a genus of plants belonging to the didynamia class; and in the natural method ranking under the 48th order, dipersegetae. See Botany Index.

Selden, John, called by Grotius the glory of England, was born at Salvington in Sussex in 1584. He was educated at the free school at Chichester; whence he was sent to Hart Hall in the university of Oxford, where he stood four years. In 1612, he entered himself in Clifford's Inn, in order to study the law; and about two years after removed to the Inner Temple, where he soon acquired great reputation by his learning. He had already published several of his works; and this year wrote verses in Latin, Greek, and English, upon Mr William Browne's Britannia's Pastors. proof of their opinion being well founded; that fishes were carried from the one city to the other, and sold in the market. Their adversaries were ready to yield to the force of this conclusive argument, when Selden, who despised both parties, as well as the frivolousness of their dispute, exclaimed, "Perhaps the fishes were salted!" This unexpected remark left the victory doubtful, and renewed the debate; and our author, who was sick of such trifling, soon found employment more suited to his genius; for, in 1655, he was made one of the commissioners of the admiralty. The same year he was unanimously elected master of Trinity college, Cambridge; but declined accepting. He died in 1654; and was interred in the Temple-church, where a monument is erected to his memory. Dr. Wilkes observes, that he was a man of uncommon gravity and greatness of soul, averse to flattery, liberal to scholars, charitable to the poor; and though he had great latitude in his principles with regard to ecclesiastical power, yet he had a sincere regard for the church of England. He wrote many learned works besides those already mentioned; the principal of which are, 1. De Jure Naturali et Gentium juxta Disciplinam Hebraeorum. 2. De Nuptiis et Divorciiis. 3. De Anno Civilis veterum Hebraeorum. 4. De Nummis. 5. De Dis Spirit. 6. Usus Hebraicus. 7. Jani Angorum Facies altera, &c. All his works were printed together in 1726, in 3 vols folio.