pri
The fecond is (hat from which we borrow, or derive our Knowledge of fome other Thing ; or, it is that which makes the Thing be known. Such are Axioms, Defini- tions, Hypothefts; fuch alfo. are Examples, Explanations,
tf c . See KNOWtEDOE.
Principle, in Phyfics, or Principles of a natural $odf, is fomething that contributes to the Effence of a Bo- dy; or, whereof a natural Body is primarily conflituted. See Bonv.
Jriftotle defines Principles to be thofe things which are „ot made or conliicuted of themfelves, nor of other things, but all things of them : gut ran joint ex fe invicem, nee ex aliis, fed ex "S omnia.
To give an Idea of natural Principles, confider a Body in feveral States 5 a Coal, e.gr. tharwasjufl now a piece of Wood : 'tis evident there is fomething in the Coal.which before exifted in the Wood ; this, whatever it is, is a Prin- ciple ; and is what we call Matter. See Matter.
Again, there null be fomething join'd with this Matter, to make it Wood rather than Fire ; or Fire, rather than Wood : This is another principle; and is what we deno- minate Form. See Form.
Matter, and Form, then, are univerfal 'Principles of na- tural Bodies.
The Peripateticks add a third Principle, viz. Priva- tion; for tho', fay they, a thing is not made from no- thing ; yet it mull be made from its not being that thing before : This Ariftotle calls Privation, and admits it as a third Principle.
But the Moderns reject it 5 for if Privation be a Princi- ple, 'tis at leaft fo, in a very different fenfe from Matter and Form. See Privation.
Some late Philofophers admit no Principles but Acid and Alkali. See Acid and Alkali.
Arijlotle makes two forts of natural Principles, as they concur in the Generation, or the Compoficion of Bodies.
The Principles of Generation, or of a Body in fieri, are thofe without which 2 natural Generation can neither be, nor be conceiv'd. Such are the three Principles above mention'" 1 ; Matter, Form, and Privation.
The Principles of Compofition, or of a Body infaSo effe , already made, are thole whereof natural Bodies reaiiy confitt. Such, according to him, are Matter and Form ; to which fome add a third, viz,. Union, to connect the two othe s together. But this is only neceffary upon fuppofition of fubftantial Forms. See Subftantial Form.
Principles are ufually confounded with Elements ; yet is there a real difference : Elements are properly the firft and fimpleft Beings, arifing from the firit Determination or Affemblage of Principles. They are the fimplefi thincs in which Matter and Form are combined. Elements and Principles, therefore, differ in this, that a Principle, as Matter, is only a begun, not a compleat Nature; but an Element is perfect and compleat. See Element.
To this Head may likewife be referred what we call Mechanical Principles of Bodies, which explain the Mecha- nifm or artificial Structure of Things, and all the Varieties and Differences of Bodies from Motion, Figure, and other common Affections. See Mechanical.
Thefe Principles are differently maintain'd by three or four different Sects of Philofophers; viz. the antient Epi- cureans, or Ccrpufcularians; to which may be added the modern Gaffendifts ; the Cartefians ; and the Newtonians. See Epicurean, Corpuscularian, Cartesian, and Newtonian.
Principles, in Chymiflry, are the firit and fimplefi parts whereof natural Bodies are compounded 5 and into which they are again refolvable by Fire. Thefe are more pro- perly, as well as more commonly, call'd Elements. See Element.
The Chvmifls make five Principles; three whereof are call'd a (live Principles, viz. Salt; Sulphur, or Oil ; and Mercury, or Spirit. The Salt they fuppofe the Founda- tion of all Savours ; fee Salt. The Sulphur of Odours; fee Sulphur: and the Spirit, or Mercury, of Colours ; fee Spirit.
The two paffive Principles, are Phlegm, and Caput Mor- tutim ; which they alfo call elementary Principles. See Phlegm, f$c.
Principles, in the Hermetic Philofophy. According to thefe Gentlemen, the two Univerfal Principles of fen- fible Nature, are fubtile m& folia", which being join'd in a greater or lefs degree, generate all that beautiful Variety of Beings in the Univerfe.
The three Natural Principles are Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. Thefe Principles generate the four Elements ; and are, as it were, fecundary Elements, inafmuch as they are enmain'd in all mix'd Bodies. Sulphur is the firft, and (lands in the place of Male ; Mercury the fecond, (landing in the place of Female; andSaltthe third, which copulates the others together. 2)iS. Her met.
C 87? )
PRI
Principle is alfo apply'd t0 the Foundations of Arts and Sciences. See Art and Science.
In this fenfe we hy, Principles ve not to be proved; they muft be common Notions. SeeNoTioN and Axiom. rsl, r %t n ° d ' ( P" t,n g a g«nft a Man that denies 'Prin- ciples. The ; worif Reafonmg is that which includes a Pe- tiuo Prinapu, ,. e. which fuppofes a Principle that ought to be proved. *
The Word Principle hMa ufed byextenfion for the firft Rules, or Maxims of an Art. In this fenfe we fay, a Man is ignorant of the Principles of Gcometty ; meaning he has not learnt Euclid\ Elements.
TheSPn'sw^fejofall Arts and Sciences are found in this Dictionary, under their refpeflive Heads.
PRINTER, a Perfon who compofes, and takes Im- preflions from, moveable Characters, ranged in Order ; or from Plates engraven : by means of Ink, aPrefs, &c See Printing.
Fuji, Guttembourg, Schoefer, Mantel, and Roller were the firft Printers, the firit that prafttfed it in England, was Fred. Corjeles, brought over from Haerlem, under King Henry VI. In France, Gering ; -itRo-.e, Conrad Sweyn- heim, and Arnold Pcnnarts, uoth Germans ; at Naples, Sixtus Rufinger.
The great Printers were Aldus, and Paul Manutius ; the two Badu ; William and Frederick Morel ; Oforin ; Froben ; Rob. Hen. and Char. Stephens ; Grypbaus ; Tur- nebius, Torres, Commelin, Plantin, Rapheling, Vafcofan, Mean, Criffin, and the two Elzevirs.
The learned Printers were the Manutii, the Stephens's, the Badu, Turnebius, Wechel, Morel, &c.
Plantin had the Title at Arch Printer given him by the King of Spain, in consideration of his printing the Polvelot of Antwerp. • / *
The Names, Characters, and Eloges of all the famous Printers are found in the lid Book of rhe Cenfura Au- thorum.
The Printers, fince the eftablifhment of that Air, are efleemed a part of the Company of Stationers and Book- fellers : Before that eftablifhment, the Company confuted only of Bookfcllers, Binders, Illuminers, and Parchment- makers.
The Parchment- Makers prepared the Skins, and made the Parchment or Velom ; which were then almoft the only Matters Books were wrote on. The Writers or Statio- nary, wro'.e and tranferibed Books after Copies' given 'em by thcBookfellers. The Binders were charged with the binding of thefe days, which was very coarfe ; only con- fiding of two flight Boards cover'd with fome paltry Lea- ther. The Illuminers painted in Miniature, and gilt initial Letters, Head-pieces, Tail-pieces, and other Compartimehts. Laftly, the Scckfellers fet the Stationers rework, and fold their Copies in Shops, and other Places, on the days allovv'd em by the Statutes to expofe the fame.
PRINTING- Hottfe, a Place defiined for Priming and fitted up for that purpofe with Prcff s and other Furniture.
The molt confutable Printing Houfcs in the Wotld are thole of the Louvre and Vatican.
The firft beg.m under Francis f. carried to its urmoft Perfection under Zewis XIH, by the Care of the Cardinal Richelieu; and removed into the Galleries of the Louvre by Louis XIV. See Louvre.
The Vatican Printing Houfe, call'd alfo the Apoflolical Priming Houfe, becaufe the Pope's Bulls, D -crees &c. are primed therein, was begun by Pius IV. and built with great Magnificence by Sixtus V. See Vatican.
Out of both thefe Printing-Houfes have come forth very beautiful and fplcndid Editions of the antient Authors : The Vatican was the firft that printed in Arabic.
The Clarendon Printing-Houfe at Oxford, fo call'd be- caufe open'd with an Edition of the Hiilory of the Lord of that Name, promifes well : It has already furnifhed us with a fine Englijb Bible.
PRINTING, the Art of taking Imprcffions with Ink, from Charaflers and Figures moveable, or immoveable, upon Paper, Velom, or the like Matter. See Character, Ink, Pap er, ££?c.
There are two kinds of Printing 5 the one for Books; the other from Copper-Plates, for Pictures : The firft call'd Coiil- men-Prefs. Printing ; the fecond Rolli-ng-Preft- Printing.
The prime difference between the two confifts in this, that the Characters of the former are call in Relievo; and thofe of the latter engraven in Crcux. Sec Relievo, En-
GRAVINC , cL^C.
The Art at Printing is a modern Invention : 'Tis in- deed, of a very antient (landing among the Chinefe ; but then their Printing is very different from ours. It muft be own'd the European Printing, in its Original, was much the fame with the Chinefe ; yet, as there was at that time no Commerce or correfpondence between Europe and China the paffage into the Eaft by the Cape of good Hope bein" as
10 N
yet
