230 
VAN 
ihe mountains there are large lakes, some of which are 
the sources of considerable rivers. Of these the Derwent, 
Huon, and Tamar, rank in the first class. There is perhaps 
no island in the world of the same size which can boast of 
so many fine harbours: the best are the Derwent, Port 
Davy, Macquarie harbour. Port Dalrymple, and Oyster 
bay ; the first is on its southern side, the second and third 
on its western, the fourth on its northern, and the fifth on 
its eastern 5 so that it has excellent harbours in every direc¬ 
tion. This circumstance cannot fail to be productive of 
the most beneficial effects, and will most materially assist the 
future progress of colonization. There is almost a perfect re¬ 
semblance between the animals and vegetables found here 
and in New Holland. 
The climate of this island is equally healthy, and much 
more congenial to the European constitution than that of 
Port Jackson. 
The orange, citron, guava, loquet, pomegranate, and 
many other fruits which attain the greatest perfection at Port 
Jackson, cannot be produced here at all without having 
recourse to artificial means; while many more, as the peach, 
nectarine, grape, &c. only arrive at a very inferior degree of 
maturity. On the other hand the apple, currant, gooseberry, 
and indeed all those fruits for which the climate of the 
parent colony is too warm, are raised here without difficulty. 
The system of rearing and fattening cattle is perfectly ana¬ 
logous to that which is pursued at Port Jackson. The 
natural grasses afford an abundance of pasturage at all sea¬ 
sons of the year; and no provision of winter provender, 
in the shape either of hay or artificial food, is made by the 
settler for his cattle ; yet, notwithstanding this palpable 
omission, and the greater length and severity of the winters, 
all manner of stock attain there a much larger size than at 
Port Jackson. Oxen from three to four years old average 
here about 700 lbs., and wethers from two to three years 
old, from 80 to 90 lbs.; while there, oxen of the same age 
do not average more than 500 lbs., and wethers not more 
than 40 lbs. 
The British colonies in Van Dieman’s Land have of late 
received a great accession of settlers from Great Bri¬ 
tain. According to the last accounts, they were gradually 
improving, and assuming more and more the appearance of 
a civilized community. From an account of a tour of 
inspection by governor Macquarie, it appears that in July, 
1821, the population of the island amounted to 6372, exclu¬ 
sive of the civil and military officers; and that it contained 
28,838 head of horned cattle, 182,468 sheep, 421 horses, 
and 10,683 acres of land in cultivation. 
VANDIEMAN CAPE, a cape on Mornington isle, 
in the gulph of Carpentaria. Lat. 36. 32. S. long. 139. 
49*. E. 
VANDCEUVRES, a small town in the north-east of 
France, department of the Aube; 9 miles west of Bar sur 
Auhe, and 22 east-south-east of Troyes. 
VANDSHELLING ISLANDS, a cluster of small islands 
in a bay of the Pacific ocean, on the north coast of New 
Guinea. Lat. 3.32. S. long. 136. 15. E. 
VANDYKES, Jost and Little*; two of the smaller 
Virgin islands, situated to the north-west of Tortola. Lat. 
18. 25. N. long. 63. 15. W. 
VANE, s. [ vaene, Dutch.] A plate hung on a pin to 
turn with the wind. 
A man she wou’d spell backward; 
If tall, a lance ill-headed; 
If speaking, why a vane blown with all winds. 
Shakspeare. 
VANGAC, a river of the island of Lucon, which runs 
into the Chinese sea. Lat. 18. 45. N. 
VANGE, a parish of England, in the county of Essex, 
4 miles north-east-by-east of Horndon on the Hill. The 
water of the Old Haven creek comes up to this village, on 
which it has a wharf. 
VANGEV1LLE, a town of the United States, in 
VAN 
Kentucky, on the Ohio, at the mouth of Salt Lick Creek, 
36 miles above Maysville. 
VA'NGUARD, s. [ qvant garde , French.] The front, 
or first line of the army.—The king’s v ant-guard maintained 
fight against the whole power of the enemies. Bacon. 
VANGUERIA [from the vernacular name], in Botany, a 
genus of the class pentandria, order monogynia, natural 
order of aggregatse, rubiaceae (Juss.) —Generic Character. 
Calyx very small, five-toothed, spreading. Corolla small, 
campanulate-globular, five-cleft, hairy at the throat. Sta¬ 
mina five, with oblong anthers scarcely standing out. 
Pistil one, with a bilamellate stigma. Pericarp: berry in¬ 
ferior, pome-shaped, umbilicate, not crowned, five-celled. 
Seeds four or five, like almonds.—■ Essential Character. 
Calyx five-toothed. Corolla: tube globular, with a hairy- 
throat. Stigma bilamellate. Berry inferior, four or five- 
seeded. 
Vangueria edulis.-—A tree with round smooth branches. 
Leaves petioled, opposite, ovate, attenuated to both ends, 
smooth, quite entire. Flowers pedicelled. Fruit esculent. 
—-Supposed to be a native of China. 
VANI, a cape on the north coast of the island of Milo. 
Lat. 36. 46. N. long. 24. 20. E. 
VANIESSA, or Devil’s Key, a small island in the 
Spanish Main, near the Mosquito shore. Lat. 14. 5. N. 
long. 82. 35. W. 
VANIERE (James), a learned Jesuit, was bora in 1664, 
at Gausses, in the diocese of Beziers, Languedoc, and having- 
studied at the Jesuits’ college at Beziers, entered into the so¬ 
ciety in 1680. His chief work was a “ Dictionary of 
Poetry,” in Latin, quarto, a work in high estimation, and 
abridged for the use of students. Moreri. Gen. Biog. 
VANI'LLA, s. ['pantile , Fr.] A plant. The fruit of 
those plants is used to scent chocolate. Miller, —When 
mixed with vanillios , or spices, chocolate acquires the good 
and bad qualities of aromatic oils. Ar but knot. 
VANINI (Lucilio), a reputed atheist, was born about the 
year 1585, at Taurosano, in the district of Otranto, and 
kingdom of Naples. He studied philosophy and theology 
at Rome, where he changed his baptismal name for “ Julio 
Cesare,” and completed his education at Naples and Padua, 
comprehending medicine, law, and astronomy. In 1615 he 
published at Lyons his “ Amphitheatrum seternse Providen- 
tise, Divino-magicum, Thristiano-physicum, Astrologico-ca- 
tholicum, ad versus veteres Philosophos, Atheos, Epicureos, 
Peripateticos et Stoicos,” which was not suspected of atheism, 
and which indeed contains every thing incompatible with 
atheistical principles. In the following year he published at 
Paris another work, entitled “ De admirandis Naturae Re- 
ginse Deaeque Mortalium Arcanis,” which was printed with 
a privilege; but on a closer examination of its ten¬ 
dency, was publicly burnt by a decree of the Sorbonne. 
He was condemned to have his tongue cut out, and 
then to be burnt alive. He suffered death in 1619, at 
the age of 34, and on his memory has been entailed every 
kind of reproach which could have been suggested by a de¬ 
testation of his doctrines. 
To VANISH, v. n. [vanesco, Latin.] To lose percep¬ 
tible existence.—-High honour is not only gotten and born 
by pain and danger, but must be nursed by the like, or 
else vanisheth as soon as it appears to the world. Sidney. 
-—To pass away from the sight; to disappear. 
Whither are they vanish'd ? 
—Into ihe air; and what seem’d corporal 
Melted as breath into the wind. Shakspeare. 
To pass away; to be lost.—All these delights will vanish. 
Milton. 
VANISHED, part. adj. Having no perceptible existence. 
Fancy brings the vanish'd piles to view. 
And builds imaginary Rome anew. Pope. 
VANITY, s. [® anitas, Lat.; vanite, Fr.] Emptiness; 
uncertainty; inanity.-— Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 
Eccl.— Fruitless desire; fruitless endeavour. 
Thy 
