Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/794

728 such strength that, if it be measured by weight, it shall weigh exactly 100 grammes, or if by volume, 100 cubic centimetres. This quantity of salt solution is divided into 1000 parts, called thousandths. The standard of an alloy of silver is generally the number of thousandths of solution of salt, necessary to precipitate the silver contained in a gramme of the alloy. The operations of assaying depend for their accuracy on the perfection of the balance used to ascertain the weights of the metals taken, and the resulting globules. In a good assay balance three essentials are indispensable : (1.) It should be quick in its action ; (2.) It should be constant and uniform ; (3.) It should be extremely sensitive and delicate, indicating the minutest shades of difference. Assay balances, as now constructed, are capable of indicat ing a difference of the ten-thousandth of a grain. For a description of the modern chemical balance, see article  ASSELYN,, a celebrated Dutch painter, was born at Antwerp in 1610, and died at Amsterdam in 1660. He received instruction from Esaias Vandervelde, and distinguished himself particularly in landscape and animal painting, though his historical works and battle-pieces are also admired. He travelled much in France and Italy, and modelled his style greatly after Bamboccio (Peter Laer). He was one of the first Dutch painters who introduced a fresh and clear manner of painting landscapes in the style of Claude Lorraine, and his example was speedily followed by other artists. Asselyn's pictures were in high estimation at Amsterdam, and several of them are in the museums of that city. Twenty-four pieces of landscapes and ruins, which he painted in Italy, have been engraved by Perelle.  ASSEMANI, the name of a Syrian Maronite family of famous Orientalists.

(1.), a Maronite of Mount Lebanon, was born in 1687. When very young he was sent to the Maronite college in Rome, and was transferred thence to the Vatican Library. In 1717 he was sent to Egypt and Syria to search for valuable MSS., and returned with about 150 very choice ones. The success of this expedition induced the Pope to send him again to the East in 1735, and he returned with a still more valuable collection. On his return he was made titular archbishop of Tyre and librarian of the Vatican Library. He instantly began to carry into execution most extensive plans for editing and publishing the most valuable MS. treasures of the Vatican. His two great works are the BibliotJieca Orientalis Clem entina- Vaticana rec. manuscr. codd. Syr., Arab., Pers., Turc., Hebr., Samarit., Armen., ^Ethiop., Graze., jEgypt., Iber., et Ufalab., jussu et munif. Clem. XL, Romae, 1719-28, nine vols. folio, and Ephraemi Syri opera omnia quce extant, Or., Syr., et. Lat., 6 vols. folio, Rome, 1737-46. Of the Bibliotheca the first three vols. only were completed. The work was to have been in four parts (1.) Syrian and allied MSS., orthodox, Nestorian, and Jacobite; (2.) Arabian MSS., Christian and Mahometan; (3.) Coptic, /Ethiopic, Persian, and Turkish MSS.; and (4.) Syrian and Arabian MSS. not distinctively theological ; only the first part was completed, but extensive preparations were made for the others. There is a German abridgement by A. F. Peiffer.

(2.), brother of Joseph Simon, and professor of Oriental languages at Rome. He died in 1782. Besides aiding his brother in his literary labours, he published, in 1749-60, Codex Liturgicus Ecclesice Uni verses in xv. libris (this is incomplete), and Comment, de Catholicis sive Patriarchis Chaldceorum et Nestorianorum, Rome, 1775.

(3.), nephew of Joseph Simon and Joseph Aloysius, was the chief assistant of his uncle Joseph Simon in his work in the Vatican Library. He was titular archbishop of Apainea in Syria, and held several rich pre bends in Italy. His literary labours were very extensive. His two most important works were a description of certain valuable MSS. in his Bibliothecoe Mediceo-Laurentiance et Palatinae codd. manuscr. Orientalium Cataloyus, Flor. 1742, fol., and his Ada SS. Martyrum Orientalium. He made several translations from the Syrian, and in conjunc tion with his uncle, he began the Bibliotheca Apostol. Vatic, codd. manusc. Catal., in ires paries distributes. Only three vols. were published, and the fire in the Vatican Library in 1768 consumed the manuscript collections which had been, prepared for the continuation of the work.

(4.), grandnephew of Joseph Simon, was born at Tripoli in 1752, and was professor of Oriental languages in Padua. He died in 1820. He is best known by his masterly detection of the literary imposture of Vella, which claimed to be a history of the Saracens in Syria.  ASSEN, a town of the Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe, containing 6836 inhabitants. It lies 16 miles south of Groningen, is connected with the Zuyder-Zee by the Smilder canal, has a considerable trade in corn and peats. There are a number of highly interesting tumuli in the neighbourhood, in which various relics have been found, which are now deposited in the museum at Leyden.  ASSENS, a town of Denmark, on the west coast of Fiihnen, the ordinary port for the traffic between that island and Schleswig. In 1535 it was stormed by John of Ranzau, and afterwards plundered and dismantled ; but its fortifications, of which traces are still to be found, were restored in 1628. Population, 3581. Long. 9 55 E., lat. 55 15 N.  ASSER,, or, was born in Pembrokeshire, and educated in the monastery of St David's by the Archbishop Asserius, who, according to Leland, was his kinsman. Here he became a monk, and by his assiduous application soon acquired universal fame as a person of great abilities and profound learning. King Alfred, always a munificent patron of genius, about the year 880 sent for him to court, and made him his preceptor and companion. As a reward for his services, the king appointed him abbot of two or three different monasteries, and at last promoted him to the episcopal see of Sherborne, where he died in the year 910. He was, says Pits, a man of happy genius, wonderful modesty, extensive learning, and great integrity of life. He wrote the life of Alfred (De Vita et Rtbus Gestis Alfredi), in 893, apparently for the use of his Welsh countrymen. The authenticity of this work was denied by Mr Wright (in his Liographia Britannica Liter aria), who thought it was the production of some monk of St Neots about the end of the 10th century. In this, however, he has had few followers, and the work is generally believed to be Asser s, though somewhat inter polated. It was first published by Archbishop Parker at the end of Walsingham s Hist. Land., 1574. The best editions are those of Wise (8vo, Oxon., 1722), and of Thorpe in his edition of Florence of Worcester for the English Historical Society. An English translation is to be found in Bohn s Antiquarian Library.  ASSESSOR, among the Romans, was a term generally applied to a trained lawyer who sat beside a governor of a province or other magistrate, to instruct him in the adminis tration of the laws. The system is still exemplified in Scotland, where it is usual in the larger towns for municipal magistrates, in the administration of their civil jurisdiction, to have the aid of professional assessors. In municipal corporations in England, officers with the same name are appointed to assist at the election of councillors and ascertain the result. By the recent English Judicature Act, provision 