To GUESS (formerly gessen, Da. gisse) is to make a statement upon what is unknown, with the hope of being right; if by lucky chance only, this is in the strictest sense a guess; if with a very slight amount of knowledge, which is just sufficient to incline the scale of probability, this is a CONJECTURE (Lat. conjectura, an inference, conjicere, to cast together). Hence CONJECTURE is employed of complex, while GUESS belongs to the simplest, things. I hold something in my hand, and in play I say to a child, "Guess what it is.' An historian or a diplomatist who is furnished with inadequate evidence for knowledge, conjectures motives and consequences as best he may.

SUPPOSITION (Lat. suppositionem, a placing under) belongs to that of which part is known and part unknown; a fact, for instance, is known; its cause is unknown; therefore the cause, or supposed cause, is placed under the fact as a theoretical foundation for it. And generally, to imagine with probability, to infer from evidence which, though not complete, is the best that can be had, is supposition. Hence SUPPOSITION has in it much more of rational inference than GUESS OF CONJECTURE.

HYPOTHESIS, Similarly, is a placing under, as the groundwork of argument or of action (ideos), but is technically employed of philosophical supposition, learned or scientific theories. The French Academy has thus distinguished between SUPPOSITION and HYPOTHESIS. The supposition is a proposition laid down for the sake of an inference to be drawn from it. The hypothesis is the supposition of a thing, whether possible or impossible, from which a consequence is drawn. Hence it follows that the hypothesis is a supposition purely ideal, while the supposition stands for a proposition either true or confessed. hypothesis is adopted for the sake of accounting for facts or a system. The hypothesis may be true or not true.

The

The supposition is excluded from the thesis not because it is incapable of proof, but because it is taken as proved. HYPOTHESIS is sometimes used in the sense of the system based upon hypotheses. In this sense the systems of Copernicus and Descartes are called hypotheses. In this technical sense, as HYPOTHESIS belongs to science, so SUPPOSITION belongs to logic.

DIVINATION (Lat. dīvīnātiōnem, the faculty of predicting, divination) is literally a term of ancient augury for the gathering the will of heaven, either naturally by a divine inspiration, or artificially from certain manifestations; in this sense, divination precedes prediction. To divine, accordingly, as commonly employed, is to use such conjecture as depends both upon hazard and upon natural sagacity. It may be observed, in its relation to prediction, that, unlike that term, it is not restricted to the future, but is equally applicable to facts of the past.

SURMISE (O. Fr. surmise, accusation, surmettre, to lay upon) is a conjecture of a matter of fact. Of the above, those which are most nearly related to one another are, GUESS, CONJECture, and SURMISE. The subject of a guess is always a fact, or something regarded in the simple light of a fact; a conjecture is more vague and abstract, and may be on the possibility of a fact. The subject of a guess is definite and unmistakable when known. The subject of a conjecture may remain indefinite and unknown. If a sentence be a set enigma, I guess its meaning, and so know it. If it be involved and indistinct, I can but conjecture its meaning, and may not arrive at it after all. In guessing, if successful, we arrive at a certain or probable conclusion from uncertain premises. In conjecturing, we arrive. at an uncertain conclusion from uncertain premises.

"You go on arguing and reasoning what necessity of nature must signify, which is only talking without book, and guessing what words anciently meant, without consulting the ancients to know the fact."WATERLAND.

"You may see how our (English) tongue Is risen, and thereby conjecture how in time it may alter."-CAMDEN.

"A sagacity which divined the evil designs."-BANCROFT.

"I am sure his reason by which he would persuade you to become a convert to their Church is shewed to be no reason, because it proceeds upon this false supposition, that the Church of Rome was once the Catholic Church, which it never was."-SHARP.

"Hypothetical necessity is that which the supposition or hypothesis of God's foresight and preordination lays upon future contingents."-CLARKE.

"There are various degrees of strength in judgments, from the lowest surmise, to notion, opinion, persuasion, and the highest assurance, which we call certainty."SEARCH.

A SURMISE is in matters personal and practical, what HYPOTHESIS is in matters purely scientific.

GUIDE. RULE. DIRECTION.

GUIDE (Fr. guide) is primarily a living director; hence, when employed of inanimate influences

or

media, it conveys the idea of something which is not rigidly invariable, but still keeps up with our needs under alteration of circumstances.

RULE (Nor. Fr. ruile, Fr. régle, Lat. regula, see LITTRÉ) on the other hand, is a rigid and inflexible thing, a form of thought or a form of words, a maxim which must be acted up to. So conscience is the guide of men's actions. The duty to one's neighbour is the rule of Christian reciprocity.

A DIRECTION (Lat. directionem, a making straight) may be given at a distance, or once for all, and is to be acted upon by being remembered. It is not universally applicable, but only suited to the particular case. When coming from a superior, a direction has the force of an instructive command.

"Common sense, or that share and species of understanding which Nature has bestowed upon the greater part of men, is, when competently improved by education, and assisted by Divine grace, the safest quide to certainty and happiness."-V. KNOX, Essays.

RULE is employed in more senses than one. To say nothing of its purely physical meaning of a rod or measure, it signifies also an uniform course of

things, a regulative order, a constant method, and both the exercise of governing powers and the state of those on whom it is exercised. In the sense in which it is synonymous with GUIDE and DIRECTION, as the guide regulates the movements, and the direction indicates the course, so the rule regards principally the actions, or what one ought to do; but it is cold and without force in itself.

"There is something so wild and yet so solemn in Shakespeare's speeches of his ghosts and fairies, and the like imaginary persons, that we cannot forbear thinking them natural, though we have no rule by which to judge them."-ADDISON.

A rule is a compendium of principles which is familiar to us, and so available for application under new or unfamiliar circumstances.

"I have before made mention how Muscovie was in our time discovered by Richard Chanceler in his voyage towards Cathay by the direction and information of M. Sebastian Cabota, who long before had this secret in his mind."-HACKLUYT.

GUISE. HABIT. GARB.

The former (Fr. guise, manner, way) includes the other two, GUISE being the combined effect of dress and deportment.

GARB (O. Fr. garbe, fashion, gracefulness) is official or appropriate dress.

HABIT (Fr. habit, Lat. habitum, condition, dress) is much the same; but GARB,like DRESS,may comprise several articles of apparel, while HABIT denotes one such article of a somewhat ample character, as the habit of a monk. "In easy notes and guise of lowly swain, 'Twas thus he charmed and taught the listening train.' PARNELL.

"Habited like a juryman."-CHURCHILL. "That by their Moorish garb the warriors knew

The hostile band."

HOOLE, Orlando Furioso. GUSH. FLOW. STREAM. Of these, FLow (Lat. Auere) is the generic term, and the others are modes of flowing.

GUSH (Icel. gusa) is to flow abundantly and forcibly, or, as it were, burstingly.

STREAM (A. S. streám, a stream verb streamian) is to flow amply and

HABITATION (Lat. habitationem) is a place which one inhabits, not necessarily a house or tenement of any kind.

ABODE (see ABIDE) has the same sense, but with a less direct reference to the constant passing of one's life there. Habitation is the natural or habitual place of abode.

DOMICILE (Lat. domicilium) adds to the idea of habitation and abode a relationship to society and civil government, and is consequently a term rather technical than conversational. An abode is pleasant or unpleasant, convenient or inconvenient. A habitation is suitable or unsuitable, healthy or unhealthy, commodious or otherwise. HABITATION points more directly than ABODE to furnishing necessary shelter and protection. The woods are the abodes of birds, their nests are their habitations.

"The body moulders into dust, and is utterly incapable of itself to become a fit habitation for the soul again."-STILLING

FLEET.

"We will come and make our abode with him.-Bible.

The legal force of the term domicile is a residence at a particular place, with positive or presumptive proof of an intention to remain there.

HAPPEN. CHANCE. OCCUR.

To HAPPEN (Icel. happ, chance, luck) 13 used of all occurrences, whether ccidental or not, which are not regarded as the result of specific design on the part of the individual

to whom the term is applied. For that which is the issue of a train of circumstances, however connected, may be said to happen to those who have had no hand in bringing it

about.

To CHANCE (Fr. chance, chance, hazard, Lat. cădentia), on the other hand, is only used when the character of the event, as regards the individual whom it befalls, is fortuitous.

To OCCUR (Lat. occurrere, to run towards) is a relative term, equivalent to happening to a person, or to falling undesignedly in his way. It is said, not only of events, but of ideas or thoughts which suggest themselves. Events of remote history happen; but they are not occurrences to us.

"When four different persons are called upon in a court of justice to prove the reality of any particular fact that happened twenty or thirty years ago, what is the sort of evidence which they usually give? Why, in the great leading circumstances which tend to establish the fact in question, they in general perfectly agree."-BISHOP POR

ness is less continuous, so that we speak sometimes of a specific happiness. I have had the happiness to make his acquaintance. Felicity is not so employed. External blessings make up man's happiness, but his felicity largely depends on himself.

BLESSEDNESS (A. S. bletsian, to bless; connected with blithe and bliss) denotes a state of the most refined and pure happiness, arising from the possession of the choicest goods or material of happiness, and is the characteristic of the person's entire state in soul and body. BLISS is happiness of a rapturous or ecstatic nature.

BEATITUDE (Lat. beatus) is the Latin equivalent of BLESSEDNESS, and is used in the higher and more spiritual style. It conveys the idea of imparted blessedness. Cicero seems to have invented the word beatitudo, to express a condition of happiness wanting in nothing. BLESSING nearly answers to the Latin benediction; but, while BENEDICTION is used only of good wishes, BLESSING is used both of good wishes and good things. (See HAPPY.)

"The word happy is a relative term; in strictness, any condition may be denominated happy in which the amount or aggregate of pleasure exceeds that of pain; and the degree of happiness depends upon the quantity of this excess."-PALEY.

Happiness depends on the possession of such things as wealth, honour, friends, health; the satisfaction of mind involved in the enjoyment of such things constitutes FELICITY.

"Did faith ever violate peace, or obedience impair domestic felicity?"-WAR

BURTON.

HAPPY. FORTUNATE. LUCKY. HAPPY denotes the possession o goods which are really such; FOR TUNATE (Lat. fortunatus, fortuna, fortune), the possession of what are so considered. Men may be called fortunate in reference to very small things; as a lucky throw in a game of chance. Happy involves a larger scale of benefit. A man is happy in what he has; fortunate, in getting it.

There is a close connexion between LUCKY (Du. luk, geluk, good fortune, happiness) and fortunate; but LUCKY is used only of minor occurrences; FORTUNATE, of the larger results of favourable chance. To be lucky is less than to be fortunate; to be fortunate, less than to be happy. Luck excludes all idea of effort; but a man may be fortunate in his undertakings. A fortunate man obtains what he wishes and hopes to gain. A lucky man gets what he may desire, but did not expect to gain. Merchants who make successful speculations are fortunate. Lottery prizes and unexpected legacies fall to the lucky. It is more grand to be fortunate, more complete to be happy. One is fortunate as possessing what fortune has to bestow, happy in the enjoyment of what constitutes true felicity. The fortunate man has exultation, the happy man serenity. Some men are happy without having been fortunate, others are fortunate in the estimation of the world yet far from happy. To be fortunate is to have much, to be happy is to enjoy what one has. Ambition may be fortunate, moderation is happy.

"Oh! Happiness, our being's end and aim,

Good, Pleasure, Ease, Content, whate'er thy name. POPE.

"As Sylla was sacrificing in his tent in the fields of Nola, a snake happened to creep out of the bottom of the altar; upon which, Postumius, the Haruspex, who at tended the sacrifice, proclaiming it to be a fortunate omen, called out upon him to lead his army immediately against the enemy." -MIDDLETON, Life of Cicero.

"He who sometimes lights on truth 19 right but by chance; and I know not whether the luckiness of the accident will excuse the irregularity of the proceeding." -LOCKE.

HARDLY. SCARCELY.

These terms are correctly employed in proportion as it is borne in mind that SCARCELY relates to quantity, HARDLY to degree. "It is scarcely ten miles off." "I shall hardly be able to finish this work."

HARMLESS. INOFFENSIVE. UNOFFENDING. INNOCUOUS.

HARMLESS denotes in a twofold sense the absence of the disposition to do hurt, and the state of immunity from harm. In the former sense, it is used in reference to the power or disposition of living creatures. We speak of harmless animals.

INNOCUOUS (Lat. innocuus), on the other hand, is employed of things, and not persons; as, an innocuous potion, atmosphere, plant. INOFFENSIVE and UNOFFENDING differ in that the former means not being even indirectly a source of annoyance cr offence, while the latter means devoid of all disposition to offend. UNOFFENDING can only be employed of human beings; INOFFENSIVE, of influences in general, which are capable of being unpleasantly or noxiously felt; as inoffensive odours. HARMLESS and INNOCUOUS belong to the nature of beings; INOFFENSIVE and UNOFFENDING are used relatively.

"For when through tasteless flat humility, In dough-baked men some harmlessness we see,

'Tis but his phlegm that's virtuous, and not he." DONNE.

"Useful and inoffensive animals have a claim to our tenderness, and it is honourable to our nature to befriend them.”— BEATTIE.

"Horace very truly observes that whatever mad frolics enter into the heads of kings, it is the common people, that is, the honest artizan and the industrious tribes in the middle ranks, unoffended and unoffending, who chiefly suffer in the evil consequences."-KNOX, Essays.

"And not only innocuous, but they (spiders) are very salutiferous too, in sume of the most stubborn diseases."DERHAM.

HARSH. ROUGH.

HARSHNESS (ee ACRIMONY) acts upon the affections and the feelings, to which it does violence.

ROUGHNESS (A.S. rúh, rough) is a matter of manner, which externally annoys, as indicating a want of consideration or deference, but is easily endured by sensible persons, where it is seen to be a mere defect of polish. Roughness is not necessarily a defect. Morally, harshness is always offensive to the mind, taste, feelings,

or senses.

BURY.

"Harshness and brutality."-SHAFTES"I could endure Chains nowhere patiently, and chains at home,

Where I am free by birthright, not at all. Then what were left of roughness in the grain

Of British natures, wanting its excuse, That it belongs to freemen, would disgust And shock me." COWPER. HASTE. DISPATCH. HURRY. SPEED. BUSTLE.

HASTE (Sw. hasta, to haste) is voluntary speed directed to the commencement or continuation of something.

HURRY (with other similar words. probably onomatopoetic), is an effort of HASTE, embarrassed by confusion or want of self-collectedness. Haste signifies heat of action; hurry implies haste, but includes trepidation or perturbation. What is done in haste may be done well; what is done in a hurry can at best only be done inaccurately.

"Homer himself, as Cicero observes above, is full of this kind of painting, and particularly fond of description, even in situations where the action seems to require haste."-GOLDSMITH.

Sisters, hence with spurs of speed, Each her thundering falchion wield, Each bestride her sable steed, Hurry, hurry, to the field."

GRAY.

SPEED (A.S. spédan, to succeed, to make haste) is the degree of rapidity with which things are done. Haste implies a wish for quickness; speed, its actual attainment.

DISPATCH (0. Fr. despescher, now dépêcher; L. Lat. dispědicare, to get rid of pedica, a fetter; cf. empêcher. See LITTRÉ's reasons for preferring this derivation) is the promptitude and speed which are brought to bear upon the execution of a task, business, or I transaction.