**Philai**, a well-known vessel made of glass, used for various purposes.

**Leyden Philai**, is a phial of glass coated on both sides with tin-foil for a considerable way up the sides, of great use in electrical experiments. The discovery that electricity may be accumulated in an apparatus of this kind, was originally made in the year 1745 by Mr Von Kleist, dean of the cathedral in Comin. But this remarkable property was first satisfactorily observed at Leyden, with a bottle containing some water which served for the inside coating, and the accidental application of the hands on the outside served for another coating. Hence a bottle coated on both sides for the purpose of being charged with electricity, has received the name of Leyden phial, or otherwise electric jar. See ELECTRICITY, p. 258.

**Phidias**, the most famous sculptor of antiquity, was an Athenian, and a contemporary of the celebrated Pericles, who flourished in the 83rd Olympiad. This wonderful artist was not only consummate in the use of his tools, but accomplished in those sciences and branches of knowledge which belong to his profession, as history, poetry, fable, geometry, optics, &c. He first taught the Greeks to imitate nature perfectly in this way; and all his works were received with admiration. They were also incredibly numerous; for it was almost peculiar to Phidias, that he united the greatest facility with the greatest perfection. His Nemesis was ranked among his first pieces: it was carved out of a block of marble, which was found in the camp of the Persians after they were defeated in the plains of Marathon. He made an excellent statue of Minerva for the Plateans; but the statue of this goddess in her magnificent temple at Athens, of which there are still some ruined remains, was an astonishing production of human art. Pericles, who had the care of this pompous edifice, gave orders to Phidias, whose prodigious talents he well knew, to make a statue of the goddess; and Phidias formed a figure of ivory and gold 39 feet high. Writers never speak of this illustrious monument of skill without raptures; yet what has rendered the name of the artist immortal, proved at that time his ruin. He had carved upon the shield of the goddess his own portrait and that of Pericles; and this was, by those that envied them, made a crime in Phidias. He was also charged with embezzling part of the materials which were designed for the statue. Upon this he withdrew to Elis, and revenged himself upon the ungrateful Athenians, by making for the Elians the Olympic Jupiter: a prodigy of art, and which was afterwards ranked among the seven wonders of the world. It was of ivory and gold; 60 feet high, and every way proportioned. "The majesty of the work did equal the majesty of the god (says Quintilian), and its beauty seems to have added lustre to the religion of the country." Phidias concluded his labours with this masterpiece: and the Elians, to do honour to his memory, erected, and appropriated to his descendants, an office, which consisted in keeping clean this magnificent image.

**Phiditia**, in Grecian antiquity, feasts celebrated with great frugality at Sparta. They were held in the public places and in the open air. Rich and poor assisted at them equally, and on the same footing; their design being to keep up peace, friendship, good understanding, and equality among the citizens great and small. It is said that those who attended this feast brought each a bushel of flour, eight measures of wine named chorus, five pounds of cheese, and two pounds and a half of figs, with some money.

**Phila**, in Mythology, one of the attributes of Venus, which distinguishes her as the mother of love, from φιλεῖν to love.

**Philadelphia**, in antiquity, were games instituted at Sardis to celebrate the union of Caracalla and Geta, the sons of Septimius Severus.

**Philadelphia**, the capital of the state of Pennsylvania in North America, situated in W. Long. 75° 8'. N. Lat. 39° 57'. It is one of the most beautiful and regular cities in the world, being of an oblong form, situated on the west bank of the river Delaware, on an extensive plain, about 118 miles (some say more) from the sea. The length of the city east and west, that is, from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, upon the original plan of Mr Penn, is about three miles, and the breadth, north and south, rather less than one mile. Not two fifths of the plot covered by the city charter is yet built. The inhabitants, however, have not confined themselves within the original limits of the city, but have built north and south along the Delaware two miles in length. The longest street is Second-street, about 700 feet from Delaware river, and parallel to it. The circumference of that part of the city which is built, if we include Kensington on the north and Southwark on the south, may be about five miles. Market-street is 100 feet wide, and runs the whole length of the city from river. Between Delaware river and Broad-street are 14 streets, nearly equidistant, running parallel with Broad-street across the city; and between Broad-street and the Schuylkill, there are nine streets equidistant from each other. Parallel to Market-street are eight other streets, running east and west from river to river, and intersecting the cross streets at right angles; all these streets are 50 feet wide, except Arch-street, which is 65 feet wide. All the streets which run north and south, except Broad-street mentioned above, are 50 feet wide. There were four squares of eight acres each, one at each corner of the city, originally reserved for public and common uses. And in the centre of the city, where Broad-street and Market-street intersect each other, is a square of ten acres, reserved in like manner, to be planted with rows of trees for public walks.

This city was founded in 1682 by the celebrated William Penn, who in October 1721 granted a charter incorporating the town with city privileges. In 1749 the dwelling-houses were computed, and found to be 2076; in 1794, they amounted to 9000. They are in general handsomely built of brick; and contain 55,000 inhabitants, composed of almost all nations and religions. Their places for religious worship are as follows: The Friends or Quakers have five, the Presbyterians six, the Episcopalians three, the German Lutherans two, the German Calvinists one, the Catholics three, the Swedish Lutherans one, the Moravians one, the Baptists one, the Universal Baptists one, the Methodists two, the Jews one.

The other public buildings in the city, besides the university, academies, &c., are the following, viz., a state-house and offices, a city court-house, a county court-house, a carpenter's hall, a philosophical society's hall, a dispensary, an hospital and offices, an almshouse, a house of correction, a public factory of linen, cotton, and woollen, a public observatory, three brick market houses, a fish-market, a public gaol.

In Philadelphia there are 324 squares, and about 34 streets, many of which are very broad, and all of them neat and elegant, lighted by 662 lamps of two branches each, and containing annually about 9000 gallons of oil. Here is a library which owed its origin to Dr Franklin, was incorporated in 1742, and now contains upwards of 12,000 volumes, besides a museum and a valuable philosophical apparatus. There is a new theatre in Chestnut-street, which was finished in 1793. The university stands on the west side of Fourth-street, and was incorporated in the year 1791, the funds of which produce annually a revenue of about £260l., and the students on an average amount to 510, 25 of whom are annually admitted to degrees. In the city and suburbs are 10 rope-walks, 13 breweries, 6 sugar-houses, 7 hair-powder manufactories, 2 rum distilleries, 15 manufactories of earthen ware, and the public mint for the whole United States. In the year 1791, the value of the exports amounted to 3,436,092 dollars, and in 1795, to 11,518,260. From August 1792 to the same month in 1793, the births amounted to 2511, and the deaths to 1497, which added to the population rather more than a thousand. There were 8060 debtors and criminals confined in the gaol from September 28th, 1782, to September 5, 1790, of which vast number only twelve died a natural death; than which nothing can be a more honourable proof the great humanity with which prisoners are there treated.

The university of Philadelphia was founded during the war. Its funds were partly given by the state, and partly taken from the old college of Philadelphia. A medical school, which was founded in 1765, is attached to the university; and has professors in all the branches of medicine, who prepare the students (whose number yearly is 50 or 60) for degrees in that science. Besides the university and medical school, there is the Protestant Episcopal academy, a very flourishing institution; the academy for young ladies; another for the Friends or Quakers, and one for the Germans, besides five free schools.

In Market-street, between Front and Fourth-streets, is the principal market, built of brick, and is 1500 feet in length. This market, in respect to the quantity, the variety, and neatness of the provisions, is not equalled in America, and perhaps not exceeded in the world.

The Philadelphians are not so social, nor perhaps so hospitable, as the people in Boston, Charlestown, and New York. Various causes have contributed to this difference: among which the most operative has been the prevalence of party-spirit, which has been and is carried to greater lengths in this city than in any other in America; yet no city can boast of so many useful improvements in manufactures, in the mechanical arts, in the art of healing, and particularly in the science of humanity. In short, whether we consider the convenient local situation, the size, the beauty, the variety and utility of the improvements, in mechanics, in agriculture, and manufactures, or the industry, the enterprise, the humanity, and the abilities, of the inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia, it merits to be viewed as the capital not only of the province, but of the flourishing empire of United America.

Several canals are let into the town, which add much to the beauty and convenience of the place. Its quay is 200 feet square, to which ships of 400 or 500 tons may come up, and lay their broadsides close to it; with wet and dry docks for building and repairing ships, besides magazines, warehouses, and all other conveniences for exporting and importing merchandise. Scarce anything can appear more beautiful than the city and the adjacent country, which for some miles may be compared to a fine and flourishing garden.

Though all our readers must unquestionably have heard of the malignant fever known by the name of yellow fever, which some years raged in Philadelphia, it will not, we trust, be thought improper if we give a short account of that dreadful malady in this place. This account we shall extract from a pamphlet written by Mr Carey.

Of this fever, then, it is observed, that, generally speaking, the mortality was not so great among women as among men, but that corrupt, high-fed, and drunken men, common prostitutes, and such of the poor as had been debilitated through the want of sufficient nourishment, and lived in dirty and confined habitations, became an easy prey to it; whilst those who resided in the suburbs, enjoying the benefit of country air, were little affected by it. A singular fact is, that the French... French residing in Philadelphia were in a remarkable degree exempt from it; a circumstance which cannot be accounted for. The report which prevailed here of the Africans having wholly escaped the disease, proves to be not altogether true, several of them having been seized. The fever, however, was found to yield more readily to medicine in them than in white persons.

We find the following account of the nature and symptoms of the disease, as described by Dr Currie, in the third edition of the pamphlet already mentioned.

"The symptoms which characterized the first stage of the fever were, in the greatest number of cases, after a chilly fit of some duration, a quick tenfe pulse; hot skin; pain in the head, back, and limbs; flushed countenance; inflamed eye, moist tongue; oppresion and tenfe of forefeet at the stomach, especially upon pressure; frequent sick quals, and retchings to vomit, without discharging anything, except the contents last taken into the stomach; coliciveness, &c. And when stools were procured, the first generally showed a defect of bile, or an obstruction to its entrance into the intestines. But brisk purges generally altered this appearance.

"These symptoms generally continued with more or less violence from one to three, four, or even five days; and then gradually abating, left the patient free from every complaint, except general debility. On the febrile symptoms suddenly subsiding, they were immediately succeeded by a yellow tinge in the opaque cornea, or whites of the eyes; an increased oppresion at the precordia, a constant puking of everything taken into the stomach, with much straining, accompanied with a hoarse hollow noise.

"If these symptoms were not soon relieved, a vomiting of matter resembling coffee-grounds in colour and consistence, commonly called the black vomit, sometimes accompanied with or succeeded by hemorrhages from the nose, fauces, gums, and other parts of the body; a yellowish purple colour, and putrefactive appearance of the whole body, hiccup, agitations, deep and distended sighing, comatose delirium, and finally death, are the consequence. When the disease proved fatal, it was generally between the fifth and eighth days.

"This was the most usual progress of this formidable disease through its several stages. There were, however, very considerable variations in the symptoms as well as in the duration of its different stages, according to the constitution and temperament of the patient, the state of the weather, the manner of treatment, &c.

"In some cases, signs of putrefaction appeared at the beginning or before the end of the third day. In these, the black vomiting, which was generally a mortal symptom, and universal yellowness, appeared early. In these cases, also, a low delirium, and great prostration of strength, were constant symptoms, and coma came on very speedily.

"In some, the symptoms inclined more to the nervous than the inflammatory type. In these, the jaundice colour of the eye and skin, and the black vomiting, were more rare. But in the majority of cases, particularly after the nights became sensibly cooler, all the symptoms indicated violent irritation and inflammatory diathesis. In these cases, the skin was always dry, and the respiration very obscure.

"The febrile symptoms, however, as has been already observed, either gave way on the third, fourth, or fifth day, and then the patient recovered; or they were soon after succeeded by a different but much more dangerous train of symptoms, by debility, low pulse, cold skin (which assumed a tawny colour, mixed with purple), black vomiting, hemorrhages, hiccup, anxiety, restlessness, coma, &c. Many who survived the eighth day, though apparently out of danger, died suddenly in consequence of a hemorrhage."

Purging the patient with calomel and jalap appears to have proved the most successful treatment; and the repeated use of the lancet, in cases where no symptoms of putridity existed. Dr Griffiths, who had been seized with the disease, "was bled seven times in five days, and attributes his recovery principally to that operation." Dr Maece also, "in five days, lost 72 ounces of blood, by which he was recovered when at the lowest stage of the disorder." It was generally remarked that an obstinate coliciveness took place at the commencement of the disease; and when this was removed, by purgatives, within the first twelve hours, the patient seldom failed to do well.

The work concludes with a list of the committee for the relief of the sick, of which our author was a member; also the names of a large number of the inhabitants who were cut off, a series of meteorological tables, and a general account of burials during the prevalence of this fatal complaint. From the latter we extract the following account:

| Month | Burials | |-----------|---------| | August | 325 | | September | 1442 | | October | 1993 | | November | 118 | | Jews, returned in grofs | 3 | | Baptists, do. | 60 | | Methodists, do. | 32 | | Free Quakers, do. | 39 | | German part of St Mary's congregation | 30 |

Total 4042

It is not difficult to conceive the general distress which such an evil must have occasioned to persons of every rank and description. Some of the most striking instances our author has related in very affecting terms; but no picture of human calamity perhaps ever exceeded the following: "A fervent girl belonging to a family in this city, in which the fever had prevailed, was apprehensive of danger, and resolved to remove to a relation's house in the country. She was, however, taken sick on the road, and returned to town, where she could find no person to receive her. One of the guardians of the poor provided a cart, and took her to the almshouse, into which she was refused admittance. She was brought back, and the guardian offered five dollars to procure her a single night's lodging, but in vain. And in fine, after every effort made to provide her shelter, she absolutely expired in the cart."

We cannot dismiss the present article, though it has already extended to a sufficient length, without giving our readers an account of a very extraordinary people who live within 50 miles of Philadelphia; where there is a little town or colony, particularly remarkable on account of its origin and the manners of the people by whom it is inhabited. It was founded by a German, who, weary of the world, returned into the country that he might be more at liberty to give himself up to contemplation. Curiosity brought several of his countrymen to visit his retreat; and by degrees his pious, simple, and peaceable manners, induced them to settle near him; when they all formed a little colony, which they called Euphrates, in allusion to the Hebrews, who used to sing psalms on the borders of that river.

This little town forms a triangle, the outsides of which are bordered with mulberry and apple trees planted with great regularity; and its inhabitants, we know not for what reason, are called Dumplers. In the middle of the town is a very large orchard, and between the orchard and those ranges of trees are houses built of wood, three stories high, where every Dumper is left to enjoy the pleasures of his meditation without disturbance. These contemplative men do not amount to above 500; and the extent of their territory is about 250 acres, bounded by a river, a piece of stagnated water, and a mountain covered with trees.

The men and women live in separate quarters of the town, and never see each other but at places of worship; for among the Dumplers there are no assemblies of any kind, but for public buffets. Their lives are spent in labour, prayer and sleep. Twice every day and night they are called forth from their cells to attend divine service. Like the Methodists and Quakers, every individual among them has the right of preaching when he thinks himself inspired. The favourite subjects on which they discourse in their assemblies, are humility, temperance, chastity, and the other Christian virtues. They never violate that day of repose which all orders of men, whether idle or luxurious, much delight in. They admit a hell and a paradise; but reject the eternity of future punishments. They abhor the doctrine of original sin as an impious blasphemy; and, in general, every tenet that is severe to men appears to them injurious to the Divinity. As they do not allow merit to any but voluntary works, they administer baptism only to the adult; at the same time, they think baptism so essentially necessary to salvation, that they imagine the souls of Christians in another world are employed in converting those who have not died under the law of the Gospel. In this ridiculous opinion we have known Christians of other denominations, and who boasted a higher antiquity, that agreed with them.

Still more disinterested than the Quakers, they never enter into any law-suit. One may cheat, rob, and abuse them, without being exposed to any retaliation, or even to any complaint from them. On them religion has the same effect that philosophy had upon the Stoics: it makes them insensible to every kind of insult.

Nothing can be plainer than their dress. In winter it is a long white gown, from which there hangs a hood, which serves instead of a hat, a coarse flint, thick shoes, and very wide breeches. The women are dressed very much like the men, except that they have no breeches. Their common food consists wholly of vegetables; not because it is unlawful to eat any other, but because that kind of abstinence is looked upon as more conformable to the spirit of Christianity, which has an aversion from blood.

Each individual follows with cheerfulness the branch of business allotted him; and the produce of all their labours is deposited in a common stock, for the use of Philadelphia. This union of industry has not only civilized agriculture, manufactures, and all the arts necessary for the support of this little society, but hath also supplied, for the purposes of exchange, superfluities proportioned to the degree of its population.

Though the two sexes live separate at Euphrates, the Dumplers do not on that account foolishly renounce matrimony; but those who find themselves disposed to it, leave the town, and form an establishment in the country, which is supported at the public expense. They repay this by the produce of their labours, which is all thrown into the public treasury; and their children are sent to be educated in Euphrates, which they consider as their mother-country.—Without this wise privilege, the Dumplers would be no better than monks; and in process of time they would become either savages or libertines. They are at present an innocent, though perhaps deluded, race.