dura, Galicia, Leon, Catalonia, Granada, Valencia, Biscay, Asturias, Murcia, and Upper Navarre, some of which have been separate kingdoms. The extent of Spain is about 224,970 English square miles; and the population was, in 1803, estimated at 10,351,075 persons. The air is dry and serene, except during the equinoctial rains, but excessively hot, in the southern provinces, in June, July, and August. The vast mountains, however, that run through Spain, are beneficial to the inhabitants by the refreshing breezes that come from them in the S. parts; though those in the N. and N.E. are in the winter very cold. The soil is very fertile; but there are large tracts of uncultivated ground; and the superior attention paid to the large flocks of sheep greatly impedes the progress of agriculture. The produce of the country is wheat, barley, saffron, honey, silk, salt, saltpetre, hemp, barilla, and even sugar-canes, with the richest and most delicious fruits that are to be found in France and Italy; and its wines are in high esteem. Wolves are the chief beasts of prey that infest Spain. The wild bulls have so much ferocity, that bull-fights were the most magnificent spectacle the court of Spain could exhibit. The domestic animals are horses, that are remarkably swift, mules, asses, beeves, and sheep, the wool of which is superior to any in Europe. Spain abounds in minerals and metals: cornelian, agate, jacinth, loadstone, turcois stones, quicksilver, iron, copper, lead, sulphur, gyp sum, calamine, crystal, marbles of several kinds, porphyry, the finest jasper, and even diamonds, emeralds, and amethysts, are found here. Anciently it was celebrated for gold and silver mines; but since the discovery of America no attention has been paid to them. The principal rivers are the Douero, Tajo, Guadiana, Guadalquiver, and Ebro. Spain, formerly the most populous kingdom in Europe, is now very thinly inhabited; to which various causes have contributed, as the expulsion of the Moors, the emigrations to the colonies, the Yast numbers and celibacy of the clergy, and the indolence of the natives. Here is a want even of the most necessary trades; and of the few to be met with, the greatest part are in the hands of the French, who are very numerous in Spain; the natives themselves, beside their aversion to work, disdaining to stoop to handicrafts. They are not, however, wholly without manufactures, but they are far short of that flourishing condition they might attain; for they are checked by the royal monopolies, which extend to broad cloth, china, glass, pottery, paper, saltpetre, salt, sulphur, tobacco, and some others. The Spaniards in general are tall, their complexions swarthy, their countenances expressive. The beauty of the ladies reigns chiefly in their novels and romances: in their persons they are small and slender. Jealousy is no longer the characteristic of a Spanish husband: the married ladies have here their cortejo, or male attendant, in the same manner as the Italians have their cicisbeo. The esta blished religion is popery; and here the in

quisition once reigned in all its horrors; but, if it still exists, it has been lately rendered, by the intervention of powerful authority, comparatively harmless. There are eight archbishoprics, 46 episcopal sees, and 24 uni yersities, or rather academies. The Spanish language springs from the Roman, but many of the words are derived from the Arabic, used by the Moors, who for seven centuries held dominion in this country: the speech is grave, sonorous, and very melodious. Spain, once the most free, is now one of the most despotic monarchies in Europe. It had once its cortes or parliaments, which had great privileges; • but till lately, though not absolutely abolished, they had no part in the government. They are assembled indeed, occasionally (as at the accession of the monarch) but merely as an appendage to the royal state, without power, or any other consequence than what results from their individual rank. But the despotism of the late monarchy was balanced by the power of the church, to which the nobles are submissive devotees; and by many councils, which are responsible for any unwise or unsuccessful measures. In 1808, the French attempted to overturn the government of this country; and, having allured the royal family away, the Spaniards appointed a supreme Junta of government of the kingdom, who, aided by the British, are endeavouring to expel Bonaparte's brother, Joseph, and to restore Ferdinand VII. their absent king.

Our English soldiers have here shown that they still retain their superiority to all other troops; and our excellent general the marquis of Wellington has, by his skill, courage, perseverance, and success, gained himself a name, which will descend to posterity with our Marlboroughs, and our Wolfes, adorned by the honours and accompanied by the thanks of the British nation.

a

SPAIN (New). See MEXICO.

SPAIN (Pellitory of). See PYRETHRUM.
SPAKE. The old preterit of speak.

SPALDING, a town in Lincolnshire, with market on Tuesday. It is seated on the Welland, and from its neatness, and the branches of the river in the streets, resembles a Dutch town. It has a good carrying trade in corn and coal; and much hemp and flax is grown in its neighbourhood. It is 14 miles S. by W. of Boston, and 97 N. of London.

SPALLANZANI (Lazarus), a naturalist, born at Scandiano near Reggio, 1729. Being elected professor of Pavia, he devoted himself to natural history, and made various experiments in physiology. In 1779 he began to travel, and in 1786 visited Constantinople, the plains of Troas, and the islands of Corfu and Cythera. He afterwards came to Vienna, and in 1788, examined, with philosophical accuracy, the productions of the Appenines. He died of an apoplexy in 1799, at Pavia. He published, Letters on the Origin of Fountains -Experiments on the Re-production of Animals-Essays on Animalculæ in Fluids-Microscopical Experiments-Memoirs on the

Circulation of the Blood-Observations on the Transpiration of Plants-Travels in the Two Sicilies and the Appenines, 6 vols. &c.

SPAN. s. (rpan, rponne, Sax. span, Dut.) 1. The space from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger extended; nine inches (Hold.). 2. Any short duration (Walk.). To SPAN. v. a. 1. To measure by the hand extended (Tickel). 2. To measure (Herbert). SPAN. The preterit of spin.

SPAʼNCOUNTER. SPA'NFARTHING. S. (from span, counter, and farthing.) A play at which money is thrown within a span or mark (Donne).

SPANDAU, a town of Germany, in the middle marche of Brandenburg, surrounded on all sides by morasses, and close to it is a fine fortress. The arsenal is in subterranean vaults, and there is a prison for state criminals. It is seated on the Havel, eight miles N.W. of Berlin, and 17 N.E. of Brandenburg. Lon. 13. 23 E. Lat. 52. 36 N.

SPANDRELL, in architecture, the solid work on each haunch of an arch, to keep it from rising or spreading.

SPANGLE.'s. (spange, German; a locket.) 1. A small plate or boss of shining metal. 2. Any little thing sparkling and shining (Glanville).

To SPANGLE. v. a. (from the noun.) To besprinkle with spangles or shining bodies (Donne).

SPANHEIM (Frederic), divinity professor at Leyden, was born at Amberg, 1600. He refused a professorship at Lausanne, and in 1631 succeeded to a divinity chair at Geneva, which he left in 1642 to settle at Leyden. Here he was distinguished as a professor, and as a preacher, and died in 1649. He wrote Exercitationes de gratiâ universali, 3 vols. 8vo. Dubia evangelica, 2 vols. 4to. &c.

SPANHEIM (Ezekiel), eldest son of the preceding, was born at Geneva, 1629. At 16 he wrote a defence of Buxtorf against Capellus, in favour of the Hebrew characters, which his antagonist declared had been lost by the Jews, but preserved by the Samaritans. This performance he afterwards called unripe fruit, and candidly assented to the opinion of Capellus. On his father's death he left Leyden for Geneva, where he was made professor of eloquence, and soon after tutor to the son of the elector palatine. He was employed by the elector as envoy to the 'court of Rome, where he was treated with great respect by Christina of Sweden, and other great characters. After being in several negociations in Holland, at Mentz, at the congress of Breda, and in England, he entered into the service of the elector of Bran denburg, and was his envoy extraordinary at Paris, and in London. When the elector of Brandenburg assumed the title of king, he created him his minister, baron of the Prussian dominions, and again in 1702 employed him as his ambassador in England. He spent there the remainder of his days, and died in 1710. He wrote much, and with great success and ability. The best known of his works are, de

Præstantia, et usu numismatum Antiquorum, 2 vols. folio-Letters and Dissertations on Medals Julian's works edited with notes, folio-besides notes on classical authors, &c. SPANHEIM (Frederic), brother to the preceding, was born at Geneva, in 1632, and carried to Leyden by his father. After distinguishing himself as a preacher at Utrecht, he was invited to the chair of divinity professor at Heidelberg, 1665, and he removed in 1670 to Leyden, where he succeeded as professor of divinity and sacred history. He died in 1701, in consequence of a palsy. His writings are very numerous, and were printed at Leyden, 3 vols. folio, chiefly on theological subjects. The chief is his Ecclesiastical History.

:

SPANIEL. The name of a dog (see CANIS), of which there are many varieties. Of water spaniels there are two, a larger and a smaller of land spaniels there are two also. The water spaniels of both variety are chiefly employed in wild fowl shooting, in moors, marshes, and the neighbourhood of rivers; where ducks, wigeons, teal, coots, moor-hens, dab-chicks, and snipes, are to be found; to all which they are particularly appropriate; not more for their indefatigable industry in finding the game, than for their surmounting every ob stacle to recover it, and bring it to hand when killed. They are also of wonderful sagacity, fidelity, and observation; their olfactory powers almost exceed belief, by which alone they are taught the most incredible performances. Sticks, gloves, handkerchiefs, coin, or any other article left some miles behind by the owner upon the road, or any remote spot (totally unknown to them), will they retrace to any distance upon a signal being given with the hand, and never relinquish the search till they bring it safe to their master.

The large springing and sinall cocker land spaniels, although they vary in size, differ, like the two kinds of water spaniels, but little in their qualifications, except that the former is rather slower in action; neither catching the scent of the game so suddenly as the latter, nor seeming to enjoy it with the same enthusiasm when found. The small cocking spaniel has also the advantage of getting through the low bushy covert with much less difficulty than the larger spaniel, and does not tire so soon, whatever may have been the length and labour of the day. Both these varieties are frequently used as finders in coursing with greyhounds, and are indefatigable in their exertions; from the time they are thrown off in pursuit of game, the tail is in a perpetual motion (called feathering), by the increasing vibration of which, an experienced sportsman well knows when he gets nearer the object of attraction.

As it is the habit of this animal to give the most outrageous proof of joy upon finding, or coming upon the foot or haunt of game, so it is equally his habit never to relax in his perseverance till he brings it to view. It is therefore necessary for all young and inexperienced sportsmen, who take the field with spaniels, not to be too tardy in their own motions, but

to let their agility keep pace with the incessant activity of their dogs; inattentive to which they may expect to cover many a weary mile without a successful shot. Young spaniels, when trained for the field, should be taken out v, in company with one or more old and d dogs, to whom they will mostly attend y action, and the sooner acquire the knowledge of the business they are . If young dogs alone be taken out, mber, their eagerness and emuly occasion them (particularly they are safe from correction) he thing for want of finding the event of not being cornecessary, to become uncertain , and never to be relied upon. The ous and experienced sportsman will never be seen to hunt spaniels with pointers either in or out of covert; for, although it can do little or no injury to the former, it may very materially warp the discipline, if not totally destroy the habits of the latter.

SPANISH TOWN. See Sr. JAGO.
SPANISH BROWN, in botany. See SPAR-

SPANKER. s. A small coin (Denham). SPA'NNER. s. The lock of a carabine (Howel).

SPAR, in mineralogy. See SPATUM. SPAR, denotes also a small beam; sometimes the bar of a gate,

To SPAR. v. n. To fight with prelusive strokes.

To SPAR. v. a. (гpaɲɲan, Saxon; sperren, German.) To shut; to close; to bar (Spenser). SPA'RABLE. s. (гpaɲɲan, Sax. to fasten.) Small nails.

SPA'RADRAP. s. (In pharmacy.) A cerecloth (Wiseman).

SPARAGUS. See ASPARAgus.

To SPARE. v. u. (rpapan, Sax. spaeren, Dutch; espargner, Fr.) 1. To use frugally; not to waste; not to consume (Milton). 2. To have unemployed; to save from any particular use (Knolles). 3. To do without; to lose willingly (Ben Jonson). 4. To omit; to forbear (Dryden). 5. To use tenderly; to forbear; to treat with pity; to use with mercy (Common Prayer). 6. To grant; to allow; to indulge (Roscommon). 7. To forbear to inflict or impose (Dryden).

To SPARE. U. n. 1. To live frugally; to be parsimonious (Shakspeare). 2. To forbear; to be scrupulous (Knolles). 3. To use mercy; to forgive (Bacon).

SPARE. 4. 1. Scanty; parsimonious; frugal (Locke). 2. Superfluous; unwanted (Addison). 3. Lean; wanting flesh; macilent (Milton).

SPARE. s. (from the verb.) Parsimony; frugal use; husbandry: not in use (Bacon). SPA'RER. s. (from spare.) One who avoids expence (Wotton).

SPAʼRERIB. s. (spare and rib.) Ribs cut away from the body, and having on them spare or little flesh; as, a sparerib of pork.

SPARGANIUM. Bur-reed. In botany, a genus of the class monoecia, order triandria. Ament roundish; calyx three-leaved; corolless. Female: stigma cloven; drupe dry, oneseeded. Three species, common to the ditches, pools, and canals of our own country.

SPARGEFACTION. s. (spargo, Latin.) The act of sprinkling.

SPA'RING. a. (from spare.) 1. Scarce; little (Bacon). 2. Scanty; not plentiful (Pope). 3. Parsimonious; not liberal (Dryden).

SPA'RINGLY. ad. (from sparing.) 1. Not abundantly (Bacon). 2. Frugally; parsimoniously; not lavishly (Hayward). 3. With abstinence (Atterbury). 4. Not with great frequency (Atterbury). 5. Cautiously; tenderly (Bacon).

SPARK. s. (rpeanca, Sax. sparke, Dutch.) 1. A small particle of fire, or kindled matter (Shakspeare). 2. Any thing shining (Locke). 3. Any thing vivid or active (Shakspeare). 4. A lively, showy, splendid, gay man (Prior). 5. A lover.

To SPARK. v. n. (from the noun.) To emit particles of fire; to sparkle: not used (Spenser). SPAʼRKFUL. a. (spark and full.) Lively; brisk; airy: not used (Camden).

SPA'RKISH. a. (from spark.) 1. Airy; gay. A low word (Walsh). 2. Showy; well dressed; fine (L'Estrange).

SPARKLE. s. (from spark.) 1. A spark; a small particle of fire (Dryden). 2. Any luminous particle (Pope).

To SPARKLE. v. n. (from the noun.) 1. To emit sparks. 2. To issue in sparks (Milton). 3. To shine; to glitter (Watts). 4. To emit little bubbles as liquor in a glass.

SPARKLINGLY. ad. (from sparkling.) With vivid and twinkling lustre (Boyle). SPARKLINGNESS. s. (from sparkling.) Vivid and twinkling lustre (Boyle).

SPARMANNIA, in botany, a genus of the class polyandria, order monogynia. Calyx four-leaved; petals four, reflected; nectaries numerous, irregular in their surface, surrounding the stamens; capsule angular, prickly, five-celled. One species; a hairy shrub of the Cape; with alternate, heart ovate leaves, and umbelled white flowers.

SPARROW, in ornithology. See TRICO

GILLA.

SPARROW HAWK. See FALCA. SPARROW WORT. See BASSARINA. SPARROW (Anthony), of Depden, Suffolk, was expelled from Queen's college, Cambridge, for refusing to subscribe to the covenant, 1643. At the restoration he was placed at the head of his college, made archdeacon of Sudbury, and in 1667 raised to the see of Exeter, and next translated to Norwich. He compiled a collection of articles, injunctions, canons, &c.

and also Rationale, or the Book of Common Prayer, 1657, 8vo. improved afterwards with additions. He died in 1685.

SPA'RRY. a. (from spar.) Consisting of

spar.

SPARSE, in botany. Scattered. Neither opposite nor alternate, nor in any apparent regular order. Applied to branches, to leaves, as in several sorts of lily; to peduncles or flowers, to calycine scales, as in crepis barbata. "With regard to branches," says Dr. Berkenhout, "an accurate observer will find that, notwithstanding their irregular appearance, they form a spiral line round the trunk, regularly completing the circle in a determinate number of steps."

SPARTA, a celebrated city of Peloponnesus, the capital of Laconia, situate on the Eurotas, about 30 miles from its mouth. It received its name from Sparta, the daughter of Eurotas, who married Lacedæmon. See LA

CEDEMON.

SPARTACUS. The most celebrated of this name is a Thracian gladiator, who, having been kept at Capua in the house of Lentulus, escaped from the place of his confinement with 30 of his companions, and took up arms against the Romans. He soon found himself at the head of a considerable number of followers, with whom he attacked the Roman generals in the field of battle. Two consuls and other officers were defeated with much loss, and Spartacus, superior in counsel and abilities, became more terrible. Crassus was sent against him, but this celebrated general at first despair. ed of success. A bloody battle was fought, in which at last the gladiators were defeated. Spartacus behaved with great valour, and at last he fell upon a heap of Romans, whom he had sacrificed to his fury, B. C. 71. In this battle no less than 40,000 of the rebels were slain, and the war totally finished.

SPARTA, or SPARTI, a name given to those men who sprang from the dragon's teeth, which Cadmus sowed. They all destroyed one another, except five, who survived and assisted Cadmus in building Thebes.

SPARTANI, or SPARTIATE, the inhabitants of Sparta. See SPARTA, LACEDE

MON.

SPARTEL (Cape), a promontory on the coast of Barbary, at the entrance of the straits of Gibraltar. Lon. 5. 56 W. Lat. 35. 50 N. SPARTIVENTO (Cape), a promontory of the kingdom of Naples, at the S.E. extremity of Calabria Ulteriore. Lon. 16. 40 E. Lat.. 37.50 N.

SPARTIUM. Broom. In botany, a genus of the class diadelphia, order decandria. Stigma longitudinal, villous above; filaments all united, adhering to the germ; calyx produced downwards. Twenty-five species, chiefly natives of Barbary and the south of Europe; one, spartium scoparium, common to our own dry fields. They are thus subdivided into nearly equal partitions.

The following are cultivated.

1. S. scoparium. Common broom: formerly employed medicinally under the name of genista, but long since disused. See GENIS

TA.

2. S. junceum. Spanish broom. 3. S. radiatum. Starry broom. 4. S. monospermum. White-flowered, single-seeded broom.

5. S. sphærocarpum. single-seeded broom.

Yellow-flowered,

6. S. scorpius. Scorpion broom. 7. S. angulatum. Angular-branched broom. 8. S. spinosum. Prickly broom.

The flower-buds of many of these are in some countries pickled and eaten as capers; and the seeds have been used as a miserable substitute for coffee. The branches are employed in making besoms, and in tanning leather; the old wood furnishes the cabinet-maker with beautiful materials for veneering; the tender branches are sometimes mixed with hops for brewing; and the macerated bark may be manufactured into cloth.

The three first sorts are hardy, the rest tenderer, especially when young. They may be all raised from seeds; but the double blossomed are best propagated by layers and cuttings.

SPARUS. Gilt-head. In zoology, a genus of the class pisces, order thoracica. Teeth (generally) strong; the grinders somewhat obtuse and crowded; lips double; gill-membrane fiverayed, the cover scaly; body compressed; lateral line curved on the hind-part; pectoral fins rounded. Forty species, scattered through the seas of the globe; four common to our own coasts. They are thus divided into sections. A. Marked with a black spot. B. Mostly red.

C. Body marked with lines.
D. Various.

The following are chiefly worthy of notice. 1. S. auratus. Lunulated gilt-head. Between the eyes a semilunar gold spot. This species inhabits the British coasts, and haunts the boldest, deepest, and most rocky shores. They feed upon oysters and other shell-worms, which they comminute with their strong teeth. For this purpose they are furnished with flat back teeth, resembling the grinders of quadru peds, and fulfilling the same office. Besides these teeth, and small sharp ones on the fore part of the jaw, the inner part of the mouth is lined with hard bones, which assist in grinding and masticating.

This species is a coarse fish, and in modern times held in no great esteem, though the caprice of the ancient Romans set a high value upon such as were fed with the oysters of the Lucrine lake, perhaps for no other reason than because they were a fashionable dish at a certain period: they seem, from Martial's ac count, to have thought meanly of the gilt-head in general.

The lunulated gilt-head grows frequently to the weight of ten pounds: the form of the body is deep, resembling that of a bream; the back sharp, and of a dusky green; the sides golden tinged with brown; at the farther