taste, but, on the other hand, in two years becomes quite mild, and is a good substitute for olive oil. The negroes use the seeds as an aliment. The sesamum was introduced into Jamaica by the Jews, and is now cultivated in most parts of the island. It is called vanglo or oil plant; and the seeds are frequently used in broths by many of the Europeans, but the Jews make them chiefly into cakes. In Japan, China, and Cochin-China, where they have no butter, they use the oil for frying fish, and in dressing other dishes, as a varnish, and, medicinally, as a resolvent and emollient. Pliny speaks of this oil as equally good to eat and burn. Nine pounds of the seed yield upwards of two pounds of oil. The plant grows to the height of two feet or more; the stem is upright, herbaceous, hairy, and almost cylindrical; the leaves are oval oblong, the inferior ones opposite, with long leafstalks, entire, or with some very distant teeth; the superior, much narrower, entire, acuminate, almost alternate, and nearly sessile the flowers are solitary, axillary, and the corolla is white, and resembles, in form, that of the foxglove. S. indicum is another species, cultivated in Egypt, and used for the same purposes as the preceding.

SESOSTRIS; a king of Egypt, who by some has been deemed the Shishak of Scripture, but whom Champollion has shown to be a different person. He is called Sethos, and Sethosis, and his royal name is Ramses, or Rameses. He reigned in the fifteenth century B. C. Sesostris was a great conqueror, who overran Asia, and is said to have erected magnificent temples in all the cities of his empire, to have built a great wall on the eastern boundary of Egypt, and to have dug a number of canals from the Nile, for the purposes of commerce and irrigation.

SESSILE; a botanical term, signifying without footstalks.

SESSION, COURT OF, in Scotland; the highest civil judicatory in the kingdom. The judges (lords of the session) are fifteen in number. It has extensive original jurisdiction, and its powers of review, as a court of appeal, have no limits In 1808, it was divided into two chambers, called the first and second division; the lord president and seven judges constituting the former, and the lord justice clerk, who is head of the court of justidiary, with six judges, the latter. These civisions have independent but co-ordinate jurisdiction. The high court of justiciary or supreme 'criminal jurisdiction

for Scotland, consists of six judges, who are lords of the session, the lord justice clerk presiding. In this court the number of the jury is fifteen, and a majority decides. The court of session is divided into the inner house and outer house, with appeal from the latter to the former, and from the former to the house of lords of the United Kingdom. SESSIONS. (For the quarter sessions, see Courts, vol. iii, p. 589.)

SESTERTIUM. (See Sestertius.)

SESTERTIUS; an ancient Roman silver coin, worth two and a half asses (hence the name sesquitertius, the third half). (See As.) In sterling money, the sestertius was about one penny and a quarter; but it was not at all periods precisely the same. The neuter form, sestertium, denotes a much larger amount. It generally appears in the plural, and signifies not a real coin, but a sum of 1000 sestertii. If the sum amounts to 1,000,000 or more, a numeral in ies is connected with sestertium (e. g. quadragies sestertium is four millions of sestertii, i. e. quadragies centena millia sestertiorum nummorum). Sometimes the numeral adverb is used alone, and decies ei dedit signifies decies sestertium, i. e. decies centena millia sestertiorum, or a million. The sestertius was generally expressed by the letters L. L. S. (i. e. libra libra semis); and these letters were contracted into H. S. In common life, it was generally called nummus only. (For the manner in which the Romans expressed numerical values, see Notation.) As a weight, a sestertius amounted to about fifteen and three fourths French grains (about 12.91 grains Troy.)

SESTETTO; a musical piece for six independent voices, whether instrumental or vocal. The former is particularly used for wind instruments, and often employed for serenades (q. v.), or notturni. Moscheles, Beethoven and others have composed sestettos for wind and stringed instruments. Vocal sestettos are used in operas; and that of Mozart, in the second act of Don Juan, is celebrated.

SESTINA; a lyric form of versification, which comprises six strophes of six lines, and one of three lines. The verse is generally the iambic of five feet. The characteristic of the sestina is, that in each of the six strophes the six final words of the first are repeated in such an order that the final word of the sixth verse of the first strophe becomes the final word of the first verse of the second strophe; the other five verses of the second strophe end with the final words of the five first

verses of the first strophe in an arbitrary succession. The third strophe is formed in the same way from the second as this was from the first, and so on; so that each of the six final words is once the first and once the last word in each strophe, and the last verse of the sixth strophe ends with the final word of the first verse of the first strophe. The strophe of three lines, with which the sestina ends, repeats the six final words again in the same order as they stand in the first strophe: each verse contains two of them, one in the middle and one at the end. There is no other rhyme in the sestina. Petrarca has made successful essays in this form. In general, the Italians, and next to them the Spaniards, have most cultivated it. It has been attempted, also, in German. It can be readily imagined how easily this form leads to an idle play upon words; yet it is astonishing with what skill some poets have contrived to attach different ideas and feelings to the same words.

SESTINI, Domenico, the most learned numismatist of Europe, in regard to ancient coins, as far as the knowledge of them can be acquired by inspection, was born at Florence, in 1750. After having completed his studies at the school of St. Marco, he entered the clerical order; but, in 1774, he left his native city, and visited Rome, Naples, and the Sicilies. In order to prosecute his studies with more effect, he went from Sicily, through Malta and Smyrna to Constantinople, where he prepared his observations on the plague, which then prevailed. He made short journeys from Constantinople into Asia and Europe, and lived awhile in the house of prince Ypsilanti, hospodar of Walachia. At length, he went to Vienna, and returned along the Danube and over the Black sea to Constantinople. The British ambassador at the Porte, sir Robert Ainslie, was then forming a collection of ancient coins. For sixteen years Sestini was his agent, and in the course of his travels collected the celebrated cabinet which he has described in his Lett. e Dissertazioni numismatiche sopra alcune Medaglie rare della Collezione Ainsliena (4 vols., 1789-90, 4to.); Descr. Numor. vett. ex Museis Ainslie, Bellini, etc., necnon Animadverss. in Opus Eckhel. Doctrina Numorum vett. (Leghorn, 1796, 4to.). To gain a thorough knowledge of ancient coins, he travelled through Germany, visited Gotha, Dresden, and Berlin, where he settled, and was appointed, by the king, superintendent of the collection there. In 1810, he went to Paris, where he was elect

van.

ed a corresponding member of the Acadé mie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres,and, two years later, he received the appointment of antiquary and librarian of the princess Eliza, then grand-duchess of Tuscany. When Ferdinand III ascended the throne, he confirmed him in this office, and added the title of honorary professor of the university of Pisa. In November, 1825, he was living with count Viczay at HederHis principal writings are Diss. intorno al Virgilio di Aproniano (Flor., 1774, 4to.); Della Peste di Constantinopoli del 1778 (Yverdun [Flor.], 1779, 12mo.); Lettere Odeporiche, ossia Viaggio per la Penisola di Cizico (2 vols., Leghorn, 1785); Viaggio di Constantinopoli a Bassora (Yverd [Leghorn], 1786); Viaggio di Ritorno da Bassora a Constantinopoli (Leghorn, 1788); Lettere e Dissertazioni numismatiche, which appeared at Leghorn, Rome, Berlin, Milan, Pisa, and Florence, from 1789 to 1820, in 18 vols., 4to., with many engravings; the Descriptio Numorum veterum ex variis Museis (Leipsic, 1796, 4to.); the Catalogus Numorum veterum Musæi Aragoniani (Berl., 1805, fol.); the Descr. selectiorum Numismatum in Ere maximi Moduli Museo olim Ab. de Camps, posteaque Mareschalli d'Etrées, etc. (Berl., 1808, 4to.); Descr. delle Medaglie Greche e Romane del fu Benkowitz (Berl., 1800, 4to.); Descr. degli Stateri antichi illustr. con le Medaglie (Flor., 1817); Diss. sopra le Medaglie antiche relative alla Confederaz degli Achei (Milan, 1817, 4to.); and the Desc. delle Medaglie Ispane appartenenti a'la Lusitania Betica e alla Tarragonese del Museo Hedervariano (Flor., 1818, 4to.). His Classes generales seu Moneta vetus Urbium, Populorum et Regum Ordine Geographico et Chronologico descr. (Flor., 1821, 4to., 2d ed.), may serve, in many respects, as a general index to all these works. There is but little prospect that his Systema geographicum Numismaticum (written by his own hand, in 16 vols., folio), the fruit of fifty years of study and investigation, will be given to the world.

SESTOS; a fortress of European Turkey, opposite to Abydos (q. v.), from which it is 2700 yards distant. The castles of the Dardanelles, sometimes called the Sestos and Abydos, are built near the sites of the ancient towns so called, famous for the loves of Leander and Hero.

SET-OFF, in law, is when the defendant acknowledges the justice of the plaintiff's demand on the one hand, but on the other sets up a demand of his own, to counterbalance that of the plaintiff, either

in the whole or in part; as if the plaintiff sue for $100 due on a note of hand, the defendant may set off $90 to himself for merchandise sold to the plaintiff, or for any other demand, the amount of which is ascertained in damages.

SETTLE, Elkanah, an English poet, was born in 1648. At the age of eighteen, he entered at Oxford, but quitted the university without taking a degree, and, going to London, commenced author by profession. He wrote numerous political pamphlets, and, in reply to Dryden's poem entitled the Medal, occasioned by the whig party striking a medal to commemorate the throwing out of the bill against the earl of Shaftesbury, a piece called the Medal Reversed; and, soon after, a poem entitled Azaria and Hushai, designed as an answer to the Absalom and Achitophel. In 1685, he published a poem on the coronation of James II, and, about the same time, obtained a pension from the city, for writing an annual inauguration panegyric on lord mayor's day. Settle was, besides, an indefatigable writer for the stage, and produced fifteen dramatic pieces, none of which are now known on the boards. In the decline of life, he received a salary from the proprietor of a booth at Bartholomew fair, as a writer of " Drolls," which were generally very successful, and is said to have been, at that time, the best contriver of theatrical machinery in the kingdom. He died at the Charter-house, in 1724.

SETTLEMENT; a legal residence or establishment of a person in a particular parish or town, which entitles him to maintenance there, if a pauper. In England, the poor are supported by the parish where they have a settlement. In New England, they are supported by the town. In England, the statutes 12 Řichard II and 19 Henry VII seem to be the first rudiments of parish settlements. By statutes 13 and 14 Charles II, a legal settlement is declared to be gained by birth, by inhabitancy, by apprenticeship, or by service for forty days. But the gaining of a settlement by so short a residence produced great evils, which were remedied by statute 1 James II.

SETTLEMENT, ACT OF; a name given to a statute 12 and 13 William III, cap. 2, by which the crown was limited to the present reigning house in England, and by which some new provisions were added in favor of the subject, securing his liberty and the rights of conscience.

SETUVAL, or ST. UBES a town of

Portugal, in Estremadura; fifteen miles south-east of Lisbon; lon. 8° 54′ W.; lat. 38° 29′ N.; population 14,876. It is situated in a bay of the Atlantic, at the mouth of the river Sandao, with a good harbor, capable of receiving ships of any burden, and exports lemons, olives, oil, wine, and, above all, bay salt, of which no less than 200,000 tons are annually made here. The streets are paved, and the town is fortified with a mound, a citadel, and several small forts. Setuval contains five churches, one hospital, eleven convents, and an academia problematica.

SEUME, John Gottlieb, known for his writings and his adventures, a man of a vigorous mind, but eccentric disposition, was born at Poserne, in 1763. He was left an orphan, but was placed, by a charitable person, at the Nicolai school in Leipsic. Here he began the study of theology; but, becoming discontented, he set off secretly for Paris. On his way, he was forced to join the Hessian troops then raising to serve in America (1781). After his return, he was obliged to enter the Prussian service, but at length studied at the university of Leipsic, and, in 1793, became secretary of the Russian general at Warsaw. He soon after returned to Leipsic, where he published several works, and was employed as a corrector of the press. In 1801, he set out on a pedestrian excursion through Austria, Italy and France, and, on his return, published an account of his tour, under the title of Walk to Syracuse (in German). In 1805, he undertook a similar expedition into Russia, Sweden, &c., which is described in My Summer of 1805 (2d ed., 1815). He died at Teplitz, in 1810. His autobiography, which he left unfinished, was completed by Clodius, and is contained in the edition of his works in twelve volumes (Leipsic, 1826, seq.).

SEVEN ISLANDS. (See Ionian Islands.)
SEVEN LIBERAL ARTS. (See Arts.)
SEVENNES. (See Cevennes.)

SEVEN SLEepers. There is an old story that Epimenides of Crete reappeared in the world, after sleeping forty years in a cave (see Epimenides); and all our readers are acquainted with the veracious legend of Rip Van Winkle, as related in the Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon ; but the slumber of the seven sleepers was of longer duration. In the time of the emperor Decius, when the Christians were persecuted, seven noble youths of Ephesus concealed themselves in a neighboring

Oct. 1, at Lowositz. The battle, though not decisive, prevented the field-marshal from aiding the Saxons. They were forced to surrender as prisoners of war, and the inferior officers and common soldiers were compelled to enter the Prussian service; but they soon deserted, both singly and in whole regiments, because they would not fight against their own sovereign. Such was the end of the first campaign; and the Prussians remained through the winter in Saxony and Silesia. Frederic's invasion of Saxony excited a general commotion in the courts of Europe. It was pronounced to be a violation of the treaty of Westphalia, and France, as one of the guaranties of that treaty, now took part in the struggle. Sweden, too, for the same reason, and Russia, on account of her alliance with the empress, adopted a similar course. In the diet at Ratisbon, war was declared on the part of the empire against Prussia. Thus, in 1757, Austria, Russia, France, Sweden, and the German empire, were in arms against Frederic, while he had no ally but England; and, in a war by land, but little aid was to be expected from her. In order to anticipate his enemies, Frederic marched into Bohemia with four armies in April, 1757, and, May 6, a bloody battle was fought at Prague, in which the Prussians conquered, but lost their distinguished general Schwerin. The greatest part of the vanquished Austrian army threw itself into the city of Prague, to which the king immediately laid siege. Field-marshal Daun, who was stationed on the heights of Colin with 60,000 Austrians, received orders to hazard a decisive action for the relief of Prague. To prevent this, Frederic advanced to Colin (q. v.), attacked the enemy with 24,000 men, lost the battle, and 8-14,000 brave soldiers, and was forced to raise the siege of Prague, and to retreat to Saxony and Lusatia. He effected his retreat from Bohemia without further loss. Meanwhile, the French had taken possession of Wesel, the principalities of Cleve and East Friesland, the territories of Hesse-Cassel and Hanover, and laid them under contribution. The duke of Cumberland, who commanded the forces of the German states, allied with Prussia, namely, Hanover, Hesse, Brunswick, Gotha and Bückeburg, 40,000 men, to whom were opposed 100,000 French, was defeated at Hastenbeck July 26, and driven back to Stade, and concluded a capitulation, Sept. 8, at Kloster-Seven (which, however, was never carried into

execution), by the terms of which all the above-mentioned troops, except those of Hanover, were to be disbanded. A French army under the prince de Soubise, with the imperial forces, 15,000 men strong, under the prince of Hildburghausen, now menaced Saxony, and the hereditary states of Frederic, who, therefore, left the duke of Bevern in Silesia, marched to Thuringia, and drove the French from Erfurt. On receiving information that an Austrian army, under Haddick, had invaded the Mark, Frederic hastened back to Torgau. But, as the Austrians soon retreated, and the French advanced anew, he marched against the latter, and fought at Rossbach (q. v.), Nov. 5, that memorable battle, in which both the French and the imperial armies were defeated, and found safety only in a hasty flight. They went into winter-quarters at a distance, and the possession of Saxony was secured to the king. Upon this, Frederic hurried back to Silesia, where Schweidnitz and Breslau had fallen into the hands of the Austrians. With a small army, fatigued by a long march, he defeated, Dec. 5, at Leuthen (q. v.), a force twice as great, under Daun. Breslau surrendered fourteen days after, with a numerous garrison, and a large quantity of stores, and, soon after, Liegnitz also. In these actions the Austrians lost upwards of 40,000 men. Silesia was again torn from them, and Frederic was now more formidable to his foes than ever. The Russians marched into Prussia, in June, 100,000 men strong, laid waste the country in a barbarous manner, maltreated the inhabitants, defeated field-marshal Lehwald, Aug. 30, at Grossjägerndorf, with his army of 24,000 men, and then returned, destroying all before them. The Swedes, in September, occupied Anklam, Demmin and Pasewalk; but, in a few weeks, they were defeated by Lehwald, and driven to Rügen. The third campaign was opened in February, 1758, by Ferdinand, duke of Brunswick (q. v.), who was now at the head of the allied armies, in the rooin of the duke of Cumberland, and opposed the French in Lower Saxony and Westphalia. His nephew, the hereditary prince, afterwards duke of Brunswick, Charles William Ferdinand, commanded under him. Duke Ferdinand made himself master of the Weser, expelled the French, under Clermont, from Lower Saxony and Westphalia, and defeated them, June 23, at Crefeld. He then returned over the Rhine to Hesse, where Soubise was stationed with a