1804.] Ambiguity of the Words Health and Difeafe—Query. 515 
Of 22 "aSuvdias dndoavles avertiSoild re 3% wen 
mopeiCovlo Ex Tay dypiy masdas 0% yuvainag, dx 
Thy ahany xalacneviy, 7 nat’ Ginoy Exedvlo, dx 
avlay tay ciniay nadaredvles tay EdrAwowv. apo- 
fara d2 xal bwoliyia ee viv ELCoav ereuLarloy 
xal Eo Tao TES Tas Emimermeevag. yadremac DOE 
aulosc, Ne TO ces EtwSévas Tas WoAARS Ev Toi¢ 
eiyeits DieitaSaty i “ANAZTAXIZ éyiyvélo. Lib. 
41. p. 93, ed. Hudfon, 
It is alfo ufled again by the fame hifto- 
rian, in a fimilar fenfe, in his feventh 
book. —Relaiing the departure of the 
Athenian army from Syracafe, he fays, 
By 1 avasacts dn re cpolevpeclos tpitn icépa 
ard tng vaupsorving eyiyrlo, Lib, vii. p. 460. 
Ed. Had. 
I am, &c. M.H. 
May 9, 1804. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
MBIGUITY in the ufe of words 
has been a frequent fource of com- 
plaint from thofe who wifhed to come at 
the exact truth ; and it can never be an 
ufelefs tafk to bring examples of it betore 
the public, and endeavour to render lan- 
guage more precife. I therefore requeft 
your infertion of fome remarks on the ap- 
plication of the words health and difeafe, 
in relation to corporeal or mental fanity ; 
and thefle I fhall beg leave to introduce in 
a narrative. 
Some time ago, a much-refpeéted friend 
of mine was faid, by his family, to labour 
under great indifpofition. He was at- 
tended by feveral phyficians, and reports 
‘were given of his ftate of health, which 
fpread much alarm among thofe who in- 
terefted themfelves in his welfare. Several 
of thefe, with myfe!f, were defirous of 
paying him friendly vifits; but we were 
told, that his condition would not permit 
him to fee company. After fome time 
pafled under immediate apprehenfions for 
his life, his gradual amendment was an- 
nounced ; and, at length, the recovery of 
his health was declared to be certain. It 
now began to be whifpered, that the prin- 
cipal part of his diforder had been men- 
tal derangement, and that there never had 
been any real apprehenfion for his life in 
thofe about him. It fuited the family, 
howcver, to have the matter ftill men- 
tioned as a cafe of bodily difeafe, and 
thanks were {i kkmnly given at church for 
his prefervation. Mean time it could not 
be concealed, that his mental faculties 
were {iill in a very unfettled condition. 
As he had feveral important affairs on 
his hands, it was highly defirable that he 
should afford an appearance of refuming 
the management of 'them; but his at- 
tempts of this kind met with various in- 
tersuptions. The family, when preffed 
to declare explicitly in what ftate he was, 
always anfwered, ‘* He is mending fafi: 
his health is nearly eftablifhed ;” and the 
like: and they prevailed upon the phyf- 
ficians to ufe the fame oracular language. 
Nay (what is rather ludicrous) a {mall 
poet, whom he had patronized, ina rhap- 
fody, which he called an ode, fung bis re- 
covery in the moft triumphant ftrains, 
His friends, however, know that all is not 
right, though they are unable to geta 
fatisfastory account ei:ker of his prefent 
ftate, or of his future profpeéts. Before 
he fell ill, he was carrying on a law-fuit 
of great conlequence to his property, and 
we have been furprized to find that, during 
this period, he has put the management 
of it into different hands. It is true, the 
folicitor, who is now the chief agent, is 
generally thought an abler man than the 
laft ; but many people wonder that when 
he began to make a change, he did not 
do it more effectually. Perfuaded as I 
am, that much embarrafiment has arifen 
from the ambiguity of the terms employ- 
ed on this occafion, I thould be obliged 
te any of your ingenious correfpondents, 
who would afi in fettling the following 
points :—Does the word health, taken by 
itfelf, refer to foundnefs of body, of 
mind, or of both? Where bodily and 
mental indifpofition are combined, can 
amendment be predicated generally, when 
it is only true of the former? I remain, 
Your's, &c. SUBURBICUS. 
é 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE following article appears in the 
Walpoliana.— In writing the Hitt 
tory of the Knights of Malta, Vertot had 
fent to Italy for original ‘materials con- 
cerning the fiege of Rhodes: but, impa- 
tient of the lung delay, he completed his 
narration from his own imagination. At 
length the packet arrived, when Vertot 
was fitting with a friend: he opened it, 
and threw it contemptuoufly on the fofa 
behind him, faying coolly, ‘* Moz fitge 
ft fait.” | 
Is this true or falfe? Has he availed 
himfelf of the more authentic materials in 
the laft and much improved edition? If 
any of your corre!pondents, through your 
interefting and ufeful Magazine, could 
an{wer thefe quettions, I fhould feel my- 
felf much indedted to him. 
3X2 
A wri- 
