66°–67°, and having a specific gravity of 0·8142 at 0° C. It has a burning taste, and generally a spirituous odour, but when absolutely pure it is said to be odourless. It mixes in all proportions with water, alcohol and ether. Its compound with calcium chloride has the formula CaCl2·4CH3·OH, and with barium oxide BaO·2CH3OH. Oxidation gives formaldehyde, formic acid and carbonic acid; chlorine and bromine react, but less readily than with ethyl alcohol. The chief industrial applications are for making denatured alcohol (q.v.), and as a solvent, e.g. in varnish manufacture; it is also used for a fuel; a purer product is extensively used in the colour and fine chemical industries.
Methyl chloride CH3Cl, is a gas, boiling at −23°, obtained by chlorinating methane, or better, from methyl alcohol; wood spirit is treated with salt and sulphuric acid, or hydrochloric acid gas conducted into the boiling spirit in the presence of zinc chloride, the evolved gas being washed with potash and dried by sulphuric acid. It is also prepared by heating trimethylamine hydrochloride. Alcohol dissolves 35 volumes and water 4. Methyl bromide is a liquid, specific gravity 1·73, boiling point 13°; methyl iodide has a specific gravity of 2·19, and boils at 43°.
METICULOUS (through Fr. méticuleux, from Lat. meticulosus,
timid, cautious; metus, fear), a term meaning pedantically or
excessively careful of details, over-scrupulous, laying too much
stress on minutiae.
METOCHITA, THEODORE [Theodoros Metochites], a
Byzantine author, man of learning and statesman, who flourished
during the reign of Andronicus II. Palaeologus (1282–1328).
After the deposition of his patron by Andronicus III., Metochita
was deprived of his office of great logothete (chancellor) and sent
into exile. He was soon recalled, but retired from political life
to a convent, where he died in 1332. He was a man of very great
learning, only surpassed by Photius and Michael Psellus. His
pupil Nicephorus Gregoras, who delivered his funeral oration,
calls him a “living library.”
Only a few of his numerous works have been preserved. The best known is Ὺπομνηματισμοὶ καὶ σημειώσεις γνωμικαί, Miscellanea philosophica et historica (ed. C. G. Müller and T. Kiessling, 1821), containing some 120 essays; for a list of them see Fabricius, Bibliotheca graeca (ed. Harles), x. 417; in these he chiefly made use of Synesius. Of his rhetorical pieces two have been published by C. N. Sathas in Μεσαιωνικὴ βιβλιοθήκη (1872), and two poems on religious subjects by M. Treu (1895). The poems, dealing mainly with contemporary and personal matters, are written in hexameter, not in the usual “political” verse. Metochita was also the author of works on philosophical and astronomical subjects.
METONIC CYCLE, in chronology, a period of 19 years during
which there are 235 lunations, so called because discovered by
Meton. Computation from modern data shows that 235 lunations
are 6939 days, 16·5 hours; and 19 solar years, 6939 days,
14·5 hours. The relation between integral numbers of months
and years expressed by Meton’s rule therefore deviates only two
hours from the truth. Since 19 Julian years make 6939 days,
18 hours, the relation errs by only 1·5 hour when the Julian
year is taken. Meton was an Athenian astronomer (fl. 432 B.C.).
METONYMY (Gr. μετωνυμία, change of name, from μετά, denoting change, and ὄνομα, name), a figure of speech, in which the name of one thing is changed for that of another, to which it is related by association of ideas, as having close relationship to one another. Thus “sceptre,” “throne,” “crown,” are used for royal power or authority, “hearth and home” is used for “country,” &c.
“Synecdoche” (Gr. συνεκδοχή, from συνεκδέχεσθαι, to join in receiving) is a rhetorical figure similar to metonymy, in which the part is used for the whole or vice versa, thus “hands” is used for the members of the crew of a vessel; a regiment of infantry is said to number so many “bayonets,” &c.
METOPE (Gr. μετόπη, a middle space), a term in architecture
for the square recess between the triglyphs in a Doric
frieze, which is sometimes filled with sculpture.
METRE (μετρική, sc. τέχνη, from Gr. μέτρον, measure),
in prosody, the harmonious and regulated disposition of
syllables into verse. Metrical form is distinguished from prose
by the uniformity of corresponding lines in relation to the
number of syllables and the similarity of final sound (rhyme or
assonance), by the repetition of certain letters at regular intervals
(in alliterative measure), or merely by the regular succession of
ups and downs of intonation. In ancient classic poetry the
measure which creates the metrical form consists only of this last
quantitative element, which is rhythm.
For the rules and divisions of the various metrical systems, see Verse. For the restricted use of “metre” as a unit of measurement, see Metric System below.
METRIC SYSTEM (adapted from Gr. μέτρον, measure),
that system of weights and measures of which the metre
is the fundamental unit. The theory of the system is the metre
is a 110000000 part of a quadrant of the earth through Paris;
the litre or unit of volume is a cube of 110 metre side; the gramme
or unit of weight is (nominally) 11000 of the weight of a litre
of water at 4° C. The idea of adopting scientific measurements
had been suggested as early as the 17th century, particularly by
the astronomer Jean Picard (1620–1682), who proposed to take
as a unit the length of a pendulum beating one second at sea-level,
at a latitude of 45°. These suggestions took practical shape
by a decree of the National Assembly in 1790 appointing a
committee to consider the suitability of adopting either the
length of the seconds pendulum, a fraction of the length of the
equator or a fraction of the quadrant of the terrestrial meridian.
The committee decided in favour of the latter and a commission
was appointed to measure the arc of the meridian between
Dunkirk and Mont Jany, near Barcelona. Another commission
was also appointed to draw up a system of weights and
measures based on the length of the metre and to fix the nomenclature,
which on the report of the commission was established
in 1795. It was not until 1799 that the report on the length of
the metre was made. This was followed by the law of the
10th of December 1799 fixing definitely the value of the
metre and of the kilogramme, or weight of a litre of water, and
the new system became compulsory in 1801. It was found
necessary however to pass an act in 1837, forbidding as and from
the 1st of January 1840, under severe penalties, the use of any
other weights and measures than those established by the laws
of 1795 and 1799. The metric system is now obligatory in
Argentina, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France,
Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Peru,
Portugal, Rumania, Servia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. Its use
is legalized in Egypt, Great Britain, Japan, Russia, Turkey and the
United States. In 1875 there was constituted at Paris the International
Bureau of Weights and Measures, which is managed by
an international committee. The object of the Bureau is to
make and provide prototypes of the metre and kilogramme, for
the various subscribing countries.
In England action has frequently been taken both by individuals and by associations of commercial men for the purpose of endeavouring to make the metric system compulsory. A Decimal Association was formed in 1854, but did not make very much headway. A bill was introduced into parliament in 1864 to make the metric system compulsory for certain purposes, but owing to government objections a permissive bill was substituted and subsequently became law as the Metric Act 1864. It was, however, repealed by the Weights and Measures Act 1878. In 1871 another bill for compulsory adoption was rejected by the House of Commons on the second reading by a majority of five. In 1893 a representative delegation of business men pressed its adoption on the chancellor of the exchequer (Sir W. V. Harcourt), but he declined. But in 1897 a statute was passed, the Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act, which legalized the use in trade of the metric system, and abolished the penalty for using or having in one’s possession a weight or measure of that system.
See also Decimal Coinage and Weights and Measures.
METROCLES, a Greek philosopher of the Cynic school, was a contemporary of Crates, under whose persuasion he deserted the views of Theophrastus. It was his sister, Hipparchia, whose romantic attachment to Crates is a fascinating sidelight on the almost truculent asceticism of the Cynics. He was a man of peculiar strength of character, and esteemed the joys of life so low that he was deterred from an early suicide only by the influence of Crates. His philosophical views, which were identical with those of Crates (q.v.), he expounded by precept and example with great success, and had among his pupils
