PARSLEY (Petroselinum), a genus of plants of the natural order Umbelliferæ. The species are annual or biennial, branching, smooth, herbaceous plants, with variously pinnated leaves.-COMMON P. (P. sativum), which has tripinnate shining leaves, one of our best known culinary plants, is a native of the south of Europe, growing chiefly on rocks and old walls, and naturalised in some parts of England. The cultivation of P. is extremely simple, and an annual sowing is generally made, although when cut over and prevented from flowering, the plant lives for several years. A variety with curled leaflets is generally preferred to the common kind with plain leaflets, as finer and more beautiful, being often used as a garnish; it is also safer, as the poisonous Fool's P. (q. v.) is sometimes gathered by mistake instead of the other.-HAMBURG P. is a variety with a large white carrot-like root, cultivated for the sake of its root, and much in the same way as the carrot or parsnip. To produce large roots and of delicate flavour, a very rich soil is required. The foliage of P. is not merely of use for flavouring soups, &c., but is nutritious, at the same time that it is stimulating, a quality which it seems to derive from an essential oil present in every part of the plant. P. contains also a peculiar gelatinous substance called Apiine. The bruised leaves of P. are sometimes employed as a stimulating poultice. The seeds are a deadly poison to many birds, and when powdered, they are sometimes used for killing lice.

PARSNIP (Pastinaca), a genus of plants of the natural order Umbelliferæ, having compound umbels with neither general nor partial involucres; yellow flowers with roundish, involute, sharp-pointed petals; calyx almost without teeth; fruit dorsally compressed and flat, with a broad border, the ridges very fine. The species are annual, biennial, or perennial herbaceous plants, with carrot-like, often fleshy roots, and pinnate leaves.-The COMMON P. (P. sativa) is a native of England, although not of Scotland, and is abundant in some districts, particularly in chalky and gravelly soils. It is also found in many parts of Europe, and of the north of Asia. It is a biennial, with angular furrowed stem, 2-3 feet high, pinnate leaves with ovate leaflets, rather shining, cut and serrated, and a three-lobed terminal leaflet. The root of the wild plant is white, aromatic, mucilaginous, sweet, but with some acridness; and injurious effects have followed from its use. Cultivation has greatly modified the qualities both of the root and foliage, rendering them much more bland. The P. has long been cultivated for the sake of its root, which in culti vation has greatly increased in size, and become more fleshy. The flavour is disliked by some, as well as the too great sweetness, but highly relished by others; and the root of the P. is more nutritious than that of the carrot. The produce is also, on many soils, of larger quantity; and although the P. delights in a very open rich soil, it will succeed in clayey soils far too stiff for the carrot. It is rather remarkable that it has not been extensively cultivated as a field-crop, and for the feeding of cattle, except in the Channel Islands and in limited districts of continental Europe; more particularly as cattle are very fond of it, and not only the flesh of cattle fed on it is of excellent quality, but the butter of dairy-cows fed on parsnips

the incumbent of a benefice in a parish. He is called PARSON, in English Ecclesiastical Law, means parson (Lat. persona) because he represents the church for several purposes. He requires to be a member of the Established Church of England, and to be duly admitted to holy orders, presented, instituted, and inducted; and requires to be 23 he is said to be in full and complete possession of years of age. When he is inducted, and not before, of the parish church is vested in him, and as the the incumbency. The theory is, that the freehold legal owner, he has various rights of control over the chancel. He is also the owner of the churchyard, and as such is entitled to the grass. As owner of the body of the church, he has a right to control of the church bells, and is entitled to prevent the churchwardens from ringing them against his will. The distinction between a parson and vicar is, that the parson has generally the whole right to the ecclesiastical dues in the parish, whereas the vicar has an appropriator over him, who is the real owner of the dues and tithes, and the vicar has only an inferior portion. The duty of the parson is to perform divine service in the parish church under the control of the bishop, to administer the sacraments to parishioners, to read the burial-service on request of the parishioners, to marry them in the parish church when they tender themselves. He is bound to reside in the parish, and is subject to penalties and forfeiture, if he without cause absent himself from the parish. He is subject to the Clergy Discipline Act, in case of misconduct.

PARSONSTOWN (anciently called BIRR), a considerable inland town on the river Brosna, in King's County, Ireland, 69 miles west-southwest from Dublin, with which city it is connected by a branch-line issuing from the Great Southern and Western Railway at Ballybrophy. Pop. in 1871, 4939; of whom 4049 were Roman Catholics, 725 Protestant Episcopalians, and the rest Protestants of other denominations. Birr had its origin at an early period in a monastery founded by St Brendan, and was the scene of many important events, both in the Irish and in the post-Invasion periods. The castle, which was anciently the seat of the O'Carrols, was granted by Henry II. to Philip de Worcester; but it frequently changed masters, and even alternated between English and Irish hands. By James I., it was granted to Lawrence Parsons, ancestor of the present proprietor, the Earl of Rosse; but through the entire period of

to the Jewish rites-prohibitions only to be bought off by heavy bribes. In return, the Magi were cordially hated by the Jews, and remain branded in their writings by the title of demons of hell (Kidushin, 72 a.). To accept the instruction of a Magian is pronounced by a Jewish sage to be an offence worthy of death (Shabb. 75 a.; 156 b.). This mutual animosity does not, however, appear to have long continued, since in subsequent times we frequently find Jewish sages (Samuel the Arian, &c.) on terms of friendship and confidence with the later Sassanide kings (cf. Moed Katan, 26 a. &c.). From the period of its re-establishment, the Zoroastrian religion flourished uninterruptedly for about 400 years, till, in 651 A.D., at the great battle of Nahavand (near Ecbatana), the Persian army, under Yezdezird, was routed by the Calif Omar. The subsequent fate of those that remained faithful to the creed of their fathers has been described, as we said before, under GUEBRES. At present, some remnants inhabit Yezd and Kirmân, on the ancient soil of their race; others, who preferred emigration to the endless tribulations inflicted upon them by the conquering race, found a resting-place along the western coast of India, chiefly at Bombay, Surat, Nawsari, Achmedabad, and the vicinity, where they now live under English rule, and are recognised as one of the most respectable and thriving sections of the community, being for the most part merchants and landed proprietors. They bear, equally with their poorer brethren in Persia, with whom they have of late renewed some slight intercourse for religious and other purposes-such as their Rivayets or correspondences on important and obscure doctrinal points-the very highest character for honesty, industry, and peacefulness, while their benevolence, intelligence, and magnificence outvies that of most of their European fellowsubjects. Their general appearance is to a certain degree prepossessing, and many of their women are strikingly beautiful. In all civil matters they are subject to the laws of the country they inhabit; and its language is also theirs, except in the ritual of their religion, when the holy language of Zend is used by the priests, who, as a rule, have no more knowledge of it than the laity.

We have spoken of the leading fundamental doctrines as laid down by their prophet. Respecting the practical side of their religion, we cannot here enter into a detailed description of their very copious rituals, which have partly found their way into other creeds. Suffice it to mention the following few points. They do not eat anything cooked by a person of another religion; they also object to beef, pork, especially to ham. Marriages can only be contracted with persons of their own caste and creed. Polygamy, except after nine years of sterility and divorce, is forbidden. Fornication and adultery are punishable with death. Their dead are not buried, but exposed on an iron grating in the Dokhma, or Tower of Silence, to the fowls of the air, to the dew, and to the sun, until the flesh has disappeared, and the bleaching bones fall through into a pit beneath, from which they are afterwards removed to a subterranean cavern.

Ahuramazdao being the origin of light, his symbol is the sun, with the moon and the planets, and in default of them the fire, and the believer is enjoined to face a luminous object during his prayers. Hence, also, the temples and altars must for ever be fed with the holy fire, brought down, according to tradition, from heaven, and the sullying of whose flame is punishable with death. The priests themselves approach it only with a half-mask (Penom) over the face, lest their breath should defile it, and never touch it with their

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hands, but with holy instruments. The fi of five kinds; but however great the awe Parsees with respect to fire and light (they only eastern nation who abstain from sm yet they never consider these, as we said as anything but emblems of Divinity. The also five kinds of Sacrifice,' which term, hov is rather to be understood in the sense of a action. These are-the slaughtering of anima public or private solemnities; prayer; the I sacrament, which, with its consecrated bread wine in honour of the primeval founder of the Hom or Heomoh (the Sanser. Soma), and Dal the personified blessing, bears a striking out resemblance to the sacrament of the Lord's Sup the sacrifice of Expiation, consisting either in gellation, or in gifts to the priest; and, lastly. sacrifice for the souls of the dead. The purifica of physical and moral impurities is effected, in first place, by cleansing with holy water (Nira earth, &c.; next, by prayers (of which sixteen least, are to be recited every day) and the recita of the divine word; but other self-castigatio fasting, celibacy, &c., are considered hateful to t Divinity. The ethical code may be summed up the three words-purity of thought, of word, a. of deed: a religion that is for all, and not for a particular nation,' as the Zoroastrians say. need hardly be added, that superstitions of: kinds have, in the course of the tribulations ages, and the intimacy with neighbouring countrie greatly defiled the original purity of this creed, an that its forms now vary much among the differe communities of the present time.

Something like a very serious schism, however, has lately broken out in the Parsee communities, and the modern terms of Conservative and Liberal, or rather bigot and infidel, are almost as freely used with them as in Europe. The sum and substance of these innovations, stoutly advo cated by one side, and as stoutly resisted by the other, is the desire to abolish the purification by the Nirang-a filthy substance in itself—to reduce the large number of obligatory prayers, to stop early betrothal and marriage, to suppress the extravagance in funerals and weddings, to educate women, and to admit them into society. Two counter alliances or societies, the 'Guides of the Worshippers of God' and 'the True Guides' respec tively, are trying to carry out at this moment, by means of meetings, speeches, tracts, &c., the objects of their different parties.

The literature of the Parsees will be found noticed under PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, and ZEND-AVESTA. Besides the latter, which is written in ancient Zend, and its Gujarati translation and commentaries, there are to be mentioned, as works specially treating of religious matters, the Zardusht-Nameh, or Legendary History of Zerdusht; the Sadder, or Summary of Parsee Doc trines; the Dabistan, or School of Manners; the Desatir, or Sacred Writings, &c. All these have been translated into English and other European languages.

On the influence Parsism has had upon Judaism and its later doctrines and ceremonial, and, through it, upon Christianity and Mohammedanism-which besides drew from it directly-we cannot dwell here at any length. So much, however, may be stated, that the most cursory reading of the sacred Parsee books will shew, in a variety of points, their direct influence upon the three Semitic creeds. Of works treating on the subject of this article, principally, Hyde, Vet. Rel. Pers. Hist. (Oxon. 1760, 4to); Ousely, Travels in the East (Lond. 1819); Anquetil du Perron, Exposition des Usages des

we mention

Some grammarians make the participle a distinct part of speech, but it is more commonly classed as a part of the conjugation of the verb. There are in English two participles, one in ing, usually called the present, but properly the imperfect, because it expresses continued, unfinished action, e. g., loving, writing; and the other expressing past action, and ending either in ed (t) or in en, e. g., loved, written. In Ang.-Sax. and Old Eng., the imperfect participle ended in and, e. g., haband (having), corresponding to the modern Ger. habend, Gr. echont(os), Lat. habent(is). In the sentence, He is writing a letter,' writing is the imperfect participle; in the writing of the letter occupies him,' or 'writing is a difficult art,' it is a substantive, and had a different origin. In the latter case, -ing corresponds to the Ang.-Sax. termination -ung, used in forming substantives from a large class of verbs; thus, Ang.-Sax. halgung (hallowing) is equivalent in meaning and in etymology to Lat. consecratio; similarly, modern Ger. Vernichtung, annihilation, from vernichten, to annihilate. Such a phrase as, while the letter is writing,' seems to be a shortened form of the now antiquated, is a-writing,' which was originally, is in writing.' Although this mode of expression is liable in some cases to ambiguity, it is terser and more idiomatic than the circumlocution of, 'is being written,' which is often substituted for it. The

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verbal substantive in -ing is often exactly equivalent to the infinitive; thus, standing long in position is painful' 'to stand,' &c. It has this advantage, that while it can be construed as a noun (e. g., with a possessive case), it can retain at the same time the usual adjuncts of a verb; as, 'What are we to infer from the king's dismissing his

minister?' The use of this form contributes not a little to the peculiar brevity and strength of the English language.

PARTICK, a town of Scotland, in the county of Lanark, prettily situated, chiefly on a rising ground on the Kelvin, immediately above its junction with the Clyde, and about three miles west-north-west of the Cross of Glasgow, of which city it now forms a suburb. Nine-tenths of the workmen of P. are engaged in ship-building, and there are numerous ship-building yards, flour-mills, cotton factories, and bleach-fields. A large proportion of the inhabitants are engaged in business in Glasgow, and for their accommodation extensive ranges of handsome villas have been built here. Pop. (1851) 3131; (1861) 8183; (1871) 17,691.

PARTI'NICO, SALA DI, a post-town of Sicily, in the province of Palermo, and 19 miles south-west of the city of that name, at the foot of a grand precipice of red limestone. The plain in the vicinity is of surpassing fertility; corn, wine, oil, fruit, and sumach are produced in rich abundance; and linen and woollen goods are manufactured. Pop. 19,072 Scattered vestiges of ancient habitations are still to be seen on the summit of the height above the town, and are said to be the ruins of the ancient Parthenicum mentioned in the Itinerary of Antoninus and there only.

PARTISAN is a name for a halberd or pike, or for a marshal's baton. The name is also given to the leader of a detached body of light troops, who make war by harassing the enemy, rather than coming to direct fighting, by cutting off stragglers, interrupting his supplies, and confusing him by rapid strategy. The action of such a corps is known as Partisan warfare.

PARTITION, a thin interior wall dividing one apartment from another. It is usually of brickwork, 4 or 9 inches thick, or of timber with standards about 44 inches thick covered with lath

and plaster. Wooden partitions are used when there is no sufficient support for brick. When these have to carry joists or any other weight, they ought to be constructed in the form of a truss (q. v.).

PARTITION, or PARTITURA, in Music. See SCORE.

PARTITION LINES, in Heraldry, lines dividing the shield in directions corresponding to the ordinaries. According to the direction of the partition lines, a shield is said to be party or parted per fess, per pale, per bend, per cheveron, per saltire;

PARTNERSHIP, in the law of England, is the union of two or more individuals acting under a contract, whereby they mutually contribute their property or labour for the purpose of making profits jointly. When a partnership is confined to a particular transaction or speculation, it is usually called a joint-adventure, and the parties are jointadventurers. The usual criterion by which a partnership is ascertained to exist, as distinguished from other arrangements, is that there is a community of profit; it is not essential that both should suffer losses equally or proportionably, for one partner may stipulate that he shall not be liable to loss. This stipulation is binding between the partners, but of course is insufficient to prevent the partners from being all liable to third parties. So one partner may contribute all the capital or all the labour. generally appear to the world as a partner, but who A dormant partner is one whose name does not nevertheless is to all intents and purposes a partner, with equal rights and liabilities to the rest. In order to constitute that kind of community of profit which is the chief ingredient in a partnership, it is necessary that the partner share in the profits as a partner; for in many cases, clerks, servants, or agents receive a commission or remuneration proportioned to profits, and yet are not partners, for this is merely one mode of ascertaining the salary which they are to receive. In all such cases, therefore, the distinction as to whether there is a partnership or not turns on the consideration whether the alleged partner receives a share of the profits, as such, or merely receives a salary proportioned to profits, without having a specific interest in the firm. The contract of partnership may be entered into either by word of mouth or in writing. If no specified term be agreed upon, it is a partnership at will, and may be dissolved by either of the parties at pleasure. Sometimes, also, the Court of Chancery will interfere to dissolve the partnership before the