situated about 10 leagues off the coast of the county of Waterford, and province of Munster in Ireland, is a great fishing place, and 11 leagues S. S. E. from the high head of Dungarvan. It abounds with cod, ling, skate, bream, whiting, and other fish; which was discovered by Mr Doyle, who on July 15, 1736 failed to it, in company with seven men, on board the Nymph, a small vessel of about 12 tons. This place is well adapted for a fishing company, the great public advantages of which must be very evident.

NYMPHÆ, in Anatomy, two membranaceous parts, situated on each side the rima. See ANATOMY Index.

NYMPHÆA, the WATER-LILY; a genus of plants belonging to the polyandria clas, and in the natural method ranking under the 54th order, Mifcellanea. See BOTANY Index.

NYMPHÆA (amongst the ancients), doubtful what structures they were; some take them to have been grottoes, deriving their name from the statues of the nymphs with which they were adorned; but that they were considerable works appears from their being executed by the emperors, (Ammian, Victor, Capitolinus) or by the city prefects. In an inscription, the term is written nymphum. None of all these nymphæa has lasted down to our time. Some years since, indeed, a square building of marble was discovered between Naples and Vesuvius, with only one entrance, and some steps that went down to it. On the right hand as you enter, towards the head, there is a fountain of the purest water; along which, by way of guard, as it were, is laid a naked Arctus of the whitest marble; the bottom or ground is of variegated marble, and encompassed with a canal fed by the water from the fountain: the walls are set round with shells and pebbles of various colours; by the setting of which, as by fo many strokes in a picture, are expressed the 12 months of the year, and the four political virtues; also the rape of Proserpine; Pan playing on his reed, and feeding his flock; besides the representations of nymphs swimming, sailing, and wanting on fishes, &c.

It seems pretty evident that the nymphæa were public baths; for at the same time that they were furnished with pleasing grottoes, they were also supplied with cooling streams, by which they were rendered exceedingly delightful, and drew great numbers of people to frequent them. Silence seems to have been a particular requisite there, as appears by this inscription, Nymphis loci, bile, lava, tace. That building between Naples and Vesuvius, mentioned above, was certainly one of these nymphæa.

NYMPHÆUM, (Plutarch); the name of a sacred place, near Apollonia in Illyricum, fending forth continually fire in detached streams from a green valley and verdant meadows. Dio Cassius adds, that the fire neither burns up nor parches the earth, but that herbs and trees grow and thrive near it, and therefore the place is called nymphæum: near which was an oracle of such a nature, that the fire, to show that the wish was granted Nymphum, Nymphidius

granted, consumed the frankincense thrown into it; but repelled it, in case the desire was rejected. It was there that a sleeping satyr was once caught and brought to Sylla as he returned from the Mithridatic war. This monster had the same features as the poets ascribe to the satyr. He was interrogated by Sylla and by his interpreters; but his articulations were unintelligible; and the Roman spurned from him a creature which seemed to partake of the nature of a beast more than that of a man.

NYMPHÆUM, in antiquity, a public hall magnificently decorated, for entertainments, &c. and where those who wanted convenience at home held their marriage feasts; whence the name.