WHIM, n. s. Derived by Skinner from WHIM'SEY, a thing turning round. A WHIMSICAL, adj. freak; odd fancy; caprice: which whimsey also signifies: and the adjective corresponds.

At this rate a pretended freak or whimsey may be palliated. L'Estrange.

In another circumstance I am particular, or, as my neighbours call me, whimsical: as my garden invites into it all the birds, I do not suffer any one to destroy their nests. Addison.

All the superfluous whims relate, That fill a female gamester's pate.

Swift.

He learnt his whims and high-flown notions too, Such as fine men adopt, and fine men rue. Harte. WHIM'PER, v. n. Į Germ. wimmeren. Rather WHIM'PLED, adj. from whine. To cry as a child, or without any loud noise: whimpled is marked or distorted by crying.

This whimpled, whining, purblind, wayward boy.

Shakspeare.

The father, by his authority, should always stop this sort of crying, and silence their whimpering. Locke. A laughing, toying, wheedling, whimpering she, Shall make him amble on a gossip's message. Rowe. She gently whimpers like a lowing cow. Swift. WHIN, n. s. Welsh chuyn. Furze; gorse. With whins or with furzes thy hovel renew. Tusser. WHINE, v. n. & n. s. Sax. anian; Belg. weenen; Goth. vaina. To lament in low murmurs; moan; whimper: a noise of this kind.

They came to the wood, where the hounds were in couples staying their coming, but with a whining accent craving liberty.

Whip him,

Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face, And whine aloud for mercy.

Sidney.

Shakspeare.

The common people have a whining tone and accent in their speech, as if they did still suffer some oppres

sion.

And move your pity by a whining tale.

Davies.

Hudibras.

Dryden.

South

few demure looks and affected whines, set off with some odd devotional postures and grimaces. WHIN'YARD, n.s. Sax. pinnan and are, t gain honor.-Skinner. A sword: in contempt. He snatched his whinyard up, that filed When he was falling off his steed. WHIP, v. a., v. n.,& n. s.) WHIP'CORD, n. s. WHIP'HAND,

WHIPPER,

WHIPPINGPOST, WHIP'SAW,

WHIP'STER.

Hudibra Sax.phopane; Bel wippen, wip. To str with any thing tog and flexible; drive b lashing; inwrap; se lash with sarcasm; take a thing nimb

to move nimbly: a whip is an instrument of last or correction: whipcord, cord of which lashes made: whiphand, advantage over whipper, who whips: whippingpost, a post to which crimi are bound for whipping: whipsaw, a saw used joiners: whipster, a nimble fellow.

In Bridewel a number he stript, Lesse worthie than theese to be whipt.

There sat infernal Pain, And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife; The one in hand an iron whip did strain, The other brandished a bloody knife.

Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas agin Lash hence these over-weening rags of France, These famished beggars.

Since I pluckt geese, played truant, and pu knew not what it was to be beaten till lately. They would whip me with their fine wits, till Iva as crest-fallen as a dried pear.

In his lawless fit,

Behind the arras hearing something stir,
He whipt his rapier out, and cries, a rat!
And in this brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.

Love is merely a madness, and deserves as we dark-house and a whip as madmen do; and the why they are not so punished is, that the whipp in love too.

I am not valiant neither.
But every puny whipster gets my sword.

Could not the whippingpost prevail,
With all its rhet'rick, nor the jail,
And uncle free from iron gin?
To keep from flaying scourge thy skin,

How did he return this haughty brave Who whipt the winds, and made the sea his slave!

In his right hand he holds the whip, with which supposed to drive the horses to the sun.

In Raphael's first works are many small fa often repeated, which look like so many whiper

The archangel, when Discord was restive, and not be drawn from her beloved monastery w words, has the whiphand of her, and draws hero many stripes.

Two friends, travelling together, met a bear up way; the one whips up a tree, and the other th L'Estra himself flat upon the ground.

This requires more than setting children a task. whipping them, without any more ado, if it be to our fancy.

L

The whipsaw is used by joiners to saw such pieces of stuff that the handsaw will not eas through.

Its string is firmly whipt about with small gu it may the easier move in the edge of the rowler Oh, chain me! whip me! let me be the scor Of sordid rabbles and insulting crowds! Give me but life.

Brisk Susan whips her linen from the rope,

site to each other: the person who cuts the lowest card is to deal first, giving one at a time to each person, till he comes to the last card, which is turned up for the trump, and remains on the table till each person has played a card. The person on the left hand side of the dealer plays first, and whoever wins the trick is to play again, thus going on till the cards are played out. The ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps are called honors; in case any three of these honors have been played between, or by either of the two partners, they reckon for two points towards the game; and, if the four honors have been played between, or by either of the two partners, they reckon for four points towards the game, the game consisting of ten points. The honors are reckoned after the tricks; all above six tricks reckoning also towards the game. Such is the mode of playing whist, which requires so much attention and judgment, that few even of those who practise constantly ever acquire sufficient knowledge of the game to play well. The well-known volume of Hoyle is almost entirely occupied with it; but, as we cannot pretend to copy the whole of his rules, it could serve no purpose to introduce a part. In a book of reference like this, however, it is proper to insert the Laws.

Of Dealing.-1. If a card is turned up in dealing, it is in the option of the adverse party to call a new deal; but, if either of them have been the cause of turning up such card, in that case the dealer has his option.

2. If a card is faced in the deal, there must be a new deal, unless it is the last card.

3. Every person ought to see that he has thirteen cards dealt; therefore, if any one should happen to have only twelve, and does not find it out till several tricks are played, and that the rest of the players have their right number, the deal stands good; and also the person who plays with twelve cards is to be punished for each revoke, in case he has made any; but, if any of the rest of the players should happen to have fourteen cards, in that case the deal is lost.

4. The dealer ought to leave in view upon the table his trump card, till it is his turn to play; and, after he has mixed it with his other cards, nobody is entitled to demand what card is turned up, but may ask what is trumps. This consequence attends such a law, that the dealer cannot name a wrong card, which otherwise he might have done.

5. None of the players ought to take up or look at their cards, while any person is dealing; and, if the dealer should happen to miss deal, in that case he shall deal again, unless it arises from his partner's fault; and, if a card is turned up in dealing, no new deal shall be called, unless the partner has been the cause of it.

6. If the dealer, instead of turning up the trump, puts the trump card upon the rest of his cards, with the face downward, he is to lose his deal.

Of playing out of turn.-7. If any person plays out of his turn, the card so played may be called at any time in that deal, provided it does not cause a revoke; or either of the adversaries may require of the person who ought to have led, to play the suit the said adversary may choose.

8. A and B are partners against C and D; A plays the ten of a suit, the adversary C plays the knave of the same suit, B plays a small card of the same suit, but, before D plays, his partner C leads

another card, the penalty shall be in the option of A or B to oblige D to win the trick if he can.

9. A and B are partners against C and D; A leads a club, his partner B plays before the adver sary C; in this case D has a right to play before his partner C, because B played out of his turn.

10. If the ace, or any other card of a suit, is le and it should so happen that the last player play out of his turn, whether his partner has any of t suit led or not, provided you do not make him r voke, he is neither entitled to trump it, nor to the trick.

Of Revoking.-11. If a revoke happens to b made, the adversaries may add 3 to their scores, take 3 tricks from the revoking party, or tak down 3 from their score; and the revoking pan provided they are up, notwithstanding the penal must remain at 9: the revoke takes place of a other score of the game.

12. If any person revokes, and before the card are turned discovers it, the adverse party may call the highest or lowest card of the suit led, or have their option to call the card then played, at any time when it does not cause a revoke.

13. No revoke to be claimed till the trick isTed and quitted, or the party who revoked, or his partner, have played again.

14. If any person claims a revoke, the adver party are not to mix their cards, upon forfeiture the revoke.

15. No revoke can be claimed after the cards an cut for a new deal.

calls &

Of culling honors.-16. If any person any point of the game, except 8, either of the al verse parties may call a new deal; and they are a liberty to consult each other whether they will ha a new deal.

17. After the trump card is turned up, no pers must remind his partner to call, on penalty of lo a point.

18. If the trump card is turned up, no honors i the preceding deal can be set up, unless they we before claimed.

19. If any person calls at the point of 8, and partner answers, and both the opposite parties bar thrown down their cards, and it appears that th other side had not two by honors; in this case the may consult with one another about it, and are liberty to stand the deal or not.

20. And if any person answers when he has an honor, the adverse party may consult one a other about it, and are at liberty to stand the de

or not.

21. If any person calls at 8, after he has played it shall be in the option of the adversaries to cali new deal.

Of separating and shewing the cards.-22. If y person separates a card from the rest, the adres party may call it, provided he names it, and proves the separation; but, in case he calls a wrong cast he or his partner are liable for once to have t highest or lowest card called in any suit led dura the deal.

23. If any person throws his cards on the ta with their faces upwards, upon supposition that has lost the game, the adversaries have it in the power to call any of the cards when they thes proper, provided they do not make the party voke, and he is not to take up his cards again.

24 If any person is sure of winning every trick, h

may shew his cards upon the table; but he is then Liable to have all his cards called.

Of omitting to play to a trick. 25. A and B are partners against C and D; A leads a club, C plays the ace of clubs, B plays a club, and D, partner to C, takes up the trick without playing any card; A, and the rest of the players, play on, till it appears D has one card more than the rest: penalty to be in the option of the adversaries to call a new deal.

Respecting who played any particular card.-26. Each person in playing ought to lay his card before him; after he has done so, if either of the adverse parties mix their cards with his, his partner is entitled to demand each person to lay his card before him, but not to enquire who played any particular card.

It is a question belonging to this game, what the probability is that a player has a given number of trumps dealt him; particularly it has been often taken as an equal wager, that the dealer has at least four trumps. M. de Moivre has computed the following tables, showing for the dealer as well as the other gamesters what the probability is of taking precisely in one deal any assigned number of trumps. By a continual addition of the numbers, or of such part of them as is necessary, it is easily found what the probability is of taking at least that number.

And hence, if wagers are laid that the dealer has not IV trumps, and has not V trumps, alternately; the advantage of him who lays in this manner will be nearly 11 per cent. of his stakes.

3. To find the odds of laying that the eldest hand has at least III, and at least IV trumps alternately; the numerator of the one expectation is (by Table II.)31501119, and of the other 17514720, to the denominator 47626017; whence the ad15 vantage of the bet will be or three per cent. nearly.

514'

Again, if it is laid that the trumps in the dealer's hand shall be either I, II, III, or IV; the disadvantage of this bet will be only 15s. 4d. or about per cent.

And thus the odds of any proposed bet of this kind may be computed; and, from the numbers in the tables and their combinations, different bets may be found which shall approach to the ratio of equality; or, if they differ from it, other bets may be assigned, which, repeated a certain number of times, shall balance that difference.

4. And if the bet includes any other condition besides the number of trumps, such as the quality of one or more of them; then proper regard is to be had to that restriction. Let the wager be that the eldest has IV trumps dealt him; and that two of them shall be the ace and king. The probability of his having IV trumps precisely is, by Table II., and the different fours in twelve

104898

476200

12 11 10

9 cards are, X X X But, because 2 3 4

1

out of the 12 trumps are specified, all the combinations of 4 in 12 that are favorable to the wager

1 11'

the remaining ten cards, which are, 10 9 X And 3 2 this number is to the former as 1 to 11: the probability therefore is reduced by this restriction to of what else it had been: that is, it is reduced See De Moivre's Docfrom nearly to about 52 trine of Chances, p. 172, &c., ed. 3d. WHISTLE, v. n., v. a., & n. s. ? Saxon hpirWHISTLER, n. s. an; Swedish hwissla; Lat. fistulo. To form a kind of musical sound by a particular modulation of the breath; to sound shrill: to call by a whistle: the sound or

Whistles o'er the furrowed land.

The knight, pursuing this epistle,

Believed he'd brought her to his whistle.

Bacon.

Milton.

Hudibras.

That the rich all honours seize.

It is every whit as honourable to assist a good minister, as to oppose a bad one.

Addison.

sing away all sad thoughts.

He whistled as he went, for want of thought.

Walton.

Dryden.

My sire in caves constrains the wind, Can with a breath their clam'rous rage appease; They fear his whistle, and forsake the seas. Let him whistle them backwards and forwards till he

is weary..

Id.

South.

The prize was a guinea to be conferred upon the ablest whistler, who could whistle clearest, and go through his tune without laughing. Addison.

When winged deaths in uhistling arrows fly, Wilt thou, though wounded, yet undaunted stay, Perform thy part, and share the dangerous day?

Prior.

When simple pride for flattery makes demands, May dunce by dunce be whistled off my hands! Pope. WHISTON (William), was born at Norton, near Twycrosse, in Leicestershire, where his father was rector, in 1667. He was admitted of Clarehall, Cambridge, where he afterwards commenced tutor; but his ill health forced him to decline it. Having entered into orders, he, in 1694, became chaplain to Dr. More, bishop of Norwich; and in this station he published a work, entitled A New Theory of the Earth, &c., in which he undertook to prove the Mosaic doctrine of the earth perfectly agreeable to reason and philosophy. In the beginning of the eighteenth century he was made Sir Isaac Newton's deputy, and afterwards his successor, in the Lucasian professorship of mathematics; when he resigned a living he had in Suffolk, and went to reside at Cambridge. About this time he published several scientifical works, explanatory of the Newtonian philosophy. About 1710 he adopted Arian principles. He was therefore deprived of his professorship, and banished the university. He nevertheless pursued his scheme, by publishing the next year his Primitive Christianity Revived, 4 vols, 8vo, for which the convocation fell upon him very vehemently. On his expulsion from Cambridge, he settled in London; where he continued to write, and to propagate his Primitive Christianity, with as much ardor as if he had been in the most flourishing circumstances. In 1721 a subscription was made for the support of his family, which amounted to £470. For though he drew profits from reading astronomical and philosophical lectures, and also from his publications, which were very numerous, yet these of themselves would have been very insufficient; and he was often in great distress. He continued long a member of the church of England, but at last he went over to the Baptists. He wrote Memoirs of his own Life and

professor of divinity, and master of St John's Čollege. He wrote some able works against Popery. He died in 1595.

WHITAKER (Rev. John), B. D., was born at Manchester in the year 1735. What school he Oxford, and in due time became a fellow of Corattended appears not be known. He went early to pus Christi College. In 1771 he published in 4to. his History of Manchester; a work eminently distinguished for acuteness of research, vigor of imagination, independent sentiment, and correct and various information. As it was the first, perhaps also it was the most perfect of all his works, in matter, arrangement, and style. In 1782 he published, in an 8vo. volume, Genuine History of the Britons asserted, which may be considered as a sequel to the history of Manchester. In both works the history of our island is elucidated by the hand of a master. In the latter he particularly refutes Macpherson's Introduction to the History of Great Britain and Ireland, which is disfigured by mistakes and misrepresentations. In 1773 Mr. Whitaker was morning preacher at Berkeley chapel, from which he was removed in the following year. During his residence in the metropolis, he became acquainted with most of the celebrated writers of the time, particularly with Johnson and Gibbon. By the latter the manuscript of the first volume of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was submitted to Mr. Whitaker's perusal. The manuscript did not contain the chapter which gave such just offence to the Christian world. The historian it seems did not dare to expose it to his censure. The fact is curious and important. Mr. Whitaker was about this time offered a living by a Unitarian patron, with the view of influencing his principles. He was without preferment, but he spurned the temptation, and pitied the seducer. În 1778 he succeeded in right of his fellowship to the rectory of Ruan Langholme, in Cornwall, one of the most valuable livings in the gift of his college; and thither he went immediately to reside. In 1783 he published Sermons upon Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. He published also, in a large 8vo., the Origin of Arianism, a controversial work of great erudition and powerful argument. The Real Origin of Government (a treatise expanded from a sermon preached at the primary visitation of bishop Butler), and the Introduction to Flindell's Bible, are his only other works in the line of his profession, of which at least we have heard. In 1787 he published, in 3 vols. 8vo., Mary Queen of Scots; and seems to have carried on his antiquarian re