Disproportion to any office or purpose; state of not being adequate; inadequateness. The great inequality of all things to the appetites of a rational soul appears from this, that in all worldly things a man finds not half the pleasure in the actual possession that he proposed in the expectation. South. the situation of woods and hills, the air is more Difference of rank or station. If so small inequality between man and man make in them modesty a commendable virtue, who, respecting superiors as superiors, can neither speak nor stand before them without fear. Hooker. INERRABILITY, n. s.INER'RABLE, adj. INER RABLENESS, n. s. Lat. in and erro. Exemption from error; infallibility : old words, now ob solete. act of baiting. I thought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks, And shall this prize, the' inestimable prize, Young. palliated by apology: enormity beyond forgiveness or palliation. It will inexcusably condemn some men, who, having received excellent endowments, yet have frustrated the intention. Browne. It is a temerity, and a folly inexcusable, to deliver up ourselves needlessly into another's power. L'Estrange. Their inexcusableness is stated upon the supposition that they knew God, but did not glorify him. South. Such a favour could only render them more obdurate, and more inexcusable: it would enhance their guilt. Atterbury. If learning be not encouraged under your administration, you are the most inercusable person alive. Swift. INEXHA'LABLE, adj. In and exhale. That which cannot evaporate. A new laid egg will not so easily be boiled hard, because it contains a great stock of humid parts, which must be evaporated before the heat can bring the inexhalable parts into consistence. Browne. Lat. in, exhaustus. INEXHAUSTED, That cannot be emp- tied, or drawn away. So wert thou born into a tuneful strain, An early, rich, and inexhausted vein. Dryden. The stock that the mind has in its power, by vary ing the idea of space, is perfectly inexhaustible, and so it can multiply figures in infinitum. Locke. And if, in the ardour of narration, I by chance had drained the sources of reality, and emptied the stores of truth, I betook myself, without hesitation, to ransacking the riches of fiction; and trusted implicitly to the inexhaustible fertility of my own invention. Canning's Microcosm. INEXISTENT, adj. Į Lat. in, eristo. Not INEXISTENCE, n. s., having being; not to be found in nature; existing in something else: not much used. To express complexed significations, they took a liberty to compound and piece together creatures of allowable forms into mixtures inexistent. Browne. We doubt whether these heterogeneities be so much as inexistent in the concrete, whence they are obtained. Boyle. He calls up the heroes of former ages from a state of inexistence to adorn and diversify his poem. Broome on the Odyssey. A weakness of the spirit-listless days, And nights inexorable to sweet sleep, Have come upon me. Byron. INEXPEDIENT, n. s. Lat. in expedio INEXPEDIENCE, n.s. Want of fitness; INEXPEDIENCY. want of propriety; unsuitableness to time or place; inconvenience. It concerneth superiors to look well to the expediency or inexpediency of what they enjoin in different Sanderson. things. We should be prepared not only with patience to bear, but to receive with thankfulness a repulse, if God should see them to be inexpedient. Smalridge. INEXPERIENCE, n. s. Fr. inexperience; mental knowledge; unskilful: not experienced : not having tried. Inexpert, not ready or apt at any thing. The race elect advance Through the wild desert; not the readiest way, Milton. Thy words at random argue thine inexperience. In letters and in laws Not inexpert. Id. Prior. With all his canvas set, and inexpert, Cowper. (Through inexperience as we now perceive), We missed that happiness we might have found. Id. Task. INEX'PIABLE, adj. Fr. inexpiabile; LaINEX'PIABLY, adv. Stin in, erpio. Not to be atoned or mollified by atonement: to a degree beyond reconciliation. Love seeks to have love; My love how could'st thou hope, who took'st the way Excursions are inexpiably bad, INEXPLE'ABLY, adv. Lat. in and expleo. Thus when in orbs Hammond. Of circuit inexpressible they stood, Orb within orb. Milton's Paradise Lost. The true God had no certain name given to him, for Father, and God, and Creator, are but titles arising from his works; and God is not a name, but a notion ingrafted in human nature of an inexpressible Stilling fleet. being. He began to play upon it: the sound was exceeding sweet, and wrought into a variety of tunes that were Addison's Spectator. inexpressibly melodious. INEXPUG'NABLE, adj. Fr. inexpugnable; Lat. inexpugnabilis. Impregnable; not to be taken by assault; not to be subdued. Why should there be implanted in each sex such a vehement and inexpugnable appetite of copulation? Ray. INEXTINGUISHABLE, adj. Fr. inextinUnquenchguible; Lat. in and extinguo. INEXTRICABLY, adv. 3 Lat. in, extricabilis. Not to be disentangled; not to be cleared; not to be set free from obscurity or perplexity. He that should tie inextricable knots, only to baffie the industry of those that should attempt to unloose them, would be thought not to have served his generation. Decay of Piety. Men are led into inextricable mazes by setting up Sherlock. themselves as judges of the world. In vain they strive; the' intangling snares deny, Inextricably firm, the power to fly. Pope's Odyssey. INEYE', v. n. In and eye. To inoculate; to propagate trees by the insition of a bud into a foreign stock. Let sage experience teach thee all the arts Of grafting and ineyeing. Phillips. INFALISTATIO, an ancient punishment of felons, by throwing them among the rocks and sands used in sea-port towns. Some think, that infalistatus implied some capital punishment, by exposing the malefactor upon the sands till the next tide carried him away; of which custom it is said there is an old tradition. However, the INEXPLICABLE, adj. Lat. in, explico. Not penalty seems to take its name from the Norman What could such apprehensions breed, but, as their nature is, inexplicable passions of mind, desires abhorring what they embrace, and embracing what they falese, or falesia, which signified not the sands, but the rocks and cliffs impending on the seashore. Commisit feloniam, ob quam fuit suspensus, ut legatus, vel alio modo morti damnatus, &c. vel apud Dover infalistatus, apud Southampton submersus, &c. For they are certain and infallible. Shakspeare. Henry VI. Infallibility is the highest perfection of the knowing faculty, and consequently the firmest degree of assent. Tillotson. The success is certain and infallible, and none ever yet miscarried in the attempt. South. We cannot be as God, infallibly knowing good and evil. Smalridge's Sermons. INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE. See POPERY. INFAME', v. a. Fr. infame; Ital. inINFAMOUS, adj. fama; Lat. in, fama. To INFAMOUSLY, adv. represent to disadvanIN'FAMOUSNESS, N. S. tage; to defame; to IN'FAMY, n.s. censure publicly; to make infamous; to brand. To defame is now used. Infamously, with open reproach; wtih public notoriety; shamefully; scandalously: infamy, notoriety of bad character. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous. Ezek. The noble isle doth want her proper limbs, Her face defaced with scars of infamy. um. INFAMY, in law, is a term which extends to forgery, perjury, gross cheats, &c., by which a person is rendered incapable of being a witness or juror, though he is pardoned for his crimes. INFANCY, n. s. Fr. enfant, infanterie, INFANT, n. s. & adj. Lat. infans, infanticidi INFANTA, n. s. The first part of INFANTICIDE, n. 3. life usually extended to INFANTILE, adj. seven years; civil inINFANTRY, n. s. J fancy or minority is extended to twenty-one years; first age; beginning or commencement of any thing. Infant, not mature; early; imperfect. Infanta, a princess descended from the royal blood of Spain. Infanticide, the slaughter of infants. Infantile, per taining to an infant. Infantry, the foot soldiers of an army. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days. Isaiah Ixv. 20. At length a shepheard, which thereby did keepe His fleecie flocke upon the playnes around, Led with the infants cry, that loude did weepe, Came to the place, where when he wrapped found The abandoned spoyle, he softly it unbound. Spenser. Faerie Queene. Dare we affirm it was ever bis meaning, that unto their salvation, who even from their tender infancy never knew any other faith or religion than only Christian, no kind of teaching can be available, saving that which was so needful for the first univer sal conversion of Gentiles, hating Christianity? Hooker. It being a part of their virtuous education, serveth greatly both to nourish in them the fear of God, and to put us in continual remembrance of that powerful grace, which openeth the mouths of infants to sound Hooker his praise. Within the infant rind of his small flower Poison hath residence, and medicine power. Shakspeare. The principal strength of an army consisteth in the infantry or foot; and to make good infantry it requireth men bred in some free and plentiful manner. Bacon's Henry VII. But if you deign my ruder pipe to hear, (Rude pipe, unused, untuned, unworthy hearing) These infantile beginnings gently bear, Whose best desert and hope must be your bearing. Fletcher. Purple Island. That small infantry This worthy Theseus, his familiar friend: Their love in early infancy began, And rose as childhood ripened into man. Dryden. In their tender nonage, while they spread Their springing leaves and lift their infant head, Indulge their childhood. Id. Virgil. In Spain our springs, like old men's children, be Decayed and withered from their infancy. Dryden. Young mothers wildly stare, with fear possest, And strain their helpless infants to their breast. Id. Æneid. The insensible impressions in our tender infancies have very important and lasting consequences. Locke. The fly lies all the winter in these balls in its infantile state, and comes not to its maturity till the following spring. Derham. The difference between the riches of Roman citizens in the infancy and in the grandeur of Rome, will appear by comparing the first variation of estates with Arbuthnot. the estates afterwards possessed. Let such as deem it glory to destroy, Here first, at Fancy's fairy circled shrine And yet poor Edwin was no vulgar boy, Beattie's Minstrel. Both baby featured, and of infant size, Or must such minds be nourished in the wild INFANCY. Anatomy discovers to us, that during infancy there is much imperfection in the human frame; e. g. its parts are disproportioned, and its organs incapable of those functions which in future life they are designed to perform. The head is larger in proportion to the bulk of the body than that of an adult. The liver and pancreas are much larger in proportion than in advanced life; their secretions are more in quantity also. The bile is very inert; the heart is stronger and larger than in future life; the quantity of blood sent through the heart of an infant, in a given time, is also more in proportion than in adults. Though these circumstances have their important usefulness, yet the imperfection attending them subjects this age to many injuries and dangers from which a more perfect state is exempted. Dr. Percival observes, that of all the children who are born alive, two-thirds do not live to be two years old. INFA'NGTHEF, or HINGFANGTHEFT, or INFANGTHEOF, is compounded of three Saxon words: the preposition in, fang, or fong, to take or catch, and thef. It signifies a privilege or liberty granted unto lords of certain manors to judge any thief taken within their fee. INFANT. See INFANCY. Infants, amongst the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, were swaddled as soon as they were born, in a manner similar to that practised by the moderns. The Jews circumcised and named their infant children on the eighth day from their birth. Upon the birth of a son, the Grecians crowned their doors with olive; of a daughter, with wool. The infant was washed in warm water, and anointed with oil-by the Spartans with wine; it was then dressed, and laid in a basket, or on a shield if the father was a warrior. At five days old they ran with it round the fire, and the mother's relations sent presents. The Greeks named their children on the tenth day, the Romans on the ninth. The naming was attended with sacrifices and other demonstrations of joy. The maternal office of suckling their children was never declined, when circumstances would permit. The names of children were registered both among the Greeks and Romans. INFANT, in law, is a person under twenty-one years of age; whose capacities and ncapacities, and privileges are various. The ages of male and female are different for different purposes. A male at twelve years old may take the oath of allegiance; at fourteen is at the years of discretion, and therefore may consent or disagree to marriage, may choose his guardian, and, if his discretion be actually proved, may make his testament of his personal estate; at seventeen may be an executor; and at twentyone is at his own disposal, and may alien his lands, goods, and chattels. A female also at seven years of age may be betrothed; at nine is entitled to dower; at twelve is at years of maturity, and therefore may consent or disagree to marriage, and, if proved to have sufficient discretion, may bequeath her personal estate; at fourteen is at years of legal discretion, and may choose a guardian; at seventeen may be an executrix; and at twenty-one may dispose of herself and her lands. So that full age in male or female is at twenty-one years, which age is completed on the day preceding the anniversary of a person's birth; who till that time is an infant, and so styled in law. Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, women were never of age, but subject to perpetual guardianship, unless when married nisi convenissent in manum viri: and, when that perpetual tutelage wore away in process of time, we find that, in females as well as males, full age was not till twenty-five years. Thus, by the constitution of different kingdoms, this period, which is merely arbitrary, and juris positivi, is fixed at different times. Scotland agrees with England in this point; both probably copying from the old Saxon constitutions on the continent, which extended the age of minority ad annum vigesimum primum, et eo usque juvenes sub tutelam reponunt; but in Naples persons are of full age at eighteen, and in Holland at twenty-five. The very disabilities of infants are privileges; in order to secure them from injuring themselves by their own improvident acts. An infant cannot be sued but under the protection, and joining the name of his guardian; for he is to defend him against all attacks as well by law as otherwise; but he may sue either by his guardian or prochein amy, his next friend who is not his guardian. This prochein amy may be any person who will undertake the infant's cause; and it frequently happens that an infant, by his prochein amy, institutes a suit in equity against a fraudulent guardian. With regard to estates and civil property an infant has many privileges. In general, an infant shall lose nothing by nonclaim, or neglect of demanding his right; nor shall any other laches or negligence be imputed to an infant, except in some very particular cases. It is generally true that an infant can neither alien his lands, nor do any legal act, nor make a deed, nor any manner of contract, that will bind him. But, although infants cannot alien their estates, yet infant-trustees, or mortgages, are enabled to convey, under the direction of the court of chancery or exchequer, or other courts of equity, the estates they hold in trust or mortgage, to such person as the court shall appoint. Also it is generally true that an infant can do no legal act: yet an infant, who has an advowson, may present to the benefice when it becomes void. For the law in this case dispenses with one rule, in order to maintain others of far greater consequence; it permits an infant to present a clerk (who, if unfit, may be rejected by the bishop), rather than either suffer the church to be unserved (till he comes of age, or permit the infant to be debarred of his right by lapse to the bishop. An infant may also purchase lands, but his purchase is incomplete; for, when he comes to age, he may either agree or disagree to it, as he thinks prudent or proper, without alleging any reason; and so may his strength of the delinquent's understanding and heirs after him, if he dies without having com- judgment. For one lad of eleven years old pleted his agreement. It is, farther, generally may have as much cunning as another of fourtrue, that an infants under twenty-one can make teen; and in these cases the maxim is, that no deed but what is afterwards voidable: yet in malitia supplet ætatem. Under seven years of age, some cases he may bind himself apprentice by indeed, an infant cannot be guilty of felony; for deed indented, or indentures for seven years; then a felonious discretion is almost an impossibiand he may by deed or will appoint a guardian lity in nature: but at eight years old, he may be to his children, if he has any. Lastly, it is ge- guilty of felony. Also, under fourteen, though an nerally true, that an infant can make no other infant shall be prima facie adjudged to be doli incontract that will bind him: yet he may bind capax, yet if it appear to the court and jury that he himself to pay for his necessary meat, drink, ap- was doli capax, and could discern between good parel, physic, and such other necessaries; and and evil, he may be convicted and suffer death. likewise for his good teaching and instruction, Thus a girl of thirteen has been executed for killing whereby he may profit himself afterwards. her mistress and one boy of ten, and another of nine years old, who had killed their companions, have been sentenced to death, and he of ten years actually hanged; because it appeared, upon their trials, that the one hid himself and the other hid the body he had killed; which hiding manifested a consciousness of guilt, and a discretion to discern between good and evil. And there was an instance in the last century, where a boy of eight years old was tried at Abingdon for firing two barns, and it appearing that he had malice, revenge, and cunning, he was found guilty, condemned, and hanged accordingly. Thus also, in very modern times, a boy of ten years old was convicted on his own confession of murdering his bedfellow; there appearing in his whole behaviour plain tokens of a mischievous disposition; and as the sparing this boy merely on account of his tender years might be of dangerous consequence to the public, by propagating a notion that children might commit such atrocious crimes with impunity, it was unanimously agreed by all the judges, that he was a proper subject of capital punishment. But, in all such cases, the evidence of that malice, which is to supply age, ought to be strong and clear beyond all doubt and contradiction. The law of England does in some cases privilege an infant under the age of twenty-one, as to common misdemeanors; so as to escape fine, imprisonment, and the like: and particularly in cases of omission, as not repairing a bridge, or a high-way, and other similar offences; for, not having the command of his fortune till the age of twenty-one, he wants the capacity to do those things which the law requires. But where there is any notorious breach of the peace, a riot, battery, or the like (which infants when full grown are at least as liable as others to commit); for those an infant above the age of fourteen is equally liable to suffer, as a person of the full age of twenty-one. With regard to capital crimes, the law is still more minute and circumspect; distinguishing with greater nicety the several degrees of age and discretion. By the ancient Saxon law, the age of twelve years was established for the age of possible discretion, when first the understanding might open; and thence till the offender was fourteen, it was ætas pubertati proxima, in which he might, or might not, be guilty of a crime according to his natural capacity or incapacity. This was the dubious stage of discretion; but, under twelve, it was held, that he could not be guilty in will, neither after fourteen could be supposed innocent of any capital crime which he in fact committed. But by the law as it now stands, and has stood at least ever since the time of Edward III., the capacity of doing ill, or contracting guilt, is not so much measured by years and days, as by the INFANTA, and INFANTE, are titles given to all the sons and daughters of the kings of Spain and Portugal, except the eldest; the princes being called infantes, and the princesses infantas. J. Haddon, Printer, Finsbury. END OF VOL. XI. |