have been introduced from foreign dialects, or are frequently quoted in our books and conversations, has already in early times produced a considerable number of foreign and technical dictionaries and manuals. It lies, however, in the nature of things, that such works, however copious and satisfactory for the moment, can never be said to be perfectly complete, since the continual almost daily increase and addition of new words, phrases, and quotations naturally leave considerable gaps and blanks in such explanatory publications, which, like the water barrels of the Danaïdes, can never be filled. This is particularly the case in our present time, when a restless activity prevails in all moral and material interests-when rapid progress is manifest in the arts and sciences-when violent polemics and controversies agitate the State and Church-when new and successful enquiries are continually made in the spheres of philosophy and the natural sciences—when mechanical inventions keep in constant action the faculties of the mind, and when, finally, a lively interchange of ideas and opinions approaches every day nearer and nearer all the civilized nations on earth.

One of the consequences of all these happy phenomena of our age is a constant increase of new terms in some language or other terms which, in their turn, require explanation, if not interpretation.

The present Manual may therefore be considered only as a temporary revision and supplement of those already existing on the subject. We find now, in almost every town and village, men of education and searching enquiry among all

classes of society, while the individual, whatever his calling, is almost forced by circumstances to take at least a general or superficial notice of the arts and sciences which now penetrate deeper and deeper all relations of social life, or of the religious and political events in which he cannot possibly now maintain a neutral ground. For such and similar

purposes has the present enlarged edition been published, to fill out to a certain extent the technical and classical chasms prevalent in the previous works.

London, April, 1856.

THE AUTHOR.

A

MANUAL OF QUOTATIONS.

Ab actu ad posse valet consecutio (Lat.)-"The induction is good, from what has been to what may be."-By this logical maxim it is meant to state, that when a thing has once happened, it is but just to infer that such a matter may again occur.

Ab alio expectes, alteri quod feceris (Lat.) LABERIUS.-"You may expect from one person, that which you have done to another."

A barbe de fol, on apprend à raser (Fr.)—" Men learn to shave on the chin of a fool."-They love to make experiments at the expense of others.

A bas (Fr.)-Down with.

Abatis (Fr. milit. term.)—Stakes driven in the ditch of a fort to prevent a storm.

A battuta (di tempo) (It. mus. term.)—To resume the previous time, the same as a tempo.

Abbite ist die beste Busse (Ger.)—" Beg pardon is the best penitence."

A beau jeu, beau retour (Fr. prov.)-"To a fine game fine return."-One good turn deserves another.-Tit for tat. À beau mentir qui vient de loin (Fr. prov.)—“Travellers are entitled to lie."

B

Abends wird der Faule fleissig (Ger.)—" The lazy becomes industrious in the evening."

A bene placito (It. mus. term.)—"As you wish." At plea

sure.

Ab hoc et ab hac (Lat.)-"From this and that."-Confused, without order.

Ab hodierno (die) (Lat.)—“ From to-day."

Ab inconvenienti (Lat. phrase.)-"From the inconvenience." -Argumentum ab inconvenienti.-An argument to show that the result of a proposed measure will prove inconvenient or unsuited to circumstances.

Ab incunabulis (Lat.)-"From the cradle."-From the first origin.

Ab initio (Lat. phrase.)-"From the beginning."-His proceedings were ill-founded ab initio.

Ab irato (testamentum) (Law Lat.)—“A will made in anger." A bis et à blanc (Fr. prov.)-"At the brown and the white." -By fits and starts.

Abnormis sapiens (Lat.) HORACE.-"A person whose wisdom is not derived from instruction."-"A mother-wit, and wise without the schools."

À bon appetit, il ne faut point de sauce (Fr. prov.)—“A good appetite requires no sauce."

À bon chat, bon rat (Fr. prov.)-"To a good cat, a good rat."-The parties are well suited, or matched.

À bon chien il ne vient jamais un bon os (Fr. proverb.)—“A good bone does not always come to a good dog."Merit does not always meet its due reward.

Abondance de biens ne nuit pas (Fr. prov.)—" Store is no sore."

À bon entendeur peu de paroles (Fr. prov.)-"To a good listener few words."-A word to the wise.

Abonnement (Fr.)—Subscription to operas, concerts, &c. À bon vin, il ne faut point de bouchon (Fr. prov.)—" Good wine needs no bush."-From the custom of hanging a bush (bouchon) at the door to denote a public-house. Ab ovo usque ad mala (Lat. phrase.)-" From the eggs to the apples."-From the beginning to the end of the