the materia medica, the juice of certain trees of the ash-kind*, either naturally concreted on the plants, or exsiccated and purified by art. There are several sorts of manna in the shops. The larger pieces, called flake manna, are usually preferred; though the smaller grains are equally good, provided they are white, or of a pale yellow colour; very light, of a sweet, not unpleasant taste, and free from any visible impurities. Some people injudiciously prefer the fat honey-like manna to the foregoing; this has either been exposed to a moist air, or damaged by sea or other water. This kind of manna is said to be sometimes counterfeited by a composition of sugar and honey mixed with a little scammony; there is also a fictitious manna, which is white and dry, said to be composed of sugar, manna, and some purgative ingredient, boiled to a proper consistence. This may be distinguished by its weight, solidity, untransparent whiteness, and by its taste, which is different from that of manna.

Manna is a mild, agreeable laxative; and may be given with safety to children and pregnant women; nevertheless, in some particular constitutions, it acts very unkindly, producing flatulencies and distensions of the viscera; these inconveniences may be prevented by the addition of any grateful warm aromatic. It operates so weakly, that it does not produce the full effect of a cathartic, unless taken in large doses; and hence it is rarely given in this intention by itself. It may be commodiously dissolved in the purging mineral waters, or joined to the cathartic salts, fennel, rhubarb, or the like. Geoffroy recommends acuating it with a few grains of emetic tartar; by this management, he says, bilious serum will be plentifully evacuated, without any nausea, gripes, or other inconvenience. It is remarkable, that the efficacy of this drug is greatly promoted (if the account of Vallifinieri is to be relied on) by a substance which is itself very slow of operation, viz. caffia. See Casia.

Manna, is also a Scripture-term, signifying a miraculous kind of food which fell from heaven for the support of the Israelites in their passage through the wilderness, being in form of coriander-seeds, its colour like that of bdellium, and its taste like honey.

The Scripture gives to manna the name of the bread of heaven, and the food of angels, Psal. Ixxviii. 25, whether it would infuinate to us, that the angels sent and prepared this food, or that angels themselves, if they had need of any food, could not have any that was more agreeable than manna was. The author of the Book of Wisdom says, xvi. 20. 21. that manna so accommodated itself to every one's taste, that every one found it pleasing to him; and that it included everything that was agreeable to the palate and fit for good nourish- The critics are divided about the original of the word manna. Some think that man is put instead of the Hebrew word mab, which signifies "What is this?" and that the Hebrews, then first seeing that new food which God had sent them, cried to one another, "Man-bu," "What is this?" Others maintain, that the Hebrews very well knew before what manna was; and that, seeing it in great abundance about their camp, they said one to another, "Man-bu," "This is manna." Mr Saumaise and some other moderns are of this last opinion. They imagine, that the manna which God sent the Israelites was nothing else but that fat and thick dew which still falls in Arabia, which presently condensed, and served for food to the people; that this is the same thing as the wild honey, mentioned Matt. iii. 4. wherewith John the Baptist was fed; and that the miracle of Moses did not consist in the production of any new substance, but in the exact and uniform manner in which the manna was dispensed by Providence for the maintenance of such a great multitude.

On the contrary, the Hebrews and Orientals believe, that the fall of the manna was wholly miraculous. The Arabians call it the sugar-plums of the Almighty; and the Jews are so jealous of this miracle, that they pronounce a curse against all such as presume to deny the interposition of a miraculous power.

Our translation, and some others, make Moses fall into a plain contradiction in relating this story of the manna, which they render thus: "And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna; for they knew not what it was." Exodus xvi. 15. Whereas the Septuagint, and several authors both ancient and modern, have translated the text according to the original, "The Israelites seeing this, said one to another, What is this? for they knew not what it was." For we must observe, that the word by which they asked, what this is? was in their language man, which signifies likewise meat ready provided; and therefore it was always afterwards called man or manna.

Whether this manna had those extraordinary qualities in it or no, which some imagine, it must be allowed to be truly miraculous, upon the following accounts. 1. That it fell but five days in the week. 2. That it fell in such a prodigious quantity, as sustained almost three millions of souls. 3. That there fell a double quantity every Friday, to serve them for the next day, which was their Sabbath. 4. That what was gathered on the first five days flunk and bred worms if kept above one day; but that which was gathered on Friday, kept sweet for two days. And, lastly, That it continued falling while the Israelites abode in the wilderness, but ceased as soon as they came out of it and had got corn to eat in the land of Canaan.

Manna-Tree, is a species of the ash, and a native of Calabria in Italy. The shoots of this tree are much shorter, and the joints closer together, than those of the common ash; the small leaves are shorter, and deeper sawed on their edges, and are of a lighter green. The flowers come out from the side of the branches, which are of a purple colour, and appear in the spring before the leaves come out. This tree is of humble growth, seldom rising more than 15 or 16 feet high in this country.

A great quantity of fine manna is gathered at Carini in Sicily, oozing from a kind of ash-tree with a bark similar to that of the ebony, and a leaf somewhat like the acacia. M. de Non*, who gives an account of this manna, says, that it is produced from young trees about seven or eight years old when they are only about eight feet high. Incisions are then made horizontally in the bark, and from these the manna flows. The incisions are made from the earth to the top of the tree, and are repeated every two days from the end of July till the circulation is stopped in the course of the year, or till the manna becomes worse in quality. It exudes first as a white frothy liquor extremely light, pleasant to the taste, and of an agreeable flavour, which is coagulated by the heat of the sun, and assumes an appearance somewhat resembling stalactites. This is the best kind, and by the people of that country is called lacrymatory or cane manna. The inferior kind appears first in the form of a glutinous and higher coloured liquor, which is received on the leaves of the Indian fig, which are placed for that purpose at the foot of the tree. This also coagulates by the heat of the sun; though it is more heavy, purgative, and of much less value, than the former. It is called fat manna: In this part only resides the faint and disagreeable flavour observable in manna; for the cane manna is of an agreeable flavour, and of an excellent stomachic. It is got off from the bark of the tree by bending and shaking it. In rainy seasons, they must gather the manna every day, which both lessens the quantity and renders it of inferior quality. When the item of the tree is entirely covered with incisions, they cut it down close to the ground; after which it pushes out new tufts of wood, one or two stems of which are preserved, and at a proper age produce manna as before. The tree itself is propagated by seed, and afterwards transplanting it. The wood is hard and heavy, of a bitter taste, and recommended in the dropsy. It thrives only in hot climates, and requires to be exposed to the north winds in order to make it productive; but M. de Non is of opinion, that it might be propagated, and would produce manna in Provence in France. The Sicilian manna is dearer and more esteemed than that of Calabria, though the latter is more generally known and cultivated. The tree does not grow in any other part of the island excepting about Carini, where it is a native.