OR, AN ATTEMPT AT REGULATING THE CHOICE OF WORDS IN FAMILIAR CONVERSATION. INSCRIBED, With Sentiments of Gratitude and Refpect, to fuch of her Foreign Friends as have made English Literature their peculiar Study, BY HESTER LYNCH PIOZZI. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR G. G. AND J. ROBINSON, PATERNOSTER-ROW. Minervam narrat Homerus, poetarum princeps, inter bellantium turmas Diomedi apparuiffe; oculorumque caliginem, ut bellantes Deos ab hominibus poffet difcernere, difcuffiffe. Quod figmentum Plato in Alcibiade Secundo, p. 150, tom. ii. nihil interpretatur quam rationem ipfam, quæ, difcuffa caligine qua quifque tenetur, animum fæcibus purgat, ut mala bonave poffit propius contemplari. SANCTII MINERVA. BRITISH SYNONYMÝ. MADNESS, INSANITY, LUNACY, PHRENZY, MENTAL DERANGEMENT, DISORDERED SPIRITS, DISTRACTION. 1 THESE HESE words, even in common conver fation are among well-bred people nicely and cautiously used-with much reflection too, although to a foreign ear they may poffibly found as if fynonymous.-Yet Italians in particular should recollect, that their own Cicero is much of the fame opinion with our Johnson, who fays that were we to speak rigorously, perhaps no human mind is exactly in its right ftate; because there is no man whose imagination does not fometimes predominate over his reafon; no man VOL. II. B who who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whofe ideas will come and go at his command; no man in whose mind. airy notions do not fometimes tyrannize, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of fober probability. All power of fancy over reason is a degree of INSANITY; but while this power is fuch as we can controul and reprefs, it is not vifible to others, or confidered as any proof of MENTAL DERANGEMENT: nor can we juftly pronounce it MADNESS, till it becomes ungovernable, and influences apparently the fpeech or action of the person in question. Qui fit adfectus (fays the Roman orator,) eum dominum effe rerum fuarum vetant duodecim tabulæ. Itaque non eft fcriptum fi INSANUS, fed fi FURIOSUS effe incipit. For it appears that the laws of the twelve tables confidered it as poffible enough and fo it is no doubt that people may go through the common forms of life, and its |