CLEOPATKAS NEEDLES. 25 CLERK. Avere transported from lieliopolis to Ale.xaudriii al)out llio year Bx'. 14, and remained there until 1877, when they were presented to the govern- ments of Great Britain and the United States by the Kliedive Ismail I'asha. Of the two eom- pahion monoliths, one now stands on the Tlianies Kmhankment. London, the other in Central Park, New York. The laKer is (1!) feet hi{,'h, with a base 7 feet 7 inches in diameter, and weighs 200 tons. It is supjiorted on four bronze crabs, reproduc- tions from the originals preserved in the neigh- boring Metropolitan JIuseum. The obelisk bears inscriptions of Thothmes 111. (about B.C. 1500) and Rameses II. See Obeli.sIv. Consult, Gor- ringe, Eniiplian Obelisks (New York, 188.5). CLEP'SYDRA (Gk. itXe^iiSpa, klepsydra, from K-!rTeii>, l.lcptcin, to steal + 65ojp, hydOr, water). An ancient instrument for measuring time by the efllux of water through a small ori- fice. Two kinds ha'e been in use. In the sim- plest form the water was allowed to escape from one vessel into another. This form was used in the Athenian courts, where a speaker was al- lowed a certain number of amphorw of water for his speech, the quantity depending on the impor- tance of the suit. The more complicated form was said by some to have been invented by Plato, while others gave the honor to Ctesibius of Alex- andria. In this form the water was allowed to How at a uniform rate into a receptacle, on which was marked a scale of hours. Both forms are said to have been introduced into Rome in B.C. 159, and were widely used. Athenieus 'iv. p. 17-1) applies the name to a variety of the hydraulic organ. CLERC, klar, .Iea-x i.e. See Le Clerc, Jean. CLERC, Laurent (1785-1869). A French deaf mute and educator, born near Lyons. He was a favorite pupil of the Abbe Sicard at the institution of the deaf and dumb founded in Paris by the Abbe de I'lCpee, and after eight years of study became himself a teacher. In 1810 he canie to the United States at the request of Dr. Gallaudet (q.v.), and the next year the two opened an institution for the deaf and dumb in Hartford, Conn., where Clerc successfully taught deaf-mutes for more than forty years. He mar- ried a deaf mute, who bore him several children, all of whom had the sense of hearing and could speak. See Deaf jMuie. CLERESTORY. See Clearstory. CLERFAYT or CLAIRE AIT, klar'fa', Charles oe Croix, Count (1733-1798). An Austrian field-marshal, born at the Castle of Bruille. Hainaut, Low Countries. He entered the Austrian service in 1753, fought with distinc- tion in the Seven Y'ears' ^'ar. and was advanced fo the rank of colonel. During the Turkish war of 1787-91 he was conuiiander of an army corps which defeated the iloslem troops at Jleliadia and Kalafat. In 1792 he commanded the Aus- trian corps sent to the assistance of the Duke of Bnmswick in the war with France, and defeated the French at Croix-aux-Bois (September 15). Having withdrawn into Belgium, he defeated the French at Aldenhoven (^farch 1, 1793), relieved Waestricht. decided the battle of Neerwinden (ilarch IS), and took Le Quesnoy (Septem- ber 11). .After this series of brilliant victories lie met with reverses at Wattignies (October 15 and Ifi). Mouscrnn (.pril 29. 1794). and Hoogleede (.Tune 13). In 1795 he was ap- pointed iield-marshal and commander-in-chief of the Imperial armies on Hie Rhine, in which capacity he defeated .lourdan at Hiichst (October 11), and relieved JIainz, storming the almost impregnable works of the liesiegcrs, which were defended by an army of 80,000 men. After con- cluding an armistice with the French Republic, he returned to Vienna, wliere he was hailed as the savior of the Empire. Becau.se of dill'ereiues with the Imperial JNlinister Thugut. he after- wards resigned his position. CLERGY (OF. ckrgie, Lat. clericus, from Gk. KripiK6s, kirrihos, clergyman, from Ki/pos, kltros, lot). A term very generally applied to the ministers of the Christian religion, in contradis- tinction to the laity (q.v.). This use of the term is very ancient, and appears to have grad- ually become jirevalent, as the ministers of relig- ion more and more exclusively, instead of thfe members of the Christian Church equally, began to be regarded as tJod's 'heritage' and 'priest- hood' (1. Pet. ii. 9, and v. 3), consecrated to llim, and peculiarly His. The distinction between the clergj' and the laity became more marked tlirough the multiplication of olfices and titles among the clergy, the ascription to them of a place in the Christian Church similar to that of the priests and Levites in the Jewisli Church, with peculiar rights and privileges, their assump- tion of a peculiar dress and of official insignia, the growth of monastic institutions, and the introduction of celibacy. In harmony with the notions on which this distinction is founded is that of an indelible, sacramentally stamped char- acter derived from ordination, so that a renuncia- tion of the clerical office is either viewed as an impossibility or a sort of apostasy. These no- tions in their highest degree belong to the Church of Rome. In the Protestant churches the distinc- tion between clergy and laity is much less wide; and, although the same terms are often used, it is rather conventionally than in their full signi- fication. The employment of official robes by the clergy preeedod their assumption of a i)eeuliar ordinary dress, and is not so intimately connected with any peculiar pretensions. Among the priv- ileges accorded to the clergj' b}' the Roman emperors, and in the Middle Ages, was exemp- tion from civil offices; among the rights asserted by them, and which caused much dispute, was exemption from lay jurisdiction, even in cases of felony. (See Benefit of Clergy.) The clergy' were distinguished into the hiyhcr clergy and the lower clergy ; the latter including ostiarii, acolytes, lectors, exorcists, etc. The term secular clergy' is the designation of priests of the Church of Rome who are not of any re- ligious order, but have the care of parishes. Monks who are in holy orders are designated regular rlernn (from rerjiila, rule). See Orders, Hoi.Y: Bishop; Priest; Deacon. CLERGY, Benefit of. See Benefit of Clergy. CLER'ICTJS, ,Tohanne,s (1657-1736). See Le Clerp, .Tean. CLER'ID.ffi. See Checkered Beetles. CLERK (AS. clerc. cleric, from Lat. clericus, clergA'inanK In the Middle Ages, an appellation for an ecclesiastic, extended at a later period to mean a complimentary title for men of learning, whether of the Church or not. In modern times it indicates any one who makes and keeps rec-
