its quantity; the supply of commodities remaining the same. Increase the quantity of money, prices rise: decrease the quantity of money, prices fall. On the other hand, the quantity of money remaining the same, increase the quantity of commodities, prices fall: decrease the quantity of commodities, prices rise. Thus a decrease of the quantity of money produces the same effect on the price of a commodity as an increase of the quantity of the commodity itself; if corn be that commodity, an addition to the value of money, such as the diminution of its quantity occasions, ensures as effectually a fall in the price of corn as the opening of the ports and free importation: in which of the two cases prices would fall lowest is a simple question of proportion between the increased supply of corn and the decreased quantity of money. These truths are elementary, and admitted as axioms; yet the conduct of the landed interest proceeds on a virtual denial of their validity. The high price of corn being their declared object, they direct their whole strength to the preservation of their monopoly of the supply, and at the same time contribute their support to measures designed to diminish the quantity of money and to increase its value. Their whole attention is absorbed by one half of the object of pricethey look only to the supply, they disregard the measure of value.'

MEDIUM, GEOMETRICAL, or medium personæ, is that where the same ratio is preserved between the first and second as between the second and third terms; or that which exceeds in the same ratio or quota of itself, as it is exceeded: thus six is a geometrical medium between four and nine. MED'LAR, n. s. Sax. mad, from its being used in mead. The MEPIUS of Linné, which

S

Goth, medal; Swed.

MED'LE, MEDLY, v. a. & n. s. medel, mingled. Το MEDLEY, n. s. & adj. mingle or mix (obsolete as a verb): a mixture; miscellany; confused mass or congeries: medley is used by Dryden for mingled; confused.

Ther is nothing that savoureth so sote to a child as the milke of his Lorice, ne nothing is to him more abominable than that milke whan it is medled with other mete. Chancer. Personnes Tale.

Some imagined that the powder in the armory had taken nie; others, that troops of horsemen approached: in which medly of conceits they bare down one upon another, and jostled many into the tower ditch. ila ward.

I'm strangely discomposed; Qualms at my heart, convulsions in my nerves, Within my little world make mediey wat.

Dryden.

Mahomet began to knock down his fellow-citizens. and to fill all Arabia with an unnatural medley of Addison. religion and bloodshed. They count their toilsome marches, long fatigues, Unusual fastings, and will bear no more This medley of philosophy and war. ld. Cato.

MEDMANN, or METTMANN, a town in the Prussian states of the Rhine, in the duchy of Berg, having manufactures of cotton, woollen, and hardware. Po ulation 4000. Six miles E. N. E. of Dusseldorf.

MEDULLAR, adj. Į Fr. medullaire; from
MEDULLARY.
Lat. medulla, pith. Per-

taining to the marrow.

MEDUSA, in mythology, one of the three Gorgons, and the only one subject to mortality. She was celebrated for her personal charms, and the beauty of her locks. Neptune became enamoured of her, and obtained her favors in the temple of Minerva. This profanation provoked Minerva, who changed the beautiful locks of Medusa into serpents, the sight of which turned the beholders into stones: but Perseus, armed with Mercury's axe, cut off Medusa's head, from whose blood sprang Pegasus and Chrysaor, together with the innumerable serpents that infest Africa. He placed Medusa's head on the ægis of Minerva, which he had used in his expedition; and the head still retained its petrifying powers.

MEDUSA, in zoology, a genus of vermes, belonging to the order of mollusca. The body is gelatinous, roundish, and depressed; and the mouth is in the centre of the under part of the body. Many species, on being handled, affect with a nettle-like burning, and excite a redness. They were named by the Greeks пvevμа daλaoσιος, and by the Romans pulmo marinus, or sea lungs. They attributed medicinal virtues to them. Dioscorides says that, if rubbed fresh on the diseased part, they cured the gout in the feet, and kibed heels. Elian adds that they were depilatory; and, if macerated in vinegar, would take away the beard. Their phosphoric quality is well known; nor was it overlooked by the stick it will appear to burn, and the wood to ancients. Pany observes that if rubbed with a shine all over.

MEDUSA CAZI LATA, the capillated medusa, is a very singular animal; it is easily broken and destroyed by a touch; its shape is rounded, ris ng into a convexity in the middle, where it is refore thickest; on the under side it is plain, ord on this there is visible a rough, or, as it were, an ee mated circle, within which there run eight pairs of rays from the centre toward the circum

fere ce; from the centre there arise also a number of curled appendages. This species is met with in vast abundance, floating on the surface of the water about Sheppey Island in Kent and elsewhere on that coast. This species is called by many a thors pulmo marinus, or the sea lungs

BANKS, SAVINGS'. These admirable institutions form a striking feature in the moral history of modern Britain. In former times every charitable institution was exclusively a subscription of the rich for the benefit of the poor: these, most happily, like their kindred Friendly Societies, are composed of contributions from among the poor, co-operating for their own benefit, and conscious that they are promoting primarily their own interest. The success of these plans has been surprising, considering the peculiar crisis at which they have originated that of unquestionable distress and pressure on all ranks (especially the middle and lower ranks) of society; to say nothing of the spirit of undue dependence engendered in this country by the poor laws. The eccentric but philanthropic Jeremy Butham was the first, we believe, who invited the public attention to a distinct banking system for the poor. He proposed to establish what he calls a Frugality Bank, so far back as the year 1797, in Young's Annals of Agriculture. The scheme involves more than the mere deposit of money, and has never, as we understand, been acted upon; but, like most of his projects, it contains many useful hints, and may do good by rebound. The wants to which it was by him designed to operate as a remedy were :

1. Want of physical means of safe custody, such as lock-up places; thence, danger of depredation, and accidental loss.

2. Difficulty of opposing and never-yielding resistance to the temptations afforded by the instruments of sensual enjoyment, where the means of purchasing them are constantly at hand.

3. Want of the means of obtaining a profit by the savings of the poor, or the use of them in portions adapted to their peculiar exigencies.

4. Want of a set of instructions and mementos constantly at hand, presenting to view the several exigencies, or sources of demand for money in store, and the use of providing it.

He next proceeded to sketch the properties which appeared to him to be desirable in a system of frugality banks, commensurate to the whole population of the self-maintaining poor. These were,

1. Fund, solid and secure.

2. Plan of provision all-comprehensive. 3. Scale of dealing commensurate to the pecuniary faculties of each customer.

4. Terms of dealing sufficiently advantageous to the customer.

5. Places of transacting business suitable; viz. in point of vicinity, and other conveniences. 6. Mode of transacting business accommodating.

7. Mode of operation prompt.

8. Mode of book-keeping clear and satisfactory. In 1803 the well-known authoress Mrs. Pucilla Wakefield projected the first bank that was ever actually instituted for the benefit of the poor at Tottenham. In the Reports of the Society for Bettering the Condition of the Poor, vol. iv., it is said, for the purpose of providing a safe and convenient place of deposit for the savings of laborers, servants, and other poor persons, a charitable establishment has been lately formed at Tottenham in the county of Middlesex. It is

guaranteed by six trustees, who are gentlemen of fortune and responsibility, most of them possessing considerable landed property. This renders it as safe and certain as institutions of this kind can be, and insures it from that fluctuation of value to which the public funds are liable. The books are kept by a lady, and never opened but on the first Monday in every month, either for receipts or payments. Any sum is received above 1s., and five per cent. is given for every 20s. that lies twelve kalender months; every person so depositing money being at liberty to recal it any day the books are opened; but no business is transacted at any other time. The money so collected is divided equally between the six trustees. For every additional £100 a new trustee is to be chosen; so that a trustee can only risk his proportion of £100. None but the laboring classes are admitted to this benefit; and there is no restriction as to place of residence.

'Observations.-These few simple rules are all that have hitherto been found necessary for the establishment of this charity. It is not sufficient to stimulate the poor to industry unless they can be persuaded to adopt habits of frugality. The season of plenty should provide for the season of want, and the gains of summer be laid by for the rigors of winter. But it must be obvious how difficult it is for even the sober laborer to save up his money, when it is at hand to supply the wants that occur in his family. For those of intemperate habits, ready money is a very strong temptation to the indulgence of those pernicious propensities. Many would try to make a little hoard for sickness or old age, but they know not where to place it without danger or inconvenience. They do not understand how to put money in, or to take it out of the bank; nor will it answer for small sums, either in point of trouble or of loss of time. The same causes frequently occasion thoughtless servants to spend all their wages in youth, and in consequence to pass their old age in a workhouse.'

In 1807 the Rev. Henry Duncan, minister of West Colder, in Scotland, established in his parish a similar institution, which he described in a pamphlet that exhibits his accurate acquaintance with the difficulties and encouragements of these schemes.

Those who are at all acquainted with the history of friendly societies,' he well observes, 'must be aware that they owe much of their popularity to the interest excited among the lower orders, by the share to which each of the inembers is admitted in the management of the institution. The love of power is inherent in the human mind, and the constitution of friendly societies is calculated to gratify this natural feeling. The members find, in the exercise of their functions, a certain increase of personal consequence, which interests their self-love in the prosperity of the establishment. Besides, by thus having constantly before their eyes the operation of the scheme, in all its details, they are more forcibly reminded of its advantages; and not only induced to make greater efforts themselves for obtaining these advantages, but also to persuade others to follow their example. Hence

ppens that a great number of active and pporters of the institution are always the found amongst the members of a friendly society, who do more for the success of the estabshment than can possibly be effected by the ber evolent exertions of individuals in a higher Station. Mr. Duncan therefore found it expedient to give the contributors themselves a share in the management of the institution; and that share was well chosen. The contributors in a body were not fit to be the acting parties; but they were fit to choose those who should act.

A general meeting is held once a year, consisting of all the members who have made payments for six months, and whose deposits amount to £1. By this meeting are chosen the court of directors, the committee, the treasurer, and the trustee, the functionaries to whom the executive operations are confined: and by the annual meeting also are reviewed and controlled the transactions of the past year, with power to reverse the decisions of the committee and court of directors; and to make new laws and regulations, or alter those already made. The society consists of two sorts of members, the ordinary, and the extraordinary and honorary. The general meetings alone have the power of electing honorary members; but the bank trustee, the lord-lieutenant and vice-lieutenant of the county, the sheriff-depute and his substitute, the members of parliament for the county and burgh, the ministers of the parish, with certain magistrates of the town, are honorary members ex officio; and there are certain regulated subscriptions or donations, of no great amount, which constitute the person paying them, ipso facto, an extraordinary or honorary member. From this list of honorary and extraordinary members the choice of functionaries by the general meeting is annually to be made, provided a sufficient number of them should be disposed to accept of the offices designed; if not, from such of the ordinary members as make deposits to the amount of not less than £2 12s. in the year. Deposits are received in sums of 1s., bear interest at the amount of £1; and are always payable at compound interest on a weeks' notice.'

In 1814 the first Edinburgh bank for savings was founded on a modification of the above plan. The bank for savings at Liverpool was established in the year 1813, by the Society for Bettering the Condition and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor, in the Town and Neighbourhood of Liverpool. This establishment was suggested,' says one of the managers, by the numerous instances which had come to the knowledge of the society, in which the industrious had lost their savings from the failure of the persons in whose hands they were placed. The committee were anxious to hold out every possible inducement to the lower orders, for depositing their surplus earnings, consistent with a proper prudence and caution. Many gentlemen were of opinion that, in such a town as Liverpool, five per cent. might at all times be obtained on good security; and as the society had an office and clerk of their own, where and by whom the deposits might be received, without any additional expense, it was determined that five per cent. should be the rate

of interest given. flowever n no sum was to be entitled to that interest till it had been in the fund for one year at least; if taken out before that period four per cent, only was to be allowed. The bank continued under these regulations till the beginning of 1815, at which period above £900 were deposited in it. We had placed £300 upon mortgage, and the remainder was vested in the navy five per cents. at such prices as to yield more than five per cent. When, however, we found that the fund was likely to increase to a very considerable extent, and that, as we were personally responsible for the money, we should always be liable to the sudden fluctuation of stock, and might, upon any sudden disaster, have a run upon us, which would compel us to sell out, perhaps at a considerable loss, it was determined in future to limit the receipts into the Mechanics Fund to £5 for one individual, and to establish a higher bank, under the name of the Provident Institution, into which the depositors might remove their money when it reached that sum (£5); and where it might be allowed to accumulate to any amount. The principle of the bank is, that every person becomes a proprietor of stock to the amount of his deposit, and shall receive the interest annually, after deducting onetwentieth for the necessary expenses of manageThis one-twentieth, together with the farthings, which are not paid, is reserved for the above purpose; and, should any surplus remain at the end of five years, it is to be divided amongst the then existing proprietors. One or more even pounds will be at any time received; but the fractions of pounds must always accumulate in the lower fund. By this means we have reduced the Mechanics' Fund to about £450; the remainder has been transferred to the Provident Institution, and about £1200 have been deposited in addition to it since July last.'

ment.

We need not add to these abstracts any account of the almost numberless Saving Banks now existing in the country. Their principle is familiar to all classes, and information on the subject is so easy of access that we do not think it right to occupy our space with any observations of our own. The government have acted the part which became them as to these institutions, and have afforded them the sanction and security which were essential to their permanence and prosperity; and the public mind has caught the impulse to such an extent as is likely to give them a lasting and universal establishment.

We make but two concluding remarks:-1. One of the great advantages of the saving bank over the friendly society is that it has the benefit of survivorship. If the contributor to a saving bank dies, the whole of his contribution remains to his family. If, on the contrary, the member of a benefit society dies, the whole of his property, except the sums ordinarily allowed to the widow, and sometimes to his children, is lost to his family.

2. Another great advantage of saving banks over benefit societies, constituted as these last ordinarily have been, is, that the benefit societies have been the prolific source of contention and immorality; whereas the scheme of saving banks appears liable to no such abuse,

Comets, as often as they are visible to us, move in planes inclined to the plane of the ecliptick in all kinds of angles. Bentley. Projectiles would ever move on in the same right line, did not the air, their own gravity, or the ruggedness of the plane on which they move, stop their motion. Cheyne.

PLANE, in geometry, denotes a surface that iies evenly between its bounding lines; and, as a right line is the shortest extension from one point to another, so a plane surface is the shortest extension from one line to another.

PLANE, in joinery, consists of a piece of wood, very smooth at bottom, as a stock or shaft; in the midst of which is an aperture, through which a steel edge, or chisel, placed obliquely, passes; which, being very sharp, takes off the inequalities of the wood along which it slides. Planes have various names, according to their various forms and uses: as, 1. The fore-plane, a very long one, and usually that which is first used: the edge of its iron or chisel is not ground straight, but rises with a convex arch in the middle; its use is to take off the greater irregularities of the stuff, and to prepare it for the smoothing-plane. 2. The smoothing-plane is shorter, its chisel being finer; and its use is to take off the greater irregularities left by the fore-plane, and to prepare the wood for the jointer. 3. The jointer is the longest of all; the edge of its chisel is very fine,

and does not stand out above a hair's breadth; it is chiefly used for shooting the edge of a board perfectly straight, for jointing tables, &c. 4. The strike-block is like the jointer, but shorter: its use is to level short joints. 5. The rabbetplane, which is used in cutting the upper edge of a board, straight down into the stuff, so that the edge of another cut after the same manner may join in with it, on the square: the chisel of this plane is as broad as its stock, that the angle may cut straight, and it delivers its shavings at the sides, and not at the top like the others. 6. The plough, which is a narrow-rabbet plane, with the addition of two staves, on which are shoulders; its use is to plough a narrow square groove on the edge of a board. 7. Moulding lanes, which are of various kinds, accommodated to the various forms and profiles of the moulding; as the round-plane, the hollow-plane, the ogee, the snipe's-bill, &c., which are all of several sizes, from half an inch to an inch and a half.

pass

PLANE, PERSPECTIVE, in perspective, is supposed to be pellucid, and perpendicular to the horizon; the horizontal plane, supposed to through the spectator's eye, parallel to the horizon; the geometrical plane, likewise parallel to the horizon, wherein the object to be represented is supposed to be placed, &c.

PLANE SAILING. See NAVIGATION. PLANE-TREE, n. s. Fr. plane, platane; Lat. PLATANUS, which see.

The beech, the swimming alder, and the plane. Dryden. PLANET, n. s. Fr. planetle; Lat. plaPLANETARY, adj. neta"; Greek mayn. 15, PLANET'ICAL, Wanderers. A star or leaPLAN ET-STRUCK.venly body wandering or continually changing its position with respect to

We make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon and stars, as if we were villains by an enforced obedience of planetary influence.

Wonder not much if thus amazed I look,
Since I saw you, I have been planetstruck :
A beauty, and so rare, I did descry.
And planets, planet-struck real eclipse
Then suffered.

Id.

Suckling.

Milton's Paradise Lost. Milton. Their planetary motions and aspects. Darkling they mourn their fate, whom Circe's That watched the moon and planetary hour, power, With words, and wicked herbs, from human kind Had altered. Dryden.

I was born in the planetary hour of Saturn, and I think I have a piece of that leaden planet in me; I am no way facetious. Addison.

PLANETARIUM, an astronomical machine, so called from its representing the motions, orbits, &c., of the planets, agreeably to the Copernican system. See ASTRONOMY.

blage of the planets, primary and secondary, PLANETARY SYSTEM is the system or assemmoving in their respective orbits, round their common centre the sun. See ASTRONOMY, Index.

PLAN'ISPHERE, n. s. Lat. planus and sphere. A sphere projected on a plane: a map of one or both hemispheres.

PLANK, n. s. & v. a. Fr. planche; Arm. plank; Teut. planke; Lat. planca. A thick strong board: to lay with planks.

If you do but plank the ground over it will breed salt-petre. Bacon's Natural History. The doors of plank were; their close exquisite, Kept with a double key. Chapman's Odyssey. The smooth plank new rubbed with balm. A steed of monstrous height appeared; The sides were planked with pine.

Milton.

Dryden.

PLANOCON'ICAL, adj. Lat. planus and conus. Level on one side and conical on others.

Some few are planoconical, whose superficies is in part level between both ends. Grew's Museum.

PLANOCONVEX, n. s. Lat. planus and convexus. Flat on the one side and convex on

the other.