h priest; that is, from the year of the world 3829 to the year 3869; 131 years before Christ. The second book of the Maccabees begins with two epistles sent from the Jews of Jerusalem to the Jews of Egypt and Alexandria; to exhort them to observe the feast of the dedication of the new altar erected by Judas on his purifying the temple. The first was written in the 169th year of the era of the Seleucidae, i.e. before Christ 144; and the second in the 188th year of the same era, or 125 before Christ; and both appear to be spurious. After these epistles follows the preface of the author to his history, which is an abridgement of a larger work, composed by one Jason, a Jew of Cyrene, who wrote in Greek the history of Judas Maccabeus and his brethren, and the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son. This second book does not by any means equal the accuracy and excellency of the first. It contains a history of about 15 years, from the execution of Hchodorus's commission, who was sent by Seleucus to fetch away the treasures of the temple, to the victory obtained by Judas Maccabeus over Nicanor; that is, from the year of the world 3828, to the year 3843, 147 years before Christ.

There are in the Polyglot bibles, both of Paris and London, Syriac versions of both these books; but they, as well as the English versions which we have among the apocryphal writers in our Bibles, are derived from the Greek. There is also a third book of the Maccabees, containing the history of the persecution of Ptolemy Philopator against the Jews in Egypt, and their sufferings under it; and seems to have been written by some Alexandrian Jew in the Greek language, not long after the time of Siracides. It is in most of the ancient manuscript copies of the Greek Septuagint, particularly in the Alexandrian and Vatican, but was never inserted into the vulgar Latin version of the Bible, nor consequently into any of our English copies. Moreover, Josephus's history of the martyrs that suffered under Antiochus Epiphanes, is found in some manuscript Greek Bibles, under the name of the fourth book of the Maccabees. MACBETH, a Scots nobleman in the 11th century, nearly allied to Duncan king of Scotland.—Not contented with curbing the king's authority, he carried his pestilent ambition so far as to put him to death; and, chafing Malcolm Kenmure his son and heir into England, usurped the crown. Siward earl of Northumberland, whose daughter Duncan had married, undertook, by the order of Edward the Confessor, the protection of the fugitive prince.—He marched with an army into Scotland; defeated and killed Macbeth; and restored Malcolm to the throne of his ancestors. Shakespeare has made this transaction the subject of one of his best tragedies.

MACBRIDE (Dr David), an eminent physician and philosopher, was descended from an ancient family in the county of Galloway in Scotland. His grandfather, a clergyman, had settled in Ireland about the end of the last century, as minister to a Presbyterian congregation at Belfast; and his father, who followed the same line, was settled at Ballymoney in the county of Antrim, where he married, and where our author was born in April 1726. After a proper school-education, and having passed some time under the tuition of an eminent surgeon in his native place, he was sent to the university of Glasgow. Having there completed the usual course of academical studies, he came to Edinburgh for the further prosecution of medical science. After a short stay here, a war then prevailing between France and Britain, he was induced to go on board the navy in the station of a surgeon's mate. In the service of his country he continued for several years; and after discharging for some time the duties of an assistant, he was raised to the rank of surgeon. In this situation, he first turned his thoughts towards the discovery of a remedy for the sea-scurvy. It was not, however, at this period, that either chance or reasoning suggested to him the employment of an article which has since been attended with the most beneficial consequences. Here he had an opportunity only of observing the symptoms, of studying the nature, and of lamenting the consequences, of the disease.

The termination of the war by the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle put a period to Dr Macbride's employment as a naval surgeon. He had now probably obtained much medical knowledge in the school of experience; but he was sensible that he had still much to acquire in that of science. An ardent keenness to mingle in active life had led him from the schools of medicine at an earlier period than could have been wished; and an earnest desire to found his future practice in the best established principles led him back to them, when a judgment, matured by years, and informed from the observation of facts, rendered him capable of hearing teachers with greater advantage. He returned therefore to Edinburgh, and again entered on the career of academical pursuits, under the tuition of Dr Monro, and those other teachers, whose abilities raised the fame of the medical school at this place. But not satisfied with the instructions to be had from any one set of professors, the celebrity of the medical teachers in London led him also to visit that capital. There he particularly became the pupil of those distinguished lecturers, Dr Hunter and Dr Smellie. And while from the former he laboured to acquire an accurate surgical knowledge, from the latter he endeavoured to obtain the true principles of midwifery considered as a science. At the same time, he was no less industrious in improving himself in the successful practice of both arts by attention at hospitals.

Thus prepared for the exercise of his profession, about the end of the year 1749 he fixed his residence in Dublin in the character of surgeon and accoucheur. If amiable manners, and extensive knowledge of his profession, could alone have been sufficient introductions to practice, he might in a short time have looked for a competent share of business in that capital; but while he had to combat that objection which very generally arises from youth, his progress was also not a little retarded by an uncommon degree of modesty. Hence for several years he remained almost in a state of obscurity, and was employed by but few people either of rank or fortune. But, if it is to be regretted that for many years his time was not so fully employed in the lucrative part of his profession as was due to his merit, it ought still to be remembered, that this essentially promoted the cause of science; for by this means his genius and industry were directed to medical researches; and were productive of discoveries which will with honour transmit his name to latest posterity. These, though some of them might have been successfully turned to his own emolument, were freely communicated to the world in different publications; and he did not show greater ingenuity in making discoveries, than liberality of sentiment in publishing them for the advantage of others.—His first publication, entitled, "Experimental Essays on Medical and Philosophical Subjects," made its appearance in the year 1764.—These essays are five in number: 1. On the fermentation of alimentary mixture and the digestion of the food. 2. On the nature and properties of fixed air. 3. On the different kinds of antiseptics. 4. Of the dissolvent power of quicklime. 5. Of the seascurvy. The merit of all these is sufficiently known and acknowledged; but the last of them is unquestionably the most important; the method therein proposed of both the prevention and cure of that dreadful disease the scurvy, having been confirmed by repeated and undeniable observation.

Having thus equally distinguished himself as an ingenious philosopher and able practitioner, the world were not now slow in bestowing upon him the tribute of applause to which he was intitled. His name was enrolled with honour in the lists of many learned societies; and the university where his studies had first been commenced, were proud to confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

The reputation, however, of being a distinguished author, was to him but a secondary object; and his talents were not confined to the advancement of medicine alone. Having successfully discovered a considerable improvement in the art of tanning, with that spirited generosity which is ever the concomitant of real worth, he speedily and freely communicated it to the public, by publishing, first, "An Account of a New Method of Tanning;" and afterwards, "Instructions for carrying on the New Method of Tanning." As a mark of approbation for this liberal conduct, as well as a testimony of respect for his ingenuity, prize-medals were conferred upon him by the Societies of Arts both in London and Dublin. But his last and most MACE, an ancient weapon, formerly much used by the cavalry of all nations. It was commonly made of iron; its figure much resembles a chocolate-mill; many specimens may be seen in the Tower. It was with one of these that Walworth mayor of London knocked the rebel Wat Tyler off his horse in Smithfield for approaching the young king Richard II. in an insolent manner; and as he fell, he dispatched him with his dagger. The mace in modern times changed its form; and being no longer a war instrument, is made of copper or silver gilt, ornamented with a crown, globe, and crofs, and is now the chief insignia of authority throughout Great Britain. Similar to the ancient maces, were those slaves at the end of which iron or leaden balls armed with spikes were suspended by chains; they were till lately carried by the pioneers of the trained-bands or city militia.

Mace, in the materia medica, the second coat or covering of the kernel of the nutmeg, is a thin and membranaceous substance, of an oleaginous nature, and a yellowish colour; being met with in flakes of an inch or more in length, which are divided into a multitude of ramifications. It is of an extremely fragrant, aromatic, and agreeable flavour; and of a pleasant, but acrid oleaginous taste.

Mace is carminative, stomachic, and astringent; and possesses all the virtues of nutmeg, but has less astringency.—The oils of mace and nutmeg, whether prepared by distillation or expression, are so much of the same nature, that they may be indiscriminately used for one another on all occasions. They give ease in cholics, and often in nephritic cases, taken internally from one drop to five or six of the distilled oil, or an equal quantity of the expressed; and externally, they are of use to rub paralytic limbs: they also assist digestion; and will often stop vomitings and hiccoughs, only by being rubbed on the region of the stomach. The nurses have a custom of applying oil of mace by expression to children's navels to ease their gripes, and that often with success; and we are assured, by authors of credit, that when rubbed on the temples, it promotes sleep.