for his infidelity to her fifter, by her inceftuous paffion for his fon Hippolitus.

THESIS, a general pofition which a perfon advances, and offers to maintain. In taking degrees in univerfities, the candidates are generally obliged to write a thefis, which they muft afterwards defend,

THESIUM, BASE FLUELLIN, in botany; a genus of plants belonging to the clafs of pentandria, and order of monogynia. The calyx is monophyllous, with the ftamina inferted into it: there is only one feed, which is inferior. There are 17 fpecies; one of which is a British plant, the linophyllum or baftard toad-flax. It has a foliaceous panicle with linear leaves, and flowers in June and July.

THESPIS, a famous Greek tragic poet, and the first reprefenter of tragedy at Athens. He carried his troop from village to village in a waggon, from which they performed their pieces. Alceftis was the firft tragedy they performed at Athens, 536 B. C. See THEATRE.

Lib. de pocrates Art.

THESSALIAN Chair, fo called from Theffaly, where chairs of this figure were moft in ufe; it is recommended by Hipin place of a machine for reducing a recent fuxation of the fhoulder bone. The back of this chair is perpendicular to the feat, as Galen tells us; by which conftruction it is diftinguished and accommodated to the operation.

THESSALY, a country of Greece, whose bourdaries have been different at different periods. Properly fpeaking, Theffaly was founded on the fouth by the fouthern parts of Greece, or Græcia Propria; east, by the gean; north, by Macedonia and Mygdonia; and weit, by Illyricum and Epirus. It was generally divided into four feparate provinces, Theffaliotis, Pelafiotis, Iftiæotis, and Phthiotis, to which fome add Magnesia. It has been severally called Amonia, Pelagicum, Argos, Helles, Argeia, Dryopis, Pelafgia, Lembrier?'s Pyrrhæa, &c. The name of Theffaly is derived from Thef Didionary. falus, one of its monarchs. Theffaly is famous for a deluge which happened there in the age of Deucalion. Its mountains and cities are alío celebrated, fuch as Olympus, Pelion, Offa, Lariffa, &c. The Argonauts were partly natives of Theffaly. The inhabitants of the country paffled for a treacherous nation, fo that falfe money was called Theffalian coin, and a perfidious action a Theffalan deceit. Theffaly was originally governed by kings, till it became fubject to the Macedonian monarchs. The cavalry was univerfally esteemed, and the people were fuperftitious and addicted to the ftudy of magic and incantations. See Lucan. 6. v 438, &c.; Dionyf. 249; Curt. 3. c. 2; Elian, V. H. 3. c. 1 ; Pauf. 4. c. 36. 1. 10. c. 1; Mela. 2. c. 3; Juftin 7. c. 6; Diod. 4

Theffaly is now called Janna, a province of European Turkey, bounded by Macedonia on the north, by the Archipelago on the east, by Achaia or Livadia on the fouth, and by Epirus on the weft.

THETIS, in Pagan mythology, the wife of Oceanus, and the mother of Nereus and Doris, who were married to each other; and from this marriage fprung the nymphs of the earth and fea. Among the lea nymphe there was one named Thetis the Younger, who excelled all the reft in beauty, and for whom Jupiter conceived fuch a paffion, that he refolved to elpoufe her: but being informed by the Deftinies that he would bring forth a fon who would rife above his father, he married her to Peleus. To their nuptials all the gods and goddeffes were invited except Difcord, who, to be revenged for this contempt, threw a golden apple into the affembly, on which was engraven, For the faireft. Juno, Pallas, and Venus, difputed for this apple; but Paris being chofen to decide the difference, adjudged it to Venus. From this marriage of Thetis and Peleus fprung Achilles.

f

THEURGY, coupyia, a name which the ancients gave Theurgy to that facred part of magic which we fometimes call white magic, or the white art.

The word is formed from os, "God," and "yov “work;" q. d. the art of doing divine things, or things which God alone can do: or the power of working extraordinary and fupernatural things, by invoking the names of God, faints, angels, &c. Accordingly, thote who have written of magic in general, divide it into three parts: the first whereof is called theurgy, as operating by divine or celestial means; the fecond, natural magic, performed by the powers of nature; and the third, comprehending necromancy, forcery, and witchcraft or magic, performed by the affiftance of demons or departed men. See MAGIC. THIBET. See TIBET.

THIGH, in anatomy. See ANATOMY, no 58. THINKING, a general name for any act or operation of the mind. See METAPHYSICS.

THIRLAGE. See Law, n° clxx. 12-18. THIRST, an uneafy fenfation arifing from a deficiency of the faliva to moiften the inward parts of the mouth. Hence arifes a ftrong defire for drink; and thirst is a fymptom generally attending fevers of all kinds.-Thirft is beft allayed by acids; water kept a while in the mouth, then fpit out, and repeated as required; a bit of bread chewed with a little water, which latter may be gradually fwallowed, if the perfon is very hot, brandy is the best for holding in the mouth, but fhould be ipit out again: except in fevers, large draughts of cold water are hurtful. Prefervation against Hunger and THIRST. See HUN

GER

THISTLE, a well known weed in corn-fields. In Britain there are eight fpecies of thiftles according to the vulgar arrangement; the carduus lanceolatus or fpear-thiftle, the nutans or musk thistle, the paluftris or marsh thistle, the marianus or milk thistle, acanthoides or welted-thistle, crifpus or curled-thiftle, onopordum acanthium or cotton-thiftle, ferratula arventis or corn-thiftle. All thefe, except the laft, are annual or biennial, and therefore may be eafily deftroyed by cutting them down before their feed ripens; but the ferratula arvenfis is perennial, continues in the earth increafing and throwing up new fhoots every year. Mr Curtis afcertained the annual increase of its root, by planting in a garden a piece of the root two inches long and about the thickness of a goole's quill, and a fmall head of leaves. By the 2d of November the root had extended itself eight feet, and when dug and washed it weighed four pounds.

As to the ufes of the thiftle, they are not well known. The corn-thiftle is eaten by the afs, and formerly was pulled with great care by the farmers in fome parts of Scotland' as food for their hories. For a botanical description of the different kinds of thistle, fee CARDUUS, CACTUS, DIPSAUS, ONOPORDUM, SERRATULA, SONCHUS.

Order of the THISTLE, or of St Andrew, a military order of knighthood in Scotland, the rife and institution of which is varioufly related by different authors. Lefley bishop of Rois reports, that the night before the battle between Athelftan king of Northumberland and Hungus king of the Picts, a bright crofs, in form of that whereon St Andrew (the tutelar faint of Scotland) fuffered martyrdom, appeared to Hungus; who having gained the victory, ever after bore the figure of that crofs on his banners. Others affert, that Achaius king of Scotland frit inftituted this order, after having made the famous league offenfive and defenfive with Charlemagne king of France. But although the thiftle had been acknowledged as the fymbol of the kingdom of Scotland from the reign of Achaius, yet 6.

fome

Thistle..

Lewis's
Materia

Medica, vol. ii. p.

$29.

• SET.

The chief and principal enfign is a gold collar compofed of thistles and fprigs of rue interlinked with amulets of gold, having pendent thereto the image of St Andrew with his crofs, and the motto, NEMO ME IMPUNE LACES"No body shall provoke me with impunity." The ordinary or common enfign worn by the knights is a ftar of four filver points, and over them a green circle, bordered and lettered with gold, containing the faid motto, and in the centre is a thiftle; all which is embroidered on their left Freaft, and worn with the collar, with a green riband over the left fhoulder, and brought under the right arm; pendent thereto is the image of St Andrew, with his crofs, in a purple robe, within an oval of gold enamelled vert, with the former motto; but fome times they wear, encirled in the fame manner, a thistle crowned.

About the time of the Reformation, this order was dropped, till James II. of Great Britain refumed it, by creating eight knights. The Revolution unfettled it again; and it lay neglected, till queen Anne, in 1703, restored it to the primitive defign, of twelve knights of St Andrew.

THLAPSI, BASTARD-CRESS, or mithridate-mustard, in botany: A genus of plants belonging to the clafs of tetradynamia, and order of filiculofa; and in the natural fyftem ranging under the 39th order, Siliquofa. The pod is emarginated, obcordate, and polyfpermous; the valves are boatfhaped and marginato-carinated. There are 12 fpecies; of which fix only are natives of Britain, the arvenfe, hirtum, campestre, montanum, perfoliatum, and burfa paftoris.

1. The arvenfe, treacle-muftard or penny-crefs, has orbiculate pods, and leaves oblong, fmooth, and fcalloped. It fmells like garlic, and has a white flower. 2. The hirtum, or perennial mithridate-muftard, has roundifh hairy pods; the cauline leaves are fagittate and villous. 3. The campeflre, or mithridate-muftard, has roundish pods, fagittate leaves, dentated and hairy. 4. Montanum, or mountain mithridate mustard, has obcordate pods, fmooth leaves; the radical leaves fomewhat flefhy, obovate and entire; the cauline embracing the ftalk, and the corolla being larger than the calyx. 5. The perfoliatum, or perfoliate treacle-muftard, has obcordate pods; the cauline leaves are smooth and subdentate; the petals of the length of the calyx, and the ftalk branchy. 6. The burfa pafloris, or fhepherd's purse, has obcordate pods; the radical leaves are pinnatifid.

The feeds of fome of thefe fpecies have an acrid biting tafte, approaching to that of the common muftard; with which they agree nearly in their pharmaceutic properties. They are rarely made use of any otherwife than as ingredients in the compofitions whofe names they bear; though fome recommend them in different diforders, preferably to the common mustard.

THOLOUSE. See TOULOUSE.

Thomitm

mas Becket archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered, Thomas or, as the Romanifts fay, martyred, in the reign of king Henry II.

THOMAS the Reymour, called alfo Thomas Lermont, and Thomas of Erceldon, was born at Erceldon, a village near Melrofe in Tweedale, in what year is uncertain; but he was an old man when Edward I. was carrying on war in Scotland.

The character of Lermont as a prophet, and which was common to him with Linus, Orpheus, and other early poets in many countries, arofe, if we may believe Mackenyie in his Lives of Scottish Writers, from his having conferences with Eliza, a nun and prophetefs at Haddington. Lermont put her predictions into verfe, and thus came in for his share of the prophetic fpirit. None of these ancient prophecies now Pinkerton' remain; but the following, which pretends to be one of Scottish Account of them, is given from a manufcript of the time of Edward I. Poets. The countess of Dunbar is the lady famous for the defence of her caftle against the English. Her proper title was Countess of March; but it was common in thefe times to ftyle a nobleman from his chief refidence. Thus Gilbert Strongbow, earl of Pembroke, is called Earl of Striguil, from his refidence at Striguil caftle, near Chepitow, Monmouthfhire, &c.

or II.

La Counteffe de Donbar demande a Thomas de Efedoune, quant la guere d'Efcoce prendreit fyn. Eyl l'a repoundy, et dyt. When man as mad a kyng of a capped mon. When mon is levere other mons thyng than is owen. When londe thouys foreft, and foreft ys felde. When hares kendles othe herfton.

When Wyt and Wille werres togedere.

When mon makes ftables of kyrkes; and fteles caitles wyth ftyes.

When Rokesbourh nys no burgh; ant market is at For wyleye.

When the alde is gan, and the newe is come that doue noht.

When Bambourne ys donged with dede men.

When men ledes men in ropes to buyen ant to fellen. When a quarter of whaty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes.

When prude prikes, ant pees is leyd in prisoun.
When a Scot ne may hym hude afe hare in forme, that
the Englysh ne fhal hym fynde.

When ryht ant wrong aftente the togedere.
When laddes weddeth lovedies.

When Scottes flen fo fafte, that for faute of ship, hy drouneth hemfelve.

When fhal this be?
Nouther in thine tyme, ne in

Ah comen, ant gone,

myne.

Thomas.

THOMAS AQUINAS. See AQUINAS.

St THOMAS's Day, a feftival of the Christian church, obferved on December 21. in commemoration of St Thomas the apoftle.

St THOMAS of Canterbury's Day, a feftival of the Romish church, obferved on December 29. in memory of Tho