of milk, and libations of oil; these are called metala bia. The libation was made with a serions deportment and solemn prayer. At sacrifices, the libation, after it had been tasted by the priest, and handed to the by-standers, was poured upon the victim. At entertainments, a little wine was generally poured out of the cup, before the liquor began to circulate, to show their gratitude to the gods for the blessings they enjoyed.

LIBAW, a sea-port town of Courland, lying on the Baltic sea, consisting entirely of wooden houses. It belongs to the duke of Courland, and is situated in lon. 21. 27 E. lat. 56. 27 N.

LIBELS, injurious reproaches or accusations written and published against the memory of one who is dead, or the reputation of one who is alive, and thereby exposing him to public hatred, contempt, and ridicule.

With regard to libels in general, there are, as in many other cases, two remedies; one by indictment or information, and the other by action. The former for a public offence; for every libel has a tendency to the breach of the peace, by provoking the person libelled to break it; which offence is said to be the same in point of law, whether the matter contained be true or false; and therefore it is that the defendant on an indictment for publishing a libel, is not allowed to allege the truth of it by way of justification. But in the remedy by action on the case, which is to repair the party in damages for the injury done him, the defendant may, as for words spoken, justify the truth of the facts, and show that the plaintiff has received no injury at all. The chief excellence therefore of a civil action for a libel consists in this, that it not only affords a reparation for the injury sustained, but it is a full vindication of the innocence of the person traduced. 3 Black. 125.

Where a writing inveighs against mankind in general, or against a particular order of men, this is no libel; it must descend to particulars and individuals, to make it a libel. But a general reflection on the government is a libel, though no particular person is reflected on and the writing against a known law is held to be criminal,

:

Though a private person or magistrate be dead at the time of making the libel, yet it is punishable, as it tends to a breach of the peace. But an indictment for publishing libellous matter reflecting on the memory of a dead person, not alleging that it was done with a design to bring contempt on the family of the deceased, and to stir up the hatred of the king's subjects against them, and to excite his relations to a breach of the peace, cannot be supported; and judgment was in this case accord ingly arrested.

Scandalous matter, in legal proceedings, by bill, petition, &c, in a court of justice, amounts not to a libel, if the court hath jurisdiction of the cause. But he who delivers a paper full of reflections on any person, in nature of a petiPon to a committee, to any other persons ex

cept the members of parliament who have to do with it, may be punished as the publisher of a libel. And by the better opinion, a person cannot justify the printing any papers which import a crime in another, to instruct counsel, &c. but it will be a libel. 2. The communication of a libel to any one person, is a publication in the eye of the law; therefore the sending an abusive private letter to a man, is as much a libel as if it were openly printed; for it equally tends to a breach of the peace.

In the making of libels, if one man dictates, and another writes a libel, both are guilty; for the writing after another shows his approbation of what is contained in the libel; and the first reducing a libel into writing may be said to be the making of it, but not the composing. If one repeats, another writes, and a third approves what is written, they are all makers of the libel; because all persons who concur to an unlawful act are guilty.

It has been frequently determined, that in the trial of an indictment for a libel, the only questions for the consideration of the jury are the fact of publishing, and the truth of the inuendoes; that is, the truth of the meaning, and sense of the passages of the libel, as stated and averred in the record, whether the matter be or be not a libel, is a question of law for the consideration of the court. But the statute 32 Geo. III. c. 60, after reciting that "doubts had arisen whether on the trial of an indictment or information for the making or publishing any libel, where an issue or issues are joined between the king and the defendant, on the plea of not guilty pleaded, it be competent to the jury impannelled to try the same, to give their verdict upon the whole matter in issue;" enacts, that "on every such trial, the jury, sworn to try the issue, may give a general verdiet of guilty or not guilty upon the whole matter put in issue, upon such indictment or information, and shall not be required or directed by the court or judge, before whom the indictment, &c. shall be tried, to find the de fendant guilty, merely on the proof of the publication by such defendant, of the paper charged to be a libel, and of the sense ascribed to the same in such indictment." But it is provided by the said statute, that the court or judge shall, according to their discretion, give their opinion and directions to the jury on the matter in issue, as in other criminal cases; that the jury may also find a special verdict; and that, in case the jury shall find the defen lant guilty, he may move in arrest of judgment, as by law he might have done before the passing of the act.

It has, in the case of the king v. lord George Gordon, and the king v. Peltier, been held, that a writing tending to defame the sovereign of a foreign country is a libel punishable in England. The law was not questioned in the first case; in the second the punishment was not enforced. We think there are many serious arguments against the doctrine.

LIBEL, in the ecclesiastical court, is the declaration or charge drawn up in writing, on the

part of the plaintiff, to which the defendant is obliged to answer.

LIBEL, in the law of Scotland, signifies an indictment.

To LIBEL. v. n. (from the noun.) To spread defamation, written or printed (Donne.)

To LIBEL. v. a. To satirize; to lampoon (Dryden).

LIBELLER. s. (from libel.) A defamer by writing: a lampooner (Dryden).

LIBELLOUS. a. (from libel.) Defamatory (Wotton).

LIBELLULA. Dragon-fly. In zoology, a genus of the class insecta, order neuroptera. Mouth armed with jaws more than two in namber; lip trifid; antennas very thin, filiform, and shorter than the thorax; wings expanded; tail of the male furnished with a forked process. Fifty-six species; which may be thus subdivided.

A. Wings expanded when at rest; of which again there are two sets or sections. a. Dorsal division of the lip very minute. 6. Divisions of the lip equal; constituting the tribe Æshna of Fabricius. B. Wings erect when at rest: eyes distinct: outer divisions of the lip bifid. The tribe Agrion of Fabricius.

The whole genus is extremely ravenous, and generally seen hovering over stagnant waters; the larves are six-footed, active inhabitants of the water, furnished with an articulate, forcipated mouth; and prey with the most rapacious ferocity upon other larves or aquatic insects: the pupe resembles the larves, but has the rudiment of wings.

These insects are universally known, from their large size, and frequency of appearance. The organs of generation are differently situated in the male and female of this tribe: in the former, they are placed upon the under side of that part of the abdomen which lies between the inferior wings; while, in the latter, they are found at the tip or end of the abdomen.

The addresses of the libellula to his female seem carried on in a rough and intrepid, but efficacious manner. He hovers about on the wing, till the object of his amours makes her appearance; he then watches an opportunity of seizing her by the head with those pincers with which his tail is armed. It is thus that the ravisher travels through the air, till the female, yielding to superior strength, perhaps to inclination, forms her body into a circle, that terminates at the genitals of the male, and thus accomplishes the great purpose of nature. It is while this kind of rapes is perpetrating, that the libellulæ are seen coupled in the air, exhibiting the form of a ring.

The female, when pregnant, retires to the side of a ditch or pond, where, by the assistance of a stick or reed, she creeps, or lowers herself down, by moving backwards, till the tip of the tail is immerged about half an inch in the water; she is then seized with a tremor of the body, during which she deposits a single egg in the water; afterwards she immerges her tail a second and a third time, when the same

operations are repeated. The tail is withdrawn from the water, by contracting its annuli; and by the pressure of these upon each other, the egg is gradually forced from the ovary to the extremity of the tail, whence it is ultimately separated, by shaking that part in the water. The eggs thus protruded by the libellulæ are of a white colour, and oblong form, resembling those produced by the vomitoria or common blow-fly. The form and colour of the larves are extremely disgusting: they are supposed to have gills like fishes; and beneath the head is placed an instrument excellently adapted for seizing and holding their prey. It is furnished with a forceps at the end, and can be advanced or drawn back with all the agility of the human hand.

The larve remains in the same state for nearly twelve months before it attains its full size: when the period of transformation has arrived, the worm repairs to the margin of its pond in quest of a convenient place of abode during the season of its inaction. It there attaches itself to a plant or piece of dry wood; and the skin, which has gradually become parched and brittle, at last splits opposite to the upper part of the thorax. Through this aperture the winged insect quickly pushes its way; and being thus extricated from confinement, begins to expand its wings, to flutter, and finally to launch into the air, with that gracefulness and case peculiar to this majestic tribe.

No particular time seems appointed for the metamorphosis of the libellula into its winged state; the different species are continually emerging from the water from April to August: for as the seasons of copulation are various and frequent during the whole summer, so the larvæ or caterpillars are found of different sizes, according to their age. The smaller kinds, however, generally make their appearance before the larger; because, from breeding in shallow water, they sooner feel the influence of the sun on the approach of spring.

The manners of these insects must no doubt be greatly altered by a change, which not only confers upon them a new form, but introduces them into a different element. The complete insect, in its winged state, however, still continues to pursue the same food, and remains insectivorous. The lepidopterous insects, the butterflies, and phalænæ are destined for the support of the larger libellula; which are a part of those numerous tribes appointed to confine these prolific genera within due bounds. The following are the chief species:

1. L. grandis, is the largest of this genus found in Britain, and is perhaps not inferior in bulk to any insect which this country produces: the fore part of the head is yellow; the eyes brown, and so very large, that they meet upon the top of the head. The thorax is dun coloured, with four oblique bands on each side of a lemon colour. The abdomen, which is very long, is likewise of a deep buff or rufous colour, often spotted with white and black upon the top and bottom of each segment; the small appendices which terminate the abdomen are

in this species very long; the wings have more or less of a yellow complexion, and are distinguished by a brown spot on the exterior edges. The colours of the body vanish when

the insect is dead.

2. L. forcipata. Expands four inches and an half. Nose yellow, with a black line on the prominent part; thorax black, with several broad yellow stripes, two on the front, and two behind the ligaments of each pair of wings; abdomen black, with two streaks resembling a crescent on each segment; wings transparent, and white, with a slight tinge of amber; tail with three incurved claws.

3. L. puella. Body green and azure; wings adorned towards the middle each with a large spot, of a deep blue, inclining to black. Feet black; wings immaculate on their exterior margin. From the brilliancy and richness of its colours, it has been called the king's fisher; it frequents little rivulets of water, overshaded with bushes. There are many varieties of this species, from difference of spots or colours.

4. L. virgo. Wings coloured in a variety of ways, and hence producing many varieties of the species; the body is generally silky, and greenish, or blueish-green; wings blueish, or blueish-green, sometimes with dots, and sometimes gilt at the margin. Inhabits our own country, and Europe in general, and is very common about waters. See Nat. Hist. PL. CLII. LIBENTINA, a surname of Venus. She had a temple at Rome, where the young women used to dedicate the toys and childish amusements of their youth, when arrived at nubile years. (Ferro).

LIBER, a surname of Bacchus, which signities free. He received this name from his delivering some cities of Brotia from slavery, or because wine, of which he was the patron, delivered mankind from their cares.

LIBER. In botany. (According to Scaliger, quasi luber, quia de arbore reluatur, resolvatør, or to use Cato's word gløbetur. As from cresco comes creber; from furio, faber; from suo, suber; so from lao comes laber, and thence liber. But a more probable derivation is from the .Eolic ketog for Zines, which by changing into 6 became 2-6775.) Tegmentum tertium membranaceum succidum flexile. The inner bark of a vegetable; or the third integu. ment, membranaceous, juicy, and flexible, The wood is gradually formed from this; and according to Linnéus, the corol is a continua

tion of it.

LIBERAL. a. (iberalis, Latin.) 1. Not mean; not low in birth. 2. Becoming a gentleman. 3. Munificent; generous; bountitul (Milton).

LIBERAL ARTS, are such as depend more on the labour of the mind than on that of the hands: or, that consit more in speculation than operation; and have a greater regard to amusement and curiosity than to necessity. The word comes from the Latin liberalis, which among the Romans signified a person who was not a slave; and whose will, of consequence, was not checked by the command of

any master. Such are grammar, rhetoric, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, &c. The liberal arts used formerly to be summed up in the following Latin verse: Lingua, Tropus, Ratio, Numerus, Tonus, Angulus, Astra.” And the mechanical arts, which, however, are innumerable, under this: “Rus, Nemus, Arma, Faber, Vulnera, Lana, Rates.” See ARTS.

LIBERALIA, festivals yearly celebrated in honour of Bacchus on the 17th of March, at Rome. Slaves were permitted to speak with freedom. They are much the same as the Dionysia of the Greeks.

LIBERALITY. s. (liberalitas, Lat. liberalife, Fr.) Munificence; bounty; generosity; generous profusion (Shakspeare). LIBERALLY. ad. (from liberal) Bonnteously; bountifully; largely (James). Not meanly: magnanimously.

1.

LIBERTAS, a goddess of Rome, who had a temple on mount Aventine, raised by T. Gracchus. She was represented as a woman in a light dress, holding a rod in one hand and a cap in the other, both signs of independence, as the former was used by the magistrates in the manumission of slaves, and the latter was worn by slaves who were soon to be set at liberty.

LIBERTINE. s. (libertin, French.) 1. One unconfined; one at liberty (Shakspeare). 2. One who lives without restraint or law (Rowe). 3. One who pays no regard to the precepts of religion (Shakspeare, Collier). 4. (In law; libertinus, Lat.) A freedman; or rather the son of a freedman (Ayliffe).

LIBERTINES, LIBERTINI, in ecclesiastical bistory, a religious sect, which rose in the year 1525, whose principal tenets were, that the Deity was the sole operating canse in the mind of man, and the immediate anthor of all human actions; that, consequently, the dis tinctions of good and evil, which had been established with regard to those actions, were false and groundless, and that men could not, properly speaking, commit sin; that religion consisted in the union of the spirit or rational soul with the Supreme Being; that all those who had attained this happy union, by sublime contemplation and elevation of mind, were then allowed to indulge, without exception or restraint, their appetites or passions; that all their actions and pursuits were then perfectly innocent; and that, after the death of the body, they were to be united to the Deity. They likewise said that Jesus Christ was nothing but a mere je ne sçai quoi, composed of the spirit of God, and of the opinion of men. These maxims occasioned their being called Libertines; and the word has been used in an ill sense ever since.

The Libertini spread principally in Holland and Brabant. Their leaders were one Quintin, a Picard, Pockesius, Ruffus, and another called Chopin, who joined with Quintin, and became his disciple.

LIBERTINES OF GENEVA, were a cabal of rakes rather than of fanatics; for they made no pretences to any religious system, but

original, according to the ancient law of the land. And if any thing be done to the contrary, it shall be void in law, and held for error. After a long interval these liberties were still further confirmed by the petition of right; which was a parliamentary declaration of the liberties of the people, assented to by king Charles I. in the beginning of his reign. This was closely followed by the still more ample concessions made by that unhappy prince to his parliament, (particularly the dissolution of the star chamber, by statute 16 Charles I. c. 10.) before the fatal rupture between them, and by the many salutary laws, particularly the habeas corpus act, passed under king Charles II.

To these succeeded the bill of rights, or declaration delivered by the lords and commons to the prince and princess of Orange, February 13, 1688; and afterwards enacted in parliament, when they became king and queen; which, as peculiarly interesting, is here inserted at length.

Statute 1 William and Mary, statute 2, c. 2, § 1. Whereas the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons assembled at Westminster, representing all the estates of the people of this realm, did upon the 13th of February, 1688, present unto their majesties, then prince and princess of Orange, a declaration containing that, the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, being assembled in a full and free representation of this nation, for the vindicating their ancient rights and liberties; declare, that the pretended power of suspending of laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, as it hath been assumed and exercised of late, is illegal; that the pretended power of dispensing with laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, as it hath been assumed and exercised of late, is illegal; that the commission for erecting the late court of commis. sioners for ecclesiastical causes, and all other commissions and courts of like nature, are illegal and pernicious.

That levying money for, or to the use of the crown, by pretence of prerogative, without grant of parliament, for longer time, or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal; that it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning, are illegal; that the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of parliament, is against law; that the subjects which are protestants may have arms for their defence, suitable to their conditions, and as allowed by law; that election of members of parliament ought to be free; that the freedom of speech, and debates or proceedings in parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament; that excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted; that jurors ought to be duly impanelled and returned, and jurors which pass upon men in trials for high treason ought to be freeholders; that all grants and promises of fines and forfeitures of particular persons before conviction are illegal and void; and for redress of all grievances, and for the amending, strengthening, and preserving of the laws, parliaments ought to be held frequently; and they do claim, demand, and insist upon all and singular the premises, as their undoubted rights and liberties; and that no declarations, judgments, doings, or proceedings, to the prejudice of the people in

any of the said premises, ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into consequence or example. Sect. 6. All and singular the rights and liberties asserted and claimed in the said declaration are the true, ancient, and indubitable rights and liberties of the people of this kingdom, and so shall be esteemed, allowed, adjudged, and taken to be; and all the particulars aforesaid shall be firmly holden as they are expressed in the said declaration; and all officers shall serve their majesties according to the same in all times to come. Sect. 12. No dispensation by non obstante of any statute shall be allowed, except a dispensation be allowed of in such statute; and except in such cases as shall be especially provided for during session of parliament. Sect. 13. No charter granted before the 23d of October, 1689, shall be invalidated by this act, but shall remain of the same force as if this act had never been made. Lastly, these liberties were again asserted at the commencement of the last century, in the act of settlement, statute 12 and 13 William III. c. 2, whereby the crown was limited to his present majesty's illustrious house; and some new provisions were added at the same fortunate æra, for better securing our religion, laws, and liberties, which the statute declares to be "the birth-right of the people of England;" according to the ancient doctrine of the common law.

Thus much for the declaration of our rights and liberties. The rights themselves, thus defined by these several statutes, consist in a number of private immunities, which will appear, from what has been premised, to be indeed no other than either that residuum of natural liberty, which is not required by the laws of society to be sacrificed to public convenience; or else those civil psivileges which society hath engaged to provide in lieu of the natural liberties so given up by individuals. These, therefore, were formerly, either by inheritance or purchase, the rights of all mankind; but in most other countries of the world, being now more or less debased or destroyed, they at present may be said to remain, in a peculiar and emphatical manner, the rights of the people of England.

These rights may be reduced to three principal or primary articles:

The right of personal security. The right of personal liberty. The right of private property.

The right of personal security consists in a person's legal and uninterrupted enjoyment of his life, his limbs, his body, his health, and his reputation. The enjoyment of this right is secured to every subject by the various laws made for the punishment of those injuries, by which it is any way violated; for a particular detail of which, see ASSAULT, HOMICIDE, LIBEL, MAIHEM, NUISANCE, &c.

The words of the great charter, c. 29, are, "Nullus liber homo capiatur, imprisonetur, vel aliquo modo destruatur, nisi per legale judicium parium suorum aut per legem terræ;" No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, or any way de stroyed, unless by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land: which words,

aliquo modo destruatur," according to Coke, include a prohibition not only of killing or maim. ing, but also of torturing (to which our laws are strangers,) and of every oppression by colour of an illegal authority. And it is enacted by stat. 5 Edward III. c. 9, that no man shall be attached by any accusation, nor forejudged of life or limb, nor shall his lands or goods be seized