the capital of the palatinate of Mscyflaw in Poland, situated on the frontiers of Muscovy; E. long. 31° 30', and N. lat. 54° 34'.

**Mucilage**, in pharmacy, is in general any viscid and glutinous liquor.

**Mucilage** also imports the liquor which principally serves to moisten the ligaments and cartilages of the articulations; and is supplied by the mucilaginous glands.

**Mucor**, in botany, a genus of the cryptogamic fungi class. It consists of small bladders, containing numerous seeds. There are twelve species, seven of them natives of Britain.

**Mucro cordis**, in anatomy, the lower or pointed end of the heart.

**Mucus**, a mucilaginous liquor separated by the mucous glands and the nostrils. See **Anatomy**.

**Muer**, a town of Germany, in the circle of Austria, and duchy of Stiria, situated on the river Muer, twenty-five miles north west of Gruz.

**Muffle**, in Chemistry. See **Chemistry**, p. 109.

**Mufti**, the chief of the ecclesiastical order, or primate of the mufelman religion. The authority of the mufti is very great in the Ottoman empire; for even the sultan himself, if he would preserve any appearance of religion, cannot, without hearing his opinion, put any person to death, or so much as inflict any corporal punishment. In all actions, especially criminal ones, his opinion is required, by giving him a writing, in which the case is stated, under feigned names; which he subscribes with the words, He shall, or shall not be punished. Such outward honour is paid to the mufti, that the grand seignior himself rises up to him, and advances seven steps to meet him, when he comes into his presence. He alone has the honour of kissing the sultan's left shoulder, whilst the prime vizier kisses only only the hem of his garment. When the grand seignior addresses any writing to the mufti, he gives him the following titles, "To the efad, the wildest of the wife, instructed in all knowledge, the most excellent of excellents, abstaining from things unlawful, the spring of virtue and true science, heir of the prophetic doctrines, resolver of the problems of faith, revealer of the orthodox articles, key of the treasures of truth, the light to the doubtful allegories, strengthened with the grace of the supreme legislator of mankind, may the most high God perpetuate thy virtues." The election of the mufti is solely in the grand seignior, who presents him with a vest of rich fables, &c. If he is convicted of treason, or any great crime, he is put into a mortar, kept for that purpose in the Seven Towers at Constantinople, and pounded to death.