LIT
Affairs. Ziquid Debts and Effects arcfuch as are not only really cxilting, but fuch as there can be no Difpute a- bout.
LIQUORICE. See CljcyrrVza. LIST, or LISTEL, in Architecture, called alfo a Cin- Sture, Fillet, and Re-let ; a little fquare Moulding, dif pos'd in certain Parts of Columns, ferving to crown or accompany larger Mouldings, and to fcparate the Flu- tings of Columns.
lift is alfo ufed to fignify the inclofed Field, or Ground wherein the antient Knights held their Joufls and Com- bats. It was fo called, as being hemm'd round with Pales, Barriers, or Stakes : fome of thefe were double, one for each Cavalier ; which kept them apart, fo that they cou'd not come nearer each other than a Spear's length. Uii Cattle derives the Word from LicU, which in the Age of corrupt Latin, was ufed for the Inclofures of Fields and Cities, as being antiently made with Cords inter-laced ; or from Zjft*, juia Campion claudebant injlar Lijlarum panni.
Lift, the Border of a Stuff, or that which bounds its Width on each Side. All Stuffs of Silt, Wool, or Cot- ton have Lifts. Lifts contribute to the Goodnefs of the Stuff, and further ferve to fhew their Quality ; which has given occafion to feveral Regulations relating to their Matter, Colour, Work, j£c.
LISTENING, according to Rohault, confirts in the Extenlion or Bracing of the Tympanum of the Ear, and putting it into fuch a Condition, as that it fhall be the more aftecl ed by any tremulous Motion of the external Air. See Tympanuiri.
LITANY, an old Church-Term, fignifying the Pro- ceflions, Prayers, and Supplications, ufed to appeafe the Wrath of God, to avert his Judgments, or to procure his Mercies. Ecclefiaftic Authors, and the Roman Order, by the Word Zitany mean the People who compofe the Pro- ceffion, and who afiifl at it. And Db Cange adds, that the Word antiently fignifiedProceJion. Simeon of TheJJaloni- ca, mentions, that in the antient Zitanies, the People went out of the Church, to denote the Pall of Adam, and re- turn'd into it again, to fhew the Return of a pious Soul to God by Repentance. On occafion of a Plague that ravaged Rome in the Year 590, Pope Gregory appointed a Litany, or Proceffion, confifting of feven Bands, or Com- panies, who marching from the feveral Churches of the City, met at St, Mary Major. The firft Company con- ftfled of the Clergy; the fecond of Abbots, with their Monks ; the third of Abbeffes, with their Nuns ; the fourth, of Children ; the fifth, of Laymen ; the fixth of Widows ; and the feventh, of married Women. And from this general Proceffion, that of St. Mark, called the Grand Zitany, is judged to have taken its Rife.
Litany, among us, is a Form of Prayer fung or faid in Churches, confifting of feveral Periods, or Articles; at the End of each whereof, is an Invocation in the fame Terms. The Word comes from the Greek Mtxhw Sup- plication. Fezron would go further, and derive the Xf?3» or Aiw& of the Greeks, from the Celtic Lit, Feafl, Solem- nity.
LITHARGE ; there are two Kinds of Znbarge, the one natural, the other artificial. Natural Zitbarge is a Mineral fometimes found in Lead Mines, reddifh, fcaly, brittle, and fomewhat refembling white Lead.' This Litharge is fo exceeding rare, that the Shops fell none but the aftificial.
Artificial Litharge is of two Kinds, viz,, that of Gold and that of Silver; or rather 'tis the fame, with this dif- ference, that the one having undergone a greater Degree of Fire than the other, has occafioned different Colours and thence different Names. Indeed Naturalifis are not over- well agreed what the Artificial Litharge is: Some fay 'tis a Metallic Scum rais'd on the Surface of Lead, when melted ; after having ferv'd to purify Gold, Silver' or' Copper. Others fay 'tis a Metallic Smoak arifing from thofe Metals mix'd with the Lead, ufed in purify- ing thep! TjHgHich flicking to the Top of the Chim- neys ffi Furnaces, is there form'd in a kind of Scales. Laftly, others fay 'tis the Lead itfelf ufed in the refinino' of thofe Metals, and efpecially Copper ; which latt Opinion appears the moft credible ; and the rather, on account of the great Quantities of thefe Litharges brought from Poland, Sweden, and Denmark; where Copper- Mines are much more frequent than thofe of Gold and Silver.
Ziiharrei are dsficcative, deterfive, and cooling ; they make the Confidence of feveral Plaifters. The Potters ufe them to give a beautiful Glofs to their Ware ; and they are alfo ufed by Painters, Dyers, Skinners, and Gla- ziers. When mix'd with Wine, they give it a brioht fprightly Colour, bur render it extream'ly unwholefome The Word is compofed of the Greek Kii& and deyv*&- Silver.
(4&O
LIT
LITHIASIS, in Phytic, fignifios the Formation of theStone, or the Manner in which it grows in the Body. See Stone. LITHOCOLLA, a Cement ufed by the Lapidaries to fallen their precious Stones, in order for cutting them. It is compofed of Rofin and Brick-Dull. For Diamonds they ufe melted Lead, putting them into it before it be <]uite cold. For other Cements they mix Marble-Duft with flrong Glue; and to fallen their Sparks, add the White of an Egg and Pitch. The Word comes from the Greek Aifl©-, Stone, and icixkh, Glue.
L1THONTHR1PTICS, are Medicines proper to dif- folve the Stone in the Bladder and Kidneys ; of which Kind are the Lithofpermum, Saxifrage, igc. The Word comes from the Greek Ai'flof, Stone, and Tei/J«r, to break or wear.
LITHOTOMY, an Operation in Chirurgery, perfor- med upon a human Body in order to extraft the Stone out of the Bladder. This is performed three feveral Ways, viz. by the fmall Apparatus, the great Apparatus, and the high Apparatus. The firft is by cutting thro' the Perinximi near the Suture, on the left Side, after the Stone, by the Fingers of the Operator, has been brought to that Part. This is called cutting upon the Gripe ; but 'tis almoft difufed, by reafon it fubjefls the Patient to great Hazard and Inconveniences.
In the great Apparatus, which is that ordinarily prafii- fed, after the Patient is conveniently placed and bound, the Operator introduces a proper Instrument thro' the urinary Paffage into the Bladder, in order to fearch for the Stone ; which being found, that Inflrument is with- drawn, and another grooved one introduced the fame way ; which bulging in the Perineum, ferves to direft the Knife to the Neck of the Bladder. After the Incifion a third Inflrument is thrufl into the Aperture, till it join the former, that was laft introduced thro' the urinary Paffage, at which time that is withdrawn, whilft this re- mains to guide the Forceps direflly into the Bladder to bring away the Stone. This way is called cutting upon the Staff. ° r
The third Method, called alfo the High Operation, has been long fince defcribed, and flrenuoufly pleaded for by a Chirurgical Writer, Rojfet ; but the Praftice is of a late Date among us, and was firft attempted by Mr. Dou- glas Whether, upon the whole, this Method is preferable to the ^ larger Apparatus, remains a Queftion. Tho' the great Succefs which Mr. Cbefelden has found in it gives Encouragement to hope others may hereafter prove as happy, and at length render the' Praflice univerfally advantageous- '
The Manner of proceeding herein, is this: After the, Bladder is imefled with a fufficient Quantity of warm Water, and the Patient conveniently placed, the Opera- tor flowly makes an Incilion above the Os Pubis along the Lmea Alba, till he gets fight of the Bladder, 'into which he directly plunges his Knife, and afterwards draws out the Stone, f he Advantages attending this Method, are. That tis perform d ma very ftort Time; That the Wound eafily heals ; That the Dilaceranon of Parts fre- quent in the other Ways, is prevented ; and That 'there IS no danger of the Incontinentia Uring. On the other hand, 'tis thought to be chiefly prafticable upon young 1 erfons, and fuch as are lean ; the Wound in old and fat Perlons being apt to mortify : moreover, if the Operator .T^rp. cauti ° us > he ™y "fily let out the Interlines. LITTER, a kind of Coach, or Vehicle born upon Shafts, antiently cfleemed the moft eafy and genteel Way of Carnage. Pliny calls it the Travellers Chamber It was much in ufe among the Romans, among whom it was born by Slaves, kept for that purpofe ; as it ftill continue- to be in the Eaft. The Roman Lmer made to be born bv four Men, was called Tetrafhorum ; that born by fix Hexafborumj and that born by eight, OBaphorum. The Invention of Zitters according to Gcero, was owing to the Kings of bitbyma. In the time of Tiberius they were grown very frequent at Rome; as appears from Seneca > and even Slaves themfelves were born in them, tho' never by more than two Perfons, whereas Men of Qua- lity had fix or eight. Du Can % e derives the Word from Leiiena or Zaeria, q. d. a Bed for Beads. Others will rather have it come from Leltus, Bed, there being ordi- nary a Qui It and a Pillow to a Litter; in the fame man- ner as to a Bed.
LITTORAL SHELLS are, with the Writers of Na- tural Hiftory, fuch Sea-Shells as are always found near the Shores, and never far off in the Deep ■ fuch as are found in the bottom of the Sea, remote from the Shore, they call 'euMB m , and Pelagic.
LITURGY, a Term fignifying all the Ceremonies belonging in general to the Divine Office and Service I„ a morereltraincd Signification, it is ufed among the Roma- nfu to figmfy the Mafs, and among us the Common-
Prayer.
