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C A N

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C A P

Europe. The cantharis uſed in making bliſtering plaſters, is ranked under a different genus, viz. the Meloe. See Meloe.

CANTICLES, a canonical book of the Old Teſtament. The Talmudiſts aſcribe it to Hezekiah, but the learned are agreed that king Solomon was the author of it; and his name is prefixed to it in the title of the Hebrew text, and of the ancient Greek verſion.

CANTO, in muſic, the treble, or at leaſt the higher part of a piece.

This word more properly ſignifies the first treble, unleſs the word ſecundo, for the ſecond, or ripieno, for the treble of the grand chorus, be added.

CANTON, in geography, denotes a ſmall country, or diſtrict, conſtituting a diſtinct government: ſuch are the cantons of Switzerland.

Canton is alſo the name of a large, populous, and wealthy city and port-town of China, ſituated on the river Ta, about fifty miles from the Indian ocean: E. long. 112° 30′, N. lat. 23° 25′.

It is a fortified place, within the walls of which no Chriſtians are permitted to enter, notwithſtanding their great trade thither; it being from thence that they import all manner of Chineſe goods, as china-ware, tea, cabinets, raw and wrought ſilks, gold-duſt, &c.

CANTONING, in the military art, is the allotting diſtinct and ſeparate quarters to each regiment of an army; the town where they are quartered, being divided into ſo many cantons, or diviſions, as there are regiments.

CANTRED, or Cantref, ſignifies an hundred villages, being a Britiſh word, compounded of the adjective cant, i. e. hundred, and tref, a town or village. In Wales, ſome of the countries are divided into cantreds, as in England into hundreds.

CANVAS, in commerce, a very clear unbleached cloth of hemp, or flax, wove very regularly in little ſquares. It is uſed for working tapeſtry with the needle, by paſſing the threads of gold, ſilver, ſilk, or wool, through the intervals or ſquares.

Canvas is alſo a coarſe cloth of hemp, unbleached, ſomewhat clear, which ſerves to cover womens ſtays, alſo to ſtiffen mens cloaths, and to make ſome other of their wearing-apparel, &c.

Canvas is alſo a very coarſe cloth made of hemp, unbleached, ſerving to make towels, and answering other domeſtic purpoſes. It is alſo uſed to make ſails for ſhipping, &c.

Canvas is uſed among the French, for the model and first words, where an air or piece of music is compoſed, and given to a poet to regulate and finiſh.

CANATUS, in ornithology, the trivial name of a ſpecies of tringa. See Tringa.

CANZONE, in muſic, ſignifies, in general, a ſong where ſome little figures are introduced: But it is ſometimes uſed for a ſort of Italian poem, uſually pretty long, to which muſic may be compoſed in the ſtyle of a cantata. If this term be added to a piece of inſtrumental muſic, it ſignifies much the ſame as cantata: If placed in any part of a ſonata, it implies the ſame meaning as allegro, and only denotes that the part to which it is prefixed, is to be played or ſung in a briſk and lively manner.

CANZONETTA, a diminutive of canzone, denoting a little ſhort ſong: The canzonette neapolitane have two ſtrains, each whereof is ſung twice over, as the vaudevilles of the French: The canzonette ſiciliane are a ſpecies of jigg, the meaſure whereof is uſually twelve eights, and ſix eights, and ſometimes both, as rondeaus.

CAP, a part of dreſs made to cover the head, much in the figure thereof.

The use of caps and hats is referred to the year 1449, the first ſeen in theſe parts of the world being at the entry of Charles VII, into Rouen: from that time they began to take place of the hoods, or chaperoons, that had been uſed till then. When the cap was of velvet, they called it mortier; when of wool, ſimply bonnet. None but kings, princes, and knights, were allowed the use of the mortier. The cap was the head-dress of the clergy and graduates: Churchmen and members of univerſities, ſtudents in law, phyſic, &c. as well as graduates, wear ſquare caps in moſt univerſities. Doctors are diſtinguished by peculiar caps, given them in aſſuming the doctorate. Paſquier ſays, that the giving the cap to ſtudents in the univerſities was to denote that they had acquired full liberty, and were no longer ſubject to the rod of their ſuperiors, in imitation of the ancient Romans, who gave a pileus or cap to their ſlaves, in the ceremony of making them free. The cap is alſo uſed as a mark of infamy in Italy. The Jews are diſtinguiſhed by a yellow cap at Lucca, and by an orange one in France.

Cap of maintenance, one of the regalia, or ornaments of ſtate belonging to the kings of England, before whom it was carried at the coronation, and other great ſolemnities. Caps of maintenance are alſo carried before the mayors of the ſeveral cities in England.

CAPE, in geography, an high land running out with a point, into the ſea, as Cape-Nord, Cape-Horn, the Cape of Good-Hope, &c.

CAPE of Good-Hope: See Good-Hope.

CAPE-coaſt-caſtle, the principal Britiſh fort and ſettlement on the gold-coaſt of Guinea, ſituated under the meridian of London, in 5° N. lat.

CAPELLA, in aſtronomy, a bright fixed ſtar in the left ſhoulder of the conſtellation auriga.

CAPER, in botany. See Capparis.

CAPERQUIN, a town of Ireland, in the county of Waterford, and province of Munſter, ſituated on the river Blackwater: W. long. 7° 50′, N. lat. 52° 5′.

CAPHAR, a duty which the Turks raiſe on the Chriſtians, who carry or ſend merchandiſes from Aleppo to Jeruſalem, and other places in Syria.

This duty of caphar was first impoſed by the Chriſtians themselves, when they were in poſſeſſion of the Holy land, for the maintenance of the troops, which were planted in difficult paſſes, to obſerve the Arabs, and prevent their incurſions. It is ſtill continued, and much increaſed by the Turks, under pretence of defending the Chriſtians against the Arabs, with whom,

never-