V E R 



is connefted with particular conditions of the ftomach. This 

 is not permanent, but comes on fuddenly for a few feconds or 

 minutes, and then goes off ; but during this (hort interval, 

 the perfon, if walking, will feize a rail, or poft, or fix him- 

 felf againft a wall, to prefervehis perpendicularity ; or even 

 if fitting, will be obliged to hold the back of his chair firmly, 

 or to lean forward on the table for the fame purpofe. This 

 flight attack is generally attended with a feeling of begin- 

 ning naufea, which fubfides with the vertigo. 



As this occurs in perfons who are neither plethoric nor hy- 

 pochondriacal, is unaccompanied by head-ache, and generally 

 attended by flatulence, irregularity of bowels, or fome other 

 fymptom of difturbance in the digeftive organs, fo it is eafily 

 diftinguiihed from the preceding fpecies. It is generally 

 foon removed by the ule of an abforbent, and gentle laxa- 

 tive, in fome moderately cordial vehicle ; as by a little car- 

 bonate and fulphate of magnefia in mint-water, or in an in- 

 fufion of chamomile, or orange-peel ; or by a portion of 

 magnefia and rhubarb, or fimilar medicines. 



Vertigo, in yinimals. See Aphplexy and Staggers. 

 VERTILLAGE, in Agriculture, the tilling or pre- 

 paring of ground to receive the feed, by turning, ftirring, 

 or toffing it. 



VERTING, in Ancient Geography, a fmall town of 

 Italy, in the interior of Lucania, according to Strabo. 



VERTOBRIGE,atownofHifpania,in Betica. Pliny. 

 VERTON, in Geography, a town of France, in the de- 

 partment of the Lower Loire ; 4 miles N.E. of Nantes. 



VERTOT D'AUBCEUF, Re.ne Aubert de, in Bio- 

 graphy, a French hiftoriaii, was born in 1655, at the feat of 

 Bennetot in Normandy. Inclined to retirement, he entered, 

 at the early age of 1 5 or 1 6, among the Capuchins, whofe au- 

 fterities fo impaired his conllitution, that he was under a necef- 

 fity of obtaining a brief for exchanging this order for that of 

 the regular canons of Premontre, with which he connefted 

 himfelf in 1677. Some difputes, however, occurred in this 

 order, which occafioned his abandoning it. After feveral 

 changes of fituatioii, humoroufly called the " Abbe de 

 Vertot's revolutions," he fettled at Paris in 1701, where 

 he was employed in compiling the memoirs for the houfe of 

 Noailles, engaged in a conteft with that of Bouillon, for 

 which fervice he obtained a penfion. In 1 705 he became 

 a penConer of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles 

 Lettres, which was revived in 1701 ; and afterwards occu- 

 pied feveral pofts in connexion with the duke and duchefs 

 of Orleans. In 17 15 he was appointed, by the grand- 

 mafter of Malta, hiftoriographer to that order, with its at- 

 tendant privileges, and the right of wearing the crofs ; and 

 the commandery of Santeny was added to his other pre- 

 terments. Some have faid that he was fub-preceptor to 

 Lewis XV., but he was deprived of this honour. As he 

 advanced in hfe, his infirmities increafed, fo that he died in 

 1735, at the age of 80. His difpofition and charafter 

 were highly eftimable. His principal works were, " L'Hif- 

 toire des Revolutions de Portugal," 1689, i2mo., much 

 commended by Bouhours for its llyle, though the memoirs 

 upon which it was founded were not worthy of confidence : 

 — " L'Hittoire des Revolutions de Suede," 2 vols. i2mo. 

 1696, which is charafterized as an interelling performance ; 

 though in tWs, as well as fome other works, the author 

 inclines to the romantic :— " L'Hiftoire des Revolutions 

 Romaines," 3 vols. i2mo., confidered as his principal per- 

 fornoance :— " L'Hiaoire do aievahers de Malthe," 4 vols. 

 4to., and 7 vols. i2mo. 1727, lefs efteemed than the pre- 

 ceding :_" Traite de la Mouvance de Bretagne :" — " Hif- 

 toire critique de I'Etabhffement des Bretons dans les Gaules," 

 works that have not been popular :— " Origine de la Gran- 



V E 11 



deur de la Cour de Rome, et de la Nomination au.x EvecheS 

 et aux AbbSyes de France," a poilhumous publication. 

 Several of his learned differtations were inferted in the 

 Memoirs of the Academy of Belles Lettres. The abbe 

 Mably appreciates Vertot highly as an hiftorian, from a 

 preconceived notion that perfeft hiflor)' correfponds very 

 much with epic poetry ; but by others he has been deemed 

 a pleafing and eloquent writer, and denominated " The 

 French Quintus Curtius," whilll his ftyle has been extolled, 

 and his manner of treating his fubjeft has been regarded a; 

 interefting. Some of the beft judges have difputed his 

 thorough knowledge of mankind, and the accuracy of hu 

 refearch. Moreri. 



VERTUE, George, an eminent artift and antiquary, 

 of whom we have given an account under the article Ek - 



GRAVING. 



VERTUMNALIA, among the Romans, a feftival cele- 

 brated in honour of the god Vertumnus, in the month of 

 Oaober. 



VERTUMNUS, in Mythology, a god who prefided over 

 gardens and orchards, honoured among the Etrufcans, from 

 whom the worfhip of this deity was tranfmitted to the 

 Romans. 



Ovid (Met. lib. xiv. ) has defcribed the various forms 

 alTumed by this deity, in order to obtain the love of Pomona. 

 Some have fuppofed that Vertumnus, whofe name they 

 derive a vertendo, becaufe he had power to change his form 

 at pleafure, marked the year and its variations ; and thus, 

 they fay, he pleafed Pomona, by bringing the fruits to 

 maturity. Accordingly, Ovid fays that he afTumed the 

 form of a labourer, reaper, vine-drefler, and old woman, to 

 reprefent the four feafons, fpring, fummer, autumn, and 

 winter. 



Vertumnus had a temple and a ftatue near the market-place 

 at Rome, being reprefented as one of the tutelary deities of 

 the merchants. To this Horace is fuppofed to allude, 

 where, addreffing his book, he fays, " Methinks, my book, 

 you often turn your eye towards Vertumnus and Janus ;" 

 that is, you are longing to be handfomely bound, and ex- 

 pofed to fale. 



Accordingly Vertumnus, fays an ancient fcholiaft on ' 

 Horace, " deus eft preles vertendarum rerum," «'. e. " ven- 

 dendarum ac emendarum." 



At the feaft inftituted in honour of him, he «vas repre- 

 fented as a young man crowned with different forts of herbs, 

 drelTed in a robe, which reached to his middle ; holding 

 fruit in his left hand, and in his right a cornucopia. 



The commentators on Ovid fay, that he was an ancient 

 king of Etruria, who, by his diligent and fuccefsful culti- 

 vation of fruits and gardens, obtained the honour of being 

 ranked among the gods. In proof of this, they refer to 

 Propertius, eleg. 1. iv. At Rome, in the ftreet called 

 " Vicus Thufcus," was a ftatue of Vertumnus, of which 

 Cicero fpeaks, on occafion of Verres' avai-ice ; " who is 

 there but has traced thy avarice all along the way that 

 leads from Vertumnus's ftatue to the great Circus ?" 



VERTUS, in Geography, a town of France, in the de- 

 partment of the Marne ; 15 miles S.W. of Chalons-fur- 

 Marne, 



VERU, a comet according to fome writers, refembling 

 a fpit, being nearly the fame as the lonchites, only its head 

 is rounder, and its train longer and ftiarper pointed. 



VERVA, a word ufed by fome authors to exprefs aa 

 ivory amulet to be worn for the epilepfy. 



VERVAIN, in Botany. See Verbena. 



The common vervain, or •verbena ojicinalis of LinnsEus, 

 is very common on the fides of roads, foot-patjis, and farm- 

 yards. 



