in a general sense, the uniting or putting together several things, so as to form one whole, called a compound.

Composition of Ideas, an act of the mind, whereby it unites several simple ideas into one conception or complex idea.

When we are provided with a sufficient stock of simple ideas, and have by habit and use rendered them familiar to our minds, they become the component parts of other ideas still more complicated, and form what we may call a second order of compound notions. This process may be continued to any degree of composition we please, mounting from one stage to another, and enlarging the number of combinations.

in grammar, the joining of two words together; or prefixing a particle to another word, to augment, diminish, or change its signification.

in logic, a method of reasoning, whereby we proceed from some general self-evident truth to other particular and singular ones.

In disposing and putting together our thoughts, there are two ways of proceeding equally within our choice: for we may so suppose the truths, relating to any part of knowledge, as they presented themselves to the mind in the manner of investigation; carrying on the series of proofs in a reverse order, till they at last ter- minate. minute in first principles: or beginning with these principles, we may take the contrary way; and from them deduce, by a direct train of reasoning, all the several propositions we want to establish.

This diversity in the manner of arranging our thoughts gives rise to the twofold division of method established among logicians; the one called analytic method, or the method of resolution, inasmuch as it traces things back to their source, and resolves knowledge into its first and original principles. This method stands in contradiction to the method of composition; or, as it is otherwise called, the synthetic method: for here we proceed by gathering together the several scattered parts of knowledge, and combining them into one system, in such a manner as that the understanding is enabled distinctly to follow truth through all the different stages of gradation.

music, is the art of inventing and writing airs; of accompanying them with a suitable harmony; in short, of forming a complete piece of music in all its parts.

The knowledge of melody, harmony, and its rules, is the foundation of composition. Without doubt, it is necessary to know in what manner chords should be filled, how to prepare and resolve dissonances, how to find the fundamental bass, and how to put in practice all the other minutiae of elementary knowledge; but with the mechanical rules of harmony alone, one is by no means better qualified to understand the art, and operate in the practice of composition; than to form himself for eloquence upon all the rhetorical precepts exhibited in grammar. We need not say, that besides this, it is necessary to understand the genius and compass of voices and instruments; to judge what airs may be easy, and what of difficult, execution; to observe what will, and what will not, be productive of any effect; to feel the character of different movements, as well as that of different modulations, that both may be always suitably applied; to know the different rules established by convention, by taste, by caprice, or by pedantry, as fugues, imitations, or in pieces where the subject is confined to uniform laws in its harmony, melody, rhythmus, &c. All these acquisitions are still no more than preparations for composition: but the composer must find in his own genius the sources of beautiful melody, of sublime harmony, the picturesque, and the expressive in music; he must, in short, be capable of perceiving, and of forming, the order of the whole piece; to follow the relations and aptitudes of which it is susceptible in every kind; to inflame his soul with the spirit and enthusiasm of the poet, rather than childishly amuse himself with punning in harmony, or adapting the music to each particular word. It is with reason that our musicians have given the name of words to the poems which they set to music. It appears evident from their manner of expressing them, that, in their apprehension, they seem words, and words alone. One would be tempted to imagine, particularly during some of these last years, that the rules for the formation and succession of chords have caused all the rest to be neglected or forgot; and that harmony has made no acquisitions but at the expense of what is general and essential in the musical art. All our artists know how to fill a chord with its constituent sounds, or a piece of harmony with its constituent parts; but not a soul amongst them feels a ray of composition. As to what remains, though the fundamental rules of counterpoint, or music in parts, continue till the same, they are more or less rigorous and inflexible in proportion as the parts increase in number; for according as the parts are multiplied, the difficulty of composition is heightened, and the rules are less severe.—Compositions in two parts are called duetts when the two performers sing equally; that is to say, when the subject is no further extended, but divided between them: but if the subject is in one part alone, and the subordinate harmony no more than an accompaniment, the first part is then either called a recitative or a solo; and the other an accompaniment, or continued bass, if it is a bass. It is the same case with the trio, with compositions in three, in four, or in five parts.

The name of composition is likewise given to such pieces of music themselves as are formed according to the rules of the art. For this reason the duetts, trios, quartettos, which have just been mentioned, are called compositions.

Compositions are either formed for the voice alone, or for instruments, or for voices and instruments joined. Full choruses and songs are the only compositions principally intended for the voice, though sometimes instruments are joined with it to support it. Compositions for instruments are intended to be executed by a band in the orchestra, and then they are called symphonies, concertos; or for some particular species of instruments, and then they are called pieces or sonatas.

Such compositions as are defined both for voices and instruments, have been generally divided into two capital species, viz. the sacred and the secular. The compositions defined for the church, whether psalms, hymns, anthems, or responsives, are in general distinguished by the name of church-music, and characterized by their intention to be sung with words. Secular music in general may likewise be divided into two kinds; theatrical and chamber music. Of the first kind is that used in the operas; the subdivisions of the second are endless. Solos, concertos, cantatas, songs, and airs, almost of every kind, which are not adapted to the church or the stage, may be included in the idea of chamber-music.

In general, it is thought, that sacred music requires deeper science, and a more accurate observation of rules; the secular species gives more indulgence to genius, and subsists in greater variety.

But we must here observe, that the ecclesiastical music now used, or rather profaned and murdered, amongst us, though regular in its harmony, is simple in its composition, and demands not that profound knowledge in the art, either to form or comprehend it, which Rousseau, whom till now we have followed in this article, seems to imagine. His affection can only be applicable to the church-music of Italy. That which is now established amongst us seems not to be indigenous, but transferred with the Calvinistical liturgy from Geneva; and as it is intended for popular use, it can by no means be esteemed an high exertion of the musical art: yet, however simple, it is pleasing; and, when properly performed, might elevate the soul to a degree of devotion, and even of rapture, which at present we are so far from feeling, that we rather seem to sleep or to howl, than to sing the praise of God. Perhaps our clergy may find more advantage in cultivating their farms; but they would surely feel a higher and diviner pleasure in cultivating the tastes and voices of their people. The one, however, is not incompatible with the other. An hour of relaxation in a winter evening might serve for the accomplishment of this pious purpose; and one should imagine, that, independent of religious considerations, the spirit of the craft might dictate such a measure as calculated to produce popular entertainment and gain popular affection.

In composition, the author either confines himself, as a subject, to the mere mechanical modulations and arrangements of sound; and, as his end, to the pleasure of the ear alone; or otherwise he fears a nobler height; he aspires to imitative music; he endeavours to render the hearts and souls of his auditors ductile by his art, and thus to produce the noblest emotions and most salutary effects. In the first view, it is only necessary that he should look for beautiful sounds and agreeable chords; but in the second, he ought to consider music in its conformity with the accents of the human voice, and in the expressive powers of notes harmonically combined to signify or paint such objects as are susceptible of imitation. In Rousseau's article Opera, some ideas may be found by which the art may be ennobled and elevated, by forming music into a language more powerful and pathetic than eloquence itself. See Opera.

literature, the art of forming and arranging sentiments, and cloathing them with language suitable to the nature of the subject discourse. See the articles Language, Oratory, Poetry, Dialogue, Epistle, and History.

chemistry, is the union and combination of several substances of different natures, from which a compound body results. From this union of bodies of different natures, a body is formed, of a mixed nature, which Becker and Stahl have called a mixture, and which may be called a combination, or chemical composition, to avoid the equivocal sense of the word mixture. By this last, we understand only a mere imposition of parts; and which would therefore give a very false idea of chemical composition, in which a mutual adhesion takes place between the combined substances.

painting, includes the invention as well as disposition of the figures, the choice of attitudes, &c.

Composition, therefore, consists of two parts; one of which finds out, by means of history, proper objects for a picture; and the other disposes them to advantage. See Painting.

pharmacy, the art or act of mixing divers ingredients together into a medicine so as they may assist each other's virtues, supply each other's defects, or correct any ill qualities thereof. See Pharmacy.

commerce, a contract between an insolvent debtor and his creditors, whereby the latter accept of a part of the debt in composition for the whole, and give a general acquittance accordingly.

printing, commonly termed compositing, the arranging of several types or letters in the composing-flick, in order to form a line; and of several lines ranged in order, in the galley, to make a page; and of several pages to make a form. See Printing.

COMPOSITÆ, in botany. The name of a class in Hermannus and Royen; as likewise of an order in Linnæus's fragments of a natural method, consisting in general of the plants which have the characters enumerated in the following article. A particular description of this order is given under the article Syngenesia, which includes all the compound flowers.