ed effectual in the cure of disease; "and Jesus immediately knew that virtue had gone out of him." See Mark v. 30. See also Luke vi. 19. and viii. 46. [The word virtue, in the Greek translation of the above passages, is rendered by dovaμis, (dunumis,) which signifies power.] From this sense of the term virtue, have arisen the adjective virtual, and adverb virtually. -Virtual, says Johnson, means "having the efficacy without the sensible or material part." Thus we may say, brandy or pepper are virtually or potentially hot, not that they are actually hot as boiling water, but they produce the sensation of heat. Virtue in its more restrained sense is used to signify a habit or principle of doing well.

"If there's a power above us,

"And that there is, all nature cries aloud

"

Through all her works, he must delight in virtue.”

Addison.

Moralists usually distinguish four principal, or, as they are usually called, cardinal virtues, namely, Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance. Visible, Vision, from video, I see. Vision among divines, is used for an appearance which God occasionally sent to his prophets and saints. Such were the visions of Ezekiel, Amos, &c. the vision of St. Paul, &c.—Visionary is applied to one whose imagination is disturbed.

Vital, from vita, life. Something that ministers principally to the maintaining of life. Thus the heart, lungs, and brain are called vital parts.

Vocabulary, from vocabulum, a word, denotes the collection of the words of a language, with their significations. Vocal, from vocis, the genitive case of vor, the voice, relates to the voice or speech. Thus, vocal prayer is that which is spoken out or delivered in words, in contradistinction to mental prayer.-Vocal music, is music

set to words, in contradistinction to instrumental music composed only for instruments.

Vocation, from vocatus, the participle of voco, I use the voice, that is, I call. Vocation among divines, signifies the grace or favour which God does any one in calling him out of the way of death, and putting him into the way of salvation. In this sense we say, "the vecution of the Jews," "the vocation of the Gentiles." Vocation is also used for a destination to any state or profession-Vocative, in grammar, is used to denote that case of nouns employed in calling or speaking to. Volatile, from volo, I fly. Volatile is used to denote bodies, the elements or component parts of which are easily separated from each other and dispersed into air. Those bodies which by heat suffer no diminution of their weight, are said to be fixed; whilst those which do lose a portion of their weight, are said to be volatile. The term is also applied to mutability of mind and liveliness of disposition. "Active spirits, who are ever skimming over the surface of things with a volatile temper, will fix nothing in their mind." Watts. Volition, from volo, I am willing. The act of willing, the power of choice exerted.-Voluntary is applied to an act done according to the dictates of one's own will. It is also applied to a piece of music played, at will, without any settled rule. Volubility, from volubilitas, (volvo, I turn or roll,) the act of turning. Volubility, or aptness to roll, is the property of a bowl, and is derived from its roundness." Watts. The term is applied to activity of tongue, and fluency of speech. "He expressed himself with great volubility of words." Clarendon. "He possesses great volubility of tongue." Addison. -Voluble is applied to that which is formed so as to roll easily, or so as to be easily put into motion. Addison, with that humour which is indefinable, and which is peculiarly characteristic of his own writings, says, a friend promised to dissect a tongue and ex

amine whether there may not be in it certain juices which render it so wonderfully voluble and flippant *. Volume, from volumen, something rolled upon itself. The term is variously applied; to the folds of a snake,

"So glides some trodden serpent on the grass,
"And long behind his wounded volume trails."

to a wave of water,

." Thames's fruitful tides,

Dryden.

"Slow thro' the vale in silver volumes play."

Fenton.

"Within the volume of which time." Shakspeare."Volumes of air." Cheune." Volumes of smoke." -"Volume of voice."-Volume, in matters of literature, signifies a book or writing of a fit size to be bound by itself. The word has its rise from the ancient manner of making up books, which consisted in pasting several sheets together, end to end, and rolling them upon a staff.

Vortex, or vertex, from verto, I turn. A whirlwind, or a rapid movement of the air in circles. It is also used for a whirlpool, or body of water which runs rapidly round, forming a sort of cavity in the middle. Urbanity, from urbanitas, (urbs, a city,) politeness of

manners.

Usufruct, from ususfructus, (usus, use, and fructus, participle of fruor, I enjoy, or I take the profit of,) the use or profit of that which belongs to another person. "The parsons of parishes are not in law accounted proprietors; but only usufructuaries." Ayliffe.

Flippant, nimble, moveable, pert, petulant. It is a word of no great authority, probably derived from flip, flap. It is used only of the act of speech." Johnson.

Usury, from usura, money given for the use of money lent. Usurer is commonly used for one that takes very great interest for the money he lends. If thou lend money to any that is poor, thou shalt not be to bim as an usurer.' "" Exodus xxii. 25. Usurpation, from usurpaior, an injurious using of that which belongs to another.-Usurper, one who seizes that to which he has no right. It is generally used of one who excludes the right heir from the throne. "Usurpare," says Dr. Crombie, "which has been transferred into our language to denote, to claim,' or, 'to use unlawfully,' signified among the Romans, simply to use or exercise,' either by word or deed. Sometimes we find it used in the same sense with the English verb to usurp.' [Here the Dr. cites a phrase from Seutonius.] In this sense, however, we recollect no example of it, either in Cicero, Livy, Sallust, or Cæsar. When the Roman language began to decline, this usage gradually obtained; and in later ages was very generally adopted."

Vulgar, from vulgaris, belonging to the common people. -Vulgate, a term applied to a very ancient Latin translation of the bible. It was the common, or vulgar version before St. Jerome made a new one from the Hebrew original.

Vulnerable, from vulnerabilis, (vulnus, a wound,) liable to be wounded.

PART II.

PREPOSITIONS*

United with other

Parts of Speech.

A, AB, ABS.

AB, denotes removing from, or depriving of, and is equal to the English words from, off, away, out, otherwise.

Most Prepositions are joined to, and incorporated with, some other parts of speech, the signification of which they modify by the addition of their own. In the commencement of a language, simple words must necessarily have preceded compound words. It is by the aid and means of ellipsis, that in the origin the union of prepositions with other words was effected. This assertion is conformable not only to the general philosophy of language, but also to the peculiar genius of the Latin tongue. No language, however perfect it may be, can ever equal the rapidity of thought. When, therefore, public attention was directed to the perfecting of lan