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Cunocephali.

lation. A nervous fever depriving me of the power, defeated the scheme." But he afterwards transferred the undertaking to Dr Thomson; and Dr Helling berry observes, that Dr Thomson "has expressed the sense of the author with fidelity." The work was undoubtedly well deserving of publication. It contains the history of a very interesting period, written by a man who had a considerable degree of authentic information, and his book contains many curious particulars not to be found in other histories. His characters are often drawn with judgment and impartiality; at other times they are somewhat tinctured with prejudice. This is particularly the case with respect to Bishop Burnet, against whom he appears to have conceived a strong personal dislike. But he was manifestly a very attentive observer of the transactions of his own time; his work contains many just political remarks; and the facts which he relates are exhibited with great perspicuity, and often with much animation. Throughout his book he frequently intersperses some account of the literature, and of the most eminent persons of the age concerning which he writes; and he has also adorned his work with many allusions to the classics and to ancient history.

Alexander Cunningham, the author of the History of Great Britain, has been supposed to be the same person with Alexander Cunningham who published an edition of Horace at the Hague, in two volumes 8vo, in 1721, which is highly esteemed. But from the best information we have been able to collect, they were certainly different persons; though they were both of the same name, lived at the same time, had both been travelling tutors, were both said to have been eminent for their skill at the game of chess, and both lived to a very advanced age. The editor of Horace is generally said to have died in Holland, where he taught both the civil and canon laws, and where he had collected a very large library, which was sold in that country.

CUNNUS, in Anatomy, the pudendum muliebre, or the anterior parts of the genitals of a woman, including the labia pudendi and mons veneris. See ANATOMY, N° 108.

CUNOCEPHALI, in Mythology, (from xvw, "dog," and puλn, “head,”) a kind of baboons, or animals with heads like those of dogs, which were wonderfully endowed, and were preserved with great veneration by the Egyptians in many of their temples. It is related, that by their assistance the Egyptians found out the particular periods of the sun and moon; and that one half of the animal was often buried, while the other half survived: and that they could read and write. This strange history, Dr Bryant imagines, relates to the priests of Egypt, styled cahen, to the novices in their temples, and to the examinations they were obliged to undergo, before they could be admitted to the priesthood. The Egyptian colleges were situated upon rocks or hills, called caph, and from their consecration to the sun, caph-el; whence the Greeks deduced xspaλn, and from cahen-caph-el they formed xvoxnQuxos. So that cahen-caph-el was some royal seminary in Upper Egypt, whence they draught ed novices to supply their colleges and temples. By this etymology he explains the above history. The

phali

# Cupel.

death of one part, while the other survived, denoted the Cunoceregular succession of the Egyptian priesthood. The cunocephali are also found in India and other parts of the world. These and the acephali were thus denominated from their place of residence and from their worship.

CUNODONTES, a people mentioned by Solinus and Isidorus, and by them supposed to have the teeth of dogs. They were probably denominated, says Dr Bryant, from the object of their worship, the deity Chan-Adon, which the Greeks expressed Kuroda, and thence called his votaries Cunodontes.

CUNONIA, a genus of plants belonging to the decandria class; and in the natural method ranking with those of which the order is doubtful. See BOTANY Index.

CUOGOLO, in Natural History, the name of a stone much used by the Venetians in glass-making, and found in the river Tesino. It is a small stone of an impure white, of a shattery texture, and is of the shape of a pebble.

CUP, a vessel of capacity of various forms and materials, chiefly to drink out of. In the Ephem. German. we have a description of a cup made of a common pepper-corn by Oswald Nerlinger, which holds 1200 other ivory cups, having each its several handle, all gilt on the edges; with room for 400 more.

CUP, in Botany. See CALYX, BOTANY Index. CUP-Galls, in Natural History, a name given by authors to a very singular kind of galls, found on the leaves of the oak and some other trees. They are of the figure of a cup, or drinking-glass without its foot, being regular cones adhering by their point or apex to the leaf; and the top or broad part is hollowed a little way, so that it appears like a drinkingglass with a cover, which was made so small as not to close it at the mouth, but fall a little way into it. This cover is flat, and has in the centre a very small protuberance, resembling the nipple of a woman's breast. This is of a pale green, as is also the whole of the gall, excepting only its rim that runs round the top: this is of a scarlet colour, and that very beautiful. Besides this species of gall, the oak leaves furnish us with several others, some of which are oblong, some round and others flatted; these are of various sizes, and appear on the leaves at various seasons of the year. They all contain the worm of some small fly; and this creature passes all its changes in this its habitation, being sometimes found in the worm, sometimes in the nymph, and sometimes in the fly state, in the cavity of it.

CUPÁNIA, in Botany, a genus of plants belonging to the monœcia class; and in the natural method ranking under the 38th order, Tricocca. See BOTANY Index.

CUPEL, in Metallurgy, a small vessel which absorbs metallic bodies when changed by fire into a fluid scoria; but retains them as long as they continue in their metallic state. One of the most proper materials for making a vessel of this kind is the ashes of animal bones; there is scarcely any other substance which so strongly resists vehement fire, which so readily imbibes metallic scoriæ, and which is so little disposed to be vitrified by them. In want of these, some make

use

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The bones, burnt to perfect whiteness, so that no particle of coaly or inflammable matter may remain in them, and well washed from filth, are ground into moderately fine powder; which in order to its being formed into cupels, is moistened with just as much water as is sufficient to make it hold together when strongly pressed between the fingers; some direct glutinous liquids, as whites of eggs or gum-water, in order to give the powder a greater tenacity: but the inflammable matter, however small in quantity, which accompanies these fluids, and cannot be easily burnt out from the internal part of the mass, is apt to revive a part of the metallic scoria that has been absorbed, and to occasion the vessel to burst or crack. The cupel is formed in a brass ring, from three quarters of an inch to two inches diameter, and not quite so deep, placed upon some smooth support: the ring being filled with moistened powder, which is pressed close with the fingers; a round-faced pestle, called a monk, is struck down into it with a few blows of a mallet, by which the mass is made to cohere, and rendered sufficiently compact, and a shallow cavity formed in the middle the figure of the cavity is nearly that of a sphere, that a small quantity of metal melted in it may run together into one bead. To make the cavity the smoother, a little of the same kind of ashes levigated into an impalpable powder, and not moistened, is commonly sprinkled on the surface, through a small fine sieve made for this purpose, and the monk again struck down upon it. The ring or mould is a little narrower at bottom than at top; so that by pressing it down on some of the dry powder spread upon a table, the cupel is loosened, and forced upwards a little; after which it is easily pushed out with the finger; and is then set to dry in a warm place free from dust.

CUPELLATION, the act of refining gold or silver by means of a cupel. For this purpose another · vessel, called a muffle, is made use of, within which one or more cupels are placed. The muffle is placed upon a grate in a proper furnace, with its mouth facing the door, and as close to it as may be. The furnace being filled up with fuel, some lighted charcoal is thrown on the top, and what fuel is afterwards necessary is supplied through a door above. The cupels are set in the muffle; and being gradually heated by the successive kindling of the fuel, they are kept red hot for some time, that the moisture which they strongly retain may be completely dissipated: for if any vapours should issue from them after the metal is put in, they would occasion it to sputter, and a part of it to be thrown off in little drops. In the sides of the muffle are some perpendicular slits, with a knob over the top of each, to prevent any small pieces of coals or ashes from falling in. The door, or some apertures made in it, being kept open, for the inspection of the cupels, fresh air enters into the muffle, and passes off through these slits by laying some burning charcoal on an iron plate before the door, the air is heated before its admission; and by removing the charcoal or supplying more, the heat in the cavity of the muffle may be some what diminished or increased more speedily than 3

can be effected by suppressing or exciting the fire in the furnace on the outside of the muffle. The renewal of the air is also necessary for promoting the scorification of the lead.

The cupel being of a full red heat, the lead cast into a smooth bullet, that it may not scratch or injure the surface, is laid lightly in the cavity; it immediately melts; and then the gold or silver to be cupelled is cautiously introduced either by means of a small iron ladle, or by wrapping them in paper, and dropping them on the lead with a pair of tongs. The quantity of lead should be at least three or four times that of the fine metal; but when gold is very impure, it requires 10 or 12 times its quantity of lead for cu pellation. It is reckoned that copper requires for its scorification about 10 times its weight of lead that when copper and gold are mixed in equal quantities, the copper is so much defended by the gold, as not to be separable with less than 20 times its weight of lead; and that when copper is in very small proportion, as a 20th or 30th part of the gold or silver, upwards of 60 parts of lead are necessary for one of the copper. The cupel must always weigh at least half as much as the lead and copper; for otherwise it would not be sufficient for receiving half the scoria; there is little danger, however, of cupels being made too small for the quantity of a gold assay.

The mixture being brought into thin fusion, the heat is to be regulated according to the appearances; and in this consists the principal nicety in the operation. If a various coloured skin rises to the top, which liquefying, runs off to the sides, and is there absorbed by the cupel, visibly staining the parts it enters; if a fresh scoria continually succeeds, and is absorbed nearly as fast as it is formed, only a fine circle of it remaining round the edge of the metal; if the lead appears in gentle motion, and throws up a fume a little way from the surface; the fire is of the proper degree, and the process goes on successfully.

Such a fiery brightness of the cupel as prevents its colour from being distinguished, and the fumes of the lead rising up almost to the arch of the muffle, are marks of too strong a heat; though it must be observed, that the elevation of the fumes is not always in proportion to the degree of heat; for if the heat greatly exceeds the due limits, both the fumes and ebullition will entirely cease. In these circumstances the fire must necessarily be diminished: for while the lead boils and smokes vehemently, its fumes are apt to carry off some part of the gold; the cupel is liable to crack from the hasty absorption of the scoria, and part of the gold and silver is divided into globules, which lying discontinued on the cupel after the process is finished, cannot easily be collected; if there is no ebullition or fumes, the scorification does not appear to go on. Too weak a heat is known by the dull redness of the cupel; by the fume not rising from the surface of the lead; and the scoria like bright drops in languid motion, or accumulated, or growing consistent all over the metal. The form of the surface affords also an useful mark of the degree of heat; the stronger the fire, the more convex is the surface; and the weaker, the more flat in this point, however, regard must be had to the quantity of metal; a large quantity being always flatter than a small one in an equal fire.

Towards

Cupellation Towards the end of the process, the fire must be Π increased; for the greatest part of the fusible metal Cupressus. lead being now worked off, the gold and silver will not continue melted in the heat that was sufficient before. As the last remains of the lead are separating, the rainbow colours on the surface become more vivid, and variously intersect one another with quick motions. Soon after, disappearing all at once, a sudden luminous brightness of the button of gold and silver shows the process to be finished. The cupel is then drawn forwards towards the mouth of the muffle; and the button, as soon as grown fully solid, taken

out.

CUPELLING FURNACE. See Cupelling FUR

NACE.

CUPID, in Pagan mythology, the god of love. There seems to have been two Cupids; one the son of Jupiter and Venus, whose delight it was to raise sentiments of love and virtue; and the other the son of Mars and the same goddess, who inspired base and impure desires. The first of these, called Eros, or true love, bore golden arrows, which caused real joy, and a virtuous affection; the other, called Anteros, had leaden arrows, that raised a passion founded only on desire, which ended in satiety and disgust. Cupid was always drawn with wings, to represent his inconstancy; and naked, to shew that he has nothing of his own. He was painted blind, to denote that love sees no fault in the object beloved; and with a bow and quiver of arrows, to show his power over the mind. Sometimes he is placed between Hercules and Mercury, to show the prevalence of eloquence and valour in love; and at others is placed near Fortune, to signify that the success of lovers depends on that inconstant goddess. Sometimes he is represented with a helmet on his head and a spear on his shoulder, to signify that love disarms the fiercest men; he rides upon the backs of panthers and lions, and uses their manes for a bridle, to denote that love tames the most savage beasts. He is likewise pictured riding upon a dolphin, to signify that his empire extends over the sea no less than the land.

CUPOLA, in Architecture, a spherical vault, or the round top of the dome of a church, in the form of a cup inverted.

CUPPING, in Surgery, the operation of applying cupping-glasses for the discharge of blood and other humours by the skin. See SURGERY.

CUPRESSUS, the CYPRESS TREE, a genus of plants belonging to the monccia class; and in the natural method ranking under the 51st order, Conifera. See BOTANY Index.

The wood of the sempervirens, or evergreen cypress, is said to resist worms, moths, and putrefaction, and to last many centuries. The coffins in which the Athenians were wont to bury their heroes, were made, says Thucydides, of this wood; as were likewise the chests containing the Egyptian mummies. The doors of St Peter's church at Rome were originally of the same materials. These, after lasting upwards of 600 years, at the end of which they did not discover the smallest tendency to corruption, were removed by order of Pope Eugenius IV. and gates of brass substituted in their place. The same tree is by many eminent authors recommended as improving and meliorating the air by its balsamic and aromatic exhalations; upon VOL. VII. Part I.

t

Curate.

which account many ancient physicians of the eastern Cupressus countries used to send their patients who were troubled with weak lungs to the island of Candia, where these trees grow in great abundance; and where, from the salubrious air alone, very few failed of a perfect cure. In the same island, says Miller, the cypress-trees were so lucrative a commodity, that the plantations were called dos filia; the felling of them being reckoned a daughter's portion. Cypress, says Mr Pococke, is the only tree that grows towards the top of Mount Lebanon, and being nipped by the cold, grows like a small oak. Noah's ark is commonly supposed to have been made of this kind of wood.

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dex. This preparation is recommended in some kinds of spasmodic diseases, given in the dose of one or two grains.

CUPRUM, or Copper. See COPPER, CHEMISTRY Index.

CURACOA, or CURASSOW, one of the larger Antilles islands, formerly subject to the Dutch; situated in W. Long. 68. 30. N. Lat. 12. 30. This island is little else than a bare rock, about ten leagues long and five broad; lying three leagues off the coast of Venezuela. It has an excellent harbour, but the entrance is difficult. The bason is extremely large, and convenient in every respect; and is defended by a fort skilfully constructed, and always kept in repair. The reason of forming a settlement upon this barren spot, was to carry on a contraband trade with the Spanish colonies on the continent; but after some time the method of managing this trade was changed. Curassow itself became an immense magazine, to which the Spaniards resorted in their boats to exchange gold, silver, vanilla, cocoa, cochineal, bark, skins, and mules, for negroes, linen, silks, India stuffs, spices, laces, ribbands, quicksilver, steel, and iron-ware. These voyages,

though continual, did not prevent a number of Dutch sloops from passing from Curassow to the continent. But the modern substitution of register-ships, instead of galleons, has made this communication less frequent; but it will be revived whenever, by the intervention of war, the communication with the Spanish Main shall be cut off. The disputes between the courts of London and Versailles also prove favourable to the trade of Curassow. At these times it furnishes provisions to the southern parts of St Domingo, and takes off all its produce. Even the French privateers, from the windward islands, repair in great numbers to Curassow, notwithstanding the distance. The reason is, that they find there all kinds of necessary stores for their vessels; and frequently Spanish, but always European goods, which are universally used. Every commodity without exception, that is landed at Curassow, pays one per cent. port-duty. Dutch goods are never taxed higher; but those that are shipped from other European ports pay nine per cent. more. Foreign coffee is subject to the same tax, in order to promote the sale of that of Surinam. Every other production of America is subject only to a payment of three per cent. but with an express stipulation, that they are to be conveyed directly to some port belonging to the republic. This island is now in possession of Great Britain.

CURATE, the lowest degree in the church of EngC

land;

1

Curb.

:

Curate land; he who represents the incumbent of a church, D parson, or vicar, and performs divine service in his stead and in case of pluralities of livings, or where a clergyman is old and infirm, it is requisite there should be a curate to perform the cure of the church. He is to be licensed, and admitted by the bishop of the diocese, or by an ordinary having episcopal jurisdiction; and when a curate hath the approbation of the bishop, he usually appoints the salary too; and in such case, if he be not paid, the curate hath a proper remedy in the ecclesiastical court, by a sequestration of the profits of the benefice; but if the curate is not licensed by the bishop, he is put to his remedy at common law, where he must prove the agreement, &c. A curate having no fixed estate in his curacy, not being instituted and inducted, may be removed at pleasure by the bishop or incumbent. But there are perpetual curates as well as temporary, who are appointed where the tithes are impropriate, and no vicarage endowed: these are not removeable, and the improprietors are obliged to find them; some whereof have certain portions of the tithes settled on them. Every clergyman that officiates in a church (whether incumbent or substitute) in the liturgy is called a curate. Curates must subscribe the declaration according to the act of uniformity, or are liable to imprisonment, &c.

CURATELLA, a genus of plants belonging to the polyandria class; and in the natural method ranking with those of which the order is doubtful. See BOTANY Index.

CURATOR, among the Romans, an officer under the emperors, who regulated the price of all kinds of merchandise and vendible commodities in the cities of the empire. They had likewise the superintendence of the customs and tributes; whence also they were called logista.

CURATOR, among civilians, a trustee or person nominated to take care of the affairs and interests of a person emancipated or interdicted. In countries where the Roman law prevails, between the age of 14 and 24 years, minors have curators assigned them; till 14, they have tutors.

CURATOR of an University, in the United Provinces, is an elective office, to which belongs the direction of the affairs of the university; as, the administration of the revenues, the inspection of the professors, &c. The curators are chosen by the states of each province: The university of Leyden has three; the burghermasters of the city have a fourth.

CURB, in the manege, a chain of iron made fast to the upper part of the branches of the bridle in a hole called the eye, and running over the horse's beard. It consists of these three parts; the hook fixed to the eye of the branch; the chain of SS's or links; and the two rings or mailes. Large curbs, provided they be round, are always most gentle; but care is to be taken, that it rest in its proper place, a little above the beard, otherwise the bit-mouth will not have the effect that may be expected from it.

English watering bits have no curbs; the Turkish bits, called genettes, have a ring that serves instead of a curb. See GENETTES.

CURB, in Farriery, is a hard and callous swelling on the hind part of the hock, attended with stiffness, and sometimes with pain and lameness. See SPAVIN.

CURCAS, a name given in Egypt to an esculent root, approaching to the taste and virtues of the colocasia. It is also a name used in Malabar for a small fruit of the shape and size of a hazel nut. Both these things have the credit of being strong provocatives: and it is very probable that the curcas of the East Indies may be the fruit cailed bell by Avicenna, and said to possess the same virtues. Gracias has been led into a very great error by this similarity of names and virtues; and supposes the curcas of Egypt the same with that of the East Indies.

CURCULIO, a genus of insects belonging to the order of coleoptera. See ENTOMOLOGY Index.

CURCUMA, TURMERIC, a genus of plants belonging to the monandria class; and in the natural method ranking under the 8th order, Scitamine. See BoTANY Index.

CURDISTAN, a country of Asia, situated between the Turkish empire and Persia, lying along the eastern coast of the river Tigris, and comprehending great part of the ancient Assyria. Some of the inhabitants live in towns and villages, and others rove from place to place, having tents like the wild Arabs, and are also robbers like them. Their religion is partly Christian, and partly Mahometanism.

CURDLING, the coagulating or fixing any fluid body; particularly milk. See CHEESE, AGRICULTURE Index.

Pausanias says, that Aristaus son of Apollo, and Cyrene, daughter of the river Peneus, were the first who found out the secret of curdling milk.

At Florence they curdle their milk for the making of cheese with artichoke flowers, in lieu of the rennet used for the same purpose among us.

The Bisaltæ, a people of Macedonia, Rochfort observes, live wholly upon curded milk, i. e. on curds. He adds, that curds are the whole food of the people of Upper Auvergne in France, and whey their only drink.

CURETES, in antiquity, a sort of priests or people of the isle of Crete, called also Corybantes. See CoRYBANTES and CRETE. The Curetes are said to have been originally of Mount Ida in Phrygia; for which reason they were also called Idai Dactyli. See DACTYLI.

Lucian and Diodorus Siculus represent them as very expert in casting of darts; though other authors give them no weapons but bucklers and pikes: but all agree in furnishing them with tabors and castanettas: and relate, that they used to dance much to the noise and clashing thereof. By this noise, it is said, they prevented Saturn from hearing the cries of young Jupiter, whereby he was saved from being destroyed.

Some authors, however, give a different account of the Curetes. According to Pezron and others, the Curetes were, in the times of Saturn, &c. and in the countries of Crete and Phrygia, what the druids were afterwards among the Gauls, &c. i. e. they were priests who had the care of what related to religion and the worship of the gods. Hence, as in those days it was supposed there was no communication with the gods but by divinations, auguries, and the operations of magic, the Curetes passed for magicians and enchanters: to these they added the study of the stars, of na

ture,

Curetes ture, and poesy; and so were philosophers, astronomers, &c.

Curia.

Vossius, de Idolat. distinguishes three kinds of Curetes, those of Ætolia, those of Phrygia, and those of Crete, who were originally derived from the Phrygians. The first, he says, took their name from xgga, tonsure; in regard, from the time of a combat wherein the enemy seized their long hair, they always kept it cut. Those of Phrygia and Crete, he supposes, were so called from x8g.s, young man, in regard they were young, or because they nursed Jupiter when he was

young.

CURFEU, CURFEW, or COURFEW, a signal given in cities taken in war, &c. to the inhabitants to go to bed. Pasquin says, it was so called, as being intended to advertise the people to secure themselves from the robberies and debaucheries of the night.

CURFEW-Bell in French couvrefeu, and in law Latin of the middle ages, ignitegium, or pyritegium, was a signal for all persons to extinguish their fires. The most eminent curfew in England was that established by William the Conqueror, who appointed, under severe penalties, that, at the ringing of the bell at 8 o'clock in the evening, every one should put out their lights and fires and go to bed; whence to this day a bell rung about this time is called a curfew-bell. This law was abolished by Henry I. in 1100.

This practice was highly necessary to prevent accidents in those ages when the fires were placed in a hole in the middle of the floor, under an opening in the roof to allow the escape of the smoke. This hole was covered up when the family went to bed. The same practice still exists in some countries, and particularly in some parts of Scotland. But besides securing houses against accidents by fire, the law which was very generally established in England for extinguishing or covering fires, was probably meant also to check the turbulence which frequently prevailed in the middle ages, by forcing the people to retire to rest, or to keep within doors. From this ancient practice, in the opinion of Beckmann, has arisen a custom in Lower Saxony of saying, when people wish to go home sooner than the company choose, that they hear the bürgerglocke, the burgher's bell.

The ringing of the prayer bell, as it is called, which is still practised in some Protestant countries, according to Beckmann, originated in that of the curfeu-bell. Pope John XXIII. dreading that some misfortunes were to befal him, ordered every person on hearing the ignitegium to repeat the ave Maria three times, with a view to avert them. When the appearance of a comet, and a dread of the Turks, alarmed all Christendom, Pope Calixtus VIII. increased these periodical times of prayer, by ordering the prayer-bell to be rung also at noon. Hist. of Invent. ii. 101.

CURIA, in Roman antiquity, was used for the senate house. There were several curiæ in Rome; as the curia calabra, said to be built by Romulus; the curia hostilia, by Tullus Hostilius; and the curia pompeia, by Pompey the Great.

CURIA also denoted the places where the curia used to assemble. Each of the 30 curia of old Rome had a temple or chapel assigned to them for the common performance of their sacrifices, and other offices of their religion; so that they were not unlike our pa

rishes. Some remains of these little temples seem to have subsisted many ages after on the Palatine hill, where Romulus first built the city, and afterwards resided.

CURIA, among the Romans, also denoted a portion or division of a tribe. In the time of Romulus, a tribe consisted of ten curiæ, or a thousand men; each curia being one hundred. That legislator made the first division of his people into thirty curiæ. Afterwards curia, or domus curialis, became used for the place where each curia held its assemblies. Hence also curia passed to the senate-house; and it is from hence the moderns came to use the word curia, "court," for a place of justice, and for the judges, &c. there assembled.

Varro derives the word from cura, care," q. d. an assembly of people charged with the care of public affairs. Others deduce it from the Greeks; maintaining, that at Athens they called xvgia the place where the magistrate held his assizes, and the people used to assemble: xvgi, again, may come from xvgos, authority, power; because it was here the laws were made.

CURIA, in our ancient customs.-It was usual for the kings of England to summon the bishops, peers, and great men of the kingdom to some particular place, at the chief festivals in the year; and this assembly is called by our historians curia; because there they consulted about the weighty affairs of the nation; whence it was sometimes also called solemnis curia, generalis curia, augustalis, and curia publica, &c. See WITENA-Mot.

CURIA Baronum. See COURT-Baron.

CURIA Claudenda, is a writ that lies against him who should fence and inclose the ground, but refuses or defers to do it.

CURIATII, three brothers of Alba, maintained the interest of their country against the Romans, who had declared war against those of Alba. The two armies being equal, three brothers on each side were chosen to decide the contest; the Curiatii by those of Alba, and the Horatii by the Romans. The three first were wounded, and two of the latter killed; but the third joining policy to valour, ran away; and having thus tired the Curiatii, he took them one after another, and killed them all three.

CURING, a term used for the preserving fish, flesh, and other animal substances, by means of certain additions of things, to prevent putrefaction. One great method of doing this is by exposing the bodies to the smoke of wood, or rubbing them with salt, nitre, &c.

CURIO, the chief and priest of a curia.-Romulus, upon dividing the people into curiæ, gave each division a chief, who was to be priest of that curia, under the title of curio and flamen curialis. His business was to provide and officiate at the sacrifices of the curia, which were called curionia; the curia furnishing him with a sum of money on that consideration, which pension or appointment was called curionium. Each division had the election of its curia; but all these particular curios were under the direction of a superior or ge neral, called curio maximus, who was the head of the body, and elected by all the curios assembled in the comitia curialis.

All these institutions were introduced by RomuC 2 lus,

Curia

་』 Curo.

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