philosopher, and the most learned man of | his day; but his career teaches the moral lesson that the tree of knowledge is not the tree of life. He held the office of High Chancellor, but showed himself morally unfit for it, 312 BAILLIE, Joanna, istinguished as a dramatic writer; b. in Scotland, 1765; d. 1850. First Voyage of Columbus, by, 191. BAJAZET, a warlike but tyrannical Sultan of Turkey, who succeeded to the throne in 1389, having strangled his rival brother. He died 1403. See p. 255. BANCROFT, Geo., extract from, 193. BANYAN. A very large tree of India. It sends down roots from its branches, and those roots, striking into the ground, themselves become trunks. Lines on, by T. Moore, 311. BAR, to prevent, obstruct. BA'SHAN. In scriptural geography, the land east of the Jordan, and north of Gilead; celebrated for its rich soil and fat cattle, especially its breed of bulls. BASTILE (basteel'), a noted fortress in Paris, built in the fourteenth century, and destroyed by the populace in 1789. See p. 60. BAYONET, 80 called from having been first made at Bayonne, in France. BAYS, the plural of bay, the laurel-tree; applied to a crown or garland bestowed on warlike or literary merit. BEADLE (from the root of to bid), a messenger; in England a parish officer, whose business is to punish petty offenders. B. C. These initials attached to dates signify "before Christ." BEGUINE. The Beguines were a class of women in Germany and the Netherlands, of pious and secluded habits, similar to the nuns, except that they took no vows. BELAY, a nautical term, meaning to fasten or make fast, as a rope. BELLIGERENT (from the Lat. bellum, war, and gero, I carry on), waging war. BELL. The derivation of this word is curious; it is from the Anglo-Saxon bellan, to bellow. BELVIDERE (from the Lat. bellus, fine, and video, I see). In Italy this name is given to the cupolas on palaces, from which a fine prospect may be had. It is also the name of a part of the Vatican (the ancient palace of the Popes in Rome), where the famous statue of Apollo, known under the name of Belvidere, is placed. This statue is believed to be the most perfect ever made. The artist's name is unknown. In Italian the word is pronounced in four syllables, Bel-ve-da'-re. BENEFACTOR (from the L. bene, well, and factor, a doer), one who confers a bene fit. BENGAL' (the a as in fall) is the most eastern province of Hindostan', lying on each side of the Ganges. BERESINA (Ber-e-ze'na), a river of Russia. The Passage of, by the French, 323. BESTIARY, one who fought with wild beasts at the ancient spectacles. BEAUTIFUL, The, a poem, 261. Ministry of the, 317. BILLETS, pieces of wood, cut with a bill, or beaked axe, so called from its resemblance to the bill of a bird. BIVOUAC (biv'wak). This word is derived from the Lat. bis, twice, and the German wache, a guard, and signified originally a guard to keep watch during the night. To bivouac is to remain as a guard all night, without tents or covering. The word is sometimes spelled with a final k. BLACKSTONE, Sir Wm., an eminent lawyer, b. at London 1723, d. 1780. His "Commentaries on the Laws of England" is still a legal text-book. BOATSWAIN (in seamen's language bō'sn), an officer on board of certain ships, who has charge of the rigging, boats, &c. BOARD of Health. The term board is ap plied to any body of individuals intrusted, for public or private purposes, with the management of any business or speculaIt is the province of the Board of Health in cities to provide against con tagious diseases, &c. BODLEIAN. The library of Oxford, England, under this name, is so called from Sir Thomas Bodley, who died in 1612, and who did much for its foundation. BOMBAST. This word is of the same origin as bombasin, and once meant linen sewed together with flax between, to swell it out. Hence it was applied to a tumid, inflated style, in which sound predomi tion. nates over sense. BONAPARTE, Napoleon, was born in Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean, belonging to France, on the fifteenth August, 1769 He was at the military school of Brienne from 1779 to 1784, when he went to Paris. In 1786 he commenced his military career, which was the most wonderful of modern times. In 1804 he became Emperor of France. After remarkable reverses, he was defeated by the allied armies under Wellington, at Waterloo, June 18, 1815. He surrendered himself to an English squadron, and was brought to Plymouth, whence he was removed to St. Helena, a barren island in the Atlantic Ocean, where he died May 5th, 1821. An Early Riser, 226. Character of, by Lamartine, 393. Napoleon as a Student, 396. BONNIVARD, Francois de, b. 1496, d. 1570, was the prior of a convent near Geneva, in Switzerland, and one of the most stren uous supporters of the liberty of his coun try. He was seized and imprisoned by the Duke of Savoy in the castle of Chillon, at the eastern extremity of the Lake of Geneva, where he remained from 1529 till 1536, when he was liberated by his countrymen. The traces left by his steps on the pavement of his cell are still seen. Account of, by A. Dumas, 142. BONUM, the Latin for good; summum bonum, the chief good. BONUS, a premium for a privilege. Books. The inner bark of trees was onos used for writing on. In England, many hundred years ago, people used to write upon the bark of the beech-tree, which they called boc. We have not changed the word much. See Library. Thoughts on Books, 397. BOOM (from the Danish bomme, a drum), to make a noise like the roar of the waves, or a distant gun. BOONS (from the Lat. bonus, or Fr. bon), a gift, a favor. BOULOGNE (Boo-lōn), a seaport of France on the English Channel. BOUQUET (boo-ka'), a nosegay. Bow, the curved part of a ship forward. When it has this meaning it is pronounced so as to rhyme with cow. BOWRING, John, his translation of Derzhavin's ode, 153. True Courage, by, 242. BRAHMIN, the highest or priestly class, among the Hindoos. BRAVE MAN, The, translated from the German of Burger, 165. BRAZIER, an artificer in brass. BREWSTER, Sir David, an eminent philosopher of Scotland, b. 1781. He was the inventor of that optical toy, the Kaleidoscope. Barbarism of War, by, 303. BRIDEWELL, a house of correction for disorderly persons; so called from the palace near Bridget's well in London, which was turned into a work-house. BROOKE, Henry, The Lion, &c., by, 139. BROOKS, C. T., Translations by, 83, 412. BROUGHAM, Henry, Lord, distinguished as a statesman, man of letters, and philosopher; born in Scotland. He entered Parliament in 1810. On Science, by, 441. The Schoolmaster Abroad, by, 269. On the Pleasures of Science, 441. BROWNE, J. R., The Whale Chase, by, 400. BRUCE, Robert, one of the most heroic of the Scottish kings, and the deliverer of Scotland from the English yoke; b. 1274, d. 1329. BRUIN, a familiar name given to the bear, from the Fr. brun, brown. BRUTUS, Lucius Junius, known as the first Brutus, received his surname of Brutus, or brute, from feigning idiocy in order to escape the tyranny of Tarquin, a king of ancient Rome. Lucretia, a lady of great purity, having been grossly abused by Sextus Tarquin, Brutus threw off his pretended idiocy, and roused the Romans to expel their king and establish a republic. As consul, he afterwards sentenced his two sons to death for crimes against their country. See p. 308. Marcus Junius Brutus, celebrated by Shakspeare, was a descendant of the first Brutus, 350. BRYANT, Wm. Cullen, an eminent American poet, b. in Cummington, Mass., Nov. 3, 1794. Extracts from, 178, 205, 257, 338. BUFFON, born 1707, died 1788; a famous naturalist, the eloquence of whose style gave a charm to his scientific works. He was very methodical in his time; but thera is not much to praise in his private char acter. 226. Buoy (from bois, the French for wood), a piece of wood floating on the water, to indicate shoals, &c. The adjective buoyant has the same origin. BURGER, Godfrey Augustus, b. 1748, d. 1794: a German poet, celebrated for his spirited ballads. The Brave Man, by, 165. BURKE, Edmund, a writer, orator, and statesman, of great eminence. Born in Ireland, 1780; died 1797. He was one of the greatest masters of English style; an amiable and religious man in private life, and exemplary in his domestic and social duties. See character of, by Hazlitt, and Grattan, 245, 216. Extracts from his Speeches, 146, 268, 269. He was BURNET, Gilbert, Bishop of Salisbury, was born in Scotland, 1643; d. 1714. the author of a History of the Reformation. 226. BURRINGTON, E. H., Lines by, 264. BURTON, W., Learning to Write, 87. BusHMEN. A name given by the Dutch colonists to some roaming tribes akin to the Hottentots, in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope. They are of a dark copper complexion, and small in stature. So deep are they sunk in barbarism, as to be unacquainted even with the construction of huts or tents, 119. BY and By. The proverb, p. 64, T 2, is directed against the habit of procrastination; of putting off what ought be done at once till "by and by." BYRON, Lord George Gordon, an English nobleman, of great but misapplied talents. He was born in the year 1788, and died in Greece, in 1824. See p. 148. Ambition, by, 100. The Guilty Conscience, 258. A Storm on the Mountains, 333. CABINET, in politics, the governing council of a country; so called from the cabinet or apartment in which the Chief Magistrate transacts public business, and assembles his privy council. In the United States the members of the President's Cabinet are the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War, of the Navy, the Interior, the Postmaster General, and the Attorney General. CADI (in Arabic, a judge). The Turks style their inferior judges Cadi. CALYX, a Greek word, signifying a cup. It is the name given by botanists to the outermost of the enveloping organs of a flower. CALABRIA, the southern part of the kingdom of Naples; traversed throughout by the Apennine Mountains. Adventure in Calabria, 305. CAMERA Obscura, or Dark Chamber, is an optical apparatus, by which the images of external objects are thrown on a white EXPLANATORY INDEX. surface, and represented in a vivid manner in their proper colors, shapes, &c. CAMILLA, in ancient mythology, one of the swift-footed servants of Diana, accustomed to the chi se and to war. CAMPAGNA (kam-pan'-ya, the a pronounced Fr. "Pleasures of Hope," 309, 412, Lord Ullin's Daughter, 276. CANDOR, from the Latin word candere, to be white, to shine, to glitter; hence sincerity, purity. The word candle is of the same genealogy. CANDLES, candlestick. See Candor. CANNIBAL, a person that devours human flesh. The word is probably of Indian origin. CANNING, George, a highly accomplished orator and writer, born in London in 1770, died in 1827. See p. 270. CAPACITY (from the L. capio, I hold, or or head of land projecting from the main- CARICATURE (from the Italian caricare, to ous. The Sword and Press, by, 255. CASHIER Fr. casser, to break), to dismiss CASTLE-BUILDING, forming visionary proj- CASTLE of Indolence, the title of a celebrated CASS, LEWIS, On Labor, 427. CAVERN by the Sea, The, 183. Ode on Cecilia's Day, 416. sea. CENTURY (from the Latin centum, a hundred), in a general sense, anything consisting of a hundred parts; a period of a hundred years. CHALMERS, Thomas, a celebrated Scotch Planets and Heavenly Bodies, 224. Kindness to Brute Animals, 195. CHANNING, Wm. Ellery, a celebrated Ameri On the Teacher's Calling, 186. The Free Mind, 277. Effects of Irreligion, 316. The Worth of Books, 398. CHASE on the Ice, 131. CHATHAM, Wm. Pitt, Earl of (or Lord), was one of the greatest orators and statesmen of England, and a stanch friend of the American colonies in their difficulties with He was born the British government. 1708, died 1778. Described by Hazlitt, Grattan, 245, 6. On Taxing America, 267. It has the remarkable CHA-ME-LEON, a species of lizard, found in Asia and Africa. power of changing its color, producing a succession of rich and varied tints over the whole body. On this peculiarity Merrick's admirable fable (see p. 418) it founded. His CHAPMAN, a trafficker, a cheapener. The CHOCK, a wedge used to secure anything CHORUS, a number of singers; verses of a CHRISTIANITY, Obligations to, 313. CICERO, the most famous of Roman orators; Compared with Demosthenes, 243. Extract from, 267. CINCINNATUS, a consul of ancient Rome; he was repeatedly taken from his plough and farm to assume the highest offices of the state. A society of American revolutionary officers took their name from him, calling themselves Cincinnati, whence the great city of Ohio has its name. CIRCUMFERENCE (from the Lat. circum, CIVILIZATION, Progress of, 338. The Romans were divided into six classes, and classici was the name given to the first class; whence the best Greek and Roman authors have been, in modern times, called classics, that is, first-class writers. CLASS Opinions; those of a certain set or class of mutual admirers and supporters, 72. CLAY, Henry, an American orator and statesman, born in Va. 1777, died 1852. For many years he represented Kentucky in Congress. Extract from his Speeches, 271. CLEAVE; as used p. 265, this is an in transitive verb, or one in which the action is confined to the agent, and does not pass over to an object. CLERK; the English pronunciation of this word (as if clark) is now repudiated. CLEVER, dexterous, expert; the meaning good-natured seems peculiar to Amer ica. CLIFF (now generally spelt elef), a character in music; from the L. clavis, a key. CODE. With the ancient Romans that part of the wood of a tree next to the bark was called coder; and the laws written on this wood, smeared with wax, took its name; whence is our word code, a colicotion of laws. COGNAC (kon-yak), a French brandy. COLERIDGE, Samuel Taylor, an English poet and philosopher, b. 1770, d. 1843. an Translation from Schiller, by, 343. COLOSSAL, gigantic, like a Colossus ; ancient statue of Apollo, which stood across the entrance of the harbor at Rhodes, being so called. It was of brass, one hundred and five feet high, so that ships could pass under its legs. COLOSSEUM (col-os-se'um), The, 386. COLLINS, Wm., an English poet, b. 1720, d. 1756. His odes, written when he was quite young, show great genius. Ode to the Passions, 402. COMPANION (from the Lat. commu'nis, CONCIERGERIE (kon-se-airzh'-re), the name CONCISE (from the Lat. conci'do, to cut down), brief, containing few words. CONCRETE (Lat. concres-ce-re, to grow together, to coalesce in one mass). As an adj., formed by coalition of separate CONFUSED. As used by Heywood, p. 294, The Preacher who Failed, &c., 286. CONJURE; when it means to call on solemnly (as on p. 372), the accent is on the last syllable; when it means to affect by magic, or to practise the arts of a conjurer, the accent is on the first syllable. EXPLANATORY INDEX. CONSCIEN 7; derivation explained, 125. CONSTELLATION (from the Latin con, to- CONTEMPLATE. The Lat. word templum, a temple, a place set apart for meditation, enters into the derivation of this word. CONTEMPORARY, sometimes written cotemporary (from the Lat. con, together, and tempus, time); living at the same time. CONTENT (from con, and teneo, I hold). He who is content is literally one who contains; who holds enough; satisfied. CONTINENT (Lat. continens, containing), that which contains or holds; hence, in geography, a great extent of land not disjoined by the sea. The word is much used by British writers to signify the countries of Europe other than Great Britain and Ireland. CONTRARY. This word should not be used cut. CORDUROY, a thick cotton stuff, corded or ribbed. CORONACH (kor'-o-nak), a wild expression of lamentation among the Scotch Highlanders; poured forth by mourners over the dead body of a friend, 258. CORNUCOPIA (L. cornu, a horn, copia, plenty), the horn of plenty. CORREI (kor'ray), the hollow side of the hill, where game usually lies. CORTEGE (kor-tā'zjh), a train, a retinue. COTERIE (ko-te-ree'), a set, clan, circle of people. COTTLE, JOSEPH, a publisher and author, of Bristol, Eng. His tribute to Henderson, p. 167. COULTER (kōl'ter), the sharp iron of a plough. It is from the Latin culter, a plough-share, which is from colo, I culti vate. COUP-DE-MAIN (koo-duhr-măng), a bold the heart being the seat of courage, 242. COURIER, PAUL LOUIS, a witty French writer, born 1773, assassinated 1825. An Adventure in Calabria, 305. Reciprocal Kindness, 197. Extracts from, 177, 218, 311, 410, 414. CRABBE, REV. GEORGE, a very original English poet; b. 1754, d. 1832. His de scriptions of life among the poor are severely true. Practical Charity, by, 257 CRAVEN, a coward; from to crave, because supposed to crave his life. CREASY, E. S., on Demosthenes, 343. CROLY, REV. GEORGE, a poet of great elegance and power of diction, born in Ireland about 1790. Extract from, 283. CROMWELL, OLIVER, one of the greatest characters in English history; born 1599 died 1658. Being elected to Parliament he attached himself to the Puritans, be came one of the principal leaders against King Charles I., and joined in bringing As a military that monarch to the block. leader, he obtained important victories, which placed him at the summit of power, so that he dissolved the Long Parliament (see p. 283), and, in 1653, assumed the supreme authority in England, under the At one period of title of Lord Protector. his life he was on the point of emigrating to Massachusetts. CRUCIFIX (from the Lat. cruci, to a cross, and fixi, I have fixed), a cross on which the body of Christ is fixed in etligy. CUMBER, perplexity, distress. CUMBERLAND, RICHARD, a miscellaneous writer, b. in England 1732, d. 1811. Affectation, by, 144. CURFEW (from the French couvre-feu, cover See CURSES. The proverb (p. 64) simply means that the heart that can give vent to a curse against another is cursing itself most, by giving strength and development to evil and malignant feelings. CU'RULE (from the Lat. currus, a chariot). The curule chair, among the Romans, was a stool without a back, conveyed in a chariot, and used by public officers. CYCLE, a circle; in chronology, a periodical space of time. CYLINDER, a long, circular body, of uniform diameter. Adj., cylindrical. DAFFODILS (Gr. asphodelos), a species of Narcissus, with beautiful flowers of a deep yellow hue. It flowers in April or May. Some of the more hardy species grow wild. The Daffodils, a poem, 70. DAGUERREOTYPE (da-ger'ro-type), so called from M. Daguerre (dah-ghair'), a French artist, who gave publicity to his invention in 1839. An apparatus somewhat similar to his was contrived about the same time by M. Niepci, also a Frenchman, with whom the honor should be partially shared. See p. 379. |