Levity, Inconstancy, Unsteadiness,

Are nearly, if not strictly synonymous; for he who is disposed to levity in friendship, well warrants a suspicion of inconstancy in love. Unsteadiness of conduct is frequently the effect of too much philosophy, and a way people get into of weighing every thing so nicely, and investigating every thing so closely, that finding faults in all, they resolve on nothing till that time is past in which any thing can be done..

Levity, Airiness, Gaïoty, Hilarity, Good Spirits

Good spirits is the common conversation term for that, strain of cheerfulness, which in a professed: wit is called hilarity, in a fine lady gaiety and airiness.

Libeller, Defamer, Lampooner, Satyrist:

The satyrist stands the highest in this odious class, for he does not, like the defamer, fix upon one pers son in particular to calumniate, but censures the species in general, with the hope, as he says, of reforming them. A libeller is one

who insults supe

riority with reproach; while the lampooner loves

mischief and filthy research.

Lowly,

Lowly, Modest, Meek, Bashful, Humble.

The following is a translation of Desmaret's pretty epigram upon the violet; when the French wits joined to make a garland for Mademoiselle de Rambouillet; choosing each a flower, and making verses upon it.

Though modest my colours, and lowly, my loť, For notice too bashful, too meek for a ambition, Should you deign me a place in this true-lover's

knot,

The humblest of herbs would feel pride of condition.

Luxury, Sensuality, Voluptuousness, Debauch.

These words are often falsely used as synonymous; for the signification is most comprehensive in the first word, most brutal in the second, soft in the third, and rotten in the fourth. Sensuality may reside and triumph in Otaheite, and a Turkish Effendi may riot in debauch, while true luxury must now be sought for in Great Britain, leaving softer voluptuousness to reign at Venice..

Madness, Insanity, Lunacy, Phirenzy, Mental Derangement, Disordered Spirits, Distraction..

Lunacy seems to be the legal term; insanity the

medical

medical one; while phrenzy, madness, and distraction are the poetical expressions of what we call mental derangement, or disordered spirits in elegant

Malice, Maliciousness, Malignity.

These words run rather in a climax. The first has the softest signification of the three, of which malignity is the blackest.

Manners, Morals, Morality,

Are not strictly synonymous surely, while we say the manners of a great people; the morality of an individual, and call a book of morals, one which teaches the doctrine or practice of Ethics.

Marriage, Wedding, Nuptials.

These words are scarcely to be used synonymously. There is a treaty of marriage going forward in such a family, say we, and I expect an invitation to the wedding-dinner, as I understand the nuptials are to be celebrated with great festivity, and very few of the family will be left out.

Melody, Harmony, Music.

Melody is chiefly used speaking of vocal music,

1

and

and harmony means many parts combining to form composition; the last contains the other two.

Notorious, Apparent, Evident.

These run in a sort of climax; for a thing may be made apparent to some, when it is by no means evident to many, or notorious to all.

Obstacle, Difficulty.

A difficulty, embarrasses; an obstacle stops us. We remove the one, we surmount the other. Generally, the first expresses somewhat arising from the nature and circumstances of the affair; the second, somewhat arising from a foreign cause.

Only, Alone.

Only, imports that there is no other of the same kind; alone, imports being accompanied by no other.

An only child, having no brothers nor sisters.-A child alone, or left by itself." Virtue only makes us happy," imports that nothing else can do it. "Virtue alone makes us happy," imports that virtue, by itself, or unaccompanied by any other advantages, is sufficient to do it.

Particular,

Particular, Peculiar, Singular,

Appear synonymous adjectives adverbially used, yet can scarcely be accounted such upon close investigation. We say Timon is a singular fellowhis manners and dress are equally particular-and his ideas in general are peculiar to himself.

Preface, Prelude, Proem, Prologue, Exordium. We say the preface to a book, the prelude to a piece of music, the prologue to a play, and the exordium to an oration.

Prerogative, Privilege.

We say the king's prerogatives, and the people'sprivileges..

Prevulent, Prevailing:

The last is a shade nearer vulgarity than the other.

Pride, Vanity.

·Pride makes us esteem ourselves; vanity makes us desire the esteem. of others.

Primary, Primitive.

We say primary as opposed to secondary.-Time

and