BLASTOIDEA-BLAVATSKY.

cells which forms on the egg in the early stage of incubation. BLAS'TODERMIC, a. -mik, pertaining to. See EMBRYO.

BLASTOIDEA, n. plu. blŭs-toy'dě-ă [Gr. blastos, a bud; eidos, resemblance]: an extinct order of Echinodermata. BLASTOSTYLE, n. blas to-stil [Gr. stulos, a column]: certain columniform zooids in the Hydrozoa which are destined to bear generative buds.

BLATANT, a. blă'tănt [Dut. blaet, a boaster: mid. L. blatěăn'tem, speaking nonsense: L. blatěrārě, to talk idly, to prate: probably only a formation of BLEAT: compare Gael. blor, a loud noise]: bellowing as a beast. BLATTER, v. blăt'ter, to make a senseless noise; to prate.

BLATCHFORD, blach ford, SAMUEL: jurist: 1820, Mar. 9-1893, July 7; b. New York; son of Richard Milford B. (1798-1875). He graduated at Columbia College 1837, and was private sec. to Gov. Seward 1839-43; was admitted to the bar 1842; and practiced at Auburn, N. Y., 1845–54, in partnership with William H. Seward and C. Morgan. He returned to New York 1854, having for partners C. A. Seward and B. W. Griswold; and there, besides the duties of a large practice, he prepared the reports of the U. S. circuit court for the second circuit, 1852, and with Mr. Howland those of admiralty cases in the U. S. dist. court for the s. dist., 1855. He was appointed to this bench 1867, May, and to that of the U. S. circuit court 1878, Mar. 4. His decisions have rarely been reversed. In admiralty and patent cases his opinions carried great weight, and the practice in extradition cases has been largely fixed by his decisions. He became an associate justice of the U. S. supreme court 1882, March.

BLAT TA: see COCKROACH.

BLATTER, v. blăť tér: to patter; to prate.

BLAVATSKY, bla-vátskě, HELEN PETROVNA: theosophist: 1831-1891 May 8; b. Russia; widow of Gen. Nicephore V. Blavatsky, at one time gov. of Armenia. After 7 years in India, she came to the United States, and formed a theosophical soc. 1875 (Col. F. P. Olcott pres.), its professed object being to promote universal brotherhood, study Aryan literature and religion, and investigate the mysteries of nature and man. She returned to India, and, by her influence and that of Col. Olcott, numerous branches of the soc. have been established there. By some she was deemed to be a secret agent of the Russian govt.; not a few Englishmen, however, have favored her doctrines, which seem a vague mixture of mysticism and spiritualism. In 1885-6 the wonders that she claimed to perform, such as the transportation of letters by spiritual agency, were by investigators declared to be tricks; and the letters that she claimed to procure from Tibetan mahatmas, living and dead, were pronounced to be forgeries. B. edited The Theosophist, published in India; in 1877 she published a book, Isis Unveiled: a Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology. Her Memoirs were put forth by A. P. Sinnett, 1886. An article from

BLAYE-BLAZON.

Mme. B. (N. Amer. Rev., Aug., 1890) reports more than 200 branch societies, with 7 centres of publication-Madras (headquarters), Bombay, Ceylon, Stockholm, London, Paris, and New York; in Ceylon, 50 minor schools taken under supervision, and the government induced to recognize Buddha's birthday as a public holiday; in India, the pandit schools of Sanskrit literature and philosophy revived, and a library of 3,046 oriental works collected.

BLAYE, blā (ancient Blavia): fortified seaport, France, dept. of the Gironde, 20 m. n.n.w. of Bordeaux. It is on right bank of the river Gironde, at this point about 2 m. in breadth, at the base of a rocky eminence crowned with a strong citadel. The town is further defended by the two forts of Paté and Médoc, which command the passage of the river. The port of B. is a very busy one, all inward vessels being required to anchor and deliver the manifests of their cargoes; and many outward-bound vessels lay in their provisions here. B. has manufactures of linen and woolen, glass and earthenware; considerable export trade in corn, wine, brandy, oil, fruits, soap, etc., and tribunals of jurisdiction and of commerce. Pop., exclusive of garrison, (1891) 4,340.

BLAZE, n. blāz [AS. blase or blæse, a torch or lamp: Icel. blossi, a flame; blys, a torch: comp. Gael. blathas, warmth, heat]: the strong flame of any burning body; the full light of day: V. to flame; to shine with flame; to send forth light. BLA'ZING, imp. BLAZED, pp. blāzd.SYN. of 'blaze, n.': fire flame; conflagration; ignition; combustion.

BLAZE, n. blāz [Dut. blesse, a white streak on the forehead: Ger. blässe: Dan. blis]: the white mark on the face of an animal; a white mark on a tree when a part of the bark is stripped off.

BLAZE, v. bläz [AS. blæsan; Dut. blaesen, to blow. Icel. blása, to blow, to blow a trumpet]: to blow abroad; to spread news; to publish. BLA'ZING, imp. BLAZED, pp. blazd. BLA'ZINGLY, ad. -lr.

BLAZING-STAR: familiar name in the United States for several very different plants; e.g. Aletris farinosa, called also colic-root; Chamuelirium Carolinianum (starwort); and two species of hiatris, viz., sca. riosa and squarrosa. In heraldry, a comet used as a bearing, represented by a six-pointed star with a tail.

BLAZON, v. blā ́zn [F. blason, a coat of arms: Sp. blason, honor, glory; blasonar, to boast, to blazon-from M.H.G. blasen, to blow; blásá, a trumpet: AS. blæse, a flame, splendor]: to portray armorial bearings in their proper colors; to deck; to embellish; to adorn: N. show; pompous display. BLA ZONING, imp. BLAZONED, pp. blaznd: ADJ. ornamented with a blazon. BLA'ZONMENT, n. BLA'ZONER, n. one who. BLAZONRY, n. blūzn-ri, that branch of heraldry which describes or explains coats of arms in proper terms; the art of delineating the figures and devices of a coat of arms in their proper colors or metals..

BLAZON-BLEACH.

BLAZON, v. blā'zn [OE. blasen: a corruption of BLAZE 8, which see]: to make known far and wide; to make public by words or writing; to proclaim: N. in OE., proclamation; a trumpeting forth. BLA'ZONER, n. -zn-er, one who blazes abroad. Note.-The two preceding entries are closely connected.

BLA'ZON-BLA'ZONRY: heraldic terms, originating in the custom of blowing a trumpet to announce the arrival of a knight, or his entrance into the lists at a joust or tournament. The blast was answered by the heralds, who described aloud and explained the arms borne by the knight. B. and B. thus came to signify the art of describing, in technical terms, the objects (or charges, as they are called) borne in arms-their positions, gestures, tinctures, etc., and the manner of arranging them on the shield. Rules of Blazoning.-As heraldry, though an entirely arbitrary, is a very accurate science, the rules of blazoning are observed on all occasions with the most rigid precision. The following are the most important: 1. In blazoning or describing a coat of arms, it is necessary to begin with the field, mentioning the lines by which it is divided-per pale, per fess, etc., if such there be-and noticing if they are indented, engrailed, or the like, it being taken for granted that they are straight, unless the contrary be mentioned. 2. There must be no unnecessary repetition in blazoning; thus, where the field is blue, and the charges yellow, the proper words are, azure, a crescent between three stars, or, thereby implying that both the crescent and the stars are or. 3. For the same reason, where a color has been already mentioned, and it is necessary, in order to avoid ambiguity, to repeat it in describing a subsequent charge, it must be said, of the first, or of the second, as the case may be; thus, azure, on a saltire argent, three water bougets of the first; avoiding the repetition of the word azure. 4. Again, recurring to the first example, it would be an error to say, three stars with a crescent between them, because B. must always begin with the charge which lies nearest the centre of the shield. 5. Where the charges are of the natural color of the objects or animals represented, in place of describing the color, it is simply said, proper— i.e., of the proper or natural color. 6. Another general rule in blazoning, or rather in marshalling coat-armor, is, that metal shall never be placed upon metal, nor color upon color, i.e., of the proper or natural color. 6. A general rule, in blazoning, or rather in marshalling coat armor, is, that metal shall never be placed upon metal, nor color upon color.

For the rules for blazoning separate charges, whether animate or inanimate, see the titles of the respective charges: also ORDINARIES: BAR. BEND: ETC.

BLEACH, v. blech [AS. blacan-from blæc, pale: Dut. blaken; Icel. bleikr, light-colored; bleikja, to bleach (see BLACK)]: to make white by exposure to sun and air; to make white by chemical means; to take out color; to grow white in any way. BLEACH'ING, imp.: N. the art of making anything white, especially cloth. BLEACHED, pp. biecht. BLEACH ER, n. one who. BLEACH'ERY, n. -ér-i, a place for bleaching. BLEACHING-POWDER, a salt of lime, being a mixture of the chloride and the hypochlorite. See HYPOCHLOROUS ACID.

Bleaching.-Pair of Barlow's Highpressure Bowking Kiers.

Position of Hand in Blessing: (1) in the Latin Church, (2) in the Greek

Church.

Vol. 4.