Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/481

* BRASENOSE COLLEGE. 425 BRASSES. htis (brew-house), a Iniildinjr which previously Btood on the site; and the corruption becomes at once facetious and phiusible from the signifi- cant knocker, in the form of a brazen nose, which hangs over the old entrance. The new- buildings on the High Street are among the best examples of modern collegiate architecture. Ihe college can receive 150 undersrraduates. Among its members have been Burton (author of the Anatomy of Melancholy), Ashmole ( founder of the Ashmolean Museum ), Foxe ( au- thor of the Book of Martyrs), Bishop Heber, Dean Milman, Barham (author of the Ingolds- hy Legends), and Roberston. of Brighton. Here, too, Walter Pater was tutor. Besides good standing as a college, Brasenose has been for- tunate in her athletics, particularly boating. BR ASHE AR (brash'er) CITY. See MoB- GAX City. BRASIDAS (Gk. Bpo<riSas). A distinguished Spartan general of the Fifth Century B.C., espe- cially notable for his courageous conduct in the Peloponncsian War. For his successful defense of Methone, in Messenia, he was made a chief magistrate of Sparta. He brought relief in 424 to Megara, and, marching through Thessaly, subdued a number of Macedonian cities. Under great disadvantages he won, in 422, a signal victory over Cleon at Amphipolis, but both generals were mortally wounded. He was buried within the walls of Amphipolis, and, long hon- ored as a hero, his memory was celebrated in games and sacrifices. To his worth his enemies bear witness: Thucydides extols his civic vir- tues, and Plato mentions him with Achilles. BRASS (AS. brws, probably related to Icel. hrasa. to harden by fire, Sw. brasa, to fire). An alloy of copper and zinc, considered the most important of all alloys. It was distinctly known to the ancients, as shown by its mention in the Old Testament and in the works of Pliny; though, according to some authors, the alloy of the ancients was a variety of bronze, or a mix- ture of copper and tin. Natural brass was early used and was known as orichalcum. During the Middle Ages brass was made in CJermany, chiefly in sheets, which found extensive use in churches. The original method for its produc- tion, called the cementation process, was by heating copper in the form of shot or sheet in crucibles in contact with zinc, or as calamine and carbon, resulting in the volatilization of the zinc, and its subsequent absorption by the copper. The brass thus obtained was melted down and cast. In 1781 a process for the direct ]>roduction of brass from copper and zinc was patented by James Emmerson, whose method has since entirely superseded the old process, owing to its greater simplicity. Emmerson's method consists essentially in first melting the copper in a crucible, then adding the zinc in small quantities, and stirring until the two metals are thoroughly mixed, after which the molten brass is cast into molds of sand or iron. Brass has a fine yellow color, which becomes darker as the proportion of copper is increased, and is capable of receiving a fine polish. It is harder than copper, and hence better adapted to resist wea^. Brass is both malleable and ductile, and there- fore may be rolled into thin sheets or drawn into fine wire. It resists the influence of the atmosphere better than copper, but tarnishes if not protected by a lacquer or varnish. Brass comes into commerce chiefly as cast, sheet, wire, and tubes. The proportions of its two con- stituents vary from 10 parts of copper and 1 of zinc, forming a reddish-v<'llow brass, all the way to 1 part of copper and 5 parts of zinc, forming a very dark gray alloy. The composition of brass is regulat<!d with a view to the purpose for which the alloy is to be employed. 'The pro- portions of the more important kinds are as follows: Button brass, 8 parts copper with 5 parts zinc; fine brass, 2 parts copper with 1 part zinc; fine casting brass, 90 parts copper, 7 parts zinc, 2 parts tin, and 1 part lead ; gilding brass, 64 parts copper. 32 parts zinc. .'} parts lead. 1 part tin; malleable brass, 3 parts copper with 2 parts zinc; soldering brass, 12 parts fine brass, 6 parts zinc, 2 parts lead; wire brass, 72 parts copper. 28 parts zinc. Some of the most impor- tant kinds of brass have special names; thus, Aich's metal is brass composed of 60 parts cop- per. 38.2 parts of zinc, 1.8 part iron; bath metal is 5 parts of copper and 1 part of zinc; Bristol brass, CI parts of copper, 39 parts of zinc; oroide, or French gold, i)arts copper, 10 parts zinc; Mannheim gold, 2 pai'ts of copper, l^o parts zinc; Muntz's metal, 10 parts copper and 12 parts zinc; Pinchbeck, 88.8 parts copper, 11.2 parts zinc; Prince's metal, 75 parts copper and 25 parts zinc; similor, from 6 to 9 parts of cop- per with 1 part of zinc. An excellent brass solder consists of equal parts of copper and zinc. 1 part of silver being added for finer kinds of work. BRASS, S.i.T.T. A character in Dickens's Old Curiosity Shop, who delighted in starving the Marchioness. She was an abler scoundrel than her brother, and affected masculine ways and attire. She and Dick Swiveller struck up a curious negative sort of friendship. BRASS, S.4.3JP.SOX. The brother of Sally Brass in The Old Curiosity Shop, by Dickens. He was Quilp's legal tool, and could either bully or cringe, as occasion required. His attempt to ruin Kit. however, resulted in his own and his sister's downfall. BRAS''SARTS (Fr. hrassart, from bras, arm, Eng. hriice). Paris of plate armor used to pro- tect the upper part of the arms, and to unite the shoulder and elbow pieces. When the front of the arm only was shielded, the pieces were called demi-brassarts. Brassarts was sometimes used to designate the whole protection for the arm. BRASSES, Sepulchrai.. Flat tombstones of metal used generally during the Thirteenth and following centuries. They were set in the pave- ments of churches, and were made of brass or of a mixed metal called latten (Fr. laiton). the design being marked by incised lines in the metal, filled in with a black or dark resinous enamel. The brilliancy of the metal was some- times enhanced by gilding and damascening. These sepulchral slabs were of two classes: (1) ^larble or stone slabs to which the brass orna- mentation was attached as to a ground, the brass forming the figure of the deceased in the centre of the slab, as well as the ornaments, framework, armorial bearings, and inscription. each inserted as a separate piece of metal into