or Pulsation, in medicine, the reciprocal agitation or palpitation of the heart or pulse*. See BEATING Time, in music, a method of measuring and marking the time for performers in concert, by a motion of the hand or foot up and down successively and in equal times. Knowing the true time of the crotchet, and supposing the measure actually subdivided into four crotchets, and the half measure into two, the hand or foot being up, if we put it down with the very beginning of the first note or crotchet, and then raise it with the third, and then down with the beginning of the next measure; this is called beating the time; and, by practice, a habit is acquired of making this motion very equal. Each down and up is sometimes called a time, or measure. The general rule is, to contrive the division of the measure so, that every down and up of the beating shall end with a particular note, on which very much depends the distinctness, and, as it were, the sense of the melody. Hence the beginning of every time, or beating, in the measure, is reckoned the accentuated part thereof.

Beating time is denoted, in the Italian music, by the term battuta, which is usually put after what they call recitative, where little or no time is observed, to denote, that here they are to begin again to mark or beat the time exactly.

The Romans aimed at somewhat of harmony in the strokes of their oars; and had an officer called portifex in each galley, whose business was to beat time to the rowers, sometimes by a pole or mallet, and sometimes by his voice alone.

The ancients marked the rhyme in their musical compositions; but, to make it more observable in the practice, they beat the measure or time, and this in different manners. The most usual consisted in a motion of the foot, which was raised from, and struck alternately against, the ground, according to the modern method. Doing this was commonly the province of the master of the music, who was thence called, and because placed in the middle of the choir of musicians, and in an elevated situation, to be seen and heard more easily by the whole company. These beaters of measure were also called by the Greeks and by the Latins pedicula, scabilla, or scabilla, because like to little stools or foot-stools. Sometimes they beat upon sonorous foot-stools, with the foot thod with a wooden or iron sole. They beat the measure not only with the foot, but also with the right-hand, all the fingers whereof they joined together, BEA

gether, to strike into the hollow of the left. He who thus marked the rhythm, was called manuductor. The ancients also beat time or measure with shells, as oyster-shells, and bones of animals, which they struck against one another, much as the moderns now use castanets, and the like instruments. This the Greeks called *syntaxis*, as is noted by Hesychius. The scholiast on Aristophanes speaks much to the same purpose. Other noisy instruments, as drums, cymbals, citterns, &c., were also used on the same occasion. They beat the measure generally in two equal or unequal times; at least, this holds of the usual rhythm of a piece of music, marked either by the noise of sandals, or the slapping of the hands. But the other rhythmic instruments last-mentioned, and which were used principally to excite and animate the dancers, marked the cadence after another manner; that is, the number of their percussions equaled, or even sometimes surpassed, that of the different sounds which composed the air or song played.

Beating, with hunters, a term used of a stag, which runs first one way, and then another. He is then said to beat up and down. The noise made by conies in rutting time is also called beating or tapping.

navigation, the operation of making a progress at sea against the direction of the wind, in a zig-zag line, or traverse, like that in which we ascend a steep hill. See Tacking.

Beatitude, imparts the supreme good, or the highest degree of happiness human nature is susceptible of; or the most perfect state of a rational being, wherein the soul has attained to the utmost excellency and dignity it is framed for. In which sense, it amounts to the same with what we otherwise call blessedness and sovereign felicity; by the Greeks, *euphrosyne*; and by the Latins, *summum bonum, beatitudine, et beatitas*.

Beatitude, among divines, denotes the beatific vision, or the fruition of God in a future life to all eternity.

Beatitude is also used in speaking of the theses contained in Christ's sermon on the mount, whereby he pronounces blessed the poor in spirit, those that mourn, the meek, &c.