I%t2 Selico^ a tale. -^'^S^ ^• 



their plurals, although they have a very different significa- 

 tion J as clothes^ which does not denote any number of pieces 

 t»r different kipds of cloth, l)ut wearing apparel. The fol- 

 lowing example will elucidate this head. 



Wood, n. A solid substance of which the trunks and 

 branches of trees consist. 



1. This term is employed to denote the solid parts of 

 vegetables of all kinds, in whatever form or circumstances 

 they are found. Nor does this term admit of a plural with 

 propriety, unlefs in the circumstances after meiitioned j, 

 for we say, many different kinds ofivood, in preference to 

 many kinds of woods i or we say oak, ajh, or elm wood, not 

 woods. 



2. But where we want to contrast wood of one quali- 

 ty or country with that of another, it admits of a 

 plural : for we say white woods are in general softer 

 than red ; or West Indian woods are generally of greater 

 specif c gravity than the European woods : but unlefs where 

 the colour, or some quality which distingui(hes it from 

 ■growing wood, is mentioned, this plural ought as much as- 



pofsible to be avoided, as It always suggests an idea of 

 growing wood. 



3. Wood likewise denotes a number of trees growing 

 near one another j being nearly synonymous with forest' 

 See Forest. In this sense it always admits of a plural: 

 as, y f woods and wilds, whose solitary gloom. See . 



Many other particulars would require to be adverted to 

 in forming a perfect dictionary, which are omitted to a-- 

 void becoming tedious 5 our design is merely to suggest as 

 few general notions on this subject. 



SELICO, A TALE. 



'Translated from the French ofM. Florian. 

 If one would believe what some philosophers afsert, that 

 this world is governed by two powers, one who gives us 



