preceded with vigils, and the church-holiday particularly to be denominated the church wake, So religiously was the eve and festival of the patron saint observed for many ages by the Saxons, even as late as the reign of Edgar, the former being spent in the church, and employ. ed in prayer. And the wakes, and all the other holidays in the year, were put upon the same footing with the octaves of Christmas, Easter, and of Pentecost. When Gregory recommended the festival of the patron saint, he advised the people to erect booths of branches about the church on the day of the festival, and to feast and be merry in them with innocence. Accordingly, in every parish, on the returning anniversary of the saint, little pavilions were constructed of boughs, and the people indulged in them to hospitality and mirth. The feasting of the saint's day, how ever, was soon abused; and even in the body of the church, when the people were assem bled for devotion, they began to mind diver sions, and to introduce drinking. The grow ing intemperance gradually stained the service of the vigil, till the festivity of it was converted, as it now is, into the rigour of a fast. At length they too justly scandalized the Puritans of the last century, and numbers of the wakes were disused entirely, especially in the east and some western parts of England; but they are commonly observed in the north, and in the midland counties.

in the churches, and also on Sundays, till the indecency and scandal were so great as to need reformation.

WAKE ROBIN. See ARUM.

WAKE (William), was born at Blandford, Dorsetshire, 1657. He was in 1672 admitted at Christ-church, and became preacher to the Gray's-inn society. He was next deputy clerk to the closet, and chaplain to William and Mary, and soon after canon of Christ church, rector of St. James's, Westminster, dean of Exeter, bishop of Lincoln 1705, and translated to Canterbury 1716. He was engazed in controversy with Atterbury with respect to the rights of convocation, but though several of the clergy entered the lists on both sides, the State of the Church and Clergy of England, &c. fol. by Dr. Wake, was the most luminous and satisfactory performance on the subject. In other writings he ably vindicated the church against the papists, and while he wished to form an union between the churches of England and France, he was indefatigable in supporting the rights of the protestants. He died at Lambeth, 1737. Besides his controversial works, he published a translation of the Epistles of the apostolical Fathers, 8vo.; Exposition of the Church Catechism; Sermons and Charges.

WAKEFIELD, a town in the W. riding of Yorkshire, with a market on Friday. Here are two churches, and an ancient stone bridge over the Calder, on which Edward IV. erected a chapel, in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the battle near this place, in 1460. In 1801 the inhabitants of Wakefield were 8131. It has a trade in white cloths and tammies, and is 28 miles S.W. of York, and 184 N.N.W. of London. Lon. 1. 28 W. Lat. 53. 41 N.

WAKEFIELD (Gilbert), a very distinguished classical scholar, was born at Nottingham; and educated, first at Kingston upon Thames, afterwards at Jesus college, Cambridge. When in deacon's orders he obtained Stockport curacy, Cheshire, and next removed to Liverpool. He quitted the church in 1779 to be tutor in the dissenting academy at Warrington, and on its dissolution he removed to Hackney college.

The French Revolution, which engaged the attention of so many men who possessed warm heads, or warm hearts, was too interesting not to draw the attention of Mr. Wakefield, who had both. Thus he was drawn from the calm pursuits of literature, in which he was calculated to shine, into the boisterous regions of political discussion, where he lost his comfort, sunk his character, and gained nothing. He was at length prosecuted by the attorneygeneral, on account of some passages contained in a letter addressed to the bishop of Landaff; and was, in consequence, confined in Dorchester gaol for two years. His imprisonment expired in May, 1801; and he returned to London full of hopes, and plans of future conduct; but these were never realized, as a fever terminated his life the following September, in his forty-fifth year. His principal publica

tions are a collection of Latin poems, with notes on Homer, 1776-inquiry into the opinions of the christian writers of the three first centuries concerning the person of J. C. 4 vols. 8vo.-sylva critica-a pamphlet against public worship, answered chiefly by dissenters translation of the New Testament, 2 vols. 8vo. tragoediarum Græcarum delectus, 2 vols. 12mo.-Lucretius edited, 3 vols. 4to.-Horace edited, &c. He also published memoirs of his life in one 8vo. volume, to which another volume was added by some friends after his death. His controversial pieces are marked with great impetuosity, and undue warmth; but in private life he was amiable and unassuming. We disapprove very highly of both his political and his theological principles; for he was nearly a republican and a decided socinian: but no difference of opinion can induce us to withhold our testimony to his moral worth. Of the extent of his classical attainments there can be no doubt; he was deservedly reckoned one of the best Greek scholars in England.

WAKEFUL. a. (wake and full.) Not sleeping; vigilant (Crashaw).

WAKEFULNESS s. (from wak ́ful.) 1. Want of sleep (Bacon). 2. Forbearance of sleep. See VIGILANCE.

To WA'KEN. v. n. (from wake.) To wake; to cease from sleep; to be roused from sleep (Dryden).

To WAKEN. v. a. 1. To rouse from sleep (Spenser). 2. To excite to action (Roscom.). 3. To produce; to excite (Milton).

WALACHIA, the ancient Dacia, a province of Turkey in Europe, 225 miles long and 125 broad; bounded on the N. by Moldavia and Transylvania, on the E. and S. by the river Danube, and on the W. by Transyl vania. It abounds in good horses and cattle, has mines of several kinds, and produces wine, oil, and all manner of European fruits. It was ceded to the Turks by the treaty of Belgrade in 1739; and the inhabitants are chiefly of the Greck church. Tergovista, or Tervis, is the capital.

WALCHEREN, an island of the United Provinces, the principal one of Zealand. It is separated from the islands of N. and S. Beveland, by a narrow channel; and from Dutch Flanders by the mouth of the Scheld; being bounded on the other sides by the Ger man ocean. It is nine miles long and eight broad, and being low is subject to inundations, but has good arable and pasture lands. The capital of this island, and of the whole province, is Middleburg.

WALCOUR, a town of the Austrian Netherlands, in the county of Namur, between the Meuse and Sambre. In 1615 it was entirely destroyed by fire. The French attempted to take it in 1689, but were defeated, and compelled to retire with great loss, by the Prince of Waldeck. It is seated on the Heura, 12 miles S. of Charleroy, and 27 S.W. of Namur. Lon. 4. 30 E. Lt. 50. 10 N.

WALDECK, a principality of Germany,

To WALK. v. a. 1. To pass through (Shaks.). 2. To lead out for the sake of air or exercise.

WALK. s. (from the verb.)

1. Act of walking for air or exercise (Pope). 2. Gait; step; manner of moving (Dryden). 3. A length of space, or circuit, through which one walks (Milton). 4. An avenue set with trees (Milton). 5. Way; road; range; place of wandering (Sandys). 6. Region; space (Rey). 7. (turbo, Latin.) A fish (Ains.). 8. Walk is the slowest or least raised pace or going of a horse (Farrier's Dict.).

WALKER. s. One that walks (Swift). WALKERA, in botany, a genus of the class pentandria, order monogynia. Calyx five-parted, inferior; corol five-petalled; drupes five-seeded; not kidney-shaped. One species, an East-Indian shrub, with alternate, oblong, serrate leaves; terminal corymbs; small yellowish flowers, without smell.

WA'LKINGSTAFF. s. A stick which a man holds to support him in walking (Glan.). WALL. s. (wall, Welsh; vallum, Latin; pall, Saxon; walle, Dutch.) 1. A series of brick or stone carried upward, and cemented with mortar; the side of a building (Wotton). 2. Fortification; works built for defence: commonly in the plural (Shaks.). 3. To take the WALL. To take the upper place; not to give place (Prior).

To WALL. v. a. (from the noun.) 1. To enclose with walls (Dryden). 2. To defend by walls (Bacon).

WALL-EYES, in a horse, are those in which the iris is of a very light grey colour. These are not deemed handsome; but Gibson says, that horses which have wall eyes are generally good.

the N. bank of the Paliar, nearly opposite Arcot, 63 miles W. by S. of Madras.

WALLENIA, in botany, a genus of the class tetrandria, order monogynia. Calyx fourcleft, inferior; corol tubular, four cleft; berry one-seeded. One species, a WestIndian tree, with alternate, thick, polished leaves, white flowers, and a reddish calyx.

WALLENSTADT, a town of Swisserland, incorporated into the bailiwic of Sargans, but enjoying many distinct privileges. It is a great thoroughfare for merchandise passing from Germany, through the country of the Grisons, to Italy. It stands at the E. end of a lake of the same name, nine miles W. of Sargans, and 15 N.W. of Coire.

WALLENSTADT, a lake of Swisserland, 10 miles long and two broad, bounded by high mountains, except to the E. and W. On the side of the cauton of Glarus, the mountains are chiefly cultivated, and studded with small villages; on the other side, for the most part, the rocks are craggy and perpendicular. Through this lake flows the Mat, which soon after joins the Linth, and forms the river Limmat.

WALLER (Edmund), an English poet, born 1625, at Coleshill near Amershamn. He was Educated at Eton, and King's college, Cambridge, and was chosen, when scarce seventeen, member for Amersham, in the last parliament of James I. He became early known to the public by carrying off a rich heiress against a rival, whose pretensions were espoused by the court; but his happiness was of such short duration that he was a widower at 25. Though noticed and flattered on account of his wit and vivacity, he did not neglect the muses, but imbibed a deep taste for the beauties of ancient WALLACE (Sir William), a famous writers. In his parliamentary conduct he champion of Scotland in the reign of Baliol, opposed the measures of the court, and in the when that kingdom was over-run by the impeachment of judge Crawley, he spoke with English; he had been obliged to abscond for such eloquence that 20,000 copies of his having slain an English nobleman, but return- speech were sold in one day. He was in 1642 ing with a number of zealous followers, was one of the commissioners from the parliament proclaimed regent, or viceroy for Baliol, and to the king at Oxford, but the following year made a prodigious slaughter and numerous he was accused of a conspiracy to reduce Lonconquests among the English; he made an don, and the Tower. In this he was assisted inroad into England, and returned laden with by some members of parliament and others; spoils, insomuch that he excited the envy of but though they were condemned to death, the nobility, who gave out that he had designs only two were hanged, and Waller purchased upon the Scottish crown. King Edward, in his life, after one year's imprisonment, by a conjunction with inany of those Scots who heavy fine of 10,000l. After this he retired were in enmity to Wallace, gave him battle to France, and lived chiefly at Rouen, and on and defeated him; whereupon he dismissed his return he paid his court to the men in the remnant of his army, laid aside the title power, and became a favourite with Cromwell. of general, but still infested the English with So great was the versatility of his talents, that small parties. He was, however, at length after being in confidence with the usurper, he betrayed into the hands of the English, and became the favourite of the second Charles. inhumanly executed by Edward's order, and He continued also in the good graces of his limbs hung up in the most conspicuous James II.; but died of a dropsy at Beaconsplaces of London and Scotland. field, 1st Oct. 1687. In his character, Waller was agreeable, his discourse was admired for its vivacity, and in the House of Commons his speeches were heard with unusual attention, not only from the elegance of his delivery, but the force of his wit. Though courted as a man

WALLAJAPETTA, a town of Hindustan, in the Carnatic, which is regularly built, and populous. Almost the whole of the trade between the country above the Gauts and the seacoast centres here. It is seated on

of the world, he was in other respects, says Clarendon, of an abject temper, without courage to support him in any virtuous undertaking, and of the most insinuating flattery. The virulence which he showed in joining the persecution of Clarendon is not free from censure, and though he lost by his means the office of provost of Eton, he ought to have shrunk from the appearance of an accuser against him. As a poet, Waller is entitled to the highest praise. He may be called the parent of English verse, and the first who shewed us that our language had beauty and numbers. The English tongue came into his hands like a rough diamond, he polished it first, and to that degree, that all succeeding artists have admired the workmanship, while few have attempted to mend it.

WA'LLET. s. (peallian, to travel, Saxon.) 1. A bag, in which the necessaries of a traveller are put; a knapsack (Addison). 2. Any thing protuberanc and swagging (Shaks.). WALLFLOWER. s. A species of stock

gilliflower.

WALLFRUIT. s. Fruit which, to be ripened, must be planted against a wall (Mortimer).

WALLINGFORD, a borough in Berkshire, with a market on Tuesday and Friday, and a great trade in corn and malt. It was once surrounded by a wall, and had a castle, now demolished ; and consists of four parishes, but has only one church now in use. It is seated on the Themes, over which is a stone bridge, 14 miles N.W. of Reading, and 46 W. of London.

WALLIS (Dr. John), a celebrated mathematician, was born at Ashford, in Kent, in 1616, and educated at Cambridge. In 1640 he received holy orders, and was chosen fellow of Queens college. He kept his fellowship till it was vacated by his marriage, but quitted his college to be chaplain to sir Richard Darley: after a year spent in this situation, he spent two more as chaplain to lady Vere. While he lived in this family he cultivated the art of deciphering, which proved very useful to him on several occasions: he met with rewards and preferment from the government at home for deciphering letters for them; and it is said, that the elector of Brandenburg sent him a gold chain and medal, for explaining for him some letters written in ciphers.

Academical studies being much interrupted by the civil wars in both the universities, many learned men from them resorted to London, and formed assemblies there. Wallis belonged to one of these, the members of which met once a week, to discourse on philosophical matters; and this society was the rise and beginning of that which was afterwards incorporated by the name of the Royal Society, of which Wallis was one of the most early

members.

The Savilian professor of geometry at Oxford being ejected by the parliamentary visitors, in 1649, Wallis was appointed to succeed

him, and he opened his lectures there the same year. In 1653, he published, in Latin, a Graminar of the English Tongue, for the use of foreigners; to which was added a tract De Loquela seu Sonorum formatione, &c. in which he considers philosophically the formation of all sounds used in articulate speech, and shows how the organs being put into certain positions, and the breath pushed out from the lungs, the person will thus be made to speak, whether he hear himself or not. Pursuing these reflections, he was led to think it possible, that a deaf person might be taught to speak, by being directed so to apply the organs of speech, as the sound of each letter required, which children learn by imitation and frequent attempts rather than by art.

In 1657, he collected and published his mathematical works, in two parts, entitled, Mathesis Universalis, in quarto; and, in 1658, Commercium Epistolicum de Ques tionibus quibusdam Mathematicis nuper ha bitum, in quarto; which was a collection of letters written by many learned men, a lord Bronnker, sir Kenelin Digby, Fermat, Schooten, Wallis, and others.

Upon the Restoration he met with great respect; the king thinking favourably of him on account of some services he had done both to himself and his father, Charles I. He was, therefore, confirmed in his places, also admitted one of the king's chaplains in ordinary, and appointed one of the divines empowered revise the Book of Common Prayer. He was a very useful member of the Royal Society, and kept up a literary correspondence with many learned men.

In 1670, he published his Mechanica; sive de Motu, quarto. In 1676, he gave an edition of Archimedis Syracusani Arenarius et Dimensio Circuli; and, in 1682, he published from the manuscripts, Claudi Ptolemæi Opus Harmonicum, in Greek, with a Latin version and notes; to which he afterwards added, Appendix de veterum Harmonica ad hodiernam comparata, &c.

In 1685, he published his History and Practice of Algebra, in folio; a work that is full of learned and useful matter. Besides the works above mentioned, he published many others, particularly his Arithmetic of Infinites, a book of genius and good invention, and perhaps almost his only work that is 50, for he was much more distinguished for his industry and judgment than for his genius. Also a multitude of papers in the Philosophi cal Transactions, in almost every volume, from the first to the twenty-fifth volume.

In 1697, the curators of the university press at Oxford thought it for the honour of the university to collect the doctor's mathe matical works, which had been printed sepa rately, some in Latin, some in English, and published them all together in the Latin tongue, in three volumes, folio, 1699. Dr. Wallis died at Oxford the 28th of