(Cains),** furred named Codrus, and afterwards Scævola, was one of the illustrious Roman family of the Mutians, and rendered his name famous in the war between Porfenna king of Tuscany and the Romans. That prince resolving to restore the family of Tarquin the Proud, went to besiege Rome 507 B.C. Mutius resolved to sacrifice himself for the safety of his country; and boldly entering the enemy's camp, killed Porfenna's secretary, whom he took for Porfenna himself. Being seized and brought before Porfenna, he told him boldly, that 300 young men like himself had sworn to murder him; but since this hand has missed thee, continued he, it must be punished; then putting his right hand on the burning coals, he let it burn with such a constancy as amazed the beholders. The king, amazed at the intrepidity of this young Roman, ordered that he should have his freedom and return to Rome, and soon after concluded a peace with the Romans. From this action Mutius obtained the surname of Scævola, or "left-handed," which was enjoyed by his family.

**Mutius Scævola (Q.),** furred named the Augur, was an excellent civilian, and instructed Cicero in the laws. He was made praetor in Asia; was afterwards consul, and performed very important services for the republic.

He ought not to be confounded with Quintus Mu-tius Scævola, another excellent civilian, who was praetor in Asia, tribune of the people, and at length consul, 95 B.C. He governed Asia with such prudence and equity, that his example was proposed to the governors who were sent into the provinces. Cicero says, "that he was the most eloquent orator of all the civilians, and the most able civilian of all the orators." He was assassinated in the temple of Vesta, during the wars of Marius and Sylla, 82 B.C.

**Mutton,** the common name of the flesh of a sheep after the animal has been killed. Mutton has been commonly preferred to all the fleashes of quadrupeds. And indeed, besides its being more perfect, it has the advantage over them of being more generally suited to different climates: whereas beef, e.g. requires a very nice intermediate state, which it seems to enjoy chiefly in England; for although Scotland supplies what are reckoned the best cattle, it is in the rich English pastures that they are brought to perfection. Now the sheep can be brought almost to the same perfection in this bleak northern region as in the southern countries.

**Mutilule,** in architecture, a kind of square modillion set under the corniche of the Doric order.

**Muzzle** of a Gun or Mortar, the extremity at which the powder and ball is put in; and hence the muzzle-ring is the metallic circle or moulding that surrounds the mouth of the piece.

**Mya,** in zoology; a genus belonging to the order of vermes testacea, the characters of which are these. It has a bivalve shell gaping at one end; the hinge, for the most part, furnished with a thick, strong, and broad tooth, not inserted into the opposite valve. Its animal is an Ascidia. The most remarkable species are,

1. The declivis, or sloping mya, with a brittle half-transparent shell, with a hinge slightly prominent near the open, and sloping downwards. It is frequent about the Hebrides; the fish eaten by the gentry.

2. The mya pictorum, hath an oval brittle shell, with a single longitudinal tooth like a lamina in one shell, and two in the other; the breadth is a little above two inches, the length one. It inhabits rivers; the shells are used to put water-colours in, whence the name. Otters feed on this and the other fresh-water shells.

3. The margaritifera, or pearl mya, hath a very thick, coarse, opaque shell; often much decorticated; oblong, bending inward on one side, or arcuated; black on the outside; usual breadth from five to six inches, length two and a quarter. It inhabits great rivers, especially those which water the mountainous parts of Great Britain. See Plate CLXXVI. fig. 18.

This shell is noted for producing quantities of pearl. There have been regular fisheries for the sake of this precious article in several of our rivers. Sixteen have been found within one shell. They are the diet of the fish, analogous to the stone in the human body. On being squeezed, they will eject the pearl, and often cast it spontaneously in the sand of the stream. The Conway was noted for them in the days of Cambden. A notion also prevails, that Sir Richard Wynne of Gwydir, chamberlain to Catharine queen to Charles II. presented her majesty with a pearl (taken in this river) which is to this day honoured with a place in the regal crown. They are called by the Welsh cregin dilwys, or "deluge shells," as if left there by the flood. The Irn in Cumberland was also productive of them. The famous circumnavigator, Sir John Hawkins, had a patent for fishing in that river. He had observed pearls plentiful in the Straits of Magellan, and flattered himself with being enriched by procuring them within his own island. In the last century, several of great size were gotten in the rivers of the counties of Tyrone and Donegal in Ireland. One that weighed 36 carats was valued at 40l.; but being foul, lost much of its worth. Other single pearls were sold for 4l. 10s. and even for 10l. The last was sold a second time to Lady Glenlealy, who put it into a necklace, and refused 80l. for it from the duchess of Ormond.

Suetonius reports, that Caesar was induced to undertake his British expedition for the sake of our pearls; and that they were so large that it was necessary to use the hand to try the weight of a single one. Mr Pennant supposes that Caesar only heard this by report; and that the crystalline balls called mineral pearl, were mistaken for them. We believe that Cæsar was disappointed of his hope; yet we are told that he brought home a buckler made with British pearl, which he dedicated to, and hung up in, the temple of Venus Genetrix: a proper offering to the goddess of beauty, who sprung from the sea. It may not be improper to mention, that notwithstanding the classics honour our pearl with their notice, yet they report them to have been small and ill-coloured, an imputation that in general they are still liable to. Pliny says, that a red small kind was found about the Thracian Bolphorus, in a shell called myas; but does not give it any mark to ascertain the species.