Grothite

(Min.) A titanite-like mineral from Plauen Grund, near Dresden. - See TITANITE. Gro'tius, or DE GROOT, (HUGO,) an eminent scholar and statesman, was B. at Delft, in Holland, in 1583. He was descended from a noble family, received an excellent -Field or place of action; as, a battle- ground, a cricket education, and gave early manifestations of surprising ground. talents. In 1599 he commenced his career as advocate; -A viscous preparation spread over the surface of a metal and he was succe ively appointed historiographer, advocate-general of Holland and Zealand, a member of the states-general, and envoy to England. Hitherto his life had been marked by splendor, but now it began to be clouded by the part which he took in the Arm in i an controversy. In 1613 he became syndic, or pensionary, of Rotter dam, and declaring himself on the side of Barneveldt, he supported him and the cause of the Arminians by his pen and influence. But he narrowly escaped the fate of Barneveldt, who suffered on the scaffold, and received sentence of imprisonment for life in the fortre of Lœwestein. From this, however, at the expiration of 18 months, which he had employed in writing his celebrated Treatise on the Truth of the Christian Religion , he succeeded in escaping. This was effected by the management of his wife, who contrived to have him carried out of the castle in a chest that had been used for the conveyance of books and linen. G. at first sought an asylum in France; and it was during his residence there plate previous to etching, in order to prevent the nitric acid from eating except where an opening is punctured by a needle. ( Mus .) A composition in which the ba consists of a few measures constantly repeated; - the plain song. (Painting.) The first layer of color on which the fig ures or other objects are painted; as, blue on a white ground. The term is also applied to the different di tances in a picture, as fore- ground , middle - ground , back ground . (Sculp.) The surface from which the figures rise in relievi. ( Arch .) The face of the scenery or country round a building. -pl . Pieces of wood fixed to walls and partitions, with their surfaces flush with the plaster, to which the facings or finishings are attached. -pl. The bottom of liquors; dregs; lees; sediment; as, coffee- grounds. Sidney. tree. "A lance of tough ground- ash the Trojan threw." -Dryden. Ground'-bailiff, n. ( Mining .) The overseer or superintendent of a mine.