anciently Colchis, a part of Western Georgia, in Asia; bounded on the east by Iberia, or Georgia properly so called; on the west, by the Euxine Sea; on the south, by Armenia, and part of Pontus; and on the north, by Mount Caucasus.

Colchis, or Mingrelia, is watered by a great many rivers; as the Corax, the Hippus, the Cynaeus, the Charidrus, the Phasis, where the Argonauts landed, the Abarus, the Ciffa, and the Ophis, all emptying themselves into the Euxine Sea. The Phasis does not spring from the mountains in Armenia, near the sources of the Euphrates, the Araxes, and the Tigris, as Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, Dionysius, and after them Arrian, Reland, Calmet, and Sanfion, have falsely asserted; but rises in Mount Caucasus; and flows not from south to north, but from north to south, as appears from the map of Colchis or Mingrelia in Thevenot's collection, and the account which Sir John Chardin gives of that country. This river forms in its course a small island called also Phasis; whence the pheasants, if Herodorus is to be credited, were first brought to Europe, and thence called by the Greeks Phasian. The other rivers of Colchis are considerable.

The whole kingdom of Colchis was in ancient times very pleasant and fruitful, as it is still where duly cultivated; abounded in all the necessaries of life; and was enriched with many mines of gold, which gave occasion to the fable of the Golden Fleece and the Argonautic expedition so much celebrated by the ancients. Sir John Chardin tells us, that this country extends above 100 miles in length and 60 in breadth; being not near so extensive as the ancient Colchis, which reached from the frontiers of Iberia or Georgia Proper, westward to the Palus Maeotis: that it is beautifully diversified with hills, mountains, valleys, woods, and plains, but badly cultivated: that there are all the kinds of fruits which are found in England, growing wild, but tasteless and insipid for want of culture: that, if the natives understood the art of making wines, those of this country would be the finest in the world: that there are many rivers which have their source in Mount Caucasus, particularly the Phasis, now called the Rioni: that the country abounds in beves, hogs, wild bears, flags, and other venison; and in partridges, pheasants, and quails: that falcons, eagles, pelicans, lions, leopards, tigers, wolves, and jackals, breed on Mount Caucasus, and sometimes greatly annoy the country: that the people are generally handsome, the men strong and well made, and the women very beautiful; but both sexes very vicious and debauched: that they marry their nieces, aunts, or other relations, indifferently; and take two or three wives if they please, and as many concubines as they will: that they not only make a common practice of selling their children, but even murder them, or bury them alive, when they find it difficult to bring them up: that the common people use a sort of paste, made of a plant called gum, instead of bread; but that of the better sort consists of wheat, barley, or rice: that the gentry have an absolute power over their vassals, which extends to life, liberty, and estate: that their arms are the bow and arrow, the lance, the sabre or broadsword, and the buckler: that they are very nasty; and eat sitting crook-legged upon a carpet, like the Persians; but the poorer sort upon a mat or bench, in the same posture:

MINIATURE-PAINTING;

A delicate kind of painting, consisting of little points or dots; usually done on vellum, ivory, or paper, with very thin, simple water-colours.—The word comes from the Latin minium, "red-lead;" that being a colour much used in this kind of painting. The French frequently call it mignature, from mignon, "fine, pretty," on account of its smallness and delicacy; and it may be ultimately derived from μικρός "small."