an Athenian philosopher, the nephew and successor of Plato. Contrary to the practice of Plato, Speusippus required from his pupils a stated gratuity. He placed statues of the Graces in the school which Plato had built. On account of his infirm state of health, he was commonly carried to and from the academy in a vehicle. On his way thither he one day met Diogenes, and saluted him; the furly philosopher refused to return the salute, and told him, that such a feeble wretch ought to be ashamed to live; to which Speusippus replied, that he lived not in his limbs, but in his mind. At length, being wholly incapacitated, by a paralytic stroke, for the duties of the chair, he resigned it to Xenocrates. He is said to have been of a violent temper, fond of pleasure, and exceedingly avaricious. Speusippus wrote many philosophical works, which are now lost, but which Aristotle thought sufficiently valuable to purchase at the expense of three talents. From the few fragments which remain of his philosophy, it appears that he adhered very strictly to the doctrine of his master.

SPY, a river of Scotland, rising from a lake of the same name in Badenoch, and, after a serpentine course of 76 miles, passes by Rothes castle, and falls into the German sea at Garnoch near Elgin. Mr Pennant tells us, that the Spey is a dangerous neighbour to Castle Gordon, overflowing frequently in a dreadful manner, as appears by its ravages far beyond its banks. The bed of the river is wide and full of gravel, and the channel very shifting. In 1746 the Duke of Cumberland passed this river at Belly church, near Castle Gordon, when the channel was so deep as to take an officer, from whom Mr Pennant had the account, and who was fix feet four inches high, up to the breast. The banks are here very high and steep; so that had not the rebels been infatuated in such a manner as to neglect opposition, the passage must have been attended with considerable loss. On this river there is a great salmon-fishery; about 1700 barrels full are caught in the season, and the thore was formerly rented for about 1200l. per annum: now it is probably doubled.