611 
FOR 
Then thofc whom form of laws 
Condemn’d to die, when traitors judg’d their caufe. Dryden, 
Ceremony ; external rites.—Their general ufed, in all dif- 
patches made by himfelf, to obferve all decency in their 
forms. Clarendon. 
How am I to interpret, Hr, this vifit ? 
Is it a compliment of form , or love ? Phillips. 
Stated method ; eftablifhed practice ; ritual and preferib- 
ed mode.—-Nor are confiant/oras of prayer more likely to 
flat and hinder the fpirit of prayer and devotion, than un¬ 
premeditated and confufed variety to diftraft and lofe it. 
King Charles. 
Nor feek to know 
Their procefs, or the forms of law below, Dryden'. 
Form is the eflential, fpecifical, or diftinguifiiing, modifi¬ 
cation of the matter of which any thing is compofed, fo 
as thereby to give it fuch a peculiar manner of exigence. 
Harris. —In definitions, whether they be framed larger to 
augment, or drifter to abridge, the number of facraments, 
we find grace exprefsly mentioned as their true eflential 
form , and elements as the matter whereunto that form did 
adjoin itfelf. Hooker. —A formal caufe ; that which gives 
eflence.—They inferred, if the world were a living crea¬ 
ture, it had a foul and fpirit, by which they did not in¬ 
tend God, for they did admit of a deity befides, but only 
the foul or eflential form of the univerfe. Bacon. 
[Pronounced form.] A long feat.—If a chair be defined a 
feat for a Angle perfon with a back belonging to it, then 
a flool is a feat for a (ingle perfon without a back; and a 
form is a feat for feveral perfons without a back. Watts. 
—A clafs : a rank of fludents.—It will be neceffary to fee 
and examine thofe works which have given fo great a re¬ 
putation to the maflers of the firfi form , Dryden.— The 
feat or bed of a hare : 
Have you obferv’d a fitting hare, 
Lift’ning, and fearful of the llorm 
Of horns and hounds, clap back her ear. 
Afraid to keep or leave her form. Prior. 
To FORM, v. a. \formo, Lat.] To make out of mate¬ 
rials.—God formed man of the duff of the ground. Gen. 
ii. 7. 
The liquid ore he drain’d 
Into fit molds prepar’d ; from which he form'd 
Firfi his own tools: then, what might elfe be wrought 
Fufil, or grav’n in metal. Milton. 
To model to a particular fiiape or fiate : 
Creature in whom excell’d 
Whatever can to fight or thought be form'd, 
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or fweet. Milton. 
To modify ; to fcheme ; to plan.—Lucretius taught him 
not to form his hero, to give him piety or valour for his 
manners. Dryden. —To arrange ; to combine in any parti¬ 
cular manner : as, he formed his troops. Toadjufi; to 
fettle.—Our differences with the Romanifts are thus 
f ormed into an intereft, and become tire defign not of fingle 
perfons, but of corporations and fuccefiions. Decay of Piety. 
—To contrive ; to coin : 
He dies too foon ; 
And fate, if poffible, muft be delay’d : 
The thought that labours in my forming brain, 
Yet crude and immature, demands more time. Roztie. 
To model by education or infiitution : 
Let him to this with eafy pains be brought. 
And feem to labour when he labours not: 
Thus form'd for fpeed, he challenges the wind. 
And leaves the Scythian arrow far behind. Dryden. 
FORM,,/, in law, denotes the rules requifite to be ob¬ 
served in legal proceedings. The formal part of the law, 
or method of proceeding, cannot be altered but by par- 
Vot. VII, No, 451. 
FOR 
Lament; for if once thefe outworks were demolifhed, 
there would be an inlet to all mann^rof innovation in thtf 
body of the law itfelf. 
FOR'MA PAU'PERIS, inlaw, is when a perfon has 
juft caufe of fuit, but is fo poor that he cannot deft ay the 
ufual charges of filing at law or in equity ; in which cafe, 
on making oath that he is not worth five pounds, on all 
his debts being paid, and producing a certificate from 
fome attorney that be has good caufe of fuit, the judge 
will admit him to fue in forma pauperis ; that is, without 
paying any fee to counfellors, attorneys, or cl°rk Where 
it appears that any pauper has fold or contra died for t lie 
benefit of his fuit whilft it is depending in court, fuch 
caufe (hall be thenceforth totally difmiffed; and a perfon 
fuing in forma pauperis, (hall not have a new tri 1 granted 
him, but is to acquiefce in the judgment of the court. 
See the article Costs, vol. v. p. 258. 
FOR'MAL, adj. [ formel , Fr. formalis, Lat. ] Cere¬ 
monious; folemn ; precife; exaft to affeftation.—Cere¬ 
monies be not to be omitted to ftrangers and formal na¬ 
tures; but the exalting them above the mean doth dimi- 
ni(h the credit of him that fpeaks. Bacon. 
The juftice, 
In fair round belly, with good capon lin’d, 
With eyes fevere, and beard M formal cut, 
Full of wife faws and modern inftances : 
And fo he plays his part. Shaltefpearc. 
Done according to eftablifhed rules and methods; not ir¬ 
regular; not hidden ; not extemporaneous.—As there 
are formal and written leagues, refpeftive to certain ene¬ 
mies ; fo there is a natural and tacit confederation amongfl 
all men againft the common enemies of human fociety, fo 
as there needs no intimation or denunciation of the war; 
but all thefe formalities the law of nature fupplies, as in 
the cafe of pirates. Bacon. 
Regular; methodical: 
The formed ftars do travel fo. 
As we their names and courfes know ;■ 
And he that on their changes looks, 
Would think them govern’d by our books. Waller. 
External; having the appearance but not the eflence : 
Of formal duty, make no more thy boaft: ; 
Thou difobey’fi: where it concerns me moft. Dryden. 
Depending upon eftablifliment or cudom : 
Still in conftraint your fuffering fex remains. 
Or bound in formal or in real chains. Pope. 
Having the power of making any thing what it is; com 
flituent; eflential.—Of letters the material part is breath 
and voice : the formal is conftituted by the motions and 
figure of the organs of fpeecli by which each letter is 
diferiminated. Holder. —The very life and vital motion, 
and the formal eflence and nature of man, is wholly owing 
to the power of God. Bentley. Retaining its proper and 
eflential charafteriftic ; regular ; proper : 
Thou fhou’dft come like a fury cover’d with fnakes. 
Not like a formal man. Skakejpeare. 
FOR'MALIST, f. [ formalize , Fr.] One who prac- 
tifes external ceremony; one who prefers appearance to 
reality ; one whofeems what he is not.—A grave, (launch, 
fkilfully-managed, face, fet upon agrafping afpiring mind, 
having got many a 11 y formalifl the reputation of a primi¬ 
tive and fevere piety. South. —An advocate for forming 
difputations.—It may be objefted by certain formalijis 
that we can prove nothing duly without proving it in 
form. Shafiejbury. 
FORMA'LITY, f. [formalite, Fr.] Ceremony ; efta¬ 
blifhed mode of behaviour.— Formalities of extraordinary 
zeal and piety are never more ftudied and elaborate, than in 
defperate defigns. King Charles. —Many a worthy man fa- 
crifiees his peace to formalities of compliment and good 
, 3 H manners. 
