by others at only 1000), and forced them to retreat, with the lofs of fix pieces of cannon, and a proportional number of men. After this fuccefs the French advanced towards Tuam, but their triumph was of fhort duration; for on the 7th Sept. Lord Cornwallis came up with them near Caftlebar, and obliged them to retreat before daybreak. Humbert, having been joined by a number of the rebels, made a circuitous march to favour their flight, which enabled the majority to escape. A column of Gen, Lake's army, however, overtook the French at Ballynamuck, on the 8th about 7 A. M. when they commenced a fire of cannon and mufquetry, which lafted half an hour; but the remainder of the British troops appearing, they furrendered at difcretion. When the return of French prifoners was made, the public were furprifed to find, that this formidable hoft amounted to only 844! About 93 of the rebels, and three of their generals, were also taken prisoners. der of Wexford on the 22d. On the 26th Meffrs Harvey and Colclough, who had fled after the battle, were discovered in one of the Saltee Inlands, and with Keughe, the rebel governor of Wexford, and others, were tried and executed. About the 7th June, the rebels had taken poffeffion of Antrim, but were foon after diflodged by Gen, Nu. gent. The infurrection, however, had become general in the counties of Antrim and Down, but on the 12th the rebels were completely defeated at Ballynahinch, where they loft above 400 men, while only 6 were killed and 14 wounded of the king's troops. The rebel general, Munro, was taken prifoner and executed. Hitherto the rebellion had been attended with all the horrors and barbarities attendant on civil war and martial law. Both rebels and royalifts feemed (with a few exceptions) to have fo entirely laid afide every principle of humanity, that it is difficult to decide which behaved worst. The bishop of Killala who was himself a fufferer for his loyalty, decides it again the latter. But a new era was now about to take place, when the rights of fuffering humanity were to be reftored and refpected. The Britih ministry having appointed Marq. Cornwallis lord lieutenant, he arrived at Dublin on the 20th of June, and on the 17th July he proclaimed an offer of his Majefty's pardon to all who should fubmit before a certain day. This tended more to craft the rebellion than all the rigorous meafares hitherto purfued. Great numbers returned to their allegiance, and delivered up their arms. Mean time, however, feveral of the principal de linquents were tried by fpecial commiffion. Meffis J. and H. Sheares, M'Cann, Byrne, and fome other active members of the fociety of United Irish men, were condemned and executed. Mr O. Bond was alfo convicted and condemned on the 3d July, but being very refpectably connected, great intereft was made to fave his life; when it was intimated, that if he would reveal all that he new refpecting the confpiracy and rebellion, his fentence would be commuted for banishment. He at first rejected this propofal; but this plan of mercy being propofed to be extended to all the other ftate prifoners, they confented to give the information required, on condition that no farther profecution fhould be carried on, except against actual murderers, or those hereafter taken in arms. On thefe conditions Bond was pardoned (but died foon after), and Meffrs O'Connor, Emmett, M'Nevin, &c. were fent to Fort George, to go to exile, when the war fhould be terminated. Though most of the rebels now accepted of the annefty, a few of the more defperate ftill lurked about the mountains of Wicklow and Wexford, where they waged a defultory war, till they were gradually reduced. The rebellion was now conidered as completely ended, when a general confernation was excited by the landing of a body of French troops, under Gen. Humbert, at Killala, on the 2nd Aug. 1798. The number of the enemy being at firft greatly exaggerated, Lord Cornwallis refolved to march against them at the head of the army. Mean time Gen. Humbert proceeded to Castlebar, where he attacked the British troops under Gen. Lake, (the number of whom has been variously ftated, by fome at 6000, and (24) IRELAND, HISTORY OF, UNTIL THE UNI ON WITH GREAT BRITAIN. On the 16th Sept. 1798, a French brig appeared off the ifle of Rutland, on the NW. coaft of Donegal. The crew landed about 8, and with them Gen. Ray and the celebrated Napper Tandy, invefted with the rank of a French general of brigade. They inquired after Humbert, and feemed furprised to hear of his defeat. After diftributing fome manifeftoes among the people, they reimbarked, and left the coaft. A more ferious attempt was made in the end of Sept. when a fquadron failed from Breft, confifting of one fhip of the line, the Hoche, and 8 frigates with troops and ammunition on board, deftined for Ireland; but the Irish coaft being guarded by 8 men of war, under Sir J. B. Warren, the Hoche after a gallant defence ftruck, and the whole French fquadron, except two frigates, were taken; and thus the hopes of the French, as well as of the Irish malcontents, were completely defeated. Among the prifoners taken in the Hoche was the celebrated Theobald Wolfe Tone, who was confidered as the most able negociator among the Irish fugitives at Paris. He was brought to Dublin, and tried by a court martial, when he made a very manly defence; and without attempting either to deny or excufe his crime, refted his defence on his being a citizen of the French republic, and an officer in its fervice. This plea, however, did not avail, nor did the court grant his request to be fhot, rather than hanged; in confequence of which he cut his throat. With him died the fpirit of the rebellion. The few rebels who still adhered to Gen. Holt, the laft of the rebel chiefs, fucceffively laid down their arms, as did Holt himself, who, however, was obliged to relinquish his native foil for ever, Thus ended this deplorable conteft, in which it is supposed that above 30,000 persons lost their lives, befides thousands who were wounded or tranfported.The laft and not the leaft important occurrence in the hiftory of Ireland, and which indeed concludes its hiftory as a diftinét and independent nation, is its union with Great Britain. This measure, which had been long in contemplation, was first announ ced in the British house of commons on the 22d January 1799, by a meffage from his Majefty in the following terms:." GEORGE R.. His Majefty U u 2 18 is persuaded, that the unremitting industry, with March, when Sir J. Parnell moved to petition the which our enemies persevere in their avowed de- king to call a new parliament, that the sense of fign, of effecting the separation of Ireland from their constituents might be fully ascertained ; but this kingdom, cannot fail to engage the particular this motion was over-ruled by a majority of 46. attestion of parliament; and his majesty recom- The business paffed with little opposition in the mends it to this house, to consider of the most ef. house of lords, who on the 24th March adopted fecual means of finally defeating this design, by the whole articles with little alteration. The ardisposing the parliaments of both kingdoms, to ticles being transmitted to England by the lord provide, in the manner which they shall judge most lieutenant, they were submitted anew to the Briexpedient, for settling such a complete and final tish parliament on the ad April, on the ad July adjustment, as may best tend to improve and per the bill received the royal afsent; and the Unica petuate a connection essential for their common took place on the ift January 180r. In conse: security, and consolidate the strength, power, and quence of this Union, which, it is to be hoped, will resources of the British empire." The measure prove a common blefling to both countries, Ireland was taken into consideration on the 31st January, becomes entitled to a share of all the commerce of when Mr Pitt moved y resolutions, as the basis of Great Britain, except only such portions as pertain 7 it; which were opposed by Mr Sheridan, on the to exclufive companies; from which it is obvious, following grounds, which he read and moved as that the inhabitants of Britain are equally debarred. counter-resolutions : 1. “ That no measures could The commons of Ireland are represented in the Im. have a tendency to improve and perpetuate the ties perial Parliament, as it is now denominated, by : of amity between Great Britain and Ireland, which hundred members. The spiritual peers send one have not for their basis' the fair and free appro- archbishop and three bishops to the house of lords, bation of the parliaments of the two countries. who fit by rotation of sessions. The temporal peert 2. That whuever fall endeavour to obtain such elect 28 lay-lords as their representatives, who hold approbation, in either country, by employing the their seats for life. The title assumed by the king inliuence of government for the purposes of cor- in consequence of the Union, is “ King of the unit. ruption or intimidation, is an enemy to his majesed kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, defender ty and the constitution." Upon these principles, of the faith!" The laws and courts of justice, even the Union was opposed by Messrs Grey, Tierney, the court of chancerý, remain in Ireland as they Jones, Sir F. Burdett. Gen. Fitzpatrick, Dr Law were before the Union; and the monarch is still rence, &c.; but upon calling the vote; Mr Sheri- represented by a lord lieutenant, whose penfion or dan's resolutions were rejected by a majority of falary is now (1810) increased from twenty to thirty 140 against 15. In subsequent debates on the sub- thousand pounds iterling a-year." Ireland is liable ject, the minority sometimes amounted to 24. In for no part of the debt of Great Britain contracted the house of lirds the Union was opposed by Lord before the Union, and only contributes to the ge. Holland, E: of: Moira, E. Fitzwilliam, Lord Clif- neral'expenses of the empire in the proportion of ton, &c. but'no'division took place. But in the ito nl. but this proportion, as trade increases Irish parliament a very formidable opposition was and as the state of Ireland improves, may be remade to the Union, which was reprobated in the vised and altered by the united parliament in the strongest terms. On the 22d Jan. 1799, a long course of 20 years. The act of Union provides and violent debate took place in the house of that such Irich peers as are not elected to fit in the commons, on the motion for an address to his house of peers,"may fit in the house of commods inajesty; when the paragraph recommending an as representatives of British boroughs, cities, or Union was voted to be expunged by a majority of counties; but they must renounce all the rights 111 against 106; on which occasion the city of Dub- and privileges of the peerage whilst they fit in the lin was twice illuminated. The principal speakers lower house of parliament: . against the measure were Mr Fitzgerald, late Prime (25.) IRELAND, HOUSE's Ix. See $ 29, 30. Mr Serjeant, Sir J. Parnell, Messrs Ponsonby, Lee, Cruttwell, in his Universal Gazetteer, says the Grattan, O'Hara, Barrington, Dobbs, Ogle, Daly, number of houses is about 700,000. Sir L. Parsons, &c. In the Irish house of lords, (26.) IRELAND, INHABITANTS OF, AND GENEhowever, a majority appeared in favour of the RAL CHARACTER. The inhabitants, in general, of Union, on the 22d Jan. when 19 peers and one bi. this kingdom, are very far from being what they shop voted for an amendment to the address. At have too often unjuftly been represented, by those laft the business was formally introduced into both who never saw them, a nation of wild Irish. Mihouses by a message from the lard lieutenant on ferable and oppressed, as by far too many of them the 5th Feb. 1800, expressing his majesty's wisti, are, an Englishman will find as much civility, in that they would take the resolutions which had general, as amongst the same class in his own counpassed in the British parliament on the proposed try, and more hospitality. Poverty and oppreslion Union into confideration. A debate took place naturally make mankind four and unsociable, and upon the ist article, on the 19th Feb. in which eradicate,' or at least suppress, all the amiable Mr Grattan exerted his usual abilities, but with principles and paffions of humanity. But it is unsuch pointed severity on Mr Corry, the chancel fair and ungenerous to judge of the natural dispolor, that a duel ensued, wherein Mr Corry was fition of people reduced by indigence and opprelwounded. The question, however, was now car. fion almost to desperation. Let commerce, agriried, by a majority of 161 againft 115; in favour culture, and arts, but call forth the dormant acof the Union; and as the discuslion proceeded, tivity of their genius, and rouse the native spirit the number of votes against it diminished ftill far- of enterprise, which lies torpid within them; let ther. The last fruggle was made on the 13th liberal laws unfetter their minds, and plenty cheer their tables; they will foon fhow themselves defer ving to rank with the most respectable focieties in Europe. Perfonal beauty feems to be more diffused in England among the lower ranks of life than in Ireland; which may be attributed to the different modes of living. In England, the meaneft cottager is better fed, lodged, and dressed, than the most opulent Irish farmers, who, unaccustomed to the comforts of life, knew no luxury but in deep potations of aquavitæ. From this circumftance, we may account for a fact reported by fome officers of the army, who themselves were Irifhmen. They fay, that the young fellows of Ireland, who offer to enlift, are more generally below the given height than in England. The fame caufes which promote or prevent the growth of other animals, have doubtless fimilar effects upon the human species. In England, where there is no ftint of provifions, the growth is not checked; but, on the contrary, it is extended to the utmoft bound of nature's limits: whereas, in Ireland, where food is neither in the fame quantity, nor of the fame quality, the body cannot expand. The gentlemen of Ireland are full as tall as thofe of England; the difference, then, between them and the commonalty, can only proceed from the difference of living. (17.) IRELAND, MINERALS IN. Mines of coal, lead, copper and iron, are common, as well as fome of filver; and many of them are wrought with advantage. Stone quarries abound every where, and marble of great beauty is found in feveral counties. In fome parts there are said to be appearances of gold mines. (18.) IRELAND, PARISHES IN. Ireland is divided into 2293 parishes; of which there are in Ulfter 365; Leinfter 858; Munster 740; and Connaught 330. (29.) IRELAND, POPULATION OF. In 1731, while the duke of Dorset was lord lieutenant, the inhabitants were numbered, and it was found that the four provinces contained as follows: Connaught --- 21604 Connaught - - 221780 -203087 Leinster! 447916 115130 Munfter 360632 Ulfter Leinster Munfter Uliter - 1. Carlow 8. E. Meath 482044 12. Wicklow Proteftants 700453 Papifts 1309760 The return of houses in Ireland, in 1754, was 395,439; and in 1766, it was 424,046. Suppofing therefore the numbers to have increased at the fame rate, the number of houfes now cannot be lefs than 454,130; which, allowing five perfons to a family, will make the number of inhabitants 2,260,650: but as the return of houses by hearthcollectors is rather under than above the truth, and as there are many families in every parish who are by law excufed from that tax, and therefore not returned, the number, on a moderate estimate, will be 2,500,000. A confiderable deduction, however, must be made for the number of houfes detroyed during the late rebellion. Sir W. Petty reckoned 160,000 cabins without a chimney; and if there be an equal number of fuch houfes now, the number of people will be above 3,000,006. Mr Molyneux fays, "Ireland has certainly been better inhabited formerly; for on the wild mountains between Armagh and Dundalk, are obfer vable the marks of the plough, as they are alfo on the mountains of Altmore. The fame has been obferved in the counties of Londonderry and Donnegal. Mountains that are now covered with bogs have been formerly ploughed; for when you dig five or fix feet deep, you difcover a proper foil for vegetation, and find it ploughed into ridges and furrows: a plough was found in a very deep bog near Donnegal; and a hedge, with fome wattles, under a bog 5 or 6 feet in depth. The ftump of a large tree was found in a bog ten feet deep at Caftle-Forbes; the trunk had been burnt, and fome of the cinders and afhes were still lying on the ftump. Mr Molyneux further fays, that on the top of a high mountain, in the north, there were then remaining the ftreets and other marks of a large town. Extent, &c. (30.) IRELAND, Provinces, COUNTIES, BARONIES, BISHOPRICS, &C. IN. Ireland is divided into 4 large provinces, and those again into 3 counties, as follows: I. ULSTER. Houfes. 20738 Length 68 13125 Breadth 98 9268 Boroughs 29 26090 Baronies 55 12357 Archbishopric 5674 Bishoprics 6 14527 Market-towns 58 26637 16545 Counties. II. LEINSTER. 1. Clare 5444 Length 104 9621 13015 7781 III. MUNSTER. 2. Cork 1. Galway 15576 Length 90 (31.) IRELAND, RIVERS, LAKES, AND MOUNTAINS OF. The principal rivers of Ireland are the Shannon, Foyle, Bann, Liffey, Boyne, Slaney, Suir, Barrow, Erne, Moy, Noir, Suck, and Gyl. The chief lakes are Lough Neagh, Lean, Erne, and Corib. The principal mountains are KnockPatrick, Sliew-Blocmy, and the Curliew Hills. (32.) IRELAND, SCHOOLS IN. There are 44 charter working schools in Ireland, wherein 2025 boys and girls are maintained and educated. Thete schools fchools are maintained by an annual bounty of 1oool. by a tax upon hawkers and pedlars, and by fubfcriptions and legacies. The children admitted are thofe born of Popish parents, or fuch as would be bred Papifts if neglected, and are found of limbs. Their age must be from fix to ten; the boys at 16, and the girls at 14, are ap. prenticed in o Proteftant families. The firft fchool was opened in 1734. Five pounds are given to every perfon educated in thefe fchools upon his or her marrying a Proteftant. (33.) IRELAND, SEA-PORTS OF. The chief feaport towns are Belfast, Dublin, Drogheda, and Dundalk on the E. coaft: Cork, Waterford, Kinfale, Dungarvon, and Youghal on the S. of Galway; Sligo, Limerick, &c. on the W. and Lon donderry on the N. humidity, quantity of vegetables, &c. See Moss. In the manufacturing counties of the north, peat fuel has become so scarce, that turbaries let from 5 to 8 guineas an acre. In fome places they are so eradicated, that there does not remain a trace of them, the ground being now converted into rich meadows and paftures. There is one peculiarity, which naturalifts are uncertain whether to afcribe to the foil or climate of Ireland, viz. that there are neither moles, toads, nor any kind of ferpents or venomous reptiles to be found in it; nor will they live in it, when imported. "Frogs, fays Mr Crutt well, were imported about 80 years ago, and are fufficiently numerous; but though the fame experiment has been made with fnakes and vipers it has been happily unfuccessful.” (35.) IRELAND, SUPERFICIAL CONTENTS OF. The Rev. Clement Cruttwell, in his Universal Gazetteer, states the superficial contents of Ireland at 19,000 fquare miles; though he makes its extent lefs than we have stated it above, (§ 1.) viz. only 185 miles in length from N. to S, in a meridian line, and from 98 to 143 in breadth from E. to W. The circumference and fuperficial contents of the four provinces is stated by others as follows: OF. Miles in Circ. Acres Irish. Acres Englife. Ulfter, 460-2,836,837=4,496,205 Leinster, 360-2,642,958=4,281,155 Munster, 600-3,289,932=5,329,146 Connaught, 500-2,272,915—3,681,746 (36.) IRELAND, TRADE AND MANUFACTURES (34.) IRELAND, SOIL, CLIMATE, BOGS, &c. OF. The foil of Ireland varies from the stiffest clay to the lighteft fand; but of the latter there is not much; nor is any chalk found in it. It is in general more ftony than the foil of England, 'but is abundantly fruitful both in corn and grafs, efpecially the latter; in confequence of which, a vaft number of black cattle and fheep are bred, particularly in Connaught. Few countries produce finer grain than that which grows in the improved parts of this kingdom. The northern and eastern counties are beft cultivated and inclofed, and moft populous. The climate is more variable, and both heat and cold more moderate than in England. The air is more damp, but this, Dr Beaufort obferves, is not to be attributed The commodities which Ireland exports, to the bogs, but chiefly to its infular fituation. are hides, tallow, beef, butter, cheese, honey, wax, And the BOGS, wherewith Ireland is in fome hemp, metals, fifn, wool, and glass; and her linen places overgrown, are not injurious to health, as trade is of great consequence. England is thought is commonly imagined; the watery exhalations to gain by Ireland upwards of 1,400,000l. Mr from these are neither fo abundant nor fo noxi- O'Halloran fays, the linen manufacture was carous as thofe from marshes, which become preju ried on in Ireland, in very early days, to a great exdicial from the various animal and vegetable fub- tent; and Gratianus Lucius quotes a defcription ftances, which are left to putrefy as foon as the of the kingdom, printed at Leyden in 1627, in waters are exhaled by the fun. Bogs are not, as which the author fays, "That this country might be fuppofed from their blackness, masses of abounds with flax, which is fent ready fpun in putrefaction; but, on the contrary, they are of large quantities to foreign nations. Formerly fuch a texture, as to refift putrefaction above any (fays he) they wove great quantities of linen, which other substance we know of. A fhoe, all of one was moftly confumed at home, the natives repiece of leather, very neatly ftitched, was taken quiring above 30 yards of linen in a shirt or shift." out of a bog fome years ago, entirely freth; from So expenfive was the Irish fashion of making up the fashion of which, it is fuppofed to have lain fhirts, on account of the number of plaits and there fome centuries. Butter, called roufkin, hath folds, that, in the reign of Henry VIII. a ftatute been found in hollow trunks of trees, where it paffed, by which they were forbidden, under a fehad been hid fo long, that it was become hard vere penalty, to put more than 7 yards of linen and almost friable, yet not devoid of unctuofity. in a fhirt or fhift. We may form fome idea of That the length of time it had been buried was what the trade of Ireland muft have been in forvery great, we learn from the depth of the bog, mer times, when fo late as the reign of Brien Bowhich was ten feet, that had grown over it. But ru, who died in 1014, notwithstanding the ravages the common phenomenon of timber trees dug out and diftreffes which a Danish war, of above 200 of thefe bogs, not only found, but alfo fo embalm. years continuance, muft have produced throughed as afterwards to defy the injuries of time, de. out the kingdóm, the annual duties arifing from monftrate the antifeptic quality of them. The goods imported into the fiugle port of Limerick, horns of the moofe-deer muft have lain many cen- and paid in red wine, amounted to 365 pipes! turies in thefe bogs, for the Irish hiftories do not Even fo lately as the laft century, it is scarcely record the time when these animals exifted in Ire-credible what riches this city derived from the land. Indeed, human bodies have in many places been dug up entire, which muft have lain there for ages. The growth of bogs, however, is variable in different places, according to the fituation, foil, bare manufacture of fhoes, which were exported in amazing quantities; whereas now, instead of fhoes and boots, the raw hides are shipped off for foreign markets. No country in the world .: ferma IRIGNY, a town of France, in the dep. of the Rhone and Loire; 6 miles S. of Lyons. (1.) * IRIS. n. f. [Latin.] 1. The rainbow.-Be. fide the folitary iris, which God thewed unto Noah, there is another lunary, whofe efficient is the moon. Brown. 2. Any appearance of light refembling the rainbow. When both bows appeared more diftinct, I measured the breadth of the interior iris 2 gr. 10'; and the breadth of the red, yellow, and green, in the exterior iris, was to the breadth of the same colours in the interior 3 to 2. Newton. 3. The circle round the pupil of the eye. 4. The flower-de-luce. Íris all hues, rofes, and jeffamine. Milton. (2.) IRIS, in anatomy (§ 1, def. 3.) is a striped variegated circle, formed of a duplicature of the uvea. See ANATOMY, § 571. (3.) TR19, in botany, the FLOWER-DE-LUCE, OF Flag-flower, &c. a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the triandria clafs of plants, and in the natural method ranking under the fixth order, Enfata. The corolla is divided into fix parts; the petals alternately reflexed; the ftigmata re fembling petals. There are 44 fpecies, all herbaceous flowering perennials, both of the fibrous, tuberous, and bulbous rooted kinds, producing thick annual ftalks from 3 or 4 inches to a yard high, terminated by large hexapetalous flowers, having 3 of the petals reflexed quite back and erect; most of which are very ornamental, "ap pearing in May, June, and July. All the fpecies are eafly propagated by offsets from the roots, which should be planted in September, October, almost any time from Sep 3 feems better fituated for a maritime power than Ireland, where the ports are convenient to every nation in Europe, and the havens safe and commodious. The great plenty of timber, the fuperior excellence of the oak, and the acknowledged kill of her artizans in wood-works, are circumftances clearly in her favour. That the Irish formerly exported large quantities of timber, is manifeft from the churches of Gloucester, Weft minfter monaftery and palace, &c. being covered with Irish oak. (11.) IRELAND, one of the BERMUDAS. (III.) IRELAND, NEW, an ifland in the E. Indian Ocean. Lon. 152. 17. E. Lat. 4. 59. S. (IV.) IRELAND, NEW, a long narrow island, in the S. Pacific Ocean; extending 270 miles from NW. to SE inhabited by negroes, and covered with wood. Lon. between 146° and 151° E. of Paris. Lat. between 3 and 50° S. (1.) IRENÆUS, ST, Bp. of Lyons, was born in Greece about A. D. 120. He was the difciple of Pappias and St Polycarp, by whom, it is faid, he was fent into Gaul in 137. He stopped at Lyons, where he performed the office of a prieft; and in 178 was fent to Rome, where he difputed with Valentinus, and his two difciples Florinus and Blaftus. At his return to Lyons, he fucceeded Photinus, bishop of that city; and fuffered martyrdom in 202, under Severus. He wrote many works in Greek, of which there remains only a barbarous Latin verfion of his five books against heretics, fome Greek fragments in differ ent authors, and Pope Victor's letter mentioned by Eufebius. The best editions of his works are or November, till do. They may also be thofe of Erafmus, in 1526; of Grabe, in 1702; and of F. Maffuet, in 1710. St Irenæus's ftyle is clofe, clear, and ftrong, but plain and fimple. Dodwell wrote fix curious differtations on the works of St Irenæus. (1.) IRENEUS, ST, a deacon, who, in 275, fuf. fered martyrdom in Tufcany, under the reign of Aurelian. (3.) IRENEUS, ST, Bp. of Sirmich, fuffered martyrdom on the 25th March 304, during the perfecution of Dioclehian and Maximanus. IRENE, emprefs of the eaft, celebrated for her valour, wit, and beauty; but deteftable for her cruelty, having facrificed her own fon to the ambition of reigning alone. She died in 803, at Lefbos. IRESINE, in botany; a genus of the pentandria order, belonging to the dioecia clafs of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 54th order, Mifcellanez. The male calyx is diphylus, the corolla pentapetalous; and there are five nectaría. The female calyx is diphyllous, the Corolla pentapetalous; there are two feffile ftig mata, and a capfule with flocky feeds. IRETON, Henry, an English republican general, who diftinguished himself by his valour and conduct on the fide of the parliament. He was Appointed to command in Ireland, and was killed before Limerick in 1651. IREVISA, John, a native of Cornwall, who was Bp. of Berkeley in Gloucestershire in the 14th centary, and tranflated the Polychronicón, in 1387. IRI, a town of Africa, in Congo. IRIDESCENT, adj. [from Iris, Lat.] in mine ralogy, optics, &c. exhibiting the colours of the rainbow. See COPPER, § V. I. tember to March raifed from feed, which is the best method for procuring varieties. It is to be fown in autumn, foon after it ripens, in a bed or border of common earth, and raked in. The plants rife in fpring, and are tranfplanted next autumn. The roots of the Florentine white iris, when dry, are fuppofed to have a pectoral virtue. They have an agreeable fmell, refembling that of violets; and hence are ufed in perfumes, and in flavouring of liquors. When recent, they have a bitter, acrid, naufeous tafte; and when taken into the body, prove strongly cathartic; on which account they have been recommended in drophies, in the dofe of 3 or 4 fcruples.-The juice of the fpecies called baftard acorus, or yellow flag flower, is alfo very acrid, and hath been found to produce plentiful evacuations from the bowels when other means had failed. For this purpose, it may be given in dofes of 80 drops every hour or two; but the degree of its acrimony is fo uncertain, that it can hardly ever come into general ufe. The fresh roots have been mixed with the food of fwine bitten by a mad dog, and they efcaped the difeafe, when others bitten by the fame dog died raving mad. Goats eat the leaves when fresh; but cows, horfes, and fwine, refuse them. Cows will eat them when dry. The roots are used in the ifland of Jura for dying black. The roots or bulbs of a fpecies growing at the Cape are roafted in the ashes, and used as food by the natives: they are called OENKJES, and have nearly the same tafte with potatoes. The Hottentots ufe the word oenkjes in the fame fenfe in which Virgil used arifa, i. e. for reckoning of time; always begin |