LIM
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LIM
LIGHTER, a fmall floating Veffel. Lighters are of feveral kinds •■, as,
A Ballaft Gin, A clofe Lighter, A Kiele,
A Camel, A Huy, An open Lighter.
LIGHTNESS, fee Levity.
LIGNUM ALOES, or Wood of Moes ; tee Aloes. Lig- num Cfl^f,f, fee Caflin. L'gnum Baljamt , fee half am.
LIKE QUANTITIES, in Algebra, are fuch as are expreffed by the fame Letters, equally repeated in each Quantity. Thus 2 b, and 5 b, and 9 ff, and 3 f /are like Quantities j but 1 b, and 3 £ i, and 9 _/-y, and 3 /// are un- like ones, becaufe the Quantities have not every where the fame Dimensions, nor are the Letters equally repeat- ed. Like Signs in Algebra are when both are Affirma- tive, or boih Negative 5 but if one be Affirmative, and the other Negative, they are unlike Signs. Thus -f- 64. d, and-}- 5 d, have like Signs j butt; f, and — if have unlike Signs. Like Figures in Geometry are fuch as have their Angles equal, and the Sides about thefe equal An- gles proportional. Like Arcs in the Projection of the Sphere in Flano are Parts of leffcr Circles, containing an equal Number of Degrees with the correfponding Arcs of greater ones. Like folid Figures in Geometry, are fuch as arecontained under like Planes, equal in Number.
LIMB, the outer moll Border or graduated Edge of a Quadrant, or the like Mathematical Inflrument ; or the Circu inference of the Primitive Circle in any Projection of the Sphere /» Flano. Aftronomers obferve the lower and the upper Limb of the Sun, in order to find its true Height, which is that of his Center.
Limb alfo fignifies the outermoft Border or Edge of the Sun or Moon, when the Middle or Disk is hid in an Eclipfe of either Luminary.
Limb is alfo ufed among Botanifls for the outer Edge or Border or Plants, their Leaves, and Flowers.
LIMB, or LIMBUS, is alfo a Term in the Romijh Theology, ufed for that Place where the Patriarchs are fuppofed to have waited for the Redemption of Man- kind, and where they imagine ourSaviour continued from the time of his Death to that of his Refurre&ion. Du Cange fays, the Fathers called this Place Limbus, eo quod Jit Limbus Xnferorum. The word Limbus is alfo ufed by the Catholics for the Place deftined to receive the Souls of Infants who die without Baptifm ; who have not deferved Hell, as dying in Innocence, nor yet are worthy of Hea ven, becaufe of the Imputation of Original Sin.
LIME, Calcined Stone, Marble, Free-ftone, Chalk, or other Matter burnt by a large Fire in a Kiln or Furnace built exprefs j to be afterwards ufed in the Compofition of Mortar, for building ; the Fire taking away all its Humi- dity, and opening its Pores, fo that it becomes ealily re- ducible to Powder. Quick Lime or Unflack'd Lime is that which comes out of the Furnace ; Slack'd Lime is that wafli'd or fleep'd in Water, and referv'd for the making of Mortar. The beft Lime is that made of the hardeit andfirmelt Stones, and which is flack'd at its coming out of the Furnace. SvtR.Wotton looks on it as a great Error in the Emllfe to make Lime as they do, of Refufe, and Stuff without any Choice 5 whereas the Italians, at this day, and much more the Antients, burnt their firmeft Stones, and even Fragments of Marble where it was plen- tiful j which in time became almoft Marble again for its hardnefs, as appears in their Handing Theatres, &c.
We have two kinds of Lime in common ufe in England j the one made of Stone, and the other of Chalk ; whereof the former is much the flrongefl. That made of foft Stone or Chalk is fitteft for plailtering of Ceilings and Walls within doors j and that made of hard Stones, for Buildings and for plaiftering without doors. Good Lime may alfo be made of Mill-Hone, not coarfe and fandy, "but fine and greafy 5 as alfo of all kinds of Flints ; tho 'tis hard to burn 'em, unlefs in a Reverberatory Furnace, as being apt to run to Glafs.
DieuJJant recommends Lime made of Sea-/hells as the bell, but Goldman finds fault with it, as being impatient of Moilture, and therefore eafily peeling off from the Out- fides of Walls : It is, however, the common Lime ufed in the Indies.
Before the Stones be thrown into the Kiln, they are to be broke in pieces 5 otherwife the Air contain'd in their Ca- vities, too much expanded by theHeat, makes 'em fly with fo much violence as to damage the Kiln. According to Al- berts and Palladio, Lime will not be fufficiently burnt in lefs than fixty Hours intenfe Heat.
The Marks of a well-burnt Lime, according to Alberti, are, that its Weight is to that of the Stone in a fefqui- alterate Proportion 5 that It is white, light, and fonorous ; that when itaked it flicks to the Sides of the Veffel : To which Boeckler adds, that when flaked it fends forth a copious thick Smoak ■-, and Dicuffant, that it needs a great deal of Water to flake it.
To preferve Lime feveral Years, flake and work it up ; dig a Pit under ground, into which let it pafs thro a hole
open at the bottom of the Vcffel. As foon as the Pit is full, cover it up with Sand, to prevent its drying ; thus keeping it moifl till it be ufed. Boeckler gives another Method : Cover a Stratum of Lime two or three foot high with another of Sand of the like height; pour on Water enough to flake the Lime, but not to reduce it to duft after flaking. If the Sand cleave into Chinks, as the Smoak afcends, cover 'em up, fo as no Vent may be given thereto. This Lime, he adds, kept ten or twelve Years, will be like Glue ; and will, further, be of parti- cular Ufe in painting Walls, as being no way prejudicial to the Colours. See Mortar,
Lime is much ufed by Tanners, Skinners, Igc. in the Preparation of their Leather.
Lime, or Calx, in Chymiflry, is a kind of fine Powder, or A/hes remaining of Metals or Minerals, that have been a long time in a violent Fire. See Calx.
Lime is of fome medicinal Ufe, being applied exter- nally in Deficcative and Confumptive Medicines. Its Water is faid to be an excellent Medicine, taken inter- nally. M. Burlet has written an ample Account of its Effects in the Erench Memoirs, in good meafure from his own Experience. But he obferves it fucceeded much better in Holland, &c. than in France. It is a powerful Al- terant, and like a pure Alkaline Water, fitted to blunt and deflroy acid Ferments, which are the Principles of all Obflrucfions, and the Caufe of moA Chronic Difeafes. Its principal Ufe is in a Cachexy, Green-ficknefs, Drop- fy, Scurvy, Obflructions of the Liver, Spleen, i$c. It is made by pouring fix Pounds of hot Water on one of Quick-Lime, leaving them to foak and macerate for the fpace of 24 hours.
LIME-STONE, is a Stone of a whitifh Colour, which being burnt in a Kiln, enters the Compofition of Mortar, Plaifler, £^c. which fee.
LIMITATION OF ASSIZE, in Law, is a certain Time fet down by the Statute, wherein a Man mutt alledge himfelf or his Anceflors to have been feiz'd of Lands fued for by Writ of Aflize.
LIMITED PROBLEM, fignifies a Problem that has but one only Solution, or which can be done only one way ; as to make a Circle pafs through three Points given, not lying in a Right Line, to defctibe an equilateral Triangle on a Line given, &c.
LIMITS of a Planet, its greatefl: Excurfion or Diflance from the Ecliptic.
LIMNING, the Art of Painting in Water-Colours ; in contradiflinflion to Painting properly fo called, which is done in Oil-Colours.
Limning is much the more Anricnt Kind of Painting : Till a Flemijh Painter, one John van Eyck, better known by the Name of ^John of Bruges, found out the Art of Painting in Oil, the Painters all painted in Water and in Frcfco alone, both on their Walls, on Wooden Boards, and elfewhere. When they made ufe of Boards, they ufually glued a fine Linnen Cloth over 'em, to prevent their opening j then laid on a Ground of White; laftlv, they mix 'd up their Colours with Water and Size, or with Water and Yolks of Eggs, well beaten with the Branches of a Fig-Tree, the Juice whereof thus mix'd with the Egos ■■■ and with this Mixture they painted their Pieces.
In Limning all the Colours are proper enough, except- ing the White made of Lime, which is only ufed in Frefco. But the Azure and Ultramarine mult always be mix'd up with Size, or with Gum, in regard the Yolks of Eggs give yellow Colours a greenifh Tincture. But there are always applied two Lays of hot Size e'er the Colours, mix'd even with Size, are laid on : the Compofition made with Eggs, and the Juice of the Fig-tree, being only ufed for touching up and finishing, and to prevent the Neccffity of having a Fire always at hand to keep the Size hot 5 yet 'tis certain, that the Size-Colours hold the belt, and are accordingly always uled in Cartoons, <$c. This Size is made of Shreds of thin Leather, or of Parchment.
To limn on Linnen, they chufe that which is old, half worn, and clofe. This they ftafrrp with White Lead, or with a fine Plaifler beaten up with Size 5 which once c!ry, they go over it with a Lay of rhe fame Size.
The Colours are all ground in Water, each by itfe-lf 5 and in proportion as they are required in working, are di- luted with Size-Water. If the Yolks of Eggs are defited, they dilute 'em with Water made o( equal Quantities of common Water and Vinegar, with the Yolk, White and Shell of an Egg, and the Ends of the little Branches of a Fig-tree cut fmall, all well beaten together in an Earthen Pan.
If 'tis defired to varni/h the Piece when finifli'd, they go over it with the White of an Egg well beaten, and then with Varni/h. This, however, is only to prcferve it from the Wet : for the great Advantage of Limning con- fills in its being free from any Luftre ; in regard all its Colours thus void cf Luflre may be feen in all kinds of Lights j which Colours in Oil, or cover'd with Varni/h, can't. Aaaaaa LINC-
