W O R 



particular things; for the multiplication of words would 

 have perplexed their ufe, had every particular thing needed 

 a diftinft name to be fignified by. 



To remedy this inconvenience, language had a farther 

 improvement in the ufe of general terms, by which one 

 word was made to mark a multitude of particular exiftences ; 

 which advantageous ufe of founds was obtained only by the 

 difference of the ideas they were made figns of : thofe names 

 becoming general, which are made to ftand for general 

 ideas ; and thofe remaining particular, where the ideas they 

 are ufed for are particular. 



Some of our philofophers have complained much of the 

 great ufe, or rather abufe, of vague and general terms, 

 ■which have no precife definite fignification. To diftinguifh 

 thefe, F. Malebranche obferves, that every thing that is, and 

 confequently every thing that is intelligible, is either a 

 being, or a mode and manner of being. Hence it is evi- 

 dent, that every term which does not fignify either of 

 thefe, fignifies nothing, and is an obfcure and confufed 

 term. In metaphylics, the ufe of fuch terms, he fays, is 

 fometimes neceffary and allowable, as in fpeaking of the 

 divine perfeftions, Sic. But in phyfics it is always mif- 

 chievous, however common. 



It is obfervable, that the words which ftand for aftions, 

 and notions quite removed from fenfe, are borrowed from 

 fenfible ideas ; as, to imagine, apprehend, comprehend, 

 underftand, adhere, conceive, inftil, difguft, difturbance, 

 tranquillity, &.c. which are all taken from the operations of 

 tilings fenfible, and applied to modes of thinking. Spirit, 

 in its primary fignification, is no more than breath ; angel, 

 a meflenger. By which we may guefs what kind of notions 

 thofe were, and whence derived, which filled the minds of 

 the firft beginners of languages ; and how nature, even in 

 the naming of things, unawares, fuggefted to men the ori- 

 ginals of all their knowledge : whilft, to give names that 

 might make known to others any operations they felt in 

 themfelves, or any other ideas that came not under their 

 fenfes, they were forced to borrow words from the ordinary 

 and known ideas of fenfation. 



The ends of language, in our difcourfe with others, are 

 chiefly three : firft, to make our thoughts or ideas known 

 one to another. This we fail in, i. When we ufe names 

 without clear and diftinft ideas in our minds. 2. When we 

 apply received names to ideas, to which the common ufe of 

 that language doth not apply them. 3. When we apply 

 them unfteadily, making them ftand now for one, and anon 

 for another idea. 



Secondly, to make known our thoughts with as much 

 eafe and quicknefs as is poffible. This men fail in, when they 

 have complex ideas, without having diftinft names for them ; 

 which may happen either through the defeft of a language, 

 which has none ; or the fault of the man, who has not yet 

 learned them. 



Thirdly, to convey the knowledge of things. This can- 

 not be done, but when our ideas agree to the reality of 

 things. He that has names without ideas wants meaning in 

 his words, and fpeaks only empty founds. He that has 

 complex ideas without names for them, wants difpatch in 

 his exprefCon. He that ufes his words loofely and un- 

 fteadily, will either not be mmdtd, or not underftood. He 

 that applies names to hie ideas, different from the common 

 ufe, wants propriety in his language, and fpeaks gibberifh ; 

 and he that has ideas of fubftances, difagreeing with the 

 real exiftence of things, fo far wants the materials of true 

 knowledge. 

 Words, Divifion of. See Division. 

 Words, General. See Ge.seral. 



W O R 



Words of Command. See Exercise. • 

 Word, Watch-Word, in an Army or Garrtfon, is fome 

 peculiar word or fentence, by which the foldiers are to., 

 know and diftinguifh one another in the night, &c. and by: 

 which fpies and defigning perfons are difcovered. , 



It is ufed alfo to prevent furprizes. The word is given 

 out in an army every night by the general, to the lieutenant, 

 or major-general of the day, who gives it to the major of ' 

 the brigades, and they to the adjutants ; who give it firft to 

 the field-officers, and afterwards to a ferjeant of each com- 

 pany, who carry it to the fubalterns. 



In garrifons it is given, after the gate is fiiut, to the 

 town-major, who gives it to the adjutants, and they to the 

 ferjeants. 



Word, in Heraldry, Sec. See Motto. 



Words, Defamatory, Treafonable, &c., in Law. See- 

 Defamation, Scandal, and Treason. 



WORDEN, in Geography, a town of the duchy of 

 Holftein, on the right fide of the Elbe; 10 miles N.W. of 

 Gluckftadt. 



WoRDEN, Grojfen, a town of the duchy of Bremen ; 10 

 miles N.N.W. ot Stade. 



WORDERNBERG, a mountain of the duchy of 

 Stiria ; 6 miles S.S.E. of Eifenhartz. 



WORDINGBERG, a fea-port of Denmark, fituated 

 on the fouth coaft of the ifland of Zealand, oppofite the 

 ifland of Falfter. In the year 1066, Waldemar I. built a 

 ftrong caftle here, which is now gone to decay. Walde- 

 mar III., who was exceedingly fond of this place, refided 

 here for the moft part ; and in derifion of the Hanfe towns, 

 built the well-known tower, which, from a golden goofe 

 credled on the top of it, he called Gans, that is. The Goofe, 

 In this tower, he purpofed to confine the prifoners of the 

 Hanfe towns that fliould fall into his hands in the war he in- 

 tended to carry on againft them. As the old caftle gradually 

 fell to decay, prince George, who was brother to Chrif- 

 tian v., and married to Anne, queen of England, built 

 here an entire new caftle, which Frederick IV. afterwards 

 enlarged ; but that edifice has been pulled down. The 

 ufual pafTage to the iflands Falfter and Laaland is from this 

 place. In 1240, at a famous diet held here, the Old Juf- 

 tifche Low-buck, or Codex Legum Juricarum, was com> 

 piled and promulged : this body of laws is ftill in force in 

 South Jutland. In 1256 another diet was held here ; and in 

 1658, preliminaries for a peace between Denmark and 

 Sweden were treated of in this town; 43 miles S.W. of 

 Copenhagen. N. lat. 55° 3'. E. long. 11° 58'. 



WORE. See Wyre. 



WORENZUTTE, a town of Pruffia, in Ermeland ;. 

 8 miles S. of Heilftjerg. 



WORGAN, Dr. John, in Biography, a mufical gra- 

 duate of Oxford, organift of St. Mary-Axe, Bedford ! 

 chapel, and many years a diitinguiftied performer on the 

 organ at Vauxhall, and Dr. Arne's fucceifor there in the 

 compofition of cantatas, fongs, and ballads. 



He learned the rudiments of mufic of his elder brother, 

 who had likewife an organift's place in the city, and played 

 the violoncello in the Vauxhall band. Their fcholars on the 

 harpfichord were very numerous, particularly within Temple- 

 bar ; and John, as an organift and opener of new organs, 

 rivalled Stanley. He was a very ftudious man, and dipt 

 very early into the old ecclefiaftical compofers of Italy. He 

 fucceeded Gladwin in playing the orgpu at Vauxhall. His 

 firft ftudy in compofition and organ-playing was diretled by 

 Rofeingrave, who pointed his attention to the pure harmony 

 and modulation of Palcftrina, and organ-fugues of Handel. 

 His couitant ufe of the organ at Vauxhall, during the 



fummer, 1 



