3 12 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



origin and diftinguifhing marks of the firft rank 

 among the people, is not a matter of mere in- 

 cliffereiice : but at the fame time no fcience 

 fhould bo eitimated beyond its real value ; and 

 blazonry is certainly inferior to many others, 

 feeing it requires fcarce any faculty of the mind> 

 but memory, and is befide loaded with a number 

 pf barbarous, and frequently abfurd terms. 



II. Blazonry, or heraldry, in Latin heraldica, 

 is therefore tbe fcience of dijlinguifoing and de- 

 cyphering all forts of arms-) and of explaining them 

 in their proper and peculiar terms. The word 

 blazon is derived from the German word blafen, 

 which iignifies to found a horn or trumpet. 

 Tournaments were anciently held in Germany 

 every third year. The nobles or gentlemen 

 who prefented themfelves at the lifts founded a 

 horn, to give notice of their arrival. The 

 heralds, after examining their claim to the title 

 of gentlemen, founded their trumpets allb to 

 inform the marmals, proclaiming with a loud 

 voice thv titles, and defcnbing the arms of thole 

 who prefented themfelves. After any getleman 

 had appeared twice at the tournaments his rank 

 was acknowledged, and they founded the trum- 

 pet only, without making further inquiry. 

 From thence the word blafen was ufed to fignify 

 the practice of examining and defcribing fhields 

 and arms in general j of praifing or ccnfuring 

 knights, &c. and the word has fmce remained 

 attached to the fcience 'itfelf. 



III. By 



