or base, in Geometry. See BASE.

Base, in Chemistry. Any body which is dissolved by another body, which it receives and fixes, and with which it forms a compound, may be called the basis of that compound. Thus, for example, the basis of neutral salts are the alkaline, earthy, and metallic matters which are saturated by the several acids, and form with them these neutral salts. In this sense it is that these neutral salts are called salts with earthly bases. Baskerville basfs, salts with alkaline basfs, salts with metallic basfs; also the appellations basfs of alum, basfs of nitre, basfs of Glauber's salt, basfs of vitriol, &c. signify the argillaceous earth, which, with the sulphuric acid, forms alum; the vegetable alkali, which, with the nitric acid, forms nitre; the mineral alkali, which, with the sulphuric acid, forms Glauber's salt; and the metal which with the sulphuric acid, forms a fulminate; because these substances are supposed to be fixed, inactive, and only yielding to the action of the acids, which they fix, and to which they give a body and consistence.

Basis, among Physicians, denotes the principal ingredients in compound medicines.

Baskerville, John, an eminent artist, especially in letter-founding and printing, of the present century. He was born in 1706 at Woverley in Worcestershire, and was heir to an estate of about £2l. a-year; the whole of which income he allowed to his parents till their deaths. In his early years he conceived a love for fine writing and cutting in stone; and being brought up to no particular profession, he commenced writing master in Birmingham when about 20 years of age. The improvements in different manufactures there soon drew his attention, and he applied to the Japan business, which he carried on for a long time with distinguished excellence and success. In 1750 he applied himself to letter founding, the bringing of which to perfection cost him much labour and expense. In a few years he proceeded to printing: and his first work was an edition of Virgil on royal quarto, which now sells for three guineas. In a short time he obtained leave from the university of Cambridge to print a Bible in royal folio, and editions of the Common Prayer in three sizes: for which he paid a large sum to the university. He afterwards printed Horace, Terence, Catullus, Lucretius, Juvenal, Sallust, and Florus, in royal quarto; Virgil in octavo; and several books in duodecimo. He published likewise some of the English classics. The best testimonies of the merit of these performances are themselves; and Mr Baskerville's name is deservedly ranked among those who, in modern times, have brought the art of printing to its greatest perfection. Not meeting, however, with that encouragement from the bookellers which he expected, he set up his letter-founding for sale a little before his death. He died without issue in July 1776.