MAHOGANY, a genus of plants belonging to the clafs decandra, and in the natural fytem arranged under the 54th order, mifcellanea. See BOTANY and MATERIA MEDICA Index.

The firft ufe to which mahogany was applied in England, was to make a box for holding candles. Dr Gibbons, an eminent physician in the latter end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, had a brother, a Weft India captain, who brought over some planks of this wood as ballast. As the Doctor was then building a houfe in King-freet, Covent Garden, his brother thought they might be of fervice to him. But the carpenters, finding the wood too hard for their tools, they were laid afide for a time as ufelefs. Soon after, Mrs Gibbons, wanting a candle-box, the Doctor called on his cabinet-maker to make him one of fome wood that lay in his garden. Wollaton, the cabinet-maker alfo complained that it was too hard. The Doctor faid he muft get stronger tools. The candle-box was made and approved; infomuch, that the Doctor then infifted on having a bureau made of the fame wood, which was accordingly done; and the fine colour, polith, &c. were fo pleafing, that he invited all his friends to come and fee it. Among them was the duchefs of Buckingham. Her Grace begged fome of the fame wood of Dr Gibbons, and employed Wollaton to make her a bureau alfo; on which the fame of mahogany and Mr Wollaton was much raised, and things of this fort became general.