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< J)iojCorides {hews how to make a Soot of Butter, which has feveral Ufes in Medicine.
The Scot found in the Furnaces of Glafs-houfes, is ufed by Painters.
SOPHI or SOFI, a Title or Quality given the Emperor of Perfia.
The Sophi's value thcmfelves, and with fome Reafon, of their illuitrious Extraction ; The Race being Second to none in the Eafi. They are defcended in a right Line from Hovffein, fecond Son of All, Mahomet's Coufin, and Fatima t Mahomet's Daughter. Tiiere is no Prince in the World, whofe Authority is more abiblute than that of the Sophi ' of 'Perfia. His Power is not even limited by any Laws he himielf can make 5 but he fufpends, changes, and annuls them at Plealure.
The Title is faid to have taken its Rife from a young Shepherd thus named, who attained to the Crown of Perfia in 1370. Others derive Sophi, from the Sophi's or Sages, anciently called Magi.
^ojjlus gives us a different Account of the Word. Sophi, in Arabic, he obferves, fignifies Wool, and adds, That it was applied by the Turks out of Derifion to the Kings of Perfia t ever fi nee Ifiimael's Time, becaufe, according to the Scheme of Religion, he is to wear no other Covering on his Head, but an ordinary, red, woollen Stuff; whence the Perfians are alio called Kiffilbais, q. d. Red-heads. But Sochart fays, That Sophi, in the original Perfian Language, fignifies One that is pure in his Religion, and who prefers the Service of God in all Things ; and derives it from
Son's or Sofees, a kind of Order of Religious among the Mahometans \nPerfia$ thus called, from a kind of coarfe Camelot which they wear, called Sovf, from the City Sotif in Syria, where 'tis principally manufactured.
Scheik Sop-, who laid the firtt Foundation of the Grandeur of the Royal Houfe ofperfia, was the Founder, or rather the Reftorer of this Order. Iftrmael-, who conquered Perfia, was, himfelf, a Soft, and valued himfelf en his being lb. He chofe all the Guards of his Perfbn from among the Reli- gious of this Order ; and would have all the great Lords of his Court Softs. The King of Perfia is Hill Grand Matter of the Order 5 and the Lords continue to enter into it, tho' it be now fallen into great Contempt.
The vulgar Soft's are now chiefly employ'd as Ufhers, and Attendants of the Court ; and even as Executioners of Juftice ; and the Emperor laft reigning, would not allow them, according to Cultom, to gird the Sword on him. This Neg- lect, into which the Softs are fallen, has occasioned the late Emperors to difufe the Tide of Sofi or Sophi : However, M. de la Croix is miftaken, when he fays, That they never bore it. The more eminent of thofe Softs are called Scheick, q. d. Reverend.
SOPHISM, in Logic, a captious, fallacious Reafoning 5 or an Argument, which with fome Subtilty, carries much Appearance of Truth 5 but little Solidity. See Fallacy.
A Sophifm is, properly an Argument falfe at bottom, and only invented to amufe and embarrais the Perfbn to whom it is ufed. See Sophist.
Sophism's, or Sophiftical Arguments, among Logicians, are particularly fiich as are not in Form, or are founded on Equivocals 5 as, Ton have every 'Thing you have not loft $ but you have not loft Horns -. Therefore you have Horns.
SOPHIST, a Perfon who frames Sofhtfms ; that is, ufes fubtile Arguments, with defign to deceive thofe he would perfuade or convince. See Sophism.
The Term Sophift, which is now reproachful, was anciently honourable ; and carried a very innocent Idea. St. Auguftin obferves, it fignified, fimply, a Rhetor or Profeffor or Elo- quence ; fuch as were Lucian, Athenceus, Libanins, &c.
Suidas, and after him, Olarens Celfins in an exprefs Dif- fertation on the Greek Sophifis, tell us, That the Word was applied indifferently to all, who excelled in any Art or Science ; whether Divines, Lawyers, Phyficians, Poets, Ora- tors or Muficians. But this feems to be ftrerching the Senle of the Word without all Meafure. 'Tis poffible a Rhetor might have made Verfes, £5?c. but that it was on account of his poetical Talent, that he was denominated Sophift, is what we fee no Reafon to apprehend. However, Solon is the Firll who appears to have ever bore the Appellation ; which is given him by Tfocrates : Afterwards, it was fcarce ever given, but to Philosophers and Declaimers.
TheTitle wasin great Credit amongthei^f/Ki' in the Xllth Century, and in the Time of St. 'Bernard ; but it began to lofe Ground in Greece, as early as Plato's Time ; on account of Protagoras and Gorgias, who made a fordid Traffic thereof, by felling Eloquence for Money. Hence Seneca calls the Sophifis CharJetans or Emperics.
Cicero fays, That the Title Sophifia was given to fuch as profefs'd Philofbphy with too much Orientation, to make a Trade of it, by running from Town to Town, to retail their deceitful Science. A Sophift, therefore, was then, as now, a Rhetor, or Logician, who makes it his Bufinefs to enfnare and perplex People, by frivolous Diftinctions, vain Reafbn-
ings and captious Difcourfes. Nothing has conduced more to the Increafing of the Number of Sophifis, than the con- tentious School Philofophy. People are there taught to puzzle and obicure the Truth, by barbarous, unintelligible Terms, as Antipredicaments, great and little Logicals, Quiddities, &c.
The Title of Sophift was given to Raba?ius Mourns, by way of Eminence. John Hintlon, an Euglift Scholaftic Writer, endeavoured to get, and bear, as a Credit to him, the Title of Sophift.
The Word is form'd from the Greek crop}?, Wife 5 or rather from ffoytsiH, Impofbr, Deceiver.
SOPHISTICATION, in Chymiftry, Alchymy, g& a Term particularly applied to the Counterfeit Works of frau- dulent Alchymiits, whoufe indirect Means of whitening Cop - per, gilding Silver, and giving other fiiperficial Tinctures ; as alfo of making Augmentations, by divers Mixtures, and other illegal Operations, to delude thofe, at whofe Expence they are employ'd.
Hence the Term is alfo applied to Merchandizes, and other Goods adulterated, mix'd or alter'd by the Deceit of the Seller.
Mufc, at prefent, is almoft all Sophifticated, as well as Bezoardj Balm of Gilead, Lapis Lazuli, and other valuable Drugs. Canary Wines are Sophifticated on the Place, before ever they come near our Ports.
SOPORIFIC, Soporiferous or Soporative, a Medicine that has the Faculty of procuring Sleep. See Sleep.
Such are Opium, Laudanum, ££?c. See Opiate.
The Word is form'd from the Latin, Sopor, Sleep : The Greeks, in lieu hereof, ufe the Word Hypnotic ; which fee.
SOPOROUS or fieepy Difeafes, are the Coma orCatephtra, Lethargy and Cams, which rather appear to differ as to more or lefs, than as ro ErTence.
In this they all agree, That they induce a morbific Sweat. See Coma, gfc.
SOREONNE, the Houfe or College of the Faculty of Theology, eftablifhed in the Univeriity of Paris. See College.
It was founded in 1252, by St, Louis, or rather by Robert deSorbon his ConfefTor and Almoner ; firft, Canon ofCambray\ and alterward^fcf the Church of Pai'is. He gave his new Houfe his olWName ; which he himfelf took from the Village of Sorbon, or Serlon, near Sens, where he was born. The Foundation was laid in 1250 : Queen Blanche, in the Abfence of her Husband, furnifhing him with a Houfe be- fore the Palace of Julian the Apoftate, whereof fome of the Remains are (till feen. Afterwards, the King gave him all the Houfes he had in the fame Place, in exchange for fbme others in another.
The College has been, fince, magnificently rebuilt by the Cardinal de Richelieu. The Defign of its Inflitution, was for the Uie of poor Students in Divinity.
There are Lodgings in it for 36 Doctors, who are faid to be of the Society of the Scrbonne. Thole admitted into it without being Doctors, are faid to be of the Hofpirality of the Sorbonne. Six Regent Doctors hold Lectures every Day, for an Hour and Half each : Three in the Morning, and Three in the Afternoon. See Doctor.
Sorbonne is alfo ufed in the General, for the whole Faculty of Theology at Paris : In regard the AfTemblies of the whole Body are held in the Houfe of the Sorbomie; and that the Bachelors of the other Houfes of the Faculty, as the Houfe of Navarre, &c. come here to hold their Sorbonnique or Act, for being admitted Doctor in Divinity. See Faculty.
SORCERY, the Crime of Witchcraft, or Divination by the Afliftanceof the Devil. See Magic, Witchcraft and Divination.
Some hold Sorcery to be properly what the Ancients call Sortilegium, or Divination by means of Sortes or Lets* See Sortes.
My Lord Coke, 3d Infi. Pol. 44. defcribes a Sorcerer, ghii utitur Sortibus in cantationibus 'Dowionimi. Sorcery is Felony, by Stat, i Q Jac. In the Mirror, Sorcery is faid to be a Branch of Herefy ; and by Stat. 12. Car. II. it is excepted out of the general Pardons.
Sorcery was a Thing formerly very common 5 at Ieaft the Credulity of thofe Ages made it pals for fuch ; and People fuffered frequently for it. In a more knowing and lels be- lieving Age, 'tis out of Doors.
In effect, the moft probable Opinion is, That the feveral glaring Inftances of Sorcery we meet withal, in our old Law- Books and Hiftorians, if well enquired into, would be found, at Bottom, no other than artful Poifonings.
SORITES, in Rhetoric, ^c. a kind of Argument, where- in a Number of Proportions are gradually and minutely hid together; and fbmethtng inferred from the whole: Whence Cicero calls it Syllogifmus acervatus, a Syllogifm heaped up or accumulated.
Such was that merry Way Themiftccles ufed of proving,
That his little Son, under Ten Years old, commanded the
whole World 5 thus: My Son commands his Mother; his
Mother me: 1 the Athenians-^ the Athenians the Greeks,
f B b ] Greed
