VA'GRANT, adj. & n. s. Lat. vagor; Ital. vagare. Wandering; unsettled; vagabond: the noun substantive corresponding.

Do not oppose popular mistakes and surmises, or vagrant and fictitious stories. More's Divine Dialogues. Take good heed what men will think and say; That beauteous Emma vagrant courses took, Her father's house and civil life forsook. You'll not the progress of your atoms stay, Nor to collect the vagrants find a way. Blackmore. Ye vagrants of the sky,

Prior.

To right or left unheeded take your way. Pope. VAGRANTS, in law. Some of the ancient statutes contain very severe regulations respecting vagrancy. By stat. 22 Hen. VIII., c. 12, a vagrant, after being whipped, was to take an oath to return to the place where he was born, or where he had last dwelt before the punish ment, for the space of three years; and there labor as a true man ought to do. By stat. 27 Hen. VIII., c. 25, persons found a second time in a state of vagrancy were not only to be whipped, but to have the upper part of the gristle of the right ear clean cut off; for a third offence, the punishment was death. By 1 Edw. VI., c. 3, a vagabond was to be marked with a hot iron on the breast with V., and adjudged to be a slave for two years to the person who took him. This act was repealed by stats. 3, 4, Edw. VI. c. 16, which restored the provisions of 22 Hen. VIII. c. 13, with some additions. By stats. 14 Eliz. c. 5, 18 Eliz. c. 3, provisions were made for the punishment of vagabonds by whipping, gaoling, boring the ears, and death for a second offence.

Now, under stat. 17 Geo. II. c. 5, vagrants are divided into three classes, viz.: idle and disorderly persons; rogues and vagabonds; and incorrigible rogues; and are thus described and particularised at full length :-They who threaten to run away and leave their wives or children to the parish; or unlawfully return to a parish whence they have been legally removed; or, not having wherewith to maintain themselves, live idle, and refuse to work for the usual wages; and all persons going from door to door, or placing themselves in the streets, &c., to beg in the parishes where they dwell, shall be deemed idle and disorderly persons. All persons going about as patent-gatherers, or gatherers of alms, under pretence of losses by fire, &c., or as collectors for prisons, &c.; all fencers and bearwards; all common players of interludes; and persons, who for hire, gain, or reward, act, represent, or perform, or cause to be acted, &c., any interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce, or other entertainment of the stage, or any part therein, not being authorised by law; all minstrels, jugglers; all persons pretending to be gypsies, or wandering in the habit or form of Egyptians, or pretending to have skill in physiognomy, palmistry, or other crafty science, or to tell fortunes, or using any subtle craft to deceive and impose on a person; or playing or betting at any unlawful games or plays; and all persons who run away and leave their wives and children, whereby they become chargeable to any parish; all pedlars not duly licensed; all persons wandering abroad and lodging in ale

houses, barns, out-houses, or in the open air, not giving a good account of themselves; and all persons wandering abroad and begging, pretending to be soldiers, mariners, or pretending to go to work in harvest, not having proper certificates; and all other persons wandering abroad and begging; and all persons going from door to door, or placing themselves in streets, &c., to beg in the parishes where they dwell, who, being apprehended for the same, shall resist or escape, shall be deemed rogues and vagabonds. All end-gatherers offending against the stat. 13 Geo. 1. c. 23, being convicted; all persons apprehended as rogues and vagabonds, and escaping, or refusing to go before a justice, or to be examined upon oath before such justice, or refusing to be conveyed by pass; or giving a false account of themselves after warning of the punishment; and all rogues or vagabonds breaking or escaping out of any house of correction; and all persons who, having been punished as rogues and vagabonds, shall again commit any of the said offences; and offenders against this act having children with them (and such children being put out apprentices or servants pursuant to this act), being again found with the same children, shall be deemed incorrigible rogues.

The punishment of idle and disorderly persons is commitment to the house of correction, there to be kept to hard labor, not exceeding a month.

Rogues and vagabonds are to be publicly whipt or sent to the house of correction until the next sessions, or any less time; and, after such whipping or commitment, may be passed to their last legal settlement or place of birth; or, if, under fourteen, and having a father or mother living, to the place of abode of such father and mother. And if committed until the next sessions, and adjudged a rogue or vagabond, the justices may order them to be kept in the house of correction to hard labor, not exceeding six months.

A person adjudged at the sessions a rogue or vagabond, or incorrigible rogue, may be kept in the house of correction to hard labor, such rogue for not more than six months, and such incorrigible rogue not exceeding two years, nor less than six months; and during the confinement either of them may be corrected by whipping, at such times and places as the justices shall think fit, and may then be passed as aforesaid; and if a male, and above the age of twelve years, the justices, before his discharge, may send him to be employed in the king's service, either by sea or land. If, before the expiration of his confinement, he shall escape from the house of correction, or offend again in the like manner, he shall be deemed to be guilty of felony, and transported for any time not exceeding seven years. See 5 East's Rep. 339. If the sessions under this section order a rogue to be whipped, and then sent into his majesty's service, but omit to adjudicate whether the service shall be by sea or by land, the conviction shall be quashed as to that part, though valid as to the former. 5 East's Rep. 339. Any person may apprehend and carry before a justice persons

going about from door to door, or placing theinselves in streets, highways, or passages, to beg alms in the parishes where they dwell.

By stat. 59 Geo. III. c. 12, §§ 33, 34, poor persons born in Scotland, Ireland, Man, Jersey, or Guernsey, may be removed, although they have not committed any act of vagrancy; and, although they may have committed such act, without being whipped or imprisoned under 32 Geo. III. c. 45. It is suggested as an important question, whether a single-woman removed under 35 Geo. III. c. 101, as actually chargeable on account of being with child, is punishable as a vagrant for returning after her delivery? And an opinion is given by a very competent judge that she is not. See note to stat. 17 Geo. II. c. 5, Evans's Collection of Statutes, Part VI. class 38, nu. 2.

VAGUE, adj. Fr. vague; Lat. vagus. Wandering; vagrant; vagabond.

Gray encouraged his men to set upon the vague villains, good neither to live peaceably, nor to fight. Hayward.

The perception of being, or not being, belongs no more to these vague ideas, signified by the terms whatsoever and thing, than it does to any other ideas. Locke.

VAIL, n. s., v. a., & v. n. Fr. voile. Frequently written veil, from Lat. velum, and the verb veil, from the verb velo. A curtain; a cover thrown over any thing to be concealed: hence a part of female dress to vail is to cover; conceal; let fall; sink in fear; lower in token of respect: as a verb neuter to yield; give place.

:

While they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark vail of forgetfulWisdom.

ness.

VAILLANT (John Foy), a physician and great medalist, was born at Beauvais in 1632. Through the minister Colbert he travelled into Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Persia, to collect medals for the royal cabinet; and returned with so many as made the king's cabinet superior to any in Europe. Once, when in danger of being taken by an Algerine pirate, he hid some valuable coins in his stomach! From this curious cabinet he did not recover them without much difficulty. When Louis XIV. gave a new form to the academy of inscriptions, in 1701, Mr. Vaillant was first made associate, and then pensionary. He wrote several works relating to ancient coins, and died in 1706. VAIN, adj. Fr. vain; Lat. vaVAIN'LY, adv. Fruitless; inefVAIN'NESS, n. s. fectual; empty; puffed VAINGLORIOUS, adj. up with praise or selfVAINGLORY, n. s. conceit; false: the adverb and noun substantive corresponding: vain

nus.

Pope.

A monarch's sword when mad vain-glory draws, Not Waller's wreath can hide the nation's scar. Id.

To be vain is rather a mark of humility than pride. Vain men delight in telling what honours have been done them, what great company they have kept, and the like; by which they plainly confess that these honours were more than their due, and such as their friends would not believe, if they had not been told : whereas a man truly proud thinks the honours below his merit, and scorns to boast.

Swift.

Humility teaches us to think neither vainly nor vauntingly of ourselves. Delany.

VAL DE PENNAS, a town in the province of La Mancha, Spain, contains about 8000 inhabitants, who manufacture woollen stuffs and soap; but their principal employment is agriculture. In the neighbourhood is produced excellent wine; and very good saffron: the bread made here is also of particular excellence. Ninety miles S. S. E. of Toledo, and 113 south of Madrid.

VAILLANT (Francis le), a modern traveller, born at Parimaribo in Dutch Guiana (S. A.) in 1753. His father, a merchant from Metz, exercised the functions of consul. In 1777 circumstances drew the son to Paris, and, having examined the cabinets of natural history, he conceived an irresistible desire to visit the countries whence the curiosities proceeded. Africa became the first object of his attention; and he arrived in March 1781 at the Cape of Good Hope. Between that period and July 1784 he made repeated excursions into Caffraria, and returning to Europe in January 1785 employed himself in drawing up an account of his travels. Being imprisoned on suspicion, in 1793, he owed his life to the fall of Robespierre. He was not,

however, a politician: possessed of a considerable estate at La Noue near Sezanne; he passed a great deal of his time in hunting, and devoted the remainder to the composition of his works. He died in his retreat, November 22d, 1824, having published Voyage dans l'Intérieur de l'Afrique par le Cap de Bonne Espérance, Paris, 1700, 2 vols. 8vo.; and Second Voyage dans l'Intérieur de l'Afrique, 1796, 3 vols. 8vo., both which have been translated into English and several other languages. He was also the author of Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique, 1796-1812, 6 vols. folio, two more volumes to complete the work being left in MS.; Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets, 1801-5, 2 vols. folio; Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de Paradis, 1801 --6, folio; Histoire Naturelle des Cotingas et des Todiers, 1804, folio; Histoire Naturelle des Calaos, 1804, folio. The figures which accompany his works are considered accurate.

VALAIS, a canton in the south of Switzerland, bounded by Uri, Bern, and Friburg, and in another direction by Savoy and the lake of Geneva. It lies in the direction of north-east and south-west, and is of an oblong form, its length being about 100 miles, and its medium breadth from twenty-five to thirty. Its extent is computed at 1850 square miles, but its scattered population does not exceed 14,000. It is watered by the Rhone, and bordered on the north, as on the south, by the loftiest mountains in Europe. No country exhibits a greater diversity in its productions; harvest in the valley is finished by the end of May, while in other districts its activity is greatest in September and October. The scenery exhibits an equally striking contrast.

The religion of the Valais is Catholic; the language of the mountainous parts German; and that of the low ground a dialect of French. The manners are those of a simple, ill educated, superstitious people; strangers to activity and to the arts. The rearing of cattle is the only employment of consequence. This petty community was formerly an independent republic in alliance with Switzerland; it formed, under Buonaparte, a department of the French empire; and was declared one of the cantons of Switzerland by the congress of Vienna. The capital is the town of Sion.

VAL'ANCE, n. s. & v. a. Į From Valencia, VAL'LANCY, adj. whence the use of them came. Skinner. The fringes or drapery hanging round the tester and stead of a bed: to decorate with drapery vallancy is flowing like drapery.

Old friend, thy face is valanced since I saw thee last; comest thou to beard me? My house

Is richly furnished with plate and gold;
Valance of Venice, gold in needlework.

Shakspeare.

Id.

But you, loud Sirs, who through your curls look big,

Critick in plume, and white vallancy wig. Dryden. Thrust the valance of the bed, that it may be full in sight. Swift.

VALANTIA, in botany, cross-wort, a genus of plants in the order monccia, of the class polygamia, and in the natural system arranged under the forty-first order, the asperifolia. There is

scarcely any calyx; the corolla is monopetalous, flat, four-parted, the stamina four, with small antheræ; the hermaphrodite flowers have a pistillum with a large germen, a bifid style, the length of the calyx, and one seed; the pistilla of the male flowers are hardly discernible. There are eight species, one of which, viz. V. cruciata, is a native of Britain; the stalks are square, the whole plant hairy, the leaves oval and verticillate, four in a whirl; the flowers are yellow, and grow on short peduncles out of the alæ of the leaves. The root, like those of the galiums, to which it is related, will dye red. It is astringent, and was once used as a vulnerary.

VALCKENAER (Louis Caspar) a celebrated critic, was born in 1715, at Leeuwarden, in Friseland. He studied at Franeker and at Leyden, after which he became co-rector of the gymnasium of Campen. In 1741 he was called to the chair of Greek literature at Franeker, to which in 1775 was joined that of Greek antiquities. In 1766 he removed to Leyden, as professor of Greek antiquities and history. He arrived at great reputation. Among his principal publications may be mentioned Euripidis Phænissæ, with collections of MSS. scholia, critical observations, &c., Franeker, 1755, 4to; Euripidis Hippolytus, et Diatribe in deperditas Euripidas Tragedias, Leyden, 1768, 4to.; Theocriti X Idyllia, cum Notis; ejusd. Adoniazusæ, uberioribus Adnotationibus instructæ, 1773, 8vo.; Callimachi Elegiarum Fragmenta, cum Elegia, Catulli Callimacheâ, 1799, 8vo.; Observationes Academicæ, quibus Via munitur ad origines Græcas investigandas, Lexicorumque Defectus resarciendos, Utrecht, 1790, 8vo., edited by Everard Scheidius; Two Discourses of St. John Chrysostom; and Specimen Adnotationum criticarum in loca quædam Novi Fœderis, Leyden, 1782, 8vo. In 1809 were printed at Leipsic, L. C. Valckenarii Opuscula Philologica, Critica et Oratoria, nunc primum conjunctum edita. His death took place March 15th, 1785.

VALCKENAER (John), son of the preceding, studied jurisprudence, and became professor of that science at Franeker. In 1787, having joined the patriotic party against the house of Orange, he was made professor of law at Utrecht, in the room of Tydeman; but on the restoration o. the stadtholder was obliged to take refuge in France. He returned at the invasion of Holland by the French in 1795, when he published a periodical paper, entitled The Advocate of Batavian Liberty. He was theu appointed to the chair of jurisprudence at Leyden, on which occasion he delivered a discourse De Officio Civis Batavi in Republicâ turbatâ. After being employed on a diplomatic mission to Prussia, he was chosen a member of the legislative body of the republic, and subsequently sent by the Batavian directory ambassador to Spain. He returned and went a second time, in 1799, as minister plenipotentiary. Coming home in 1801 he resumed his place in the academical senate, and became a member of the administration of Rhinland. He was also a member of the Dutch Institute. In 1810 Valckenaer was sent to Paris to endeavour to prevent the incorporation of Holland with the French empire; and, returning

unsuccessful, afterwards took no part in public affairs. He died January 19th, 1820, leaving several learned dissertations on juridical topics. VALDIVIA, a province of Chili, situated in the midst of the country occupied by the Araucanians, which comprehends a tract of about seventy leagues in length. It lies upon the seacoast, on both sides of the river Valdivia, and on the south is bounded by the country of the Guinchi or Cunchi, who are in possession of its southern part. It is about twelve leagues long and six broad, and abounds with valuable timber, and very fine gold dust..

VALDIVIA, the capital of the above province, is a celebrated city and fortress, situated on the southern shore of the river of its name, at three leagues distance from the sea. This city was founded in 1551 by Pedro de Valdivia, who gave it his name, and obtained immense sums of gold from the vicinity. Its wealth allured many thither, and it became, even at its commencement, one of the most populous cities in the kingdom. In 1590 it was surprised at night by the celebrated Pallimachu with 4000 men, who killed the greater part of the garrison, consisting of 800 soldiers, and, having burned the city, carried off 1,000,000 in gold, and a great number of prisoners. The Spaniards rebuilt it, and fortified it so strongly that it resisted all the attempts of the Araucanians. It was, however, taken in the year 1640 by the Dutch. The Spaniards, who had fitted out a considerable fleet to retake it, finding it on their arrival abandoned, repaired and fortified it again, adding four strong castles or forts upon both sides of the river towards the sea, and another on the north. The harbour is situated in a bay formed by the river, and is the safest, the strongest from its natural position, and the most capacious of any of the ports in the South Sea. The island of Manzera, situated just in the mouth, forms two passages bordered by steep mountains, and strongly fortified. The town contains a college built by the Jesuits, several convents, a parochial church, and a royal hospital. 183 miles south of Conception. Long. 80° 5′ W., lat. 40° 5' S.

VALDIVIA, a river of Chili, has its rise eastward in the Andes, and runs into the Pacific. The territory abounds in all kinds of cattle and birds, and timber; and not less in mines of gold, of as rich quality as that of Carabaya in Peru.

VALE, n. s. Fr. val; Lat. vallis. A low ground; a valley; a place between two hills: a poetical word.

In Ida vale: who knows not Ida vale? An hundred shepherds woned.

Spenser.

Met in the vale of Arde. Shakspeare. Henry VIII. Anchises, in a flowery vale,

Reviewed his mustered race, and took the tale.

Dryden.

pounds.

farewel.

VALENCE, an old town of France, the capital of the department of the Drome, situated on the declivity of a small hill, on the left bank of the Rhone. The cathedral is a building of considerable antiquity, but neither it nor the episcopal palace has any claim to attention in point of architecture. The case is otherwise with the Gothic façade of an old castle at this place, which is said to be one of the finest specimens of that style in France. In the citadel pope Pius VI., after being driven from Rome by the French government, died in 1799. Valence possessed little remarkable in antiquities, except some inscriptions and a military column. Like most other provincial towns of France, it has a public walk and a library. Its population amounts to 2000; the manufactures comprise silk, cotton, and leather, on a small scale. Olives grow in the neighbourhood, and the town has a number of oil mills. Valence was occupied by the royalists in April 1815, after the return of Buonaparte from Elba, but soon relinquished by them. Forty-two miles south-west of Grenoble, and fifty-five south by east of Lyons.

VALENCIA, a large eastern province of Spain, extending in an oblong form from north to south, with the sea on one side and the Castilian provinces on the other. It lies between lat. 37° 52′ and 40° 50′ N., and is in length no less than 250 miles, but its breadth seldom exceeds fifty. Its area is about 8000 square miles: its population is stated by Antillon and others at nearly 1,200,000.

It contains a number of mountains, has several plains, and fertile valleys. The plain adjacent to the capital is above eighty miles in length. This province is watered by the Xucar, the Segura, and the Guadalaviar; the Murviedro, the Palencia, the Mejares, and others of less size, all flowing from the mountains of the interior to the Mediterranean. The temperature is mild, the thermometer in winter varying from 40° to 60°, in summer from 70° to 80°.

In minerals, with the exception of iron, this province is not rich. In vegetable products the case is otherwise, and more justice is done to the fertility of the soil by the industry of the peasantry than in other parts of Spain; but irrigation is here, as in the south of France, an indispensable requisite. The white wine of Alicant is in high repute. Flax, hemp, and rice, are likewise reared. In manufactures the Valencians have made very little progress, being content to import their linens, hardware, and finer woollens, groceries, and salt fish.

The language in the towns is that of the rest of Spain, but the peasantry have a dialect similar to the Provençal spoken in Catalonia.

Early invaded by the Carthaginians, this province was soon after conquered by the Romans, and at a subsequent date by the Goths and Moors, the latter establishing a kingdom of Valencia in 713, and retaining it under several vicissitudes of fortune, until 1238, when it was definitely united to that of Arragon. It afterwards formed a component part of the Spanish monarchy, but continued to preserve its representative body and its privileges, till the early part of the eighteenth century.