M.

the thumb and the two fore-fingers. It is accounted the eighth part of the manipule.

Manipulus, a handful, or as much as a man can grasp in his hand at

once.

Cong. Congius, a gallon.

Cochl. Cochleare, a fpoonful, that is, half

Ss.

Q. s.

Q. I.

S. a.

an ounce of syrups; but only three drams of diftilled waters *.

Semis, half.

Quantum fufficit, a fufficient quantity.
Quantum libet, as much as you please.
Secundum artem, according to the
rules of art.

* JAMES'S Dispens. p. 447.

CHAP.

N

CHAP. IX.

Of NUMERAL LETTERS.

UMBERS are written two different
ways, by letters and by figures.

The Romans expreffed any number of thoufands, by a line drawn over a numeral, lefs than a thousand: thus, V denotes five thoufand, LX, fixty thousand.

So likewife M ftands for one thousand times a thousand, or a million; MM, two millions, &c.

MA

Numeral letters explained.

MDCLXVI, 1666.

denotes mille, 1,000.

D dimidium mille, half a thoufand, or 500; or it is probably the half of CIS.

centum, 100.

represents the lower half of C; and confequently expreffes 50.

C

L

X

resembles two Vs, the one upright, the other inverted; and fignifies 10.

V

I

ftands for 5, because its fifter letter U is the fifth vowel.

fignifies one, probably because it is the

plaineft and fimpleft character in the

alphabet.

If two or three of these characters are placed together, and the less number is placed before the greater, the value of the lefs is to be deducted from the greater: as, IX, nine; XIX, 19; CD, 400; CM, 900, &c.

Other reafons are given for the use of these particular letters by learned writers; but all of them feem to be uncertain conjectures *.

* Vid. PRISC. lib. de Fig. Numer. edit. Putschii, p. 1346. ALDI MANUTII Veter. Not. Explan. SCALIG. de Caufis Ling. Lat. 1. i. c. 41. Horм. Lexic. in voce NUMERI, MARTINII Lexic. Etymologicum.

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