QUETELET-QUINCE. views of one of the religious parties in the Protestant Church, has been translated into German and English, and at one time enjoyed considerable popularity both in England and in Germany. Quetelet, (LAMBERT ADOLPHE JACQUES,) a celebrated Belgian statistician and astronomer, was b. at Ghent, Feb. 22, 1796, and studied at the lyceum of his native city, where, in 1814, he became Prof. of Mathematics. In 1819 he was appointed to the same chair at the Brussels Athenæum, and in 1826 was chosen by King William I. to superintend the construction of the Royal Observatory in the capital, of which he became director in 1828. In 1836 he was made Prof. of Astronomy and Geodesy at the Brussels Military School. Elected a member of the Belgian Royal Academy in 1820, he became perpetual secretary in 1834. Q. was besides a corresponding member of the Institut de France and of the Royal Society of London. Q. was also one of the most efficient collaborators in drawing up the Bulletin de la Commission Centrale de Statistique, the Annales des Mines, the Journal des Economistes, the Annales des Travaux Publics, the Trésor National, etc. He also published numerous papers on meteorology, astronomy, terrestrial magnetism, etc., in the Mémores and Bulletins of the Belgian Royal Academy. He d. in 1874. Quetzalcoat'l, a mysterious personage, white and bearded, who came from the W. into Mexico at a very early period, probably in the Toltec domination, as the preacher of a religious faith not unlike Christianity. After some yrs. of residence in that country he departed to the East, leaving the promise of a return, which the Aztecs supposed about to be fulfilled upon the arrival of Cortez. Queve'do y Ville'gas, de, (DON FRANCISCO GOMEZ,) a Span. classic, b. at Madrid 1580, d. 1645. The prose works of Q. are divisible into two classes-the serious and burlesque. Among the former are The Life of Marcus Brutus and The Policy of God-remarkable for the purity and elevation of their sentiments. Among his satirical and burlesque productions, in which his genius finds its happiest expression, the principal are The Dream of the Death's Heads, The Demon Alguazil, Pluto's Stables, and The Side-scenes of the World. Quezaltenan'go, a town of Guatemala, Čent. Am., the cap. of a dept. of the same name. After Guatemala itself Q. is the most important town in the state. Pop. from 30,000 to 36,000. Quiberon, a small fishing town of France, in the dept. of Morbihan, at the extremity of a long, slender peninsula, 25 m. S.-W. of Vannes; pop. 720. It is historically celebrated as the spot where a body of French emigrant royalists, under D'Hervilly and Puisaye, landed from an English fleet, on June 27, 1795, and endeavored to rouse the people of Brittany and La Vendée against the Convention, but were defeated and driven into the sea by Gen. Hoche. All the prisoners taken were shot by order of the Convention. At an earlier period, during the war of the Austrian Succession, an English force attempted a landing here, (1746,) but was severely repulsed. In 1759 Admiral Hawke completely defeated a French fleet under Admiral Conflans in Quiberon Bay. Qui'ches, or Utlate'ca Indians, an Amer. race now found in Guatemala, who still retain much of their ancient semicivilization. They were among the most earnest in their resistance to the Spaniards, but were thoroughly conquered by them. Quich'ua, or Quito Indians, the first of the great Peruvian castes of the old civilization in numbers, the second in social rank. Their ancient seat was Cuzco, but their name is perpetuated in the capital of Ecuador. Quick-match, a combustible match, made by dipping cotton-wick in a composition of vinegar, saltpeter, and sometimes an admixture of gunpowder; when lighted it continues to burn to the end, and hence is useful in exploding mines, The rate at which it burns being known, it is only necessary for insuring safety to take the right length of Q. Quicksilver. See MERCURY. etc. Qui'etists, the name of a somewhat numerous class of mystical sects who, in different ages, have held that the most perfect state of the soul is a state of quiet, in which the soul ceases to reason, to reflect, whether upon itself or on God, and, in a word, to exercise any of its faculties, its sole function being passively to receive the infused heavenly light, which, according to their view, accompanies this state of inactive contemplation. The chief Quietist sects have been the Messalians, or Euchites, in the 4th c.; the Bogomili, in the 11th c.; the Beghards and Beguines, in the 13th c.; the Hesychasts in the East, about the same period; the Brethren of the Free Spirit, in the 14th c.; Michael Molinos, in the 2135 17th c.; and others of less note. Pope Innocent XI., in 1687, condemned Quietism as a heresy, and compelled Molinos to recant, after which he was imprisoned for life. Notable reference to Q. is found in John Inglesant, by J. H. Short house, and in Robert Browning's The King and the Book. Quilima'ne, a sea-port of East Africa, in the Portuguese territory of Mozambique, stands about 15 m. from the mouth of the river of the same name. The town itself, or village, stands on a large moist mud-bank, in any part of which water can be found by digging 2 ft. deep, surrounded by mango-bush and marsh. The climate is unhealthy in an eminent degree. The bar at the harbor is extremely dangerous, and the volume of water is so small that the bed of the small stream which communicates between the Quilimane and the ZAMBESI (q. v.) is dry for at least nine months in the yr. During the dry season trade is carried on by land-carriage Pop. about 15,000, including the inhabitants of the country in the immediate vicinity of the town. Quilla'ia, a genus of plants of the natural order Rosacea, the type of a tribe called Quillaica, with herbaceous calyxtube, capsular fruit, and seeds winged at the apex. The sub-order is remarkable for saponaceous secretions. The barks of some species of Q., as Q. saponaria, and Q. Brasili ensis, are used in S. Am. under the name of quillar as a substitute for soap. They contain a substance closely allied to Saponine. Quilled, in Her., a term used in describing a feather, to indicate that the quill differs in tincture from the rest. Quillo'ta, a town of Chili, in the prov. of Valparaiso ; pop. 10,000. Quills, the large feathers of the wings of birds, the hollow tubes of which, being properly cleaned of all oily or fatty matter, and dried, are used for making pens to write with. The time of their introduction to use for this purpose is not known. Those plucked from geese are most generally used, but swan and turkey-Qs. are not uncommon; and for very fine writing and for pen-and-ink drawing, crow-Qs. are preferred to all others. At one time the collection and preparation of Q. formed a very large and important branch of commerce; but the introduction of metallic pens has reduced it to very small limits. See PEN. Quil ́oa, or Kil'wa, an East African town, on an island off the coast of Zanzibar; pop. 7,000. Quilon', (Kayan Kulan,) a town of India, in the State of Travancore. It is situated on the sea-coast, in a bight where ships may anchor and have shelter. Quimper, an old town of France, cap. of the Dept. of Finistère, is prettily situated on the Odet, about 9 m. from its mouth, and about 35 m. S.-E. of Brest. Its cathedral, a stately and richly carved and ornamented edifice, commenced in 1424, is the principal building. Potteries are in operation, as well as tan-yards, breweries, etc., and sardine-fishing is actively carried on. Pop. 13,879. Quimperlé, a Fr. town, in the Dept. of Finistère; pop. 6,686. Quin, (JAMES,) a celebrated actor of Irish descent, b. in London 1693, and made his first appearance on the stage in 1714, at Dublin, as Abel in "The Committee." Shortly after he proceeded to London, where he was engaged at Drury Lane, but for quite inferior parts. In 1716, however, the sudden illness of a leading actor led to Q.'s being called on to sustain the character of Bajazet in the once famous play of "Tamerlane." His success was marked. Next yr. he exchanged for Mr. Rich's theater at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where he remained as a principal actor 17 yrs. Not long after leaving the former place he had the misfortune to kill a brother-actor, Mr. Bowen, in a duel-a circumstance which clouded his reputation for a while. The only really fine parts which he seems to have played were Capt. Macheath in the "Beggars' Opera," and Falstaff in the "Merry Wives of Windsor." In 1734-35 he returned to Drury Lane Theater, "on such terms," says Cibber, "as no hired actor had before received; and from this date until the appearance of Garrick, in 1741, he was by universal consent the first actor in England. Q. was by no means pleased at the rising fame of Garrick. D. Jan. 21, 1766. Quinault, (PHILIPPE,) a Fr. dramatist, b. 1635, d. 1688. He wrote the librettos for Lulli's famous operas. Quince, (Cydonia,) a genus of trees and shrubs of the natural order Rosaccæ, sub-order Pomeæ, nearly allied to Pyrus, with which many botanists have united it, but distinguished by having many instead of two seeds in each cell, and by their very mucilaginous nature. The common Q., (C. vul. garis,) a native of the S. of Europe and temperate parts of Asia, is a low tree, with generally tortuous branches; ovate, of the Boston Athenæum, 1851; The Municipal History of entire, deciduous leaves, which are downy on the under side, and rather large, whitish flowers, which are solitary at the extremity of young branches. The fruit is in some varieties globose; in others pear-shaped, of a rich yellow or orange color, with a strong smell. It is hard and austere, but when stewed with sugar becomes extremely pleasant, and is much used in this way either by itself or to impart a flavor to Common Quince, (Cydonia vulgaris.) the Town and City of Boston, 1852; Life of John Quincy Adams, 1858; Essays on the Soiling of Cattle, 1859. Born before the American Revolution, in which his father took an active and distinguished part, he lived to denounce the secession of the Confederate States in 1860, and urge on the war for their subjugation. He died at Boston, July 1, 1864. His son, EDMUND Q., is a distinguished author and orator, and was an active Abolitionist. Quin'cy College and Sem'inary, Quincy, Ill., was commenced in 1856 under M. E. auspices. It has two courses of three yrs. each, to which both sexes are admitted, though the college course is designed especially for men, the seminary for women. Quinet, (EDGAR,) a Fr. author, was b. at Bourge, in the Dept. of Ain, Feb. 17, 1803, and studied at Lyons and Paris. He made his literary début at the age of 20 by his Tablettes da Juif Errant, after which his love of philosophy and mystic reverie led him to Germany. He studied at Heidelberg, and on his return to France published a translation of Herder's Ideen zur Philosophie der Geschichte der Menschheit, so well executed that Cousin signalized it as le début d'un grand écrivain. From this early period dates his intimate friendship with MICHELET, (q. v.,) the result of a community of feeling and belief. Q. was a member of the scientific commission sent to the Morea in 1828, and while there gathered materials for his Grèce Moderne et ses Rapports avec l'Antiquite, (Paris, 1830.) Although his political enthusiasm was extremely ardent, he continued unabated his literary labors, and became a contributor to the Revue des Deux Mondes, in which Ahasuerus, perhaps his finest work, first appeared. From 1839 to 1842 he held the chair of foreign literature at Lyons, where his lectures on the ancient civilizations excited a profound interest. From this situation he passed to the chair of littératures méridionales at the Coll. of France, expressly instituted for him by M. Ville. main, and here, in company with Michelet, he assailed the Jesuits with a keen, earnest, epigrammatic eloquence that startled the chiefs of that body, and made even the government nervous, who knew the peril of being exposed to their secret hostility. In 1846 Q. was silenced. He threw himself eagerly into the Reform agitation that brought about the revolution of 1848, and was elected a member of the constituent and legislative assemblies, where he always voted with the Extreme Left, but was expelled from France after Dec. 2. On the fall of the empire Q. returned to France, and was reinstalled in his chair at the Coll. of France, Nov., 1870. In 1871 he was elected a member of the Assembly. He died in 1875. Among his chief works are Allemagne et Italie, Histoire de la Poésie, Epique, Le Génie des Religions, etc. Quincunx. apple pies. It is also much used for making a preserve called Q. marmalade. A delicious beverage somewhat resembling cider is made from it. The seeds readily give out their mucilage to water, so that they turn 40 or 50 times their weight of water into a substance as thick as syrup. Q. mucilage, or Q. gum, Cydonin, is allied to Bassorin, but differs from it in being readily soluble in water, while it differs also in some particulars from Arabin. (See GUM.) The Q. was cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is at the present day cultivated in the U. S., in the S. of Europe, in England, and generally in temperate climates. In Scotland the fruit seldom ripens except on a wall. The Japanese Q., (C. Japonica, better known by its older name, Pyrus Japonica,) a low bush, a native of Japan, but perfectly hardy in Britain, is often to be seen trained against walls, being very ornamental from the profusion of its beautiful flowers. Quin'cunx, an arrangement of five things or objects in a square, one occupying the center, as in the disposition of the trees shown in our cut. Quin'cy, a city of Adams Co., Ill., on the E. bank of the Mississippi River, is the third city of the State in size, at the junction of eight R.RS.; has a splendid bridge across the Mississippi; has 376 manufactories, with products valued at $10,500,000; is the seat of Quincy, Chaddock, and St. Francis Solanus Colls. Assessed valuations, real and personal, $5,900,000. Is picturesquely situated 125 ft. above the river, of which it commands a fine view. Pop. 34,000. Quin'cy, a sea-port town of Mass., was set off from Braintree in 1792. It was one of the earliest settled towns in New England, and was the birthplace of John Adams and of John Quincy Adams. It is noted for its quarries of the celebrated Q. granite. Pop. 16,723. Quin'ia, or Qui'nine. In the barks of the different varieties of Cinchona which are employed in the treatment of disease several alkaloids or organic bases occur in combination with quinic and quinotannic acids. Of these bases the most important are Q. and cinchona, each of which is accompanied by (or connected with) two isomeric bases, termed respectively Quinidine and Quinicine, or Cinchonidine and Cinchonicine; and besides these a base termed Aricine or Cinchonatine occurs in Cinchona ovata. Q. is characterized by the following properties: It crystallizes with six atoms of Su-water, in the form of silky needles, from an ethereal or alcoholic solution allowed to evaporate spontaneously in a cool place; but when thrown down from acid solutions it forms a white, curdy precipitate. For various nervous affections, as, for example, neuralgia, chorea, headache, etc., and in numerous forms of dyspepsia, debility, and cachexia, there is no single remedy more effectual than the citrate of iron and Q. Q. is employed not merely in the cure of disease, but for the preservation of the health when the system is exposed to certain noxious influences, such, for instance, as malarias and low fevers. Quin'cy, (EDMUND,) an Amer. jurist; Judge of the preme Court of Mass. 1718; a prominent man in the history of the country, and ancestor of a line of statesman; b. in Mass. 1681, d. 1738. Quin'cy, (JOSIAH,) an Amer. lawyer, orator, and man of letters, and son of Josiah Q., a distinguished orator of the Revolution, was b. at Boston, Feb. 4, 1772; was graduated at Harvard Coll. 1790; studied the profession of law; took an active interest in politics as a leading member of the Federal party in New England; entered Congress in 1805, where he became distinguished as a ready, earnest, and fervent orator in opposition to the policy of Jefferson and Madison. He was one of the earliest to denounce slavery in Congress, and declared that the purchase of La. was a sufficient cause for the dissolution of the Union. Disgusted with the triumph of the Democratic party and the War of 1812, he declined a reelection to Congress, and devoted his attention to scientific agriculture. He became, however, a member of the Senate of Mass., and in 1822 Judge of the Municipal Court of Boston. In 1823 he was elected Mayor of Boston, and in 1829 accepted the post of Pres. of Harvard Coll., which he held until 1845. Among his published works are a memoir of his father, 1825; History of Harvard University, 1840; History Qui'nisext, (Lat. quinque, "five," and ser, "six,") the name given to a council which, being regarded as a sort of supplement of the fifth and sixth generals, is called by a title which appears to combine both. In the same view, it is called by the Greeks penthekte, (from pente, "five," and hecte, "sixth.") The fifth general council, held in 553, on the sub. ject of the Three Chapters, enacted no canons of discipline. In like manner, the sixth, held against the Monothelites in 660, was confined almost entirely to doctrinal decisions. In order to supply the want, a numerous body of bishops, 211 in num. ber, assembled in 692, in a hall of the imperial palace at Constantinople, called the Trullus. It was a purely Oriental coun QUINOA-QUINTIN. cil, and not only was not approved by the Western Church and the pope, but was almost immediately reprobated. Its decrees are purely disciplinary; and it is chiefly important as being the council in which was laid down the broad distinetion between the legislation of the East and that of the West on the subject of clerical celibacy. Qui'noa, Chenopodium Quinoa, an annual plant, a native of Chili and the high table-land of Mexico. It much resembles some of the British species of Chenopodium, has an erect stem, with ovate, angular-toothed leaves, the younger ones pulverulent, and panicles much crowded and branched. In the countries in which it is indigenous it is much cultivated for its seeds, which form the principal food of the inhabitants. Quinquages'ima Sun'day, (Lat. "fiftieth,") the Sunday immediately preceding Ash-Wednesday. Quinquefo'liate, in Bot., having five leaves or leaflets. See LEAVES. Quinquen'nial Prescription, a period of five yrs. allowed by the law of Scotland within which payment of sums on all bargains concerning movables, arrears of rent in some leases, multures, ministers' stipends, arrestments, must be enforced. Quin'queremes, vessels with five banks of oars, however arranged, (see TRIREME,) which may be regarded as the firstrates of the ancient navies. The Greek states used them after the death of Alexander, and the Carthaginians a little later. A Carthaginian vessel of this class served during the first Punic War as a model to the Romans, who built 100 on the coast of Bruttii in the yr. 266 B.C., and thenceforward maintained fleets of such ships. According to Polybius, a quinquereme carried 300 seamen and 120 soldiers. 2137 of the Semenario Patriotico, and author of the manifestoes The Quin'sy, or Common Inflammatory Sore Throat, known also as CYNANCHE TONSILARIS and TONSILITIS, is an inflammatory affection of the substance of the tonsils. The inflammation is, however, seldom limited to these glands, but extends to the uvula, the soft palate, the pharynx, and not unfrequently the salivary glands. The disease usually manifests itself by difficulty in swallowing, and a sense of heat and discomfort in the throat, often amounting to considerable pain. On examination the throat at first exhibits unnatural redness, with enlargement of one or both tonsils. The uvula is en- Quintet', a musical composition for five voices, or for larged and elongated; its end either dropping down into the five instruments, each of which is obligato. The most repharynx, and, by exciting the sensation of a foreign body, giv-markable Qs. for stringed instruments are those of Bocching rise to much irritation, or else adhering to one of the ton- erini, Mozart, Beethoven, and Onslow; and for wind instrusils. The tongue is usually furred, and the pulse rapid, and ments, (the flute, oboe, clarionet, horn, and bassoon,) those of there are the ordinary symptoms of that form of constitutional Reicha. disturbance known as inflammatory fever. The inflammation terminates either in resolution (if the attack is not severe, and yields readily to treatment) or in suppuration, which may be detected by the occurrence of slight rigors, and by the increased softness of the enlarged tonsil. The matter which is discharged has a very fetid smell, and the fetor is often the first indication of the rupture. The pain almost entirely ceases with the discharge of matter, and recovery is then rapid. The disease is usually at its height in about a week after the manifestation of the first symptoms, and it almost invariably terminates favorably. The ordinary exciting cause of this disease is exposure to cold, especially when the body is warm and perspiring; and certain persons (or even families) are so subject to it that slight exposure is almost sure to induce it. Treatment. If seen early one drop doses of tincture of aco-endowment of Vespasian, and received a fixed salary from nite root every hour will abort a Q. The ammoniated tincture of guaiacum, (one tea-spoonful in a half-glassful of milk, first gargled and then swallowed,) with powdered guaiacum, (enough to cover a penny, placed far back on the tongue, and kept there as long as possible,) is highly recommended if used in the first three days of the disease; when there is fever, drop doses of aconite should be given hourly. Quin'tal, a Fr. weight, corresponding to the English "hundred-weight," and also to 100 lbs. On the introduction of the metrical system the same name was employed to designate a weight of 100 kilogrammes. (See GRAMME.) The metrical Q. is thus more than twice as heavy as the old one, and is equivalent to about 220 lbs. avoirdupois. Quinta'na, (MANUEL JOSÉ,) surnamed the "Spanish Tyrtæus," was b. at Madrid, April 11, 1772, studied at Salamanca, and established himself as an advocate in his native city, where his house became a resort of the advanced liberals of the time. Among his earliest productions were his Odes, which gave him a place in the first rank of Spanish poets. On the outbreak of the War of Independence he made good use of his lyric gift to stimulate the patriotism of his countrymen, and otherwise distinguished himself as editor Quintil’ian, (QUINTILIANUS, M. FABIUS,) was b. 40 A.D., at Calagurris, (the modern Calahorra,) in Spain, and attended in Rome the prelections of Domitius Afer, who died in 59. After this date, however, he revisited Spain, whence he returned in 68 to Rome, in the train of Galba, and began to practice as an advocate, in which capacity his reputation became considerable. He was more distinguished, however, as a teacher than as a practitioner of the oratorical art, and his instructions came to be the most eagerly sought after among all his contemporaries, while among his pupils he numbered Pliny the Younger and the two grand-nephews of Domitian. As a mark of the emperor's favor he was invested with the insignia and title of consul, while he also holds the distinction of being the first public teacher who was benefited by the the imperial exchequer. His professional career as a teacher of eloquence, commencing probably with 69, extended over a period of 20 yrs., after which he retired into private life, and died probably about 118. The reputation of Q. in modern times is based on his great work entitled De Institutione Libri XII., a complete system of rhetoric, which he dedicated to his friend Marcellus Victorius, himself a court favorite and orator of distinction. The entire work is remarkable for its sound critical judgments, its purity of taste, and the perfect familiarity it exhibits with the literature of oratory. The condensed survey of Greek and Roman literature with which the 10th book commences has always been admired for its correctness and animation. The declamations, amounting to 164, which have been ascribed to him are now believed to be spurious, as they evidently belong to different authors, and even different epochs. There is better ground, however, for ascribing to him the anonymous Dialogus de Oratoribus, often included in editions of Tacitus. Quin'tin, or Quin'taine, was an instrument used in the ancient practice of tilting on horseback with the lance. It consisted of an upright post, surmounted by a cross-bar turning on a pivot, which had at one end a flat board, at the 2138 QUINTUS CURTIUS RUFUS-QUO WARRANTO. other a bag of sand. The object of the tilter was to strike the board at such speed that the rider was past before the Ancient Quintin at Offham, Kent. bag of sand, as it whirled round, could hit him on the back. Quin'tus Cur'tius Ru'fus, the Roman historian, flour ished probably in the time of Vespasian; while a less plausible conjecture represents him as having lived in the reign of Constantine. Nothing important is known regarding his life. His work entitled De Rubus Gesiss Alexandri Magni Regis Macedonum consisted of 10 books; but of these the first two are lost, and the other eight are occasionally imperfect. Quin'tus Smyr'næus, or Quin'tus Cal'abar, a Greek poet, a native of Smyrna in the 5th c. A.D. Quire, (Fr. cahier,) of paper, consists of 24 sheets, each doubled once, and one placed within the other. Quir'inal, a celebrated hill in Rome, so named from its temple to the god Quirinus. The Q. is one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome stood, and, next to the Palatine and Capitoline, the oldest and most famous quarter of the city. It lies due N. of the Palatine, and its W. slope looks down on the Campus Martius, which stretches from its base to the banks of the Tiber. The most notable structures on the Q. were the Temple of Quirinus, said to have been built by Numa in honor of Romulus, the Temples of Flora, Salus, Fortuna, and Sol. Here, also, were the famous Gardens of Sallust, the Circus Flora, the Circus Sallustii, the Baths of Diocletian, and the Prætorian Camp. Quiri'nus was among the Sabines (and, according to Mommsen, among the Latins also) a surname of Mars, and is probably derived from the Latin word quiris, "a spear." It is therefore equivalent to the "Spear-bearer." According to the legend the name was first given to ROMULUS, (q. v.,) as the son of Mars, after his apotheosis, and the festival instituted in his honor was called the Quirinalia. See QUIRINAL. Quiri'tes, a name of the ancient Romans collectively, considered in their capacity as citizens, and as such entitled to vote in the curies, or assemblies of armed men. Quirk, a small angle or recess between moldings. It is much used in Greek and Gothic architecture, and sometimes in Roman. Qui'ros de, (PEDRO FERNANDEZ,) a Span. explorer, and discoverer of the New Hebrides, 1606; b. 1550, d. in Panama 1614. Quis'calus, a genus of birds of the fam- Quirk-molding. ily Icteridae, having a tail longer than in the hang-nests, and graduated-the middle feathers longest-its sides turned up. From this last character some of the species are often called BOAT-TAIL. The Great Boat-tail, or Great Crow Blackbird, a bird about 16 or 17 in. l., is common in the S. parts of N. Am. More common in all parts of the U. S. is the PURPLE GRAKLE, or CROW BLACKBIRD, a bird about 12 in. 1., tail included; black, with reflections of blue, violet, etc. Qui Tam actions are actions so called in the law of En gland from the first words of the old form of declaration by which informers sue for penalties, the plaintiff describing himself as suing as well for the crown as for himself, the penalty being divided between himself and the crown. Quit and Goal, two terms introduced by Prof. H. A. Newton, of Yale Coll., to define the two points opposite each other in the heavens toward one of which the earth is at the time moving in its orbit round the sun and from the other receding. They are of great convenience as brief and concise expressions in the discussion of meteors, and they are equally applicable to all discussions of motions in space. See METEORS and SOLAR SYSTEM. Quit'-claim, the conveyance by a seller of his interest in property without reference to the validity of his rights. Quit'man, (JOHN A., LL.D.,) b. in N. Y. 1799; was a successful lawyer, and was Chancellor of the Superior Court of Miss. 1828; member of the State Legislature; Judge of the High Court of Errors and Appeals 1839; appointed Brig.-Gen. of Volunteers on the outbreak of the war with Mexico; was made Gov. of Mexico by Gen. Scott; was presented with a sword by Congress, and was made Gov. of Miss. 1850; d. 1858. Qui'to, the cap. of Ecuador and of the prov. of Pichincha, stands between two parallel ranges of the Andes, on the E. side of the volcano of Pichincha, at an elevation of 9,492 ft. above the sea, and in lat. 0° 15' S., long. 78° 45′ W. Its site, in the midst of mountains, is very uneven; its appearance, however, is picturesque, and its beautiful environment of mountains, together with its clear, healthy, and temperate climate, averaging 60° Fahr., and described as an eternal spring, make it one of the most charming cities of S. Am. By the earthquake of March, 1859, most of the then existing churches, convents, and government buildings, as well as many private residences, were thrown down, property to the value of $3,000,000 was destroyed, and many lives lost. From this calamity the city has in great part recovered. Q. is the seat of the only archbishop in the country, and of the government. Coarse cotton and woolen goods and jewelry are manufactured, and the trade in grain, indigo, metals, and liquors is extensive. Pop. 80,000. Quit Rent, the small rent which is payable by the tenants of the old manors, by which they go quiet and free. In old records it is called white rent, because it was paid in silver money, as distinguished from corn rents. Quit'tor, a fistulous wound about the top of the horse's foot, results from treads, pricks, or neglected corns, which leads to the formation of matter underneath the hoof. Any dead horn, matter, or other cause of irritation must be sought for by cutting away the hoof. A free opening must be provided for the egress of any pent-up matter. Poulticing for a few days is often useful; while healing may afterward be expedited by the injection of any mild astringent lotion. Quoin is generally a wedge or an angle. In Artillery, the Q. is a wedge inserted beneath the breech of a gun, for raising or depressing the muzzle. The Armstrong gun is elevated by a screw instead of a Q. Qs. on shipboard are wedges used to prevent casks from damaging each other. Q., in Printing, is a wedge-like piece of wood with which the type is "locked up" in the chase or form. Q., in Arch., is one of the stones forming the solid corner of a building. Where the work is of brick or small materials the Qs. are usually of ashlar. They sometimes project, and are molded, when they are called "Rustic Qs." Quoits, a game much practiced by the working classes in the mining districts of Great Britain, seems to have been derived from the ancient game of "throwing the discus," which was such a favorite amusement of the Greeks and Romans. A quoit is a flattish ring of iron, generally from 8 to 9 in. in external diameter, and between 1 and 2 in. in w. The mode of playing is as follows: Two pins, called "hobs," are driven into the ground, and the players, who are divided into two parties, stand at one hob, and in regular succession throw their Q. (of which each player has two) as near the other hob as they can. The quoit when to be thrown is grasped with the right hand by one side, and pitched with an upward and forward jerk, which gives it a whirling motion, and causes it to strike the ground with its edge. Quo'rum, (Lat. quorum, "of whom,") a legal term, denoting a certain specified number out of a large number as entitled or bound to act for certain purposes. Quo War'ranto, a writ served by the attorney of the state or nation, calling upon a person or body of persons to show by what title he or they hold a specified property, office, or privilege. It is the legal mode of remedying any usurpation of privilege or of office. is the 18th letter in the English alphabet and in other Western alphabets. It is one of the group of liquids, and had for its Hebrew name Resh, meaning forehead, the rude outline of a head being still, it is thought, recognizable in the Phoenician form of the letter. R approaches in sound more nearly to the vowels than any other consonant. In Sanskrit there is an R Vowel, distinguished from the consonantal R by a different character. Raab, anc. Arrabona or Rabona, a town of Hungary, on the Raab, 67 m. W.-N.-W. of Buda; pop. 20,035. The old cathedral and the episcopal palace are prominent buildings. The town has an academy of law and other high schools. It was important as a Roman colony, and flourished under the Hungarian kings. The fortress was raised in 1820. The Hungarian army of "insurrection" (defensive rising en masse of the nobility) was here defeated by Eugene Beauharnais, June 14, 1809, and the revolutionary army by Haynau, June 28, 1849. Raa'say, one of the Western Isles, belongs to the group of the Inner Hebrides, and lies between the Isle of Skye and the main-land. It is 13 m. in 1. by 24 m. in greatest w. Pop. 389. Raba'nus Mau'rus, a Ger. theologian, b. in Mentz 776, d. 856. In 804 he founded at Fulda the first convent school in Germany. He wished to free the German Church from the influence of Rome, and succeeded in introducing the rule that the clergy should only preach in the native tongue. In 847 he became Archbishop of Mentz. He wrote Glossaria Latinotheodisca, (now an important monument of the earliest phase of the German language,) De Universo, De Arte Grammatica Prisciani, and several theological treatises. Rabat, a town of Morocco, in Fez, on a bay of the W. coast, at the mouth of the Burekrag or Bu-Regreb, opposite the town of Salé; pop. 20,000. There are many houses built in European style. The principal export is wool, and there are manufactures of pottery and carpets. R. was founded in the 13th c., and together with Salé was long notorious as a haunt of pirates. Rab'ba, a flourishing town of Africa in the kingdom of Gando; pop. 40,000. Rab'bi, an honorary title of the Jewish Masters of the Law, which is first found applied after the time of Herod, subsequently to the disputes between the two schools of Shammai and Hillel. It was in common use at the time of Christ, who is addressed as such by his disciples and the common people. Other forms of the same title are Rab, Rabban, Rabbon, Rabbuni. Rabbit, an animal of the same genus with the hare, but of smaller size and with shorter limbs, the hind legs shorter in proportion. It is not adapted like hares to seek safety by rapid and continuous running, but by retreating to burrows, which it excavates with great dexterity. In a wild state the R. is monogamous, and the attachment of a pair is said to continue during life; but in a state of domestication it ceases to pair. The fertility of Rs. is proverbial; they begin to breed when six months old, and are capable of producing several litters in a yr., of four to 12 or more in a litter; so that in favorable circumstances they multiply with prodigious rapidity. Tame Rs. exhibit great variety of colors -gray, brown, reddish-black, more or less mixed with white, and often white with all the characters of albinism. Rs. eat almost any kind of vegetable food. The Angora R. is a re N. Am. is the most plentiful species of the genus Lepus in N. J., Pa., and the more S. States. Rabbit-skins have a regular commercial value in consequence of the hair being well adapted for felting purposes Its chief use is in making the bodies of felt hats. Rabelais, (FRANÇOIS,) the greatest of Fr. humorists, b. 1495 at Chinon, a small town in Touraine. At the desire of his father he consented to embrace the monastic state. In the yr. 1530 he settled himself at Montpellier, and, taking a medical degree at the university, he was appointed to the post of lecturer. In 1532 he went as hospital physician to Lyons, where he published several works on medical science, besides other miscellaneous matter bearing on archæology, jurispru dence, etc. He d. at Paris in 1553. His romance in which are narrated the wonderful adventures of Gargantua and Pantagruel continues to take rank as one of the world's masterpieces of humor and grotesque invention. Gargantua is supposed to stand for Francis I., Pantagruel for Henry II., Grandejument de Gargantua for Diana of Poitiers, Panurge for the Cardinal de Lorraine, and other characters for various celebrated persons. Lord Bacon called R. "the great jester of France;" others have called him a "comic Homer." His work abounds with good sense and folly, delicate thoughts and gross obscenities; but it was entirely in accordance with the prevailing taste, and had a prodigious success. Rabies, (Lat. "madness,") a name given to a disease affecting the dog and other animals. See HYDROPHOBIA. Ra'cahout, a farinaceous food imported from the Barbary coast, which is sometimes recommended, with question. able propriety, to invalids. It is believed to consist of the meal of the acorn of the Barbary oak. Racal'muto, or Ragal'muto, a town of Sicily, in the prov. of Girgenti; pop. 12,250. Racconi'gi, a town in Italy; silk fabrics, twist, and woolen cloths are manufactured here; pop. 8,211. Raccoon', or Racoon', a genus of quadrupeds of the bear family, Ursidae, but differing widely from the typical members of that family. They are less perfectly plantigrade, the whole sole of the foot being, indeed, rested on the ground when the animal is still, but being partly raised when it walks, while when running it only touches the ground with the tips of its toes, and moves in a bounding manner. The dentition also differs from that of bears, there being, for one thing, only six instead of seven molars on each side in the lower jaw. The dentition indicates an aptitude both for animal and vegetable food. The general appearance may be described as intermediate between that of a fox and of a bear in miniature. The Rs. are exclusively Amer. The common R. is a native |