DAHLIA a well-known plant, which receives its name from Dati. a Swedish botanist. DANTE (Dan-te), the sublimest of the Italian poets, was born at Florence, 1265; died 1321. DARLING, GRACE, an heroic girl, daughter of the keeper of the North Sunderla ad lighthouse, on the coast of England. A steam-vessel having been wrecked in 1838 on the rocks known as the Great Harkars, Grace, who was then twenty-two years old, persuaded her father to go with her to the rescue of the crew in an open beat. There was a raging sea; but they went, and saved nine persons, who otherwise would have perished. Grace died a few years after this event. See Wordsworth's poem on her, p. 201. DAUPHIN; formerly the title of the eldest son of the King of France. The editions of the classics which were made for the use of the dauphin are entitled in usum delphini. DAVY, SIR HUMPHREY, an eminent chemist, b. in Engiand 1778, d. 1829. He was an agreeable writer and poet. 317. DEATH, Thoughts on, 309, 318. DECEMBER, the twelfth month of our year, from the Latin decem, ten, because in the Roman year it constituted the tenth month, the year beginning with March. DEFLECT, to turn aside, deviate. DEGERANDO, a French writer, author of an excellent work on self-education. He died in 1842. He was a distinguished member of the French Institute. The Mind its own Educator, 322. DEST, one who believes in the existence of God, but not in revealed religion. DEMOSTHENES, Character of, 243. Democracy of Athens, 266. DEMURE (from the French des mœurs, of good manners), sober, downcast. DE QUINCEY, THOMAS, a powerful but eccentric writer, born in England about 1790. The account of Joan of Arc (p. 259) is chiefly taken from his masterly review of Michelet's (Meesh-la's) narra tive in his History of France. DERIVATIVE (from the Lat. de, from, and rivus, a small stream), flowing or proceeding from. A derivative word is one which takes its origin in another word. DER'VIS, a Persian word, meaning poor; in Mahoin'etan countries, a religious person leading an austere life. DERZHA'VIN, GABRIEL, a Russian poet and statesman, born 1743, died 1819. His Ode to the Deity (see p. 153), as we learn from the translator, Dr. Bowring, has been translated into Japanese, by order of the emperor, and is hung up, embroidered with gold, in the Temple of Jeddo. It has also been translated into the Chinese and Tartar languages, written on a piece of rich silk, and suspended in the imperial palace at Pekin'. DEUM, the accusative case of the Latin word Deus, God. "Te Deum" are the first words of a celebrated Latin hymn, begin ning "Te Deum laudāmus," We praise thee, O God. DEWEY, REV. ORVILLE, on Death, 318. DIALOGUE (from the Gr. dia, and legein, to discourse together), a conversation be tween two or more persons. The follow ing are dialogues : Adam and Orlando, 319. A Sister Pleads for a Brother, 320. Wolsey and Cromwell, 423 DIAMETER, from the Gr. dia rough, and metros, measure; a straight line passing through the centre of a circle, and dividing it into two equal parts. DIAMOND, the most valuable of gems. The word is pronounced either in three syllables (dī-a-mond) or in two (di'mond). DIAPASON (Gr. dia, through, and pasōn, all), in music, the octave or interval which includes all the tones. By a bold metaphor, Dryden has beautifully availed himself of this expression in his Ode, p 416. English DICKENS, CHARLES, a popular author, born in Portsmouth, 1812. The World of Waters, 206. The Wind and Rain, 208. Alfred the Great, 244. DILEMMA (Gr.), a puzzling situation, where each alternative is bad. DIOGENES (Di-ōj'e-nės). surnamed the Cynic, was a philosopher of ancient Greece; Dorn 414 B. C. He is said to have had an interview with Alexander the Great at Corinth, at which, on the king's asking him if he could oblige him in any way, the Cynic replied, "Yes, you can stand out of the sunshine." The Cynics were so called from the Greek word kunikos, dog-like, because of their morose, snarling mode of speech. DIPLOMA (from the Gr. diploö, I fold up), a document, signed and sealed, conferring some privilege, right or honor. Thus a letter or writing of an university, conferring a degree, is called a diploma. DIPH'THONGS. See p. 16. DISC, or DISK (from the Gr. diskos, a round plate, a quoit; diskos being derived from dikein, to throw, whence its application to the form of the thing thrown. The word dish has a similar derivation). Disk, in astronomy, means the face of the sun and moon, as they appear to observers on the earth. DISCHARGE. A debtor is said to have his discharge when he has a release or ac quittance in full from his debt. DISCIPLE (from the Lat. disco, I learn), a learner; a follower. DISCOVER, literally, to uncover. Mark the distinction between this word and to invent. We discover what already existed; we invent when we make something to be which hitherto was not. Harvey dis covered the circulation of the blood; but DOGMA, an opinion; that which seems true DOUBLOON, a Spanish coin of the value of DRAGOON', to force to submit. This word is DRAWING-ROOM, a room to which the com- Futurity, by, 113. Ode on Cecilia's Day, 416. Inconvenient Ignorance, 181. EAGLE. The figure of an eagle was the EARLY RISING, Thoughts on, 225. ECLAT (k-kla', the a as in father), a burst- ECLIPTIC, the sun's path in the heavens. It ECONOMY (Gr. oikos, a house, and nõmös, a EDUCATION. This important word is traced is Thoughts on, 184, 322. confound this contraction with Ere, which see. ELECTRICITY (Gr. elektron, amber), the Electric Telegraph, The, 378. Elegy in a Country Church-yard, 272. ELIZABETH, Queen of England, was the ELLIOTT, EBENEZER, sometimes called the Woman's Mission, by, 359. Eloquence of Statesmen, 266. Moral and Religious Eloquence, 313. EMERALD, a mineral of a beautiful green EMERSON, R. W., The Snow-storm, 433. EMPORIUM, a Greek word, meaning a trad- ENCYCLOPEDIA (from the Gr. en, in, kyclos, ENGHIEN, Duc d' (Duke D'ang-ghe-àng' ; ENTREPOT (ang-tre-po', the a as in father, EPHEMERAL (e-fèm'eral). This is from the EPICURE, one given to luxury; so called EPITOME (e pit'-o-me), an abridgment, an ERA differs from epoch in this era is a EUREKA (eu-re'-ka) a Greek word, meaning, ANGEL (from two Gr. words, meaning to EVERETT, EDWARD, b. in Massachusetts, EXIT, the third person of the Latin verb Ex'ODUS, a way, or passage out; egress, de- Avoid the blunder of pronouncing this FABLE (Lat. fari, to speak). In English Fidelity in Little Things, 85. Cicero and Demosthenes, 243. FEUDALISM. The feudal system was that FIELD. This word (says Trench) properly FIJI (fe-jee), one of the S. Pacific islands. He FLINT, TIMOTHY, an American writer, and a FLUKES, the broad triangular plates at the FOOLSCAP, a kind of paper, usually about FO'RAY, a sudden or irregular incursion in| FORD, JOHN, an English dramatic writer, b. FOREST, from the root of the Lat. word foras, FORY'ULA, a prescribed form or order; a FORUM, a Latin word, meaning literally, what is out of doors, an outside space or FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN, distinguished as an Remarks on his Character, 331. FRIAR, from the French frère, a brother; in FRIDAY, the sixth day of the week. The name is derived from Freya, a Saxon FROWARD (fro-ward), peevish, perverse; its FULTON, ROBERT, an American engineer GALAXY (Gr. galak'tos, of milk), the Milky GALEN, one of the greatest physicians of GE-NEVA, the most populous and industrious GEN'TILE (Lat. gens, a nation). The Jews GIBBON, EDWARD, the celebrated English GIBRALTAR, a strongly fortified seaport GIL BLAS (Zhil Blas). It is difficult to ex- French history, the Gironde were, dur- GLADIATOR (Lat. gladius, a sword), a GOLDSMITH, OLIVER, a celebrated post, hi3- The Village Preacher, 218. GOOSE-QUILL. The proverb, p 64, indiestes the superiority of mental force over physfcal; that "the pen is mightier than the sword." GORGON, a fabled monster, the sight of which turned the beholder to stone. GOSPEL (Saxon, godspell; god, good, and spell, history), the Christian revelation. GRATTAN, HENRY, one of the most eloquent of Ireland's orators, b. 1746, d. 1820. On Lord Chatham. 246. GRAHAME, JAMES, a Scottish poet, b. 1765, d. 1511. Winter Sabbath, by, 433. GRAVITATION (from the Lat. gravis, heavy) is a force which binds the universe together. It causes the falling of heavy bodies to the earth's surface, and, by a wonderful balancing of the same force, the heavenly bodies are kept within their proper paths. See Newton. GRAY, THOMAS, an English poet, b. 1716, d. . 1771. His Elegy (p. 272) is the most celebrated of his poems. It is related by Lord Mahon, that the evening before the capture of Quebec (1759) Gen. Wolfe, while on the St. Lawrence in a boat with some of his officers, repeated this elegy, then new, aloud, and said, "Now, gentlemen, I would rather be the author of that poem than take Quebec." See Curfew. GREECE. The effects of Grecian art, literature, and philosophy, upon the world, promise to be as enduring as its civilization. They can hardly be estimated. GREGA'RIOUS (Lat. grex, a herd), going in flocks or herds; not liking to live alone. GRIFFIN, GERALD, an Irish poet and miscel laneous writer, who died young, about the year 1840. Love due to the Creator, 179. GUATEMALA, pronounced Gwa-te-mala; the a in the first and third syllables like that in father. GUILLOTINE (gil-lo-tēn), a machine for be heading in France, named from its inventor, Dr. Guillotin. GUINEA, a piece of money, so called because it was originally coined of gold brought from the coast of Guinea. UTTIEREZ, pronounced Goot-ti-a'reth. JYGEs (jy'jēs), according to Plato, was a shepherd of Lydia, who had a ring, with which, by turning a stone in it, he could become invisible. GYMNASTIC, pertaining to athletic exercises. The Greek root gymnos means naked, the ancients bein naked in their exercises. HAMLET (believed to be from the same Saxon root as home, anciently written hame), a small village; a little cluster of houses in the country. HAMPDEN, JOHN, one of England's best patriots, was born in London in 1594. He strenuously resisted the impositions of the royal government. Being mortally wounded in the civil war against the king, he died, after six days of great suffering, in 1643. He was a devout Christian; and his last words were, "O, Lord, save my country. O, Lord, be merciful and here his speech to failed him, and he fell back and expired. HARVEY, WM., a celebrated physician, b. in England 1578, d. 1658. He discovered the circulation of the blood, of which he published an account in 1628. HASTINGS, WARREN, born in England in 1733, d. 1818. He was appointed by the East India Company governor of their possessions: but, being accused of having governed tyrannically, and extorted large sums of money, he was impeached by the British House of Commons, but finally acquitted, 268. HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL, an American author, born about 1809; in 1853 appointed consul to Liverpool by President Pierce. A Rill from the Town Pump, 231. HAZLITT, WM., an English critic and essay ist, who died in 1830. He was a vigorous writer, but apt to be borne away by violent prejudices. HEBREWS, Literature of the, 389. HECTOR, the chief hero of the Trojans in their war with the Greeks. He was slain by Achilles. HEMANS, FELICIA DOROTHEA, the most popular poetess of England, was born at Liverpool in 1795, died 1835. She married young, but her marriage was infelicitous She wrote much for the magazines of the day; and many of her lyrics are of a high order of merit. The Graves of a Household, 105. Hymn of the Mountaineers, 239. The Captive's Dreams, 310. HENDERSON, JOHN, Account of, 167. HENRY, PATRICK, an American orator and statesman, born in Virginia 1736, died 1799. His early opportunities of education were very limited, but he rose above all impediments into great distinction as one of the most eloquent men of any age. He was a strenuous advocate for American independence. Extract from, 271. HERSCHEL, SIR JOHN, born in England 1790, a son of the celebrated astronomer, Wm. Herschel, and eminent for his mathematical and literary attainments. On a Taste for Reading, 399. Wonders of the Universe, 406. HES'PERUS, a name given to the planet Venus when she follows the sun or ap pears in the evening; when she appears in the morning before sunrise, the same planet is called Lucifer HET-E RO GE'NEOUS (Gr. eteros, other, and |