the Poet's Genius, or a poetical Fury, and Tranfport of the Soul manageable by the Judgment ; its Aiatter, long and Short Syllables, and Feet compofed hereof, with Words furnilh'd by Grammar; and its Form, the Arrangement of all thefe things in juft anil agreeable Verfe, exprcfling the Thoughts and Sentiments of the Author after the manner already mentioned.
But, after all, how narrow are thefe Bounds, if we con- sider Poetry in the Light wherein the Works of Homer and Virgil have fet it ? What is here laid down pretends to no Praife 'which a mere Tranflator may not rife to, and which the War ofCataline might not merit it turn'd out of the Profe of Salujh— Tas with reafon, therefore, that we diftinguilli id E the
