9G LITERATURE. 



ticular subject, and usually shorter or less methodical than 



a treatise. 

 Excur'sus. — A dissertation appended to a work, containing a 



more full exposition of some important point or topic. 

 Fable. — A fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful 



truth or precept. 

 Facetiae. — Witty or humorous writings. 

 Fic'tion. — Fictitious literature or writings, as novels, romances, 



etc. 

 Gazette'. — A kind of official newspaper, containing an account 



of public or private transactions and events which are 



deemed sufficiently important for insertion. 

 Gazetteer'. — A topographical work, containing brief descrip- 

 tions, alphabetically arranged, of empires, kingdoms, cities, 



towns, and rivers. It may either include the whole world, 



or be limited to a particular country. 

 Geor'gics. — Books or didactic poems treating of hu.sbandry ; 



tiie title of Virgil's poem, in four books, on agriculture. 

 Glos'sary. — A dictionary of difficult words or phrases in any 



language or by any writer. Also, a dictionary of obscure 



or antiquated words. 

 Gnomorogy (Gwgnomi:, an opinion, and logos^ a discourse). — A 



treatise on, or a collection of, maxims. 

 Hagiol'ogy (Gr. haf/ios, holy, and logos, a discourse). — That de- 

 partment of literature which treats of sacred things, or of 



the lives of the saints. 

 Hermeneut'ics (Gr. liermeneutilcos, skilled in interpreting). — 



The science or art of literary interpretation. 

 Historiog'raphy (Gr. historia, history, and graplio, I write). 



— The art or employment of a historian. 

 Historiol'ogy (Gr. historia, history, and logos, a discourse). — 



A treatise on history ; explanation of history. 

 Il'iad. — An epic poem, composed by Homer, in twenty-four 



books. 

 Jour'nal. — A paper published daily ; hence, also, a periodical 



publication, whether sheet or book, giving an account of 



passing events, the proceedings and memoirs of societies, 



and the like. 

 Jour'nalism. — The profession of editing, or writing for, journals. 

 Koran. — The Mohammedan Bible, or the book written and 

 left by Mohammed and containing the doctrines and 

 precepts of his religion. 



