Quadragesima (i. e. fortieth), a name given to Lent because it
lasts forty days, and assigned also to the first Sunday in Lent, the
three Sundays which precede it being called respectively Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima.
Quadrant, an instrument for taking altitudes, consisting of the
graduated arc of a circle of ninety degrees.
Quadratic Equation, an equation involving the square of the unknown
quantity.
Quadriga, a two-wheeled chariot drawn by four horses abreast, used
in the ancient chariot races.
Quadrilateral, The, the name given to a combination of four
fortresses, or the space enclosed by them, in North Italy, at Mantua, Legnago, Verona, and Peschiera.
Quadroon, the name given to a person quarter-blooded, in particular
the offspring of a mulatto and a white person.
Quadruple Alliance, an alliance formed in 1719 between England, France, Austria, and Holland to secure the thrones of France and England to the reigning families, and to defeat the schemes of Alberoni to the aggrandisement of Spain.
Quæstors, the name given in Roman history to the officers entrusted
with the care of the public treasury, originally two in number, one of
them to see to the corn supply in Rome, but eventually, as the empire
extended, increased, till in Cæsar's time they amounted to forty. Under
the kings they were the public prosecutors in cases of murder.
Quaigh, a name formerly given to a wooden drinking-cup in Scotland.
Quain, Jones, anatomist, born at Mallow, Ireland; was professor of
Anatomy and Physiology in London University; was author of “Elements of
Anatomy,” of which the first edition was published in 1828, and the tenth
in 1800 (1796-1865).
Quain, Richard, anatomist, born at Fermoy, Ireland, brother of
preceding, and professor in London University; author of a number of
medical works; bequeathed a large legacy to the university for “education
in modern languages” (1800-1887).
Quain, Sir Richard, physician, born at Mallow, cousin of preceding; edited “Dictionary of Medicine,” and was President of Medical Council in 1891 (1816-1898).
Quair, an old Scotch name for a book.
Quakers, the Society of Friends (q. v.), so called first by
Justice Bennet of Derby, because Fox bade him quake before the Lord.
Quarantine, the prescribed time, generally 40 days (hence the name), of non-intercourse with the shore for a ship suspected of infection, latterly enforced, and that very strictly, in the cases of infection with yellow fever or plague; since November 1896, the system of quarantine as regards the British Islands has ceased to exist.
Quarles, Francis, religious poet, born in Essex, of good family; a
member of Christ's College, Cambridge, and Lincoln's Inn; held divers
offices at the Court, in the city, and the Church; was a bigoted Royalist
and Churchman, a voluminous author, both in prose and verse, but is now
remembered for his “Divine Emblems,” and perhaps his “Enchiridion”; he
wrote in his quaint way not a few good things (1592-1644).
Quarter Days, in England and Ireland Lady Day, 25th March; Midsummer
Day, 24th June; Michaelmas Day, 29th September; and Christmas Day, 25th
December; while in Scotland the legal terms are Whitsunday, 15th May, and
Martinmas, 11th November, though the Whitsunday term is now changed to
the 28th May.
Quarter-deck, the part of a ship abaft the main-mast, or between the
main and mizzen, where there is a poop.
Quarter-Sessions, a court held every quarter by justices of the
peace in the several divisions of a county to try offences against the
peace.
Quarter-staff, strong wooden staff 6½ ft. long, shod with iron, grasped in the middle; formerly used in England for attack and defence.
Quarterly Review, a review started by John Murray, the celebrated
London publisher, in February 1809, in rivalry with the Edinburgh, which had been seven years in possession of the field, and was exerting, as he judged, an evil influence on public opinion; in this enterprise he was seconded by Southey and Scott, the more cordially that the Edinburgh had given offence to the latter by its criticism of “Marmion.” It was founded in the Tory interest for the defence of Church and State, and it had Gifford for its first editor, while the contributors included, besides Southey and Scott, all the ablest literary celebrities on the Tory side, of which the most zealous and frequent was John Wilson Croker.