are defined to be such things as affect the nerves in a particular and agreeable manner, and through them alter and disturb the functions of the mind. They are properly divided into native and artificial; the former chiefly in use among the oriental and other nations, the latter principally throughout Europe.

*Natural Inebriants*, are, 1. Opium; in use all over the east, and of which the Turks, through custom, swallow a drachm. 2. Peganum harmala, Syrian rue. The seeds are sold in Turkey for this purpose; and with these, as Bellonius relates, the Turkish emperor Solyman kept himself intoxicated. 3. Maslae of the Turks, or bangle of the Persians; prepared from the dust of the male-flower of hemp, or from the leaves. 4. Bangle of the Indians, from the leaves of the hibiscus sabdariffa. 5. Seeds of various species of the datura, or thorny apple. 6. Pinang, or betel of the Indians. 7. Roots of black henbane. 8. The hyoscyamus physaloides. 9. Berries of the deadly nightshade. 10. Leaves of milfoil, are used by the Dalekarlians to render their beer intoxicating. 11. Tobacco, and several others less material are mentioned; such as clary, saffron, and darnel.

*Artificial Inebriants*, are fermented liquors from farinaceous seeds; wines, and spirits drawn by distillation. With these is ranked the nectar of the gods, and the anodyne medicine of Homer, commonly called nepenthes; and the spells by which Medea and Circe produced their enchantments.

**INERTIA of Matter**, in Philosophy, is defined by Sir Isaac Newton to be a passive principle by which bodies persist in their motion or rest, receive motion in proportion to the force impressing it, and resist as much as they are resisted. It is also defined by the same author to be a power implanted in all matter, whereby it resists any change endeavoured to be made in its state. See MECHANICS.

**INESSE** is applied to things which are actually existing.

Authors make a difference between a thing *in esse*, and a thing *in posse*: a thing that is not, but may be, they say is *in posse*, or *potentia*; but a thing apparent and visible, they say is *in esse*, that is, has a real being *eo instanti*; whereas the other is casual, and at best but a possibility.

**INFALISTACIO**, an ancient punishment of felons, by throwing them among the rocks and sands, customarily used in port-towns. It is the opinion of some writers, that *infalstatatus* did imply some capital punishment, by exposing the malefactor upon the sand till the next tide carried him away; of which custom, it is said, there is an old tradition. However, the penalty seems to take its name from the Norman *faelse*, or *faelsea*, which signified not the sands, but the rocks and cliffs adjoining, or impending on the sea-shore. *Committit feloniam ob quam fuit suspensus, utlegatus, vel alio modo morti damnatus*, &c. *vel apud Dover infalstatatus, apud Southampton submersus*, &c.