( 303 



CHAP. XVI. 



GENEALOGY. 



I. /^ ENEALOGY is the fcience of the ori- 

 ^y gin of illuftrious houfes, of noble and 

 diftinguifhed families : or an enumeration of the 

 anceftors of any perfon, together with a fum- 

 mary relation of their feveral alliances, as well 

 in a direft as collateral line. The term gene- 

 alogy is derived from the Greek, and is com- 

 pofed of two words which fignify the one Genus 

 and the other Sermo : and from this definition 

 it appears, that this fcience has two objects, and 

 that a good genealogift ought to know, in the 

 firft place, the chronological fuccefiion of thofc 

 fovercign and illuftrious houfes that are, fo to 

 fay, at the head of nations , and fecondly, he 

 fhould be able to form, from ancient documents, 

 diplomas, and other authorities, genealogical 

 plans of noble and illuftrious families ; or tables, 

 in which are inferted, in a regular and uninter- 

 rupted feries, the generations of fuch diftin- 

 guilhed perfons as have dciccnded from thofe 

 families down to the prefcnt day. 



II With 



