in natural history. See Chemistry, n° 153, 205, 250, 214. See also Metallurgy, and Quicksilver.

The use of mercury in medicine seems to have been little known before the 15th century. The ancients looked upon it as a corrosive poison, though of itself perfectly void of acrimony, taste, and smell; there are examples of its having been lodged for years in cavities both of bones and fleshy parts, without its having injured or affected them. Taken into the body in its crude state, and undivided, it passes through the intestines unchanged, and has not been found to produce any considerable effect. It has indeed been recommended in asthmas and disorders of the lungs; but the virtues attributed to it in these cases have not been warranted by experience.

Notwithstanding the mildness and inactivity of crude quicksilver undivided; when resolved by fire into the form of fume, or otherwise divided into very minute particles, and prevented from re-uniting by the interposition of proper substances, or combined with mineral acids, it has very powerful effects; affording the most violent poisons, and the most excellent remedies, that we are acquainted with.

The mercurial preparations, either given internally or introduced into the habit by external application, seem to liquify all the juices of the body, even those in the minutest and most remote vessels; and may be so managed as to promote excretion through all the emunctories. Hence their common use in inveterate chronic disorders proceeding from a thickness and sluggishness of the humours, and obstinate obstructions of the excretory glands; in scrophulous and cutaneous diseases; and in the venereal lues. If their power is not restrained by proper additions to certain emunctories, they tend chiefly to affect the mouth; and, after having fused the juices in the remoter parts, occasion a plentiful evacuation of them from the salival glands.

The salutary effects of mercurials do not depend on the quantity of sensible evacuation. This medicine may be gradually introduced into the habit, so as, without occasioning any remarkable discharge, to be productive of very happy effects. To answer this purpose, it should be given in very small doses, in conjunction with such substances as determine its action to the kidneys or the pores of the skin. By this method inveterate cutaneous and venereal distempers have been cured, without any other sensible excretion than a gentle increase of perspiration or urine. Where there are ulcers in any part, they discharge for some time a very fetid matter, the quantity of which becomes gradually less. Mercury, lefs, and at length the ulcer kindly heals. If the mercury should at any time, from cold or the like, affect the mouth, it may be restrained by omitting a dose, and, by warmth or suitable medicines, promoting the perspiration.

the heathen mythology. See Hermes.

Most of the actions and inventions of the Egyptian Mercury have likewise been ascribed to the Grecian, who was said to be the son of Jupiter and Maia, the daughter of Atlas. No one of all the heathen divinities had so many functions allotted to him as this god: he had constant employment both day and night, having been the common minister and messenger of the whole Pantheon; particularly of his father Jupiter, whom he served with indefatigable labour, and sometimes indeed in a capacity of no very honourable kind. Lucian is very pleasant upon the multitude of his avocations; and, according to the confession of the emperor Julian, Mercury was no hero, but rather one who inspired mankind with wit, learning, and the ornamental arts of life, than with courage. The pious emperor, however, omits some of his attributes; for this god was not only the patron of trade, but also of theft and fraud.

Amphion is said, by Pausanias, to have been the first that erected an altar to this god; who, in return, invested him with such extraordinary powers of music (and masonry), as to enable him to fortify the city of Thebes in Boeotia, by the mere sound of his lyre.

Horace gives us the best part of his character.

Thou god of wit, from Atlas sprung, Who by persuasive power of tongue, And graceful exercise, refin'd The savage race of human kind, Hail! winged messenger of Jove, And all th' immortal pow'rs above. Sweet parent of the bending lyre, Thy praise shall all its sounds inspire. Artful and cunning to conceal What'er in sportive theft you steal, When from the god who gilds the pole, E'en yet a boy, his herds you stole; With angry voice the threat'ning pow'r Bad thee thy fraudulent prey restore; But of his quiver too beguiled, Pleas'd with the theft, Apollo smil'd. You were the wealthy Priam's guide, When safe from Agamemnon's pride, Through hostile camps, which round him spread Their wasteful fires, his way he sped. Unposed spirit, nor confine To blissful seats and joys divine; And, pow'rful, with thy golden wand, The light, unbodied crowd command: Thus grateful does thy office prove To gods below, and gods above.

Francis.

This ode contains the substance of a very long hymn to Mercury, attributed to Homer. Almost all the ancient poets relate the manner in which the Grecian Mercury discovered the lyre; and tell us that it was an instrument with seven strings; a circumstance which makes it essentially different from that said to have been invented by the Egyptian Mercury, which had but three. However, there have been many claimants besides Mercury to the seven-stringed lyre. See Lyre.

His most magnificent temple was on mount Cyllene, in Arcadia. He is described by the poets as a fair beardless youth, with flaxen hair, lively blue eyes, and a smiling countenance. He has wings fixed to his cap and sandals, and holds the caduceus (or staff surrounded with serpents with two wings on the top) in his hand; and is frequently represented with a purse, to show that he was the god of gain. The animals sacred to him were the dog, the goat, and the cock. In all the sacrifices offered to him, the tongues of the victims were burnt; and those who escaped imminent danger, sacrificed to him a calf with milk and honey.

Mercury, § in astronomy. See Astronomy, n° 4, 20, 44, 108, 112.

heraldry, a term used in blazoning by planets, for the purple colour used in the arms of sovereign princes.