or quickset hedge, among gardeners, denotes all live hedges of whatever sort of plants they are composed, to distinguish them from dead hedges: but in a more strict sense of the word, it is restrained to those planted with the hawthorn, under which name these young plants, or sets, are sold by the nursery-gardeners who raise them for sale.

**QUICKSILVER.** See Chemistry, p. 85.

**QUIETISTS,** a religious sect, which made a great noise towards the close of the last century.

They were so called from a kind of absolute rest and inaction, which they supposed the soul to be in when arrived at that state of perfection which they called the unitive life; in which state, they imagined the soul wholly employed in contemplating its God, to whose influence it was entirely submissive, so that he could turn and drive it where and how he would. In this state, the soul no longer needs prayers, hymns, &c., being laid, as it were, in the bosom, and between the arms of its God, in whom it is in a manner swallowed up.

The Mahometans seem to be no strangers to quietism. They expound a passage in the seventieth chapter of the Koran, viz. *O thou soul, which art at rest, return unto thy Lord,* &c. of a soul, which having, by pursuing the concatenation of natural causes, raised itself to the knowledge of that Being which produced them, and exists of necessity, rests fully contented, and acquiesces in the knowledge, &c. of him, and in the contemplation of his perfections.

**QUILLS,** the large feathers taken out of the end of the wing of a goose, crow, &c.

Quills are denominated from the order in which they are fixed in the wing, the second and third quills being the best for writing, as they have the largest and roundest barrels.

In order to harden a quill that is soft, thrust the barrel into hot ashes, stirring it till it is soft; then taking it out, press it almost flat upon your knee with the back of a penknife, and afterwards reduce it to a roundness with your fingers. If you have a number to harden, set water and alum over the fire; and while it is boiling put in a handful of quills, the barrels only, for a minute, and then lay them by.

**QUINCE,** in botany. See Pyrus.

**QUINCUNX,** in Roman antiquity, denotes any thing that consists of five twelfth-parts of another, but particularly of the as.

**QUINDECAGON,** in geometry, a plain figure with fifteen sides and fifteen angles.

**QUINDECEMVIRI,** in Roman antiquity, a college of fifteen magistrates, whose business it was to preside over the sacrifices.

They were also the interpreters of the Sibyl's books; which, however, they never consulted but by an express order of the senate.

**QUINQUAGENARIUS,** in Roman antiquity, an officer who had the command of fifty men.

**QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY,** Shrove Sunday, so called as being about the fiftieth day before Easter.

**QUINQUATRIA,** in Roman antiquity, festivals celebrated in honour of Minerva, with much the same ceremonies as the panathenaia were at Athens.

**QUINQUEFOLIUM,** in botany. See Potentilla.

**QUINQUENNALIS,** in Roman antiquity, a magistrate in the colonies and municipal cities of that empire, who had much the same office as the edile at Rome.

**QUINQUEREMIS,** in antiquity, a galley with five rows of oars.

**QUINQUEVIRI,** in Roman antiquity, an order of five priests, peculiarly appointed for the sacrifices to the dead, or celebrating the rites of Erebus.

**QUINQUINA.** See Cinchona.

**QUINTESSENCE,** in chemistry, a preparation consisting of the essential oil of some vegetable substance mixed and incorporated with spirit of wine.

**QUINTESSENCE,** in alchemy, is a mysterious term, signifying the fifth, or last and highest essence of power or a natural body.

**QUINTILE,** in astronomy, an aspect of the planets, when they are 72 degrees distant from one another, or a fifth part of the zodiac.

**QUINTILIANS,** a sect of ancient heretics, thus called from their prophetess Quintilia. In this sect the women were admitted to perform the sacerdotal and episcopal functions. They attributed extraordinary gifts to Eve for having first eaten of the tree of knowledge; told great things of Miriam the sister of Moses, as having been a prophetess, &c.: They added that Philip the deacon had four daughters who were all prophetesses, and were of their sect. In these assemblies it was usual to see the virgins entering in white robes, perforating prophetesses.

**QUINZY,** Quinsey, or Anglina. See Medicine, p. 84.

**QUIRE** of paper, the quantity of 24 or 25 sheets.

**QUIRINALIA,** in antiquity, a feast celebrated among the Romans in honour of Romulus, who was called Quirinus. These feasts were held on the 13th of the kalends of March.

**QUIRITES,** in antiquity, a name given to the people of Rome, chiefly the common citizens, as distinguished from the soldiery.

**QUOIN,** or Coin, on board a ship, a wedge fastened on the deck close to the breech of the carriage of a gun, to keep it firm up to the ship-side.

Cantico quoins are short three-legged quoins put between casings to keep them steady.

**Quoins,** in architecture, denote the corners of brick or stone walls. The word is particularly used for the stones in the corners of brick-buildings. When these stand out beyond the brick-work, their edges being chamfered off, they are called rustic quoins.

**QUOTIDIAN,** in medicine. See Medicine, p. 62.

**QUOTIENT,** in arithmetic. See Arithmetic, p. 376.

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**RAAB,** a city of Lower Hungary, situated at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Raab, and subject to the house of Austria: E. long. 18°, N. lat. 48°.

**RABBI,** or Rabbins, a title which the Pharisees and doctors tors of the law among the Jews assumed, and literally signifies masters, or excellents.

There were several gradations before they arrived at the dignity of a rabbin, which was not conferred till they had acquired the profoundest knowledge of the law and the traditions. It does not however appear, that there was any fixed age, or previous examination necessary; but when a man had distinguished himself by his skill in the written and oral law, and passed through the subordinate degrees, he was saluted a rabbin by the public voice.

Among the modern Jews, for near seven hundred years past, the learned men retain no other title than that of rabbi, or rabbins; they have great respect paid them, have the first places or seats in their synagogues, determine all matters of controversy, and frequently pronounce upon civil affairs; they have even a power to excommunicate the disobedient.