Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/22

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IMPING, is a Term ufed in Falconry, and Signifies the lnfening of a Feather in the Wing of a Hawk, in the place of one that is broke.

IMPLANTATION: One of the fix kinds of Tranf- plantation ; ufed by fome People for the Cure of certain Difeafes. Implantation is performed by placing Plants, or at leaft the Roots of Plants, in a Ground prepared for that purpofe, and water 'd with what the Patient ufed to wafli himfelf withal. By which means 'tis pretended the Dif- cafe is tranflated into the Plant. If the Plant happen to die before the Cure be perfected, by reafon of the ill Qualities it imbibes, other Plants mutt be placed inttead of it, and the Procefs be continued as in the firth

IMPLEAD, from the French Vlaider, to fue, arrefl, or profecute by Courfe of Law.

IMPLEMENTS, comes either from the French Word Employer, to employ, or the Latin lmpleo, to fill up ; and is ufed for all things neceffary for a Trade, or the Fur- niture of an Houfhold : in which Senfe we frequently find it ufed in Wills, and Conveyances of Moveables.

IMPLICITE, fomething tacitly comprized or under- fiood j that is, contain'd in a Difcourfe, Claufe, or Propo- rtion, nor in exprefs Terms, but only by Induction and Cnnfequence. The Word is derived from the Latin Flico, I fold.

IMPLY a Contradiction 5 a Term ufed among Philo- fophers to fignify the Object of Divine Omnipotence. Thus we fay, God can do every thing that does not imply a Contradiction proceeding from God : By which is not meant a Refpect of the Action to the Executive Power of God 3 for God by this Power could do whatever docs not imply a Contradiction proceeding from this Power, which would be to fay, that God can do what he can do. In that Proportion therefore is intended a Refpect to the o- ther Attributes and fimple Perfections of God. Thus God can do whatever does not imply a Contradiction to fome other of his Attributes. For jnitance, he cannot atteft a falfe Religion by his Word, or by Miracle, becaufe this is re- pugnant to his Goodnefs and Truth. But becaufe all things that imply a Contradict ion, cannot be faid to have fuch a Refpect to the Attributes of God 5 therefore we may fay more generally, that thofe things imply a Contra- diBion, which involve a Contrariety from the Terms or Object. For there are two things requifite to the Being of any thing 5 the one on the fide of the Agent, viz. a Power of Acting ; the other on that of the Patient or Ob- ject, viz, aNon-rcfiftance. For want of the firft Condi- tion, there are a thoufand things which wc cannot do; and for want of the fecond Condition, there are manv things that God cannot do : for that which, when it is af- firmed, is yet denied, is impoflible.

IMPORTATION, is the importing or bringing in of Merchandizes from foreign Countries.

IMPOSITION OF HANDS, an Action by which the Evangelical Miftiun, and the Power of Abfolving, is con- vey'd. hnpoftion of Hands was a y swift Ceremony, intro- duced, not by any Divine Authority, but by Cutlom 5 it being the Practice among thofe People, whenever they pray'd to God for any Perfon, to lay their Hands on his Head. Our Saviour obferv'd the fame Guftom, both when he conferred his Bleffing on Children, and when he cured the Sick •■, adding Prayer to the Ceremony. The Apoftles likewifc laid Bands on thofe whom they beitow'd the Holy Ghofl on. The Priefls obferved the fame Cultom when any one was received into their Body. And the Apoftles themfelves underwent the Impofition of Flands a-frefh, every time they entred upon any new Defign. In .the antient Church Fmpofirion of Hands was practifed on Perfons when they married ; which the /Ibyjfinians {till ob- ferve. But this Term, which in its original Signification , is general ; is reftrain'd by Cuftom, to that Impofition which is practifed at Ordination. Spanhclm has written a Trea- tife de Impoftiojze Mauuum 5 and Tribenhorhts and Bratmhts have done the fame.

IMPOSITION, is alfo a kind o£ Tranf plantation prac- tifed for the Cure of certain Difeafes. It is performed, by taking fome of the implanted- Spirit or Excrement of the Part affected, or of both together, and placing them in a Tree, or a Plant, between the Bark and the Wood, af- ter which it is covered up with Mud. Intlead of this, fome bore a Hole in the Tree with an Auger 5 and fhutting up the Flole again with a Tampion of the fame Wood, cover it over with Mud. If 'tis defired the Effect mould be lafting, a Tree is chofen that will continue long, as an Oak. If 'tis defired the Effect mould be fpeedy, they chufe a^Tree that grows faft •■> in which laft cafe, the Mat- ter ferving as the Medium of Tranfplantation muft be ta- ken out of the Tree as foon as the Effect has followed, becaufe the too great Alteration of the Spirit, might be fome prejudice to the Patient.

IMPOSSIBLE, that which cannot be done : A Thing is faid to be impojfble t when it contains two Ideas which

mutually deftroy each other, and which can neither be conceived, nor united together in the Mind. Thus it is impojfbk that a Circle fhould be a Square ; becaufe w« conceive clearly that Squarcncfs and Roundnefs de- ftroy each other by the Contrariety of their Figure. There are two kinds of Impoffh'dittes j the one Phyfical, the other Moral. A Phyfical bnpojjibtlity is that which cannot be done by the Powers of Nature. A thing is morally impojfbk, when of its own nature it is poffible, but yet is attended with fuch Difficulties, as that all things conlider'd, it appears impojjlble. Thus it is morally impojjible that all Men fhould be virtuous ; or tnat a Man fhould throw the fame Number with three Dyes an hun- dred times fucceffively.

Any thing contrary to Decency and good Senfe is alfo faid to be bnpojjible, among thofe who reafon from Moral Topics; thus the Lawyers fay, Omm tape impojfbtle: Thofe Conditions are impojfb/e, which Senfe and Decorum don't allow to be perform'd, tho in themfelves very pojfble to thofe who have no regard to good Senfe, i$c.

IMPOST, in Law, is the Tribute or Tax appointed by the Prince, for fuch Merchandize as is brought into any Haven in his Dominions from foreign Nations : 31 Eliz. 5. It may be diftinguifh'd from Cuftom, in that, Cuftom properly fignifies the Duties paid to the King for Goods ihipp'd off or exported : but they are frequently confoun- ded together.

IMPOSTHUME, is a Collection of Matter or Pus in any Part of the Body, either from an Obstruction of Fluids in that Part, which makes them change into fuch Matter ; or from aTranilation of it from fome other Part where it is generated.

IMPOSTS, in Architecture, are what are fometimes called Chaptrels : being the Parts on which the Feet of Arches flandj or the Capitals of Pillars, that fupport Arches. Thefe Fm-fofts conform to their proper Orders. The Tufcan hath a Plinth only? the Dorick two Faces crown'd j the Ionick a Larmier, or Crown, over the two Faces, and its Mouldings may be carved ; the Corinthian and Compofite have a Larmier, Freeze, and other Mould- ings. The Projectures of the Impnfts muft not exceed the Naked of the Pilafter. Sometimes the Entablature of the Order ferves for the Impojl of the Arch ; and this looks very grand and ilately. The bnpoj} is a thing very effential to the Compofition of the Ordonnances ■> info- much that without it, in the place where the curve Line of the Arch meets with the perpendicular Line of the Pillar, there always feems a kind of Elbow.

IMPOTENCE, a Want of Strength, Power, or Means to perform any thing. Fmpotence alfo fignifies a natural Defect or Inability to Generation. The Decretals diftin- gui/h three kinds of Impotence, -viz-. Frigidity, Enchant- ment, and Inability to the Act. Impotency annuls Mar- riage. The Word is derived from the Prepofition in, taken privatively, and Fotentia Power.

Divines and Philolophers diftinguifli two kinds of Impo- tency. The one Natural, the other Moral. The firft is a Want of fome Phyfical Principle neceffary to an Action, or is fomething abfolutely defective, or that is not free, and at liberty to act 5 the fecond is only a great Difficulty, as aftrong Habitude to the contrary : a violent Paffion or In- clination.

IMPRECATION, a Curfe, or Willi that fome Evil may befall any one. The Antients had their Goddeffes call'd Imprecations, in Latin Dine, i. e. Deorum Ira;, who were fuppofed to be the Executioners of evil Confciences. They were called Imprecations in Heaven, Furies on Earth, and Eumenides in Hell. The Romans own'd but three of thefe Imprecations, and the Greek two. They invoked them with Prayers and Pieces of Vcrfes to dellroy their Enemies. The Word is derived from the Latin in and precor.

IMPREGNATION, is the E miffion of the Seed of the Male in Coition, by which the Female conceives, or be- comes with young. It is alfo, hence, figuratively ufed in Pharmacy, when a Liquor imbibes the Juice of fome other Body : Thus a Menilruum is faid to be impregnated with a Body diffolved in it, as much as its Pores are able to receive. The Word is derived from theLat:v bnprxpiare y of Freudians, a Woman with Child.

IMPRESSION, a Term in Philofophy, apply'd to the Species of Objects, which are fuppofed to make fome Mark or Impr'eflion on the Senfes, the Mind, and the Me- mory. The Peripatetics tell us, rhat Bodies emit Species refembling them, which Species are convey'd by the ex- terior Scnfcs to the common Senfe. Thefe Imprelfons, or imprefs'd Species, being material and fenfible, are ren- der'd intelligible by the active Intellect ; and when thus fpiritualiz'd, are called Expreffions or exprefs Species, as being exprefs'd from the others.

IMPRESSION., is alfo frequently ufed in fpeaking of the Editions of a Book, or of the Number of Times that

they