mischiefs nearly approaching to those of the locusttribe. A species of great beauty is the Scarabæus auratus, or golden beetle, about the size of the common or black garden beetle ; the colour is most brilliant, varnished, and of a golden-green. This is a fine object for the magnifying glass. It is not very uncommon during the hottest parts of summer, frequenting various plants and flowers; its larva is commonly found in the hollows of old trees, or among the loose dry soil at their roots, and sometimes in the earth of ant-hills. The Scarabæus stercorarius, or clock beetle, flies about in an evening, in a circular direction, with a loud buzzing noise, and is said to foretel a fine day. It was consecrated by the Egyptians to the Sun. SCALDS, or burus, treatment of, See BURN. The modern method of treating injuries of this kind is as follows: Take a tea cup, and put into it some alkohol, camphorated spirit, or spirit of turpentine, place it in a bason of hot water, so as to heat it to what the finger will bear; then with a rag dipped into it wash and bathe the whole injured surface. When bathed three or four times, apply the following liniment to the whole extent of the injury, spread on old linen: Take of yellow basilicon ointment one ounce: spirit of turpentine three drachms, or as much spirit as is sufficient to make the ointment the thickness of honey. The yellow ointment stops the pores of cloth, impedes evaporation, and thus confines the effect of the spirit to the burned surface. The first dressings are to re⚫ main on 24 hours, and on the following day, fresh liniment is to be applied. Care must be taken that the air is secluded as much as possible during the time the wound is dressing. SCARLET, in dying, one of the seven hues of red. There are two kinds of scarlets, the one produced by scarlet-grain or kermes, a kind of gall; and the other by the cochineal insect. SCENE, in the drama, has four senses: in its primitive one, it denotes a theatre, the word meaning a tent or booth; in its second, it means a decoration of a theatre, as the picture at present dropped between the acts. The ancients had three scenes of this kind, which served for the three kinds of pieces; a scene of a palace for tragedies; one of houses and streets for comedies; and one of a forest for pastorals. In its third sense, a scene is the place in which the action is performed, as in a room or in a garden; and in its fourth, it means that portion of a drama which belongs to the same person or persons, in one place. SCENOGRAPHY, in perspective, stands opposed to ichnography and orthography. Ichnography is the ground-plan; orthography the elevation, or a flat view of a front of an object; and scenography or perspective view, taking several sides, and representing every thing in its apparent proportions. SCEPTRE, a baton or little staff worn by kings. Critics are not agreed whether it represents a javelin or a staff; that is, whether it be a badge of military or of civil authority. The Greek poets decorate the most ancient kings with sceptres. SCEPTICISM, also called Pyrrhonism (from its founder, Pyrrho, who lived under Alexander the Great), that philosophy which teaches a general suspension of judgment. |