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VERTEILLAC, a town of France, department of the 
Dordogne; 9 miles north-north-east of Riberac. Popula¬ 
tion 1100. 
VERTEUIL, a town of France, on the Charente; 25 
miles north of Angouleme. Population 1100. 
VERTEUIL, a town of France, department of the Lot 
and Garonne; 9 miles north-east of Tonneins. Population 
1800. 
VERTEX, s. [Latin.] Zenith; the point over head. 
These keep the vertex ; but betwixt the bear 
And shining zodiac, where the planets err, 
A thousand figur’d constellations roll. Creech. 
A top of a hill; the top of any thing.—Mountains espe¬ 
cially abound with different species of vegetables; every 
vertex or eminence affording new kinds. Derkam. 
VERTEY, a parish of England, in the county of Essex; 
8 miles south-south-west of Colchester. 
VE'RTICAL, adj. [vertical, Fr.] Placed in the zenith. 
’Tis raging noon ; and vertical the sun 
Darts on the head direct his forceful rays. Thomson. 
Placed in a direction perpendicular to the horizon.—From 
these laws, all the rules of bodies ascending or descending 
in vertical lines may be deduced. Cheync. 
VERTICA'LITY, s. The state of being in the zenith. 
—Unto them the sun is vertical twice a-year; making two 
distinct summers in the different points of the verticality. 
Brown. 
VE'RTICALLY, adv. In the zenith.—Although it be 
not vertical unto any part of Asia, yet it vertically passeth 
over Peru and Brasilia. Brown. 
VE'RTICALNESS, s. The state of being vertical. Ash. 
VERTICI'LLATE, adj. [from verticillum, Latin.] 
Verticillate plants are such as have their flowers intermixed 
with small leaves growing in a kind of whorls about the 
joints of a stalk, as pennyroyal, horehound, &c. Quincy. 
VERTI'CITY, s. The power of turning; circumvolu¬ 
tion ; rotation.—Those stars do not peculiarly glance on us, 
but carry a common regard unto all countries, unto whom 
their verticity is also common. Brown. 
VE'RTICLE, s. [ verticulum, Lat.] An axis; a hinge. 
—Now grows our nation to its zenith: Fame is no friend to 
continuance; the verticle is near, when admiration from 
abroad, and luxury at home, threaten our change. Water- 
house. 
VERTIGINOUS, adj. [ virtiginosus , Latin.] Turning 
round; rotatory.—This vertiginous motion gives day and 
night successively over the whole earth, and makes it habit¬ 
able all around. Bentley. —Giddy.—-Inconstant they are 
in all their actions, vertiginous, restless, unapt to resolve of 
any business. Burton. 
VERTI'GINOUSNESS, s. Unsteadiness.—He that com¬ 
mits sacrilege, is marked for a vertiginousness and change¬ 
able fortune. Bp. Taylor. 
VERTTGO, s. [Latin.] A giddiness; a sense of turning- 
in the head.—The forerunners of an apoplexy are dulness, 
vertiaos, tremblings. Arbuthnot. —See Pathology. 
VERTOT D’AUBGEUF (Rene Aubert de), a French 
historian, was born in 1655, in Normandy. Inclined to 
retirement, he entered, at the early age of 15 or 1G, among 
the capuchins, whose austerities so impaired his constitu¬ 
tion, that he was under a necessity of obtaining a brief 
for exchanging this order for that of the regular canons 
of Premontre, with which he connected himself in 1677. 
Some disputes, however, occurred in this order, which occa¬ 
sioned his abandoning it. After several changes of situa¬ 
tions, humorously called the “ Abbe de Vertot’s revolu¬ 
tions,” he settled at Paris in 1701, where he was employed 
in compiling the memoirs for the house of Noailles, en¬ 
gaged in a contest with that of Bouillon, for which service 
he obtained a pension. In 1705 he became a pensioner of 
the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres, which w:.s 
revived in 1701 ; and afterwards occupied several posts 
in connection with the duke and duchess of Orleans. In 
1715 he was appointed, by the grand-master of Malta, 
historiographer to that order, with its attendant privileges, 
and the right of wearing the cross ; and the commandery 
of Santeny was added to his other preferments. Some have 
said that he was sub-preceptor to Lewis XV., but he was de¬ 
prived of this honour. As he advanced in life, his infirmi¬ 
ties increased, so that he died in 1735, at the age of 80. 
His disposition and character were highly estimable. His 
principal works were, “ L’Hisloire des Revolutions de Portu¬ 
gal,” 1689, 12mo., much commended by Bouhours for its 
style, though the memoirs upon which it was founded were 
not worthy of confidence; “ L’Histoire des Revolutions 
de Suede,” 2 vols. 12mo., 1696, which is characterized as an 
interesting performance; though in this, as well as some 
other works, the author inclines to the romantic; “L’His¬ 
toire des Revolutions Romaines,” 3 vols. 12mo„ considered 
as his principal performance; “ L’Histoire de Chevaliers de 
Malthe,” 4 vols. 4to., and 7 vols. 12mo., 1727, less esteemed 
than the preceding; “ Traitede laMouvance de Bretagne;” 
“ Histoire critique de l’Establissement des Bretons dans les 
Gaules;” works that have not been popular:—“ Origine 
de la Grandeur de la Cour de Rome, et de la Nomination 
aux Eveches et aux Abbayes de France,” a posthumous 
publication. Several of his learned dissertations were in¬ 
serted in the Memoirs of the Academy of Belles Lettres. 
The abbe Mably appreciates Vertot highly as an historian, 
from a preconceived notion that perfect history corresponds 
very much with epic poetry; but by others he has been 
deemed a pleasing and eloquent writer, and denominated 
“ The French Quintius Curtius,” whilst his style has been 
extolled, and his manner of treating his subject has been 
regarded as interesting. Some of the best judges have dis¬ 
puted his thorough knowledge of mankind and the accuracy 
of his research. Moreri. 
VERTOU, a town of France, department of the Loire 
Inferieure; 4 miles south-east of Nantes. Population 4000. 
VERTUS, a town of France, department of the Marne; 
12 miles south-east of Epernay. Population 2600. 
VERUA, a town of Piedmont, on the Po, with 1800 
inhabitants. It has a castle, and is strongly fortified; 20 
miles north-east of Turin. 
VE'RVAIN, or Ve'rvine, s. [ verbena, Latin.] A 
plant. 
She night-shade strows to work him ill, 
Therewith the vervain, and her dill, 
That hindreth witches of their will. Drayton. 
VE'RVAIN mallow, s. A plant. It hath the whole 
habit of the mallow or althaea ; but differs from it in having 
its leaves deeply divided. Miller. 
VE'RVELS, s. \yervelle, Fr.] Labels tied to a hawk. 
Free beauteous slave, thy happy feet 
In silver fetters vervails meet. Lovelace. 
VERVIERS, an inland town of the Netherlands, the 
capital of a district in the province of Liege; 15 miles east- 
by-south of Liege. Population 10,000. 
VERVINS, a town of France, in Champagne; 25 miles 
north-north-east of Laon. Population 3000. 
VERUS. See Rome. 
VERWIG, a parish of Wales, in Cardiganshire; 3 miles 
from Cardigan. 
VE'RY, adj. [ veray , or vrai, French; whence veray in 
ancient English. It has its degrees verier and veriest.} 
True; real. 
Why do I pity him. 
That with his very heart despiselh me? Shahspcare . 
Having any qualities, commonly bad, in an eminent de¬ 
gree; complete; perfect; mere.—Those who had drunk of 
Circe’s cup, were turned into very beasts. Davies. —To - • 
note things emphatically, or eminently. 
’Tis an ill office for a gentleman; 
Especially against his very friend. Shahspearc. 
Same, emphatically. 
Women are as roses, whose fair flower 
Being once displayed, doth fall that very hour. Shahspcare. 
VE'RY, 
