A perishable human being. The beings which surround us. The Supreme Being.

Frail human existence. The existence of innu merable worlds. The existence of God.

In the first three phrases, a substitution of the word existence would be felt as a violation of the habits of our language; existence not being used to describe a sensible idea. But in the next three phrases, the word being could be substituted to the word existence without any sentiment of innovation; being is often used to designate an abstract idea.

Mien. Air.

Mien (fr. mine) describes the countenance; air, ital. aria) the attitude. These words are no longer common, but are consecrated by the use of our best writers, such as Milton, Dryden, Pope. A mien of good humor. An air of activity.

Address. Manners. Behaviour. Conduct.

What of exterior deportment is displayed on ac cess, we term the address; what is unfolded in the progress of intercourse, we term the nanners. Be haviour and conduct include more than exterior forms: behaviour describes the spirit of the manners on a particular occasion; conduct describes their perpetual spirit.

As first impressions may occasion habitual im pressions; so a man's address often decides the re putation of his manners. Behaviour is versatile, and founded on a regard to the admiration of others; Conduct is steady, and founded on self-criticism. We should suit our behaviour to our company; and our conduct to our station.

Equity. Justice.

Equity contemplates the mass of rights growing

out of the law of nature; and justice contemplates the mass of rights growing out of the law of society. Equity (from æquus), treats of our dues as equals; justice (from jussum), treats of our dues as fellowsubjects. The purpose of equity is respect for humanity; the purpose of justice is respect for property. Equity withstands oppression; justice withstands injury.

To live: To dwell:

Both these words are used to describe residence: we live in a place; we dwell in a building. To live in London. To dwell in a cottage. A lodger lives in a street; only the housekeepers dwell there. We are living by the sea-side; but we dwell far inland, The words differ as to lie and to house: to live probably derives from lib, body; and to dwell probably from schwelle, threshold.

In vain. To no purpose. Ineffectually.

He labours in vain, who attains not the expected reward; he labours to no purpose, who toils with driftless industry; he labours ineffectually, whose exertions are of little importance.

These phrases are somewhat differently defined by Dr. Trusler.

Against. In spite of.

To

Against announces physical antagonism, in spite of moral defiance: against announces a level opposi tion, in spite of a contemptuous opposition. plane wood against the grain. The saw-mill goes on cutting notwithstanding the nails in the plank; the sawyer goes on cutting in spite of the nails in the plank. To speak against a turnpike bill. He divides with the opposition in spite of the minister's intreaty. Though we have lost this

match at cricket, we will hold them once more man against man; in spite of their present superiority we do not despair.

To see. To look at. To behold. To view. We see, involuntarily sometimes, whatever is within our ken of vision; there is a voluntary direction of the eye toward that which we look at; there is a prolongation of the regard on that which we behold; there is a comprehensive circulation of the glance over that which we view.

The four interjections ah! lo! behold! there! with which we occasionally indicate objects, denote severally these four gradations of visual attention. The eyes open to see; turn to look at; fix to behold; and roll to view.

Trusler.

We see all the objects before our eyes; we look at those which excite our curiosity; we behold such as cause our admiration; we view those we are desirous to examine. Trusler.

Head. Chief.

Head is saxon, chief is french, for the same part of the body; and both words are employed meta. phorically to designate the superior, the conducting person of an undertaking. The head of a batallion. The chief of a batallion. A head-officer. A com mander in chief.

If any difference gains ground between these words, it is, that the saxon appellation, having been immemorially prevalent here, mingles more readily with our civil institutions and domestic habits; whereas the french term, having been imported by military men, remains technical for strategic affairs. Hence to the word head ideas of mere preeminence are attached; but to the word chief ideas of active spirited soldier-like efficacy. A head-borough. Is the lawyer, or the parson the head of that parish?

He will go to the reformers dinner, if they will make him head of the company. You may make him head of the company: but the orator Rightma■ will remain its chief.

To teach. To learn.

To teach is to give instruction; and to learn is to take instruction. These terms are rather antithetic than synonymous; but they are misdefined by Dr. Trusler.

Impediment. Obstacle. Obstruction.

An impediment (in and pes) skackles the feet; an obstacle (ob and stare) withstands the person; an obstruction (ob aad struo) blocks the passage. The impediment stays; the obstacle resists: the obstruction stops. We must stoop to remove an impediment; we remain erect to surmount an obstacle; we make exertions to pull down an obstruction. The political equality of religious sects is gaining ground, notwithstanding the impediments of vulgar bigotry, the obstacles of sordid prejudice, and the obstructions of governmental hostility.

Brightness. Splendor:

The moon is said to shine bright, when there is no mist in the air, when its rays reach us without perturbation; but the quantity of light which emanates from the moon, at its greatest brightness, does not amount to splendor. Splendor is that fulness of light, which in some degree dazzles tha human eye. The brightness of dawn. The splendor of noon. The brightness of a taper. The splendor of a patent lamp. Brightness is opposed to dulness, and splendor to obscurity.

To receive. To accept.

1

To receive is to take in, and to accept is to take

for onesself. I have received the pheasants, and accept them thankfully. What we take in deposit, we receive, what we take in gift, we accept. We receive what is sent us for another, we accept what is sent us for ourselves. To receive a favor, which is to be returned; to accept a favor, which is noż to be returned.

Roundness. Rotundity.

Roundness describes circularity, and rotundity describes sphericity. The roundness of a wheel, the rotundity of a turnip. A painter expresses the roundness of an orange by means of the line which bounds the figure; he expresses its rotundity by means of the shadowing which gives apparent pro tuberance. A round flat face. The rotundity of Sir John Falstaff. On dit la rondeur, et la roton dité, de la terre; la rondeur pour designer sa figure, la rotondité pour designer sa capacité. Roubaud.

Management. Direction.

Management (from mener) and direction (from dirigere) differ as leading, and ruling. That which is conducted by example is managed; that which is conducted by authority is directed. To manage the affairs of a partnership. To direct the affairs of a company. The manager of a theatre, when he is himself an actor: the director of the opera, when he is not one of the performers.

Outside. Appearance.

The outside is the external surface of a thing: and the appearance is the effect produced by that external surface on the organ of sight. In the dark, objects have still an outside, but no appearance. His present appearauce does not harmonize with his general outside; yet I think you caught him in a characteristic undress.