fabulous history, a famous king of Phrygia, who having received Bacchus with great magnificence, that god, out of gratitude, offered to grant him whatever he should ask. Midas desired that every thing he touched should be changed into gold. Bacchus consented; and Midas, with extreme pleasure, everywhere found the effects of his touch. But he had soon reason to repent of his folly: for wanting to eat and drink, the aliments no sooner entered his mouth than they were changed into gold. This obliged him to have recourse to Bacchus again, to beseech him to restore him to his former state; on which the god ordered him to bathe in the river Pactolus, which from thenceforward had golden sands. Some time after, being chosen judge between Pan and Apollo, he gave another instance of his folly and bad taste, in preferring Pan's music to Apollo's; on which the latter being enraged, gave him a pair of asses' ears. This Midas attempted to conceal from the knowledge of his subjects: but one of his servants saw the length of his ears, and being unable to keep the secret, yet afraid to reveal Morgagni. His parents, who were in easy circumstances, allowed him to follow that course in life his genius dictated. He began his studies at the place of his nativity; but soon after removed to Bologna, where he obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine, when he had but just reached the 16th year of his age. Here his peculiar taste for anatomy found an able preceptor in Valvata, who bestowed on him the utmost attention; and such was the progress he made under this excellent master, that at the age of 20 he himself taught anatomy with high reputation. Soon, however, the fame of his predictions, and the number of his pupils, excited the jealousy of the public professors, and gave rise to vindictive persecutions. But his abilities and prudence gained him a complete triumph over his enemies; and all opposition to him was finally terminated from his being appointed by the senate of Bologna to fill a medical chair, which soon became vacant. But the duties of this office, although important, neither occupied the whole of his time, nor satisfied his anxious desire to afford instruction. He still continued to labour in secret on his favourite subject, and soon after communicated the fruits of these labours to the public in his *Adversaria Anatomica*, the first of which was published in the year 1706, the second and third in 1717, and the three others in 1719. The publication of this excellent work spread the fame of Morgagni far beyond the limits of the state of Bologna. Such was his reputation, that the wise republic of Venice had no hesitation in making him an offer of the second chair of the theory of medicine in the university of Padua, then vacant by the death of M. Molinetti; and, to ensure his acceptance, they doubled the emoluments of that appointment. While he was in this department, he published his treatise, entitled *Nova Institutionum medicarum idea*, which first appeared at Padua in the year 1712. From this work his former reputation suffered no diminution. And soon after he rose, by different steps, to be first professor of anatomy in that celebrated university. Although Morgagni was thus finally settled at Padua, yet he gave evident proofs of his gratitude and attachment to Bologna, which he considered as his native country with respect to the sciences. He exerted his utmost efforts in establishing the academy of Bologna, of which he was one of the first associates; and he enriched their publications with several valuable and curious papers. Soon after this, the Royal Societies of London and Paris received him among their number. Not long after the publication of his *Adversaria Anatomica*, he began, much upon the same plan, his *Epistolae Anatomicae*, the first of which is dated at Padua in the beginning of April 1726. The works of Morgagni which have already been mentioned, are to be considered, in a great measure, as strictly anatomical: but he was not more eminent as an anatomist, than as a learned and successful physician. In the year 1760, when he was not far distant from the 80th year of his age, he published his large and valuable work *De caufis et sedibus morborum per anatomen indagatis*. This last and most important of all his productions will afford convincing evidence of his industry and abilities to latest posterity. Besides these works, he published, at different periods of his life, several miscellaneous pieces, which were afterwards collected into one volume, and printed under his own eye at Padua, in the year 1765. It does not appear that he had in view any future publications; but he intended to have favoured the world with a complete edition of all his works, which would probably have been augmented with many new observations. In this he was engaged when, on the 5th of December 1771, after he had nearly arrived at the 90th year of his age, death put a period to his long and glorious career in the learned world.

**MORGANA**, or **MORGAGNA, Fata**. See **FATA**.

**MORGES**, a town of Switzerland in the canton of Berne, a place of some trade, and situated on the lake of Geneva, five miles from Lausanne. E. Long. 6° 42'. N. Lat. 46° 29'.

**MORGO**, anciently **Amorgos**, an island in the Archipelago, which produces wine, oil, and corn. It is well cultivated, and the inhabitants are affable, and generally of the Greek church. The best parts belong to a monastery. The greatest inconvenience in this island is the want of wood. It is 30 miles in circumference. E. Long. 26° 15'. N. Lat. 36° 30'.

**MORIAH**, one of the eminences of Jerusalem; on which Abraham went to offer his son, and David wanted to build the temple, which was afterwards executed by Solomon: The threshing floor of Araunah; originally narrow, so scarce to contain the temple, but enlarged by means of ramparts; and surrounded with a triple wall, so as to add great strength to the temple, (Josephus). It may be considered as a part of Mount Sion, to which it was joined by a bridge and gallery, (Id.)

**MORILLES**, a kind of mushroom, about the size of a walnut, pierced with holes like a honeycomb, and said to be good for creating an appetite. It is often used in sauces and ragouts.

**MORINA**, a genus of plants belonging to the *andria clas*; and in the natural method ranking under the 48th order, *Aggregate*. See **Botany Index**.

**MORINORUM CASTELLUM**, in *Ancient Geography*, simply *Castellum* (Antonine); situated on an eminence, with a spring of water on its top, in the territory of the Morini. Now *Mont Cofel*, in Flanders.

**MORINDA**, a genus of plants belonging to the *pentandra clas*, and in the natural method ranking under the 48th order, *Aggregate*. See **Botany Index**.

**MORISON, ROBERT**, physician and professor of botany at Oxford, was born at Aberdeen in 1620, bred at the university there, and taught philosophy for some time in it; but having a strong inclination to botany, made great progress in that science. The civil wars obliged him to leave his country; which, however, he did not do till he had first signalized his zeal for the interest of the king, and his courage, in a battle fought between the inhabitants of Aberdeen and the Presbyterian troops on the bridge of Aberdeen, in which he received a dangerous wound on the head. As soon as he was cured of it, he went into France; and fixing at Paris, he applied assiduously to botany and anatomy. He was introduced to the duke of Orleans, who gave him the direction of the royal gardens at Blois. He exercised the office till the death of that prince, and afterwards went over to England in 1660. Charles II., to whom the duke of Orleans had presented him at Blois, sent for him to London, and gave him the title of... veal it from apprehension of the king's resentment, he opened a hole in the earth, and after he had whispered there that Midas had the ears of an ass, he covered the place as before, as if he had buried his words in the ground. On that place, as the poets mention, grew a number of reeds, which when agitated by the wind uttered the same sound that had been buried beneath, and published to the world that Midas had the ears of an ass. Some explain the fable of the ears of Midas, by the supposition that he kept a number of informers and spies, who were continually employed in gathering every seditious word that might drop from the mouths of his subjects. Midas, according to Strabo, died of drinking bull's hot blood. This he did, as Plutarch mentions, to free himself from the numerous ill dreams which continually tormented him. Midas, according to some, was son of Cybele. He built a town which he called Ancyra.

Ear-shell. See Haliotis, Conchology Index.

MID-HEAVEN, the point of the ecliptic that culminates, or in which it cuts the meridian.