an ancient city of Spain, of great power in the time of the Caesars, is built upon two hills near the banks of the Arayda in Old Castile. W. Long. 3° 48'. N. Lat. 41° 0'. It is still a bishop's see, and is distinguished for some venerable remains of antiquity. In the year 1525 the city contained 5000 families, but according to Laborde the inhabitants do not now exceed 10,000 persons, a scanty population for 25 parishes; yet, beside 21 churches and a cathedral, there are 21 convents.

The first object in Segovia that attracts the eye is the aqueduct, which the singular situation of the city renders necessary. As it is built upon two hills, and the valley by which they are separated, and extends considerably in every direction, it was difficult for a part of the citizens to be supplied with water. The difficulty was removed, according to the opinion of the learned, in the reign of Trajan, by this aqueduct, which is one of the most astonishing and the best preserved of the Roman works. In the opinion of Mr Swinburne, who surveyed it in 1776, and who seems to have given a very accurate account of the curiosities of Segovia, it is superior in elegance of proportion to the Pont du Gard at Nimes. It is so perfectly well preserved, that it does not seem leaky in any part. From the first low arches to the reservoir in the town, its length is 2400 Spanish feet; its greatest height (in the Plaza del Aza- bejo at the foot of the walls) is 104; it is there composed of a double row of arches, built of large square stones without mortar, and over them a hollow wall of coarser materials for the channel of the water, covered with large oblong flags. Of the lower range of arcades, which are 15 feet wide by 65 high, there are 42. The upper arches are 119 in number, their height 27 Spanish feet, their breadth seventeen, the transversal thickness, or depth of the piers, eight feet.

The cathedral is a mixture of the Gothic and Moorish architecture. The inside is very spacious, and of majestic simplicity. The windows are well disposed, and the Choir, the great altar has been lately decorated with the finest Spanish Grenada marble. But it is to be regretted, that in this cathedral, as well as in most others of Spain, the choir is placed in the middle of the nave. The church is nearly upon the model of the great church of Salamanca, but it is not so highly finished.

The alcazar, or ancient palace of the Moors, stands in one of the finest positions possible, on a rock rising above the open country. A fine river washes the foot of the precipice, and the city lies admirably well on each side on the brow of the hill; the declivity is woody, and the banks charmingly rural; the snowy mountains and dark forests of Saint Ildefonso compose an awful back-ground to the picture. Towards the town there is a large court before the great outward tower, which, as the prison of Gil Bias, is so well described by Le Sage, that the subject requires no farther explanation. The rest of the buildings form an antique palace, which has seldom been inhabited by any but prisoners since the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, who were much attached to this situation. There are some magnificent halls in it, with much gilding in the ceilings, in a semi-barbarous taste. All the kings of Spain are seated in state along the cornice of the great saloon; but it is doubtful whether they are like the princes whose names they bear; if that resemblance, however, be wanting, they have no other merit to claim. The royal apartments are now occupied by a college of young gentlemen cadets, educated at the king's expense in all the sciences requisite for forming an engineer. The grand-master of the ordnance resides at Segovia, which is the head-establishment of the Spanish artillery.

The mint is below the alcazar, a large building, the most ancient place of coinage in the kingdom. The machines for melting, stamping, and milling the coin, are worked by water; but there is reason to believe that Seville has at present more business, as being nearer the source of riches, the port of Cadiz, where the ingots of America are landed.

The unevenness of the crown of the hill gives a wild look to this city. Most of the streets are crooked and dirty, the houses wooden and very wretched; nor do the inhabitants appear much the richer for their cloth manufactory. Indeed, it is not in a very flourishing condition, but what cloth they make is very fine.

The country about Segovia has the reputation of being the best for rearing the kind of sheep that produces the beautiful Spanish wool; but as these flocks wander over many other parts of the kingdom, Segovia seems to have no exclusive title to this reputation. Segovia (says Mr Townsend, whose valuable travels will be read with much Segovia much pleasure) was once famous for its cloth made on the king's account; but other nations have since become rivals in this branch, and the manufacture in this city has been gradually declining. When the king gave it up to a private company, he left about 3000l. in trade; but now he is no longer a partner in the business. In the year 1612 were made here 25,000 pieces of cloth, which consumed 44,625 quintals of wool, and employed 34,839 persons; but at present they make only about 4000 pieces. The principal imperfections of this cloth are, that the thread is not even, and that much grease remains in it when it is delivered to the dyers; in consequence of which the colour is apt to fail. Yet, independently of imperfections, so many are the disadvantages under which the manufacture labours, that foreigners can afford to pay 3l. for the aroba of fine wool, for which the Spaniard gives no more than 20s., and after all his charges can command the market even in the ports of Spain.

**Segovia, New,** a town of North America, in New Spain, and in the audience of Guatemala; seated on the river Yare, on the confines of the province of Honduras. W. Long. 84° 30'. N. Lat. 13° 25'.

**Segovia,** a town of America, in Terra Firma, and in the province of Venezuela, seated on a river, near a very high mountain, where there are mines of gold. W. Long. 65° 30'. N. Lat. 8° 25'.

**Segovia,** a town of Asia, in the island of Manila, and one of the largest of the Philippines, seated at the north end of the island, 240 miles north of Manila, and subject to Spain. E. Long. 120° 59'. N. Lat. 18° 36'.

**Segreana,** is the herald's word for a griffin when drawn in a leaping posture, and displaying his wings as if ready to fly.

**Segue,** in the Italian music, is often found before aria, allegro, amen, &c. to show that those portions or parts are to be sung immediately after the last note of that part over which it is writ; but if these words si placet, or ad libitum, are joined therewith, it signifies, that these portions may be sung or not at pleasure.

**Seguieria,** a genus of plants belonging to the class polyandra. See Botany Index.

**Slegant,** a term used in heraldry, when a lion, or other beast, is drawn in an escutcheon sitting like a cat with his fore-feet straight.

**Sejanus, Aelius,** a native of Vulcinum in Tuscany, who distinguished himself in the court of Tiberius. His father's name was Seinius Strabo; a Roman knight, commander of the pretorian guards. His mother was descended from the Junian family. Sejanus first gained the favour of Caius Caesar, the grandson of Augustus, but afterwards he attached himself to the interest and the views of Tiberius, who then sat on the imperial throne. The emperor, who was naturally of a suspicious temper, was free and open with Sejanus, and while he distrusted others, he communicated his greatest secrets to this fawning favourite. Sejanus improved this confidence; and when he had found that he possessed the esteem of Tiberius, he next endeavoured to become the favourite of the soldiers, and the darling of the senate. As commander of the pretorian guards he was the second man in Rome, and in that important office he made use of insinuations and every mean artifice to make himself beloved and revered. His affability and condescension gained him the hearts of the common soldiers, and, by appointing his own favourites and adherents to places of trust and honour, all the officers and centurions of the army became devoted to his interest. The views of Sejanus in this were well known; yet, to advance with more success, he attempted to gain the affection of the senators. In this he met with no opposition. A man who has the disposal of places of honour and dignity, and who has the command of the public money, cannot but be the favourite of those who are in need of his assistance. It is even said, that Sejanus gained to his views all the wives of the senators, by a private and most sacred promise of marriage to each of them, whenever he had made himself independent and sovereign of Rome. Yet, however successful with the best and noblest families in the empire, Sejanus had to combat numbers in the house of the emperor; but these seeming obstacles were soon removed. All the children and grandchildren of Tiberius were sacrificed to the ambition of the favourite under various pretexts; and Drusus the son of the emperor, by striking Sejanus, made his destruction sure and inevitable. Livia, the wife of Drusus, was gained by Sejanus; and, though the mother of many children, she was prevailed upon to assist her adulterer in the murder of her husband, and she consented to marry him when Drusus was dead. No sooner was Drusus poisoned, than Sejanus openly declared his wish to marry Livia. This was strongly opposed by Tiberius; and the emperor, by recommending Germansics to the senators for his successor, rendered Sejanus bold and determined. He was more urgent in his demands; and when he could not gain the consent of the emperor, he persuaded him to retire to seclude from the noise of Rome and the troubles of the government. Tiberius, naturally fond of ease and luxury, yielded to his representations, and retired to Campania, leaving Sejanus at the head of the empire. This was highly gratifying to the favourite, but he was not without a master. Prudence and moderation might have made him what he wished to be; but having offended the emperor beyond forgiveness, he resolved to retrieve his loss, and by one vigorous effort to decide the fate of the empire. He called together his friends and followers; he paid court to such as seemed dissatisfied; he held forth rewards and promises; and, having increased the number of his partisans, formed a bold conspiracy, resolved by any means to seize the sovereign power.

A powerful league was formed with astonishing rapidity, and great numbers of all descriptions, senators as well as military men, entered into the plot. Among these, Satrius Secundus was the confidential friend and Tectius, prime agent of the minister. Whatever was this man's Book v. motive, whether fear, or views of interest, or ingratitude (for no principle of honour can be imputed to him), he resolved to betray the secret to Tiberius. For this purpose he addressed himself to Antonia, the daughter of Anthony the triumvir, the widow of Drusus, and the mother of Germanicus. When this illustrious woman, who was honoured by the court and revered by the people, heard the particulars, she sent dispatches to the emperor by one of her slaves. Tiberius was astonished, but not dismayed. The danger pressed; his habitual slowness was out of season; the time called for vigour and decisive measures. He sent Macro to Rome, with a special commission to take upon him the command of the pretorian guards. He added full instructions for his conduct in all emergencies. Early in the morning on the 15th, before the kalends of November, a report was spread, that letters had arrived at Rome, in which the emperor signified his intention to associate Sejanus with himself in the tribunitian power. The senate was summoned to meet in the temple of Apollo, near the imperial palace. Sejanus attended without delay. A party of the praetorians followed him. Macro met him in the vestibule of the temple. He approached the minister with all demonstrations of profound respect, and taking him aside, "Be not surprised (he said) that you have no letter from the prince: it is his pleasure to declare you his colleague in the tribunitian power; but he thinks that a matter of so much importance should be communicated to the fathers by the voice of the consuls. I am going to deliver the emperor's orders?" Sejanus, elated with joy, and flushed with his new dignity, entered the senate-house; Macro followed him. As soon as the consuls arrived, he delivered the letter from Tiberius, and immediately went forth to the praetorian guards. Having promised them a donation, he added, that if they followed him to the camp they would there receive the promised bounty. The praetorian guards quitted their station. Laco, who stood near at hand, immediately surrounded the senate-house with a body of the city cohorts.

The letter to the consuls was confused, obscure, and tedious, only glancing at Sejanus, till at last the language of invective left no room for doubt. Sejanus kept his seat like a man benumbed, senseless and stupid with astonishment. His friends, who a little before congratulated him on his new dignity, deserted him on every side. He was commanded by the consul to rise and follow him, and being loaded with irons, was conducted to prison. Shortly after he was condemned to death by the senate, and strangled.