have afcribed to the influence of dæmons, not only that fpecies of madnefs in which the patient is raving and furious, but also melancholy madness. Of John, who fecluded himself from intercourfe wit the world, and was diftinguished for abfti nence and acts of mortification, they faid, He hath a damon. The youth, whofe father applied to Jefus to free him from an evil fpirit, defcribing his unhappy condition in these words, Have mercy on my fan for he is lunatic, and fore vexed with a dæmon for oft times be falleth into the fire, and eft into the water, was plainly epileptic. Every thing indeed that is related in the New Teftament concerning dæmoniacs, proves that they were people affected with fuch natural difeafes as are far from being uncommon among mankind in the prefent age. When the fymptoms of diforders cured by our Saviour and his apostles as cafes of dæmoniacal pofsession, correspond fo exactly with thofe of diseases well known as natural in the prefent age, it would be abfurd to impute them to a fupernatural canfe. It is much more confiftent with common fenfe and found philofophy to fuppofe, that our Saviour and his apoftles wifely, and with that condefcenfion to the weaknefs and prejudices of those with whom they converfed, which fo eminently diftinguished the character of the author of our holy religion, and muft always be a prominent feature in the character of the true Chriftian, adopted the vulgar language in fpeaking of thofe unfortunate persons who were groundless ly imagined to be poffeffed with demons, though they well knew the notions which had given rife to fuch modes of expreffion to be ill founded, than to imagine that difcafes which arife at prefent from natural caufes, were produced in days of old by the intervention of dæmons, or that evil fpirits ftill continue to enter into mankind in all cafes of madness, melancholy, or epilepfy. Befides, it is by no means a fufficient reafon for receiving any doctrine as true, that it has been generally received through the world. Error, like an epidemical difeafe, is communicated from one fo another. In certain circumftances, too, the influence of imagination predominates, and reftrains the exertions of reafon. Many falfe opinions have extended their influence through a very wide circle, and maintained it long. On every fuch occation as the prefent, therefore, it becomes us to enquire, not fo much how generally any opinion has been received, or how long it has prevailed, as from what caufe it has originated, and on what evidence it refts. When we contemplate the frame of nature, we behold a grand and beautiful fimplicity prevailing through the whole: Notwithstanding its immenfe extent, and though it contains fuch numberlefs divertities of being; yet the fimpleft machine conftructed by Human art does not difplay greater fimplicity, or an happier connection of parts. We may therefare infer, by analogy, from what is obfervable of the order of nature in general to the prefent cate; that to permit evil spirits to intermeddle with the concerns of human lite, would be to break through that order which the Deity appears to have established through his works; it would be to introduce a degree of confufion unworthy of the wildom of Divine Providence.

(4.) DÆMONIACS, ARGUMENTS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF. In oppofition to thefe arguments (3.) the following are urged by the Dæmonianis. In the days of our Saviour, it would appear that dæmoniacal poffeflion was very frequent among the Jews and the neighbouring nations. Many were the evil fpirits whom Jefus is related in the gospels to have ejected from patients that were brought unto him as poffeffed and tormented by thofe malevolent dæmons. His apoftles too, and the first Chriftians, who were most active and fuccessful in the propagation of Christianity, appear to have often exerted the miraculous powers with which they were endowed on fimilar occafions. The dæmons difplayed a degree of knowledge and malevolence which fufficiently diftinguifhed them from human beings: and the language in which the dæmoniacs are mentioned, and the actions and sentiments ascribed to them in the New Teftament, fhow that our Saviour and his apostles did not confider the idea of dæmoniacal poffeffion as being merely a vulgar error con erning the origin of a disease or diseases produced by natural caufes. The more enlightened cannot always avoid the ufe of metaphorical modes of expreffion; which though founded upon error, yet have been fo established in language by the influence of cuftom, that they cannot be fuddenly dif miffed. But in defcriptions of characters, in the narration of facts, and in the laying down of fyitems of doctrine, we require different rules to be obferved. Should any perfon, in compliance with popular opinions, talk in ferious language of the existence, difpofitions, declarations, and actions of a race of beings whom he knew to be abfolutely fabulous, we furely could not praise him for integrity: we must fuppofe him to be either exulting in irony over the weak credulity of thofe around him, or taking advantage of their weaknef, with the difhoneity and the fulfith views of an impoftor. And if he himself fhould pretend to any connection with this imaginary fyftem of beings; and should claim, in confequence of his connection with them, particular honours from his contemporarics; whatever might be the dignity of his character in all other respects, nobody could hesitate to brand him as an impoftor. In this light muft we regard the conduct of our Saviour and his apoftles, if the idea of dæmoniacal poffeffion were to be confidered merely as a vulgar error. They talked and acted as if they believed that evil fpirits had actually entered into thofe who were brought to them as poffeffed with devils, and as if thofe fpirits had been actually expelled by theit authority out of the unhappy perfons whom they had pofleffed. They demanded too, to have their poffeflions and declarations believed, in confequence of their performing fuch mighty works, and having thus triumphed over the powers of hell. The reality of dæmoniacal poffeffion ftands upon the fame evidence with the gofpel fyftem in general. Nor is there any thing unreasonable in this doctrine. It does not appear to contradict thofe ideas, which the general appearances of na ture and the feries of events fuggeft, concerning the benevolence and wisdom of the Deity, by which he regulates the affairs of the univerie We often fancy ourselves able to comprehend

things to which our understanding is wholly inadequate we perfuade ourselves, at times, that the wide extent of the works of the Deity must be well known to us, and that his defigns must alravs be fach as we can fathom. We are thep ready, whenever any difficulty arifes to us, in ondering the conduct of Providence, to model ings according to our own ideas; to deny that the Deity can poffibly be the author of things which we cannot reconcile; and to affert, that to mul act on every occafion in a manner conontest with our narrow views. This is the pride of reaton; and it feems to have fuggefted the trongest objections that have been at any time red against the reality of demoniacal poffeffion. But the deity may furely connect one order of his teres with another. We perceive mutual reandabeautiful connection to prevail through part of nature which falls within the sphere doblervation. The inferior animals are coned with mamind, and fubjected to their au be, not only in inftances in which it is exctele their advantage, but even where it is tyrically abufed to their deftru&tion. Among

to which mankind have been fubje&ted, why mint not their being able to damoniacal poon be one? While the Supreme Being retans the fovereignty of the universe, he may em.

watever agents he thinks proper in the exeCation of his purpotes: he may either commif£ an angel or let loose a devil; as well as bend Laman will, or communicate any particular ple to matter. All that revelation makes va, all that human reason can conjecture, oncerning the existence of various orders of fpital beings, good and bad, is perfectly confiftth, and even favourable to, the do&rine of demoniacal poffeffion. It is mentioned in the New Teftament in fuch language, and fuch narres are related concerning it, that the gofpels Cot well be regarded in any other light than as of impofture, and Jefus Chrif must be conded as a man who took advantage of the weaka and ignorance of his contemporaries, if this anne be nothing but a vulgar error; it teachthing inconfiftent with the general conduct Providence. In ort, it is not the caution of Pophy, but the pride of reason, that fuggets jors againft this doctrine.

Daxoniacs, in church hiftory, a branch the Anabaptifts; whofe diftinguishing tenet is, the devils fhall be faved at the end of the

DEMONIACAL. See DEMONIACAL. DEMONIANISTS, a name given to authors, picad for the reality of demoniacal poffefas their opponents are ftiled Anti-damani

DEMONISM, n. f. the worship of demons. DEMONIST, n.. a worshipper of dæmons.

and governed by a fcheick. Its chief export is olibanum. It is 160 miles ENE. of Cape Fartach. (3.) DAFAR, or DOFAR BAY, a bay on the W. coaft of Arabia Felix.

(1.) DAFFODIL, in botany. See NARCISSUS. (2.) DAFFODIL. n. f. [Suppofed DAFFODILLY. by Skinner to be * DAFFODOWNDILLY. corrupted from afphodelus.-This plant hath a lily-flower confifting of one leaf, which is bell shaped, and cut into 6 fegments, which incircle its middle like a crown but the empalement, which commonly rifes out of a membranous vagina, turns to an oblong or roundish fruit, which is triangular, and grapes in three parts; is divided into three cells, and full of roundish feeds. Miller,-

Strew me the green ground with daffodown-
dillies,

And cowflips, and kingcups, and loved lilies.
Spenfer

Bid Amaranthus all his beauty shed,
And daffodillies fill their cups with tears,
Toftrew the laureat herfe where Lycid lies. Milt.
The daughters of the flood have search'd the
mead

For violets pale, and cropp'd the poppy's head:
The fhort narciffus, and fair daffodil,
Pancies to please the fight, and caffia fweet to

fmell. Dryden. DAFNE, a river of European Turkey, in Bulgaria, which runs into the Urana, between Marcenopoli and Varna.

To DAFT. . . [contracted from do aft; that is, to throw back, to throw of.] To tofs afide; to put away with contempt; to throw away flightly. Not now in use.

The nimble footed mad-cap prince of Wales, And his comrades, that daft the world afide, And bid it pass. Shakefp. Henry IV. would he had bestow'd this dotage on me: I would have daft all other refpects, and made her half myself. Shakesp.

* DAG. n. f. dague, Fr.] 1. A dagger. 2. A handgun; a piftol: fo called from ferving the purpofes of a dagger, being carried fecretly, and doing mischief fuddenly. It is in neither fente now used.

To DAG. v. a. [from dargle.] To daggle; to bemire; to let fall in the water: a low word.

DAGENHAM, a village in Effex, on the Thames, 9 miles E. by N. of London. In 1734, a breach was made by the river, which overflowed near 5000 acres of ground; but Captain Perry reduced it to its former channel.

DAGER-WORT, a town of Ruffa, in the ifland of Dago, 84 miles WSW. of Revel.

DAGESTAN. See DAGHESTAN.

* DAGGER. #. f. (dague, French.] r. A fhort fword; a poniard.-She ran to her fon's daggeri and truck berfelf a mortal wound. Sidney.This fword a dagger had his page, That was but little for his age, And therefore waited on him fo, As dwarfs upon knights errant do. He Atrikes himself with his dagger; but being interrupted by one of his friends, he ftabs him, and breaks the dagger on one of his ribs. Addifon. z..In fencing ichools.] A blunt blade of iron with a basket hilt, ufed for defence. 3. [With printers ]

A 2

Hudibras.

The

The obelus; a mark of reference in form of a dagzer; as [+].

DAGGERSDRAWING. n. f. [dagger and draw. The act of drawing daggers; approach to open violence.

They always are at daggerfårawing, And one another clapperclawing.

Hudibras. I have heard of a quarrel in a tavern, where all were at daggerfdrawing, 'till one defired to know the fubiect of the quarrel. Swift.

(1.) * 7% DAGGLE. v. a. [from dag, dew; a word, according to Mr Lye, derived from the Danish; according to Mr Skinner, from dag, sprink. led, or deagan, to dip. They are probably all of the fame root.] To dip negligently in mire or water; to bemire; to besprinkle.

(20) * To DAGGLE. v. n. To be in the mire; to run through wet or dirt.-

Nor like a puppy, daggled through the town, To fetch and carry fing-fong up and down.

Pope. * DAGGLEDTAIL. n. f. [daggle and tail.] Bemired; dipped in the water or mud; befpattered.-The gentlemen of wit and pleasure are apt to be choaked at the fight of fo many daggledtail partons, that happen to fall in their way. Sw. DAGHESTAN, a province of Afta, bounded by Circaffia on the N.; by the Cafpian Sea on the E.; by Schirvan, in Perba, on the S.; and by mount Caucafus and Georgia on the W. Its chief towns are Tarku and Derbent, both fituated on the Cafpian Sea. It is inhabited by Tartars, who are fubject to Ruffia.

DAGHO. See DAGO.

(1.) DAGISTAN, or DABESTAN, a district of Perfia, probably the fame with DAGHESTAN; for geographers often make great blunders in orthography.

(2.) DAGISTAN, the capital of the above district, (N° 1.) feated on a river which runs into the Cafpian Sea; 240 miles NW. of Mefchid. Cruttwell. DAGLAN, a town of France, in the department of Dordogne, 8 miles S. of Sarlat.

DAGLINGWORTH, a village in GloucesterThire, 3 miles NW. Cirencester..

DAGNO, a town of Turky in Europe, in Albania, with a bifhop's fee; capital of the diftrict of Ducagini; near the confluence of the Drino and Nero; 13 miles SE. of Scutari, and 15 NE. of Aleffio. Lon. 19. 39. E. Lat. 42. 30. N.

DAGO, or DAGHO, an island in the Baltic Sea, on the coaft of Livonia, between the gulf of Finland and, Riga.. It. of a triangular figure, and may be about 20 miles in circumference. It has nothing confiderable but two caftles called Daggerwort and Paden. Lon. 22. 50. E. Lat 58. 44. N. DAGON, the idol of Afhdod or Azotus. He is commonly reprefented as a monfter, half man and half fih; whence most learned men derive name from the Hebrew dag, which fignifies "a fith.". Those who make him to have been the in ventor bread corn, derive his name from the He brew, o, Dagon, fignifying corn; whence PhiloBiolius calls him Zus Agau, Jupiter Aratrius, This deity continued to have a temple at Ashdod to the time of the Maccabees: for the author of the first book of Maccabees tells us, that "Jonathan, one of the Maccabees, having beaten the

army of Apollonius, Demetrius's general, they filed to Azotus, and entered into Bethdagon the temple of their idol); but Jonathan fet fire to Azotus, and burnt the temple of Dagon and all those who were fled into it." Dagon according to fome, was the fame with Jupiter, according to others Saturn or Venus; but according to moft Neptune.

DAGONVILLE, a town of France, in the department of Meufe, 9 miles E. of Bar le-duc.

DAGOUA, a town of Egypt, on the Nile, a harbour for thieves and pirates, 12 miles N. of Cairo.

DAGSBOROUGH, or? a town of the United DAGSBURY, States, in Suflex county, Delaware, on the NW. bank of Pepper Creek, 19 miles from Clowes, 35 SSE. from Dover, and 127 S. of Philadelphia.

DAGWORTH, a village NW. of Stow, Suffex. DAHGESTAN. See DAGHESTAN. DAHHI, a town of Arabia, in the country of Yemen, 67 miles SE. of Locheia.

DAHHLAK, DALAKA, Or DALACCA, an island in the Red Sea, near the coast of Abyffinia, about 22 leagues in length, and four in breadth, celebrated for its pearl fishery. The inhabitants, who are numerous, are of the fame religion with the Abyfinians. They are black, brave, addicted to piracy, and fworn enemies to the Mahometans. Lon. 39. 20. E. Lat. 15. 40. N.

DAHHMAK, a town of Arabia, in the country of Yemen, 16 miles SSE. of Abu-Arifch.

DAHL, or DAL, a river of Sweden, which runs through the provinces of Dalecarlia and Geftricia, and falls into the gulf of Bothnia, four leagues ESF of Geffle.

: DAHLEN, a town of Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, and margraviate of Meiffen, 23 miles NW. of Meislen.

DAHME, a town of Saxony, in the circle of Upper Germany, and principality of Querfurt, 40 miles S. of Berlin.

DAHMEC, a town of Afia, in the country of Candahar 28 miles SW. of Candahar.

DAHN, a town of France, in the department of Lower Rhine, 13 miles W. of Landau. DAHOME, or DAUMA, a kingdom of AfriDAHOMY, ca, on the coaft of Guinea of Whidah The king of this country conquered Whidah, and very much disturbed the flave trade of the Europeans. "Tis a pity but he had deftroyed it altogether. This monarch is one of the mʊft abfolute defpots on the earth. There is no intermediate degree of fubordination, at least in his prefence, between the king and the flave, for his fubjects are all slaves, and even the prime minifter must proftate himself with as much abject fubmiffion, as the meaneft subject. On his entrance, he crawls towards the royal apartment on his hands and knees, till he arrives in the royal prefence, where he lays himself. flat on his belly, rubbing his head in the duft, and uttering the most humiliating expreffions! No perion is permitted to fit, even on the floor, in the king's prefence, except women, and even they muft kifs the ground on receiving or delivering the tyrant's meffages. He maintains a confiderable ariny of men befides another of about 3000 women, who are re

gularly