STNONTMOUS 'TERMS. 115 



The wood of a tree, too, when vegetating, may be ftyled hu- 

 midus, on account of the communicated moifrure which fup- 

 ports it. Nay, Cicero, in one inftance, applies the term to 

 wood that is green and newly cut.' " Ignem ex lignis viridi- 

 " bus atque huinidis in loco angufto fieri juflit *." 



Uvidus agrees with humidus, in fuppofing, that the fub fiance 

 to which it is applied contains moiflure, but does not fiiggeft 

 the means of fupplying the wafte, from whatever caufe it arifes. 

 The definition given by Servius of this term is more accurate 

 and fatisfaclory than that given of humidus. It were better, at 

 the fame time, not to derive uva from uvidus, but to confider 

 the fhorteft of the two words as the root. " Uvidum eft," fays 

 he, " quod intrinfecus habet aliquod humoris, unde uvas di- 

 " cuntur f." 



Arboribus redeunt detonfae frigore frondes, 

 UvidaquQ in gravido palmite gemma tumet J. 



The hand of art, it may be obferved, can operate in the 

 deftru&ion of the quality denoted by uvidus. A grape may lofe 

 its juice by its being expreffed, or by a forced evaporation fu- 

 perinduced by heat, fo as to avoid putrefaction in the fub- 

 ftance containing it. When the fucculcnt quality is deftroyed 

 completely, the fubftance left behind quits both the natural te- 

 nacity of its parts, and the flavour which diftinguifhed the 

 fruit, and gets into the ftate denoted by aridus. When this 

 quality is removed by an intended evaporation, it is removed 

 only in part. Such a quantity of the juice is retained as is 

 confiftent with the prefervation of the fruit, and as will emit 

 its flavour. The fubftance is then in the ftate denoted by the 



P 2 adjeclive 



* Cic in Ver. 2. 45. % Ovid. Faft. 4. 235. 



f In Virg. Ec. 10. 20. 



