Encyclopaedia Britannica; or, A dictionary of arts and sciences, compiled upon a new plan … > Volume 2, C-L

HER ( 784 ) HER
HERCINIAN forest, a foreft which anciently ex¬
tended the whole length of Germany and Bohemia,
fome remains of which are ftill in being, viz. the Black
Foreft, Odenwald near Heidelburg, Stigewald in
Wurtfburg, and Bamberg, and Hartfwald in Brunf-
wic.
HERCOLE, a port-town of Tufcany, on the coaft cal¬
led Stato del Prefidii: E. Ion. 120, and N. lat. 420
25r.
HERCULES, in aftronomy. See Astronomy, p.
486.
Hercules-pillars, in antiquity, a name given to
mount Calpe in Spain, near Gibraltar, on the European
fide of the ftreights, and mount Avila on the African
fide,
HEREDITAMENTS, whatever immoveable things a
perfon may have to himfelf and his heirs by way of
inheritance; and which, if not other wife bequeathed,
defcend to him who is next heir, and not to the execu¬
tor, as chattels do.
HEREDITARY, an appellation given to whatever be¬
longs to a family by right of fucceffion, from heir to
heir.
HEREDITAS jacens, in Scots law. An eftateis faid
to be in hereditate jacente, after the proprietor’s death,
till the heir’s entry,
HEREFORD, the principal city of Herefordfhire, fitu-
ated on the river Wye, twenty-four miles north-weft
of Glocefter, and one hundred and twenty weft of
London : W. Ion. 20 42', and N. lat, 520 o .
It fends two members to parliament.
HERESY, the crime of obftinately perfifting in opinions
that are contrary to the fundamentals of religion.
HERETABLE rights, in Scots law, all rights af-
fefting lands, houfes, £;c. or anyhnmoveablefubjeft.
See Law, tit. 9.
HERETAGE, in Scots law, lands, houfes, or any im¬
moveable fubjeft, in contradiftinttion to moveables or
moveable fubjedts. See Law, tit. 9. It alfo fometimes
fignifies fuch immoveable property as a perfon fuc-
ceeds to as heir to another, in contradiftindlion to that
which he himfelf purchafes or acquires in any other
manner, called conqueji. See Law, tit. 27.
HERETIC, a general name for all fuch perfons, under
any religion, but efpecially the Chriftian, as profefs or
teach religious opinions contrary to the eftablifhed
faith, or to what is made the ftandard of orthodoxy.
HERLING, a market-town of Norfolk, twenty miles
fouth-weft of Norwich.
HERMAS, among antiquarians, ftatues of the god Mer¬
cury, made of marble, and fometimes of brafs, with¬
out arms or feet, and fet up by the Greeks and Romans
in the crofs ways.
HERMALA, in antiquity, ancient Greek feftivals, in
honour of the god Hermes or Mercury.
HERMANIA, in botany, agenusofthemonadelphia pen-
tandria clafs It has but one ftylus ; the capfulehas
five cells ; and the petals are femitubular at the bafe.
There are nine fpecies, none of them natives of Bri¬
tain.
HERMANASTAT, the capital city of Tranftlvania, fub-
jedtto tEe houfe of Auftria: E. Ion. 240, N. lat. 46°
32 • ■
HERMAPHRODITE, a perfon of both fexes, or who
has the parts of generation both of male and female.
It is now generally allowed, that there is no fuch
thing as a true hermaphrodite ; n.oft, if not all thofe
who pafs for fuch, being mere women, whofe clitoris
is grown to an enormous fize, and the labia pudendi
become unufually tumid.
Among the infedt-clafs of animals, indeed, herma¬
phrodites are very frequent: fuch as worms, fnails,
leeches,
Hermaphrodite flowers, among botanifts. See
Botany.
HERMATHENA, among antiquarians, a ftatue repre-
fenting Mercury and Minerva both in one.
HERMES. SeeHERMA:.
HERMETIC, or Hermetical, an appellation given
to whatever belongstochemiftry, from Hermes Trifme-
giftus, who is fuppofed to have been its inventor.
HERMETICAL philosophy, that which undertakes
to folve the various phaenomena of nature, from the
chemical principles fait, fulphur, and mercury.
Hermetical seal, among chemifts, a method of flap¬
ping glafs-velfels, ufed in chemichal operations, fo
. clofely, that the moft fubtil fpirit cannot efcape through
them.
It is commonly done by heating the neck of the vef-
fel in a flame, till ready to melt, and then twilling it
clofely together with a pair of pincers. Or, velfels.
may be hermetically fealed, by flopping them with a
glafs plug, well luted; or, by covering the velfel with
another ovum philofophicum.
HERMIT, a devout perfon retired into folitude to be
more at leifure for contemplation, and to difencumber
himfelf from the affairs of the world.
HERMON, a mountain on the eaft of Syria and Paleftine,
in Afia.
HERNANDIA, in botany, a genus of the moncecia
triandria clafs. The calix of the male has three feg-
ments, and the corolla three petals. The calix of the
female is entire and truncated; the corolla confifts of
fix petals; and the drupa is hollow, with an open
mouth, and a loofe kernel. There are two fpecies,
both natives of the Indies.
HERNGRUNT, a town of Upper Hungary, fituated
north of Buda, near the Carpathian mountains : E. Ion-
190 20' lat. 48° 47'.
HERNIA, in medicine. See Medicine and Sur¬
gery.
HERNIARIA, rupture-wort, in botany, a genus
of the pentandria digynia clafs. The calix confifts of
five fegments ; it has no corolla ; and the capfule con¬
tains one feed. There are four fpecies, three of them
natives of Britain, viz. the glabra, or fmooth rupture¬
wort; the hirfuta, or rough rupture wort; and the
lenticulata, or fea rupture wort. The leaves may be
ufed as a mild reftringent; but have no title to their
former reputation of curing ruptures.
HERO, in the ancient mythology, a great and illuftrious
perfon, of amortal nature, though fuppofed by the popu¬
lace