oning. They did not become so common in Germany till a much later date. The golden bull of Charles IV gave to all the members of the empire the privilege of issuing gold coins, with any stamp they chose; but these were only gold guilders, equivalent to the favorite florin. The ducats most generally met with are the old Dutch ducats, bearing the impression of an armed figure, which gave way, for a short time only, to the figure of Louis, king of Holland. They circulated almost as merchandise, but had been frequently counterfeited in the Grisons. The counterfeits were very good to appearance, both in weight and sound. (See Coins.) DUCATOON; a Dutch gold coin (also called Ruyder) worth about 20 florins (see Coins); also an Italian silver coin current for about $1,09. The Dutch gold ducatoon is a national coin, only circulating in the country. There is also a silver ducatoon, used particularly in the East India trade. There is likewise a French silver coin of this name, of nearly the same value as the Italian ducatoon. DUCHESNE, or DU CHESNE, André (Lat., Chesnius, Duchenius, Quercetanus), from his historical researches, has been called the father of French history. He was born 1584, at Isle Bouchard, in Touraine; he studied at Loudon and Paris, was appointed royal geographer and historiographer, and died in 1640. His most important works are, his collection of French historians (Historie Francorum Scriptores, 3 vols., to which his son François Duchesne added a 4th and 5th from the papers left by his father), which the French government have since several times expressed a wish to have completed; bis Historia Normanorum Scriptores ab Anno 838-1220; and his genealogical works, which throw much light on the history of France. The number of his writings is very great; some were published by his son after his death. He left more than a hundred folios in manuscript. DUCIS, Jean François, a French dramatic poet, known by his adaptation of many pieces of Shakspeare to the French theatre, was born at Versailles, and, late in life, became a writer for the stage. His first piece, called Amélise, was unsuccessful, and those which followed it shared the same fate. His Hamlet attracted much attention, as it was the first of Shakspeare's plays which appeared on the French stage. This play and his next, Romeo and Juliet, and likewise those which appeared later, were so much changed, to adapt them to the French taste, that the title, in some instances, is almost the only thing which reminds us of the original. These changes, however, only added to the applause with which they were received in France. He afterwards endeavored, in his dipe chez Admète, to imitate the Greeks; but he soon returned to Shakspeare, and translated successively Lear, Macbeth, Othello and other plays. Abufar or the Arabian Family is one of the best of his original pieces. His style is, perhaps, harsh, but sometimes noble, and full of tragic dignity. He succeeded Voltaire, in the academy, in 1778. He was subsequently secretary to Louis XVIII. He remained true to this monarch under all circumstances, and, while on the point of starving, refused the place of a senator, with 40,000 francs a year, and the cross of the legion of honor, offered him by Bonaparte. The return of Louis XVIII made his old age happy. He was gratified when the king recited some of his verses to him at his first audience. "I am more happy," said he, "than Boileau and Racine; they recited their verses to Louis XIV; the king recites mine to me." He died March 31, 1817, at Versailles. His Euvres appeared, in 1819, at Paris, in 3 vols. Campenon published, at Paris, in 1824, Lettres sur la Vie, le Caract. et les Écrits de J. F. Ducis. DUCK (anas, Lin.); a very extensive and natural genus of water birds, which are found in all parts of the world. It has been divided by naturalists into an infinity of different genera; to such a degree, indeed, that, according to some of the distinctions which have been made, it would be impossible to leave the females of several species in the same genus with the males. The prince of Musignano is of opinion, that they might be advantageously separated into four sub-genera, in which we shall follow him. These are anser, or goose, cygnus, or swan, anas, or duck, and fuligula. We have thirty-one species of this interesting genus, inhabiting North America, being within one of the number found in Europe: of these, twenty-one are common to the two continents, leaving ten peculiar to America, and eleven to Europe. The mallard, or common wild duck (A. boschas), is found both in Europe and America. This is the original stock of the domesticated duck, which appears to have been reclaimed at a very early period. It is found in every fresh water lake and river of the U. States, in winter, but seldom frequents the sea shores or salt marshes. During the summer, it re sides in the north, along with the im- thus takes as many as he wishes, without mense flocks of other water-fowl that retire disturbing the rest. (See Wilson's Am. thither for the purpose of breeding. A Ornithol.; Pennant's Brit. Zoology, vol. 2.) few pairs, however, occasionally met, re- -Muscovy duck (A. moschata). This well main in the Middle States during the known bird is the largest of the duck whole year. The nest is usually placed kind, and approaches nearly to the size in the most solitary recesses of a marsh or of a goose. It has obtained its name bog, among coarse grass, reeds and rush- from a strong smell of musk, which exes, and generally contains from twelve to hales from its body, and not because it sixteen eggs, of a dull greenish-white. The comes from Russia, as has been supposed. flesh of the wild duck is held in general The Muscovy ducks are tamed in great estimation, and various methods are re- quantities in the West Indies, and are sorted to, in order to obtain these birds in found wild in Guiana, where they nestle quantities. In Picardy, in France, vast on the trunks of trees, close upon the numbers are taken in decoys, and sold in water's edge. They feed in the morning the Paris market, where, in one season, upon a plant called wild rice, and seldom thirty thousand francs have been paid for permit the sportsman to approach within the produce of the small lake of St. Lam- gunshot.*-Canvass-back duck (A. vallisbert. They also abound in Lincolnshire, neria). This delicious bird is peculiar to in England, and are there taken in great this country, and was known to the epiquantities, by nearly the same means as in cure long before it was described by the Picardy. Pennant had an account sent naturalist. We are indebted to Wilson him of the produce of ten decoys, which, for the first account of it. He gave it the in one winter, amounted to thirty-two name of the plant on which it feeds, and thousand two hundred. We are indebted which had been called after the celebrated to Wilson (American Ornithology) for Vallisneri. The canvass-back ducks aran enumeration of several simple and rive in the U. States, from the north, about effective contrivances made use of, in this the middle of October, and, principally, country, for the capture of these wary assemble in the numerous rivers in the birds. In some ponds, frequented by neighborhood of the Chesapeake bay. them, five or six wooden figures, cut and On the Susquehannah, they are called painted to represent ducks, and sunk, by canvass-backs, on the Potomac, white-backs, pieces of lead nailed to the bottom, so as and on James' river, sheldrakes. When to float at the usual depth on the surface, they first arrive, they are very lean; but, are anchored in a favorable position to be from the abundance of their favorite food, raked from a concealment of brush, &c. they become fat about November. They These attract the passing flocks, which are sometimes found in such multitudes alight, and thus expose themselves to cer- as to cover several acres. From the great tain destruction. In winter, when de- demand for these ducks, and the high tached pieces of ice are occasionally float- price they always command, various ing in the river, some of the gunners on methods are employed to decoy them the Delaware paint their boats white, and, within gun-shot. The most successful is laying themselves flat in the bottom, direct that termed tolling, in which they are them almost imperceptibly near a flock, enticed to approach the shore, by means before the ducks have distinguished them of a dog properly trained. The article in from a floating piece of ice. On land, an- Wilson's work is extremely interesting, other stratagem is sometimes practised and Mr. Ord has made a long and valuawith great success. A tight hogshead is ble addition to it. The canvass-back is sunk in the marsh, or mud, near the place constantly attended by another species, the where ducks are accustomed to feed at low widgeon (A. Americana), which manages water, and where, otherwise, there is no to make a good subsistence from his lashelter; the edges and top are artfully bors. This bird is extremely fond of the concealed with tufts of long, coarse grass tender roots of that particular species and reeds or sedge. From within this, of plant on which the canvass-back feeds. the gunner watches his collecting prey, The widgeon, which never dives, watches and usually commits great havoc. In the moment the canvass-back rises, and, China, the sportsman covers his head with before he has his eyes well opened, a calabash, pierced with eye-holes, and, snatches the morsel from his mouth, and thus equipped, wades into the water, makes off. The other American species keeping only his head above the surface, of ducks are, A. clypeata, or shoveller, reand, on arriving amidst a flock, seizes them by the legs, fastens them to his girdle, and *Several pairs of wild Muscovy ducks have been killed, at different periods, in our rivers. markable for the strange form of its bill. A. strepera, or gadwall, which is more rare in America than in Europe. A. acuta, pintail, or sprigtail, remarkable for the form of its tail; it is abundant in both hemispheres. A. obscura, black or dusky duck, peculiar to this continent, and very abundant; this is perhaps the most sagacious and timid of all the American ducks. A. sponsa, summer or wood duck; not more remarkable for its great beauty, in which it stands preeminent, than for its habits, its migrations being directly opposed to those of the other species. A. discors, blue-winged teal. A. crecca, greenwinged teal. (See Teal.) A. mollissima, eider duck (q. v.). A. perspicillata, black or surf duck. This is common to both hemispheres, but is very rare in Europe. A. fusca, velvet duck, also found in both hemispheres; its flavor is rank and fishy, and it is therefore seldom sought after. A. nigra, scoter; found both in Europe and America; these birds, and a few others of the same fishy flavor, are exempted from the interdict which forbids Roman Catholics the use of animal food on certain days, on the supposition of their being cold-blooded, and partaking of the nature of fish. A. rubida, ruddy duck; this species was very rare in Wilson's time, but has since become more plenty. A. ferina, red-head; common to both continents; it approaches very near to the canvass-back in delicacy; its usual weight is about one pound and three quarters. A. marilla, scaup duck or blue-bill, a well known and common species in both continents. A. rufitorques, tufted duck; a species confounded with the A. fuligula of Europe, until the differences were pointed out by the prince of Musignano. (See Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. 3.) A. clangula, golden-eye; common to both hemispheres. A. albeola, buffet-head, or butter-ball; peculiar to this country, where it is common. A. glacialis, longtailed duck, south southerly, oldwife; common to both continents, remarkable for the long and slender middle feathers of its tail. A. labradoria, pied duck; a beautiful and rare species, peculiar to America. A. histrionica, harlequin duck; a magnificent species, found on both continents; it derives its name from the singularity of its markings; along the coast of New England it is called the lord. DUCK; a sort of strong, brown, linen cloth, used chiefly by sail-makers. DUCKING-STOOL. (See Cucking-Stool.) novelist, a describer of character and manners, a writer of memoirs, and a grammarian, born 1705, at Dinant, received a good education at Paris, early turned his knowledge to profit, in 1739 was chosen member of the academy of inscriptions, in 1748 member, and soon after secretary of the French academy. Though he re sided at Paris, he was elected mayor of his native town in 1744. When the states of Bretagne, in reward of their zeal for the welfare of the kingdom, were permitted to nominate such of their number as they thought most worthy of the royal favor, Duclos was unanimously elected one of the number, and received letters of nobility. Not long before his death, he was appointed historiographer of France, in Voltaire's place. He died at Paris, 1772. Among the best of his novels, are Confessions du Comte de B*** (1741, 12mo.); and of his memoirs, his Mémoires sur les Mœurs du XVIIIme Siecle (1751, 12mo.); both full of acute and striking remarks, especially on women and love. His Considérations sur les Mœurs de ce Siècle are full of striking sketches of character, and deep knowledge of human nature. His History of Louis XI is esteemed, but shows the hand of the novelist. Of more value are his Mémoires secrets sur les Règnes de Louis XIV et XV. This work was composed in his character of historiographer. He also distinguished himself in his Remarques sur la Grammaire générale de Port-Royal (1764, 12mo.), as a grammarian. Desessarts published the Euvres completes de Duclos (Paris, 1809, 10 vols.). The last volume contains a fragment of his autobiography. In the entertaining Mémoires de Madame d'Epinay, the character of Duclos is represented in no very favorable light. DUCTILITY; the extensibility and cohesion of particles, which enables metal to be drawn into wire without breaking. The ductility of some bodies, especially of gold, is very surprising. A single grain of gold may be stretched under the hammer into a leaf that will cover a house, and yet the leaf remain so compact as not to transmit the rays of light, nor even admit spirit of wine to transude. But M. Réaumur has shown the ductility of gold to be still greater. What is called gold-wire, every body knows, is only silver gilt. The cylinder of silver, covered with leaf gold, is drawn through the hole of an iron, and the gilding is extended with the wire, to whatever length it may be stretched. Now, M. Reaumur shows, that, in the common way of DUCTILITY-DUDLEY. drawing gold wire, a cylinder of silver, twenty-two inches long, and fifteen lines in diameter, is stretched to 1,163,520 feet, or is 634,692 times longer than before, which amounts to about ninety-seven leagues. To wind this thread on silk, for use, it is first flattened, in doing which it stretches at least one seventh further, so that the twenty-two inches are now 111 leagues; but in the flattening, instead of one seventh, it could be stretched one fourth, which would bring it to 120 leagues. This appears a prodigious extension, and yet it is nothing to what this gentleman has proved gold to be capable of. Ductility of Glass. When glass is penetrated with the heat of fire, it can be managed like soft wax, and may be drawn out into threads exceedingly long and fine. Ordinary spiuners do not form their threads of silk, flax, or the like, with half the ease and expedition the glass-spinners do threads of this brittle matter. Some of them are made into plumes, and used in other works; they are made much finer than hair, and bend and wave, like hair, with every wind. Two workmen are employed in making them: the first holds one end of a piece of glass over the flame of a lamp, and, when the heat has softened it, the second operator applies a glass hook, and draws out a thread of glass, which still adheres to the mass; then, fitting his hook on the circumference of a wheel about two feet and a half in diameter, he turns the wheel as fast as he pleases, till it is covered with a skein of glass thread. The parts, as they recede from the flame, by gradually cooling, become more cohesive: the parts nearest the fire are always the least cohesive, and, consequently, must give way to the effort made to draw them towards the wheel. These threads are commonly of a flat oval shape, being three or four times as broad as thick: some of them seem scarcely bigger than the thread of a silk-worm, and are surprisingly flexible. If the two ends of such threads are knotted together, they may be drawn and bent till the aperture, or space in the middle of the knot, does not exceed one fourth of a line, or one forty-eighth of an inch, in diameter. The flexibility of glass increases in proportion to the fineness of the threads; and, probably, had we the art of drawing threads as fine as a spider's web, we might weave stuffs and cloths of them, but could never make them long enough to be serviceable. (For further information, see Divisibility.) 323 DU-DEFFAND, Madame. (See Deffand.) DUDLEY, Edmund; noted in English history as an instrument of Henry VII, in the arbitrary acts of extortion practised during the latter years of his reign. He was born in 1462, of an ancient and respectable family; and was educated at the university of Oxford. Becoming a student of the law at Gray's Inn, he arrived at such eminence in his profession as recommended him to the favor of the king, who made much use of his services, and conferred on him various offices and emoluments. In 1505, he was made speaker of the house of commons, and, through his influence, several enactments took place, oppressive to the people and profitable to the monarch. On the accession of Henry VIII, he perished on the scaffold, August 18, 1510, with his associate, sir Richard Emson (who was the son of a sieve-maker at Towcester). DUDLEY, John, duke of Northumberland; son of the preceding. He was born in 1502, and, after his father's execution, was restored in blood by act of parliament. In 1542, he was raised to the peerage as viscount Lisle, in right of his mother, who inherited that title. Soon after, he was made KG.; and, at length, the post of lord-high-admiral was conferred on him for life. He served with reputation in Scotland and France, and was left, by Henry VIII, one of the executors named in his will, as a kind of jointregent during the minority of Edward VI. Under that prince, he manifested the most insatiable ambition, and obtained vast accessions of honors, power, and emoluments. At first, he joined his interest with that of the duke of Somerset, the king's uncle, whom, however, at length he undermined and destroyed. He had been advanced to the titles of earl of Warwick and duke of Northumberland; and, after the fall of his rival, his authority was almost unbounded. The illness of the king, over whom he had gained complete ascendency, alarmed his fears, and he endeavored to strengthen his interest by marrying his son, lord Guilford Dudley, to lady Jane Grey, descended from the younger sister of Henry VIII, and persuaded Edward to settle the crown on his kinswoman by will, to the exclusion of his two sisters, the princesses Mary and Elizabeth. The death of the king, the abortive attempts to place lady Jane Grey on the throne, and the ruin of all those concerned in the scheme, are among the most familiar events in the annals of England. Northumberland himself was be headed on Tower-hill, August 22, 1553. He professed himself a Catholic a short time before his execution, and died in that faith, though the avowed object of the plot was to secure the establishment of Protestantism in England. DUDLEY, Sir Henry Bate, baronet, was born at Fenny Compton, August 25, 1745. His father, the reverend Henry Bate, was rector of North Farmbridge, in Essex, in which benefice his son Henry succeeded him at his death; but the emoluments of the living being but trifling, he established the Morning Post newspaper, and, in 1780, the Morning Herald, commencing also, about the same time, the Courier de l'Europe-a journal printed in the French language-and the English Chronicle. At this period, he was a contributor to the Probationary Odes, the Rolliad, and other works of a similar class. In 1781, the advowson of the rectory of Bradwell-juxta-Mare was purchased in trust for him, subject to the life of the reverend George Pawson. In 1784, he assumed the name of Dudley, in compliance with the will of a relation. Mr. Pawson dying in 1797, Mr. Dudley presented himself to the vacant benefice; but the bishop of London refused institution, and a compromise was at length effected. In 1812, he received the living of Willingham, in Cambridgeshire. Shortly after, he obtained a baronetcy, and, in 1816, the dignity of a prebend in Ely cathedral, which he retained till the day of his death, February 1, 1824. Sir Henry distinguished himself as a useful magistrate; while his literary abilities were manifested in the composition of a variety of dramatic pieces. Among these are the Flitch of Bacon, written for the purpose of introducing his friend Shield to the public; the Woodman; the Rival Candidates; the Blackamoor Washed White (at the representation of which, party spirit ran so high as to produce a serious conflict, in which swords were drawn, &c., among the audience); the Travellers in Switzerland; and the popular piece At Home. In his earlier years, the warmth of his temperament betrayed nim, notwithstanding his cloth, into several quarrels. The cause of two of these rencontres was Mrs. Hartley, an actress celebrated for her beauty. A third, of more equivocal character, fought with Mr. Stoney Bowes, made a great noise at the time. Sir Henry, at the time of his decease, was a magistrate for seven English counties, and four in Ireland. DUDLEY, Robert, earl of Leicester, was the fifth son of the duke of Northumberland, and was born about 1532. He was knighted when young, and was made gentleman of the bed-chamber to Edward VI. Though involved in the criminal designs of his father, and included in the sentence of attainder passed against him on the accession of Mary, he was pardoned, and employed by that queen. After Elizabeth ascended the throne, Dudley soon acquired the distinction of being her favorite. Offices, honors and wealth were showered on him with an unsparing hand. He was appointed master of the horse, knight of the garter, and privy counsellor; and he received grants of the princely domains of Kenilworth, Denbigh, and Chirk castle. In 1560, the death of his wife took place, at Cumnor-hall, in Berkshire. This event, according to popular opinion, as appears from Aubrey, involved Dudley in the guilt of murder. If he sacrificed the life of his consort, in the hope of marrying the queen, his ambitious views were disappointed. Elizabeth, however, encouraged him to aspire to the hand of Mary of Scotland, who rejected him with disdain. In 1564, he was created baron Denbigh and earl of Leicester, and was the same year elected chancellor of Oxford university, having previously been chosen to the same office at Cambridge. About 1572, he appears to have married the baroness-dowager Sheffield, lady Douglas Howard, by whom he had children, but whom he disowned as his wife, and even compelled her to marry another person. In 1575, he gave a princely entertainment to the queen, at Kenilworth castle; the festivities of which are described in a picturesque manner, in the celebrated romance of Kenilworth, and, in defiance of chronology, connected with the death of Leicester's first wife. Leicester, in 1578, offended the queen by his marriage with the widow of Walter Devereux, earl of Essex. He, however, recovered her favor, and, in 1585, was appointed, through her influence, governor of the Netherlands, then recently emancipated from the Spanish yoke. His conduct in this station did not give satisfaction to the queen, or to the states over which he presided, and he was recalled the following year. He returned to his command in June, 1587; but he was finally displaced a few months after, and returned to England. He was accused of misconduct by lord Buckhurst and others; but Elizabeth still retained so much partiality for him, that she supported him against all his enemies; and, on the prospect of the Spanish invasion, in |