the most elevated, not being more than 11,959 feet above the plain of Tapia, which itself is 9481 feet above the level of the sea.

The temperature of the air is here so constant that the summits of those mountains which enter he region of perpetual snow have the line of congelation distinctly marked; and the road from Guayaquil to Quito leads along the northern declivity of Chimborazo, amid scenes of the most majestic nature, and near the regions of eternal frost. Chimborazo, the most lofty of the American summits, towers in the form of a dome over the conical peaks and heads of the adjacent mountains, to the altitude of 21,441 feet above the level of the sea. PICHINCHA, which surmounts the city of Quito, was formerly a very active volcano; but since the conquest its eruptions have not been frequent. See that article. Humboldt supposes the bottom of the crater is on a level with the city of Quito. Its edges are always covered with snow; and flames rise from its surface amid columns of dark smoke.

But of all the American volcanoes Cotopaxi is the most noted. It is situated to the south-east of Quito, twelve leagues distant from that city, and five leagues north of Latacunga, between the mountains of Ruminavi, the summit of which is rugged and jagged with separate rocks, and Quelendama, whose peaks enter the regions of eternal frost. It has ejected such masses of scoria and immense pieces of rock, on the plain below, that they would of themselves, if heaped together, form an enormous mountain; and in a violent eruption in 1774 its roarings were heard at Honda, at the distance of 200 leagues. In 1768 it sent forth such a volume of ashes that the light of the sun was obscured at Hambato till three in the afternoon, and the people were forced to use lanterns; at the same time the cone was so heated that the mass of snow which covered it suddenly melted away; and at Guayaquil, 150 miles distant, its eruptions were audibly distinguished.

The volcano of Sangai, or Mecas, is the most southern mountain of Quito, and is covered with snow; but a continual fire issues from its summit, attended by explosions which are heard 120 miles distant, and when the wind is fair are audible even at Quito. The country adjacent to this volcano is totally barren, being covered with cinders. In this desert the river Sangay rises, and, joining the Upano, flows into the Maranon under the name of the Payra. Sangia is 17,131 feet above the level of the sea. The Altar, or El Altar, is on the eastern crest, in the district of Riobamba, joining itself by a high desert to another peak called Collanes. The Indians have a tradition that El Altar was formerly more lofty than Chimborazo, but that its summit suddenly fell in. By the latest observation it was found to be 17,256 feet above the level of the

sea.

Tunguragua is seven leagues north of Riobamba. The figure of this volcanic mountain is conical, and very steep. Riobamba was destroyed by its dreadful eruptions. Some hot springs gush out through crevices in its sides, which has caused warm baths to be erected for the accommodation of invalids. Tunguragua is

Nortn

16,500 feet above the level of the sea. west of Riobamba is Carguirazo, which just enters the lower period of congelation. Near this mountain and Chimborazo is the road leading to Guayaquil, passing over such lofty deserts and such dangerous places, that many people perish in attempting to travel over it in bad weather, or in winter. The height of this mountain is 15,540 feet above the level of the sea.

In these mountainous regions the wind is often so violent that it tears off fragments of rocks The French academicians, in measuring their oase, and taking the necessary angles, were often, it will be remembered, in danger of having their tents and huts blown over. In this immense extent the population, therefore, is chiefly confined to the valley, formed on the very ridge of the main chain of the Andes, by the parallel summits making a prolonged series of small narrow plains, extending from San Miguel de Ibarra to Loja, and to the country between those and Popayan, and from the western slope of the Cordillera to the ocean. The eastern governments are chiefly immense tracts, thinly scattered with missionary villages.

Quito Proper is subdivided from north to south into nine districts, viz. San Miguel de Ibarra, Otabalo, Quito, Latacunga, Riobamba, Chimbo, Guayaquil, Cuença, and Loxa or Loja.

The jurisdiction of Quito contains, independently of the city, twenty-five villages, or parishes.

The lands are covered with plantations, in the plains, breaches or valleys, and up the sides of the mountains, as far as vegetatation will reach, so as to be productive of any return to the culti vator. The valleys, being hot, grow sugar-canes and cotton; the plains, maize; and the higher regions, wheat, barley, &c. European grain was introduced into Quito hy father Jose Rixi, a native of Ghent in Flanders, who sowed some near the convent of St. Francis; and the monks still show the vase in which the first wheat came from Europe, as a sacred relic. Above the regions which produce wheat, barley, potatoes, &c., are fed numerous flocks of sheep, which yield great quantities of wool; and cows are reared also in great numbers for the sake of cheese and butter. Most of the villages of Quito are inhabited by Indians.

The capital of this presidency is Quito. It is situated in long. 78° 10′ 15′′ W., and lat. 0° 13′ 27" S., on the eastern slope of the western branch of the equatorial Andes, thirty-five leagues distant from the coasts of the South Sea. The volcanic mountain Pichincha is the basis on which the celebrated city rests. Its crevices are so numerous in the environs that many of the suburban houses are built on arches; and from the acclivity of the ground the streets are very irregular and uneven. The city has in its vicinity the great plains Turubamba and Inna Quito, covered with country seats and cultivation; and the junction of these plains forms a neck of land, on which some of the streets are built. height of Quito above the level of the sea is 9510 feet; and it is backed by the conical summit of Javirac, immediately under that of Pichincha,-Javirac being 10,239 feet above the ocean, consequently 729 feet higher than the city.

The

The temperature of the climate is such that neither heat nor cold is felt in extremes, though this may be experienced in a very short journey from it. The whole year is a perfect spring, with little or no variation; pleasant gales constantly waft the odors of the cultivated plains towards the town, and these are seldom known to fail or to become boisterous. The rain alone descends occasionally with impetuosity, and prevents the usual out-of-door avocations. With such a climate, and in the midst of plenty, the city is hourly liable to earthquakes, and its inhabitants are frequently occupied in noticing, with the most awful apprehensions, the slightest variations in the phenomena of the heavens; for from these they affect to judge of the approach of the subterraneous concussions which have so frequently destroyed the place. Of these a very destructive one was experienced in 1775. In 1797, on the 4th of February, the face of the whole district was changed, and in the space of a second 40,000 persons were hurled into eternity. During this tremendous scene the ground opened in all directions, and vomited out sulphur, mud, and water. This earthquake affected the temperature of the air, which is now commonly between 40° and 55°, whereas it was usually 66° or 68°; and since that time violent shocks have frequently been experienced.

Quito is plentifully supplied with water from several streams, which flow from the sides of the mountains, and are conducted into the town by means of conduits. Several of these brooks unite in one spot, and form the small river Machangara, which washes the south parts of the city, and is crossed by a stone bridge. The principal streets are all paved, and the houses are large and convenient, being mostly of one story in height, built of unburnt bricks and clay, and cemented by a sort of mortar which was made use of anciently by the Indians, and which becomes exceedingly solid. The principal square of Quito is ornamented with the cathedral, the bishop's palace, the town-hall, and the palace of the royal audience, and with a beautiful fountain in the centre. Four streets terminate at the angles of this square, which are broad, straight, and well built for about 400 yards, when the acclivities and breaches commence; on this account the luxury of wheel-carriages is not to be had. Besides the great square, there are two others of considerable size, and several small ones. In these are situate the churches and convents, which are generally fine buildings. The hospital is a fine structure; and there are several courts for the administration of justice, the exchequer, treasury, &c.

In this province some cotton goods are manufactured. These are exported to Peru; for which gold, silver, laces, wine, brandy, oil, copper, tiu, lead, and quicksilver, are returned. The wheat of Quito is exported to Guayaquil; and the coast of Guatimala sends indigo, iron, and steel, for which some of the products of Quito are returned by way of Guayaquil. The commerce of Quito is, however, mostly internal; and this province contains no metallic veins which are worked, though many rich ones are supposed to exist; and some mercury has been found between the villages of Cuença and Azogue.

Quito is celebrated as having been the scene of the measurement of a degree of the meridian by the French and Spanish mathematicians, in the reign of Louis XV. The plain made choice of for the mensuration of the great base is 1592 feet lower than the city of Quito, and four leagues north-east of it, near the village Yuranqui, from which it has its name. It was in this desert valley, surrounded by the lofty summits of the central Andes, that these operations were carried on. In the church of the Jesuits is an alabaster slab, on which is engraven a Latin inscription, commemorating these labors, and enumerating the signals, angles, and other circumstances connected with the measurement performed in those years.

QUITTER-BONE. See VETERINARY ART. QUIV'ER, n. s. Goth. koja, kofe; Lat. cavea. Corrupted from Fr. couvrir, or cover. A case or sheath for arrows.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. Psalm cxxvii. 5.

As

Spenser.

As Dianne hunted on a day.
She chanced to come where Cupid lay,
His quiver by his head.
Those works, with ease as much he did,
you would ope and shut your quiver-lid.

Chapman. Diana's nymphs would be arrayed in white, their arms and shoulders naked, bows in their hands, and quivers by their sides. Peacham on Drawing.

"Tis chastity:

She that has that, is clad in compleat steel, And like a quivered nymph with arrows keen, May trace huge forests and unharboured heaths, Infamous hills, and perilous sandy wilds. Milton. One hand a dart, and one a bow supplied. Dryden. Her sounding quiver on her shoulder tied, The thousand loves that arm thy potent eye, Must drop their quivers, flag their wings and die.

Prior.

From him whose quills stand quivered in his ear, To him who notches sticks at Westminster. Pope.

QUI'VER, v. n. & adj. Wel. chwyfiwr; Span. quebar, or perhaps from quake. To quake; shiver; play with a tremulous motion: quick in motion; nimble.

When I heard, my bell trembled; my lips quivered at the voice. Hab. ii. 16.

Id.

The dying gales that pant upon the trees, The lakes that quiver to the curling breeze. QUIXOS AND MACAS, the most easterly province of the audience of Quito, is bounded on the north by Popayan and the plains; east by Portuguese Guiana; on the west it is separated from Latacunga'and Ibarra by the Cordilleras of Cotopaxi, Cayambe, &c.; and on the south it is limited by Maynas and Bracamoros. It is extremely mountainous, full of ravines, and abounding in rivers, some of which are very large, and all running into the Maranon. Impassable, except on foot, it was traversed by the missionaries, who, at the expense of great labors and fatigues, entered Mainas. Its temperature is cold, but it produces much cotton and fine tobacco; the valleys and ravines are extremely fertile. In the south-west of Quixos is Los Canelos, a sort of spice resembling cinnamon growing there. The south part of Quixos is called Macas, and is separated into a distinct district, under that appellation, of which the chief town is Macas, or Sevilla de Oro.

QUODLIBET, n. s. Lat. quod-libet. A nice point; a subtilty.

Prior.

He who reading on the heart, When all his quodlibets of art Could not expound its pulse and heat, Swore, he had never felt it beat. QUOJA, a country of Africa, at the back of Sierra Leone, between 8° and 10° of W. long, and between 6° and 9° of N. lat. It is well cultivated, but has little trade. The monarch is despotic, and his nobles enjoy extraordinary respect. On the tombs of their masters, slaves are frequently sacrificed, and numerous subjects on that of the king.

QUOIF, n. s. & v. a. Fr. coeffe. Any cap QUOIFFURE. with which the head is

covered: to dress with a cap: quoiffure is, head

dress. See CoIF.

Hence, thou sickly quoif, Thou art a guard too wanton for the head, Which princes, flushed with conquest, aim to hit. Shakspeare.

She is always quoiffed with the head of an elephant, to shew that this animal is the breed of that country. Addison. The lady in the next medal is very particular in ber quoiffure. Id. on Medals.

QUOIN, n. s. Fr. coin. A corner; a wedge.

A sudden tempest from the desert flew With horrid wings, and thundered as it blew, Then, whirling round, the quoins together shook. Sandys. Build brick houses with strong and firm quoins or columns at each end. Mortimer's Husbandry.

QUOIN, or COIN, on board a ship, a wedge fastened on the deck, close to the breach of the carriage of a gun, to keep it firm up to the ship's side. Cantic quoins are short three legged quoins put between casks to keep them steady.

QUOINS, in architecture, denote the corners of brick or stone walls. The word is particularly used for the stones in the corners of brick buildings. When these stand out beyond the brickwork, their edges being chamfred off, they are called rustic quoins.

QUOIT, n. s., v. n. & v. a. Belg. coete, gooed, thrown. Something thrown at a certain point or mark to play at quoits or the discus; to throw. He plays at quoits well. Shakspeare. Henry IV. Quoit him down, Bardolf, like a shove-groat shilShakspeare. Noble youths for mastership would strive, To quoit, to run, and steeds and chariots drive.

ling.

Dryden. When he played at quoits, he was allowed his breeches and stockings. Arbuthnot and Pope.

QUON'DAM. Lat. quondam. Having been formerly. A ludicrous word.

This is the quondam king, let's seize upon him. Shakspeare.

What lands and lordships for their owner know My quondam barber, but his worship now. Dryden. QUOOK. Preterite of quake. Obsolete.

Freely up those royal spoils he took, Yet at the lion's skin he inly quook. Spenser. QUO'RUM, n. s. Lat. quorum. A bench of justices; such a number of officers as is sufficient to do business.

They were a parcel of mummers, and being himself one of the quorum in his own county, he wondered that none of the Middlesex justices took care to lay some of them by the heels. Addison.

QUORUM is often mentioned in English statutes, and in commissions of justices of the peace and others. It is thus called from the words of the commission, quorum A. B. unum esse volumus: persons, or to any three of them, whereof A. B. -e. g. where a commission is directed to seven and C. D. are to be two; in this case, they are said to be of the quorum, because the rest cannot proceed without them; so a justice of the peace and quorum is one without whom the rest of the justices in some cases cannot proceed.

QUOTA, n. s. Lat. quotus. A share; an assigned proportion.

Scarce one in this list but engages to supply a quota of brisk young fellows, equipt with hats and

feathers.

QUOTE', v. a.
QUOTATION,

QUO'TER.

Addison.

Fr. quoter; Ital. and Lat. costa, a marginal note. Το cite an author or passage of

an author; adduce the words of another by way of authority.

The second chapter to the Romans is here quoted only to paint the margent. Whitgifte.

St. Paul quotes one of their poets for this saying. Stilling fleet. He, that has but ever so little examined the citations of writers, cannot doubt how little credit the quotations deserve, where the originals are wanting. Locke. He ranged his tropes, and preached up patience, Backed his opinion with quotations. Prior. He quoted texts right upon our Saviour, though he expounded them wrong. Atterbury.

I proposed this passage entire, to take off the disguise which its quoter put upon it.

Id. He will, in the middle of a session, quote passages out of Plato and Pindar. Swift's Miscellanies.

Some for renown on scraps of learning dote, And think they grow immortal as they quote, To patchwork learned quotations are allied, Both strive to make our poverty our pride. Young. Quotation, sir, is a good thing; there is a community of mind in it: classical quotation is the parole of literary men all over the world.

Johnson.

him counsel; for he seems to have the quotidian of love. Shakspeare. Quotidian things, and equidistant hence Shut him for man in one circumference. Donne. Nor was this a short fit of shaking, as an ague, but a quotidian fever, always increasing to higher inflammation. King Charles. QUOTIENT, n. s. French quotient; Latin quoties. The resulting sum in division.

In arithmetick, quotient is the number produced by the division of the two given numbers the one by the other. Cocker.

To make all the steps belonging to the same pair of stairs of an equal height, they consider the height of the room in feet and inches, and multiply the feet by twelve, whose product, with the number of odd inches, gives the sum of the whole height in inches, which sum they divide by the number of steps they intend to have in that height, and the quotient shall be the number of inches and parts that each step shall be high. Moxon.

QUO-WARRANTO, in law, a writ which lies against a person or corporation that usurps any franchise or liberty against the king, in order to oblige them to show by what right and title he

claims such franchise. This writ also lies for mis-user or non-user of privileges granted. The attorney-general may exhibit a quo-warranto in the crown office against any particular persons, or bodies politic or corporate, who use any franchise or privilege without having a legal grant or prescription for the same; and a judgment obtained upon it is final, as being a writ of right.

R is called the canine letter, because it is uttered with some resemblance to the growl or snarl of a cur; it has one constant sound in English; as, red, rose, more, muriatic; in words derived from the Greek, it is followed by an h, as rhapsody: r is never mute, unless the second r may be accounted mute, where two are used; as myrrh. R is a liquid consonant, being the seventeenth letter of our alphabet. Its sound is formed by a guttural extrusion of the breath vibrated through the mouth, with a sort of quivering motion of the tongue, drawn from the teeth and canulated with the tip a little elevated towards the palate. When not aspirated, it is always followed by a vowel at the beginning of words and syllables. R would seem to have a softer sound among the ancient Romans than among us, by its being frequently interposed to prevent the clashing of vowels; as in rarus, apalog, nurus from vvog, murex from μυαξ, mus muris from μυς μυος; for Hetrusci they frequently wrote Thusci, and even Tusci; and for sursum susum; prorsus, prosus. In fact there was that similarity between the sound of the s and r, that, as the Romans avoided the doubling of their consonants, they dropped ther in such words; the s supplying the place of both. Hence too it came to pass that, what they at first pronounced asa, asena, casmen, was afterwards ara, arena, carmen; and those first

named Fusii and Valesii were afterwards called Furii and Valerii. Cicero tells us, the Papirii were first called Papisii; and even fixes the time when the change was made, viz. in the year of Rome 415.

From the same softness of the sound of the r, it came to be used indifferently with the 7, in many words; e. gr. Latiarius and Latialis, Palilia and Parilia, &c.; but it still more frequently degenerated into ; thus remures became changed into lemures; interlego, perluceo, into intelligo and pelluceo; frater into fratellus, &c. As an abbreviation, in the notes of the ancients, R. or RO. signifies Roma; R. C. Romana civitas. See ABBREVIATION. In the prescriptions of physicians, R. stands for recipe, i. e. take. As a numeral, R anciently stood for eighty; and with a dash over it, thus R, for 80,000; but the Greek p', with a small mark over it, signified 100; with the same mark under it denoted 1000 X 100; thus p, signified 100,000. In the Hebrew numeration denoted 200; and with two horizontal points over it 1000 x 200; thus 200,000.

RAAB, a country of Hungary, on the Danube and Raab rivers, has an area of 600 square miles, with 78,000 inhabitants, of whom about 1000 are Jews. It contains a number of hills, on which

vines are the culture, and produces corn and pasturage.

RAAB, GYOR, or Nagy-Gyor, the capital, is a considerable town, situated in a fine plain, and nearly surrounded by the Danube, the Raab, and the Rabnitz. It is fortified by nature and art; and has a large glacis and open space between the town and the suburbs. Most of the houses are of stone, and some of them very handsome. It is a bishop's see, and contains 11,000 inhabitants. The chief manufacture is cutlery, particularly knives and swords. A theological academy was erected here in 1750; here also the Lutherans have a college. Raab was a place of strength in the time of the Romans; but the present fortifications are modern. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when the Turks advanced into Hungary, it fell for a time into their hands and sustained a siege of some length from the French in 1809. Thirty-eight miles S. S. E. of Presburg, and sixty-six E. S. E. of Vienna.

RAAMSES, an ancient town of Egypt, said to have been built in the time of Joseph's ministry, as one of Pharaoh's store-houses.

RAASAY, or RAAZA, one of the Hebrides, lying between the mainland of Scotland and Skye, from which it is separated by a narrow sound. It is a rough, rocky, and indifferently fruitful island, with bold and dangerous shores, fifteen miles long by about two broad, and containing thirty-one square miles and a half. The west coast rises to a great height above the sea. Near the south end of it is Dunlan, a lofty hill, whence many rivulets descend. RABATE', v. n. Fr. rabattre, rabat, RABA TO, n. s. rabater; Ital. rabato. Rab′bet, v. a. & n. s. To reduce; bring down; particularly to bring down or recover a hawk to the fist: the rabato is the old folding down collar of a shirt or shift: to rabbet, among carpenters, is to reduce or pare down wood so as to make a joint; and as a noun substantive the joint so made. In ship-carpentry, it signifies the letting in of the planks of the ship into the

RABBIN, OF RABBI, was a title which the doctors of the law anong the Jews assumed, and literally signifies masters or excellents. There were several gradations before they arrived at the dignity of a rabbin; which was not conferred till they had acquired the profoundest knowledge of the law and the traditions. It does not, however, appear that there was any fixed age or previous examination necessary; but when a man had distinguished himself by his skill in the written and oral law, and passed through the

subordinate degrees, he was saluted a rabbin by the public voice. Among the modern Jews, the learned men retain no other title than that of rabbi or rabbins; they have great respect paid them, have the first places or seats in their synagogues, determine all matters of controversy, and frequently pronounce upon civil affairs: they have even power to excommunicate the disobedient.

RABBINISTS, among the modern Jews, an appellation given to the doctrine of the rabbins concerning traditions, in opposition to the Caraites; who reject all traditions. See KARA

ITES.

RAB'BIT, n. s. Belg. robbe; Swed. rof; of Goth. rauf (also a pole). An animal that lives on plants, and burrows in the ground.

I knew a wench married, as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit. Shakspeare.

A company of scholars going to catch conies, carried one with them which had not much wit, and gave in charge that, if he saw any, he should be silent for fear of scaring of them; but he no sooner espied a company of rabbits, but he cried aloud, ecce multi cuniculi; which he had no sooner said, but the conies ran to their burrows; and he, being checked by them for it, answered, Who would have thought that Bacon. the rabbits understood Latin?

RABBIT, in zoology. See LEPUS. The buck rabbits will kill the young ones if they can get at them; and the does in the warrens prevent this by covering their stocks, or nests, with gravel or earth, which they close so artificially up with the hiuder part of their bodies, that it is hard to find them out. They never suckle their young ones at any other time than early in the morning, and late at night and always, for eight or ten days, close up the hole at the mouth of the nest, in this careful manner when they go out. After this they begin to leave a small opening, which they increase by degrees; till at length, when they are about three weeks old, the mouth of the hole is left wholly open that they may go out, as they are then big enough to take care of themselves. Those who keep rabbits, breed them in hutches; but these must be kept very neat and clean, else they will be always subject to diseases.. Care must be taken also to keep the bucks and does apart till the latter have just kindled; when they are to be turned to the bucks. In choosing tame rabbits, pick the largest and fairest ; particularly the silvered-haired ones, which sell better than any other. Their food may be colewort and cabbage leaves, carrots, parsnips, apple rinds, green corn, and vetches; also vine leaves, grass, fruits, oats, and oat-meal, milk thistles, sow thistles, and the like; but with these moist foods they must have a proportionable quantity of dry food, as hay, bread, oats, bran, &c., else they will grow pot-bellied, and die. Bran and grains mixed together are proper. In winter they will eat hay, oats, and chaff, and these may be given them three times a day; but, when they eat green things, they must not drink at all, else they will fall into a dropsy. At all other times little drink may be allowed, but it must always be fresh. When any green herbs or grass are cut for their food, care must be taken that there be no hemlock among it; as