standard gold. It is uot, however, every kind of reputedly pure copper that can safely be used for alloying gold as a material for minting: even the Swedish dollar copper occasionally renders the gold which it is mixed as brittle as glass. This appears to be owing to the lead and antiinony which most copper contains, and which, though not in sufficient quantity to affect in any material degree the ductility of the copper itself, are fully adequate to destroy the ductility of the gold with which they are mixed.

GOLD-FINCH, in ornithology. See FRIN

GILLA.

GOLD-FINNY, in ichthyology. See LA

BRUS.

GOLD-FISH, in ichthyology. See Cy

PKINUS.

GOLDBEATER, one whose occupation is to beat or foliate gold. See GOLD.

GOLDBERG, a town of Silesia, in the duchy of Lignitz. The inhabitants are engaged in manufactures of woollen and linen. Lat. 51. 3 N. Lon. 16, 23 E.

GOLDBOUND. a. Encompassed with gold (Shakspeare).

GOLD COAST, a maritime country of Guinea, where the Europeans have several forts and settlements. It reaches from the Gold River, 12 miles W. of Assine, and ends 8 miles E. of Acraw, being about 180 miles in length. It includes several districts, in which are two or three small towns, lying on the sea-shore. The negro inhabitants are generally very rich, as they carry ou a great trade with the Europeans for gold; and many of them are employed in fishing, and culti vating rice, which grows in incredible quantities. This they exchange with others for Indian corn, yams, potatoes, and palm oil. Most of the inhabitants go naked; and those who are best clothed have only some yards of stuff wrapped about their middle.

GOLDEN. a. (from gold.) 1. Made of gold; consisting of gold (Dryden). 2. Shining; bright; splendid; resplendent (Crashaw). 3. Yellow; of the colour of gold (Mortimer). 4. Excellent; valuable (Dryden). 5. Happy; resembling the age of gold (Shakspeare).

GOLDEN EYE, in ornithology. See

ANAS.

that it obtained great success and reputation in Greece, insomuch that the order of the period was engraved in letters of gold; whence it acquired the name of Golden Number. GOLDEN ROP, in botany. See SOLI

DAGO.

GOLDEN ROD

ROSEA.

TREE, in botany. See

GOLDEN ROSE. The pope annually consecrates a golden rose on the fourth Sunday in Lent, which is sent to princesses, or to some church, as a mark of his peculiar affection.

GOLDEN RULE, the name usually given by arithmeticians to the Rule of Proportion, or Rule of Three, on account of its extensive usefulness.

GOLDENLY. ad. (from golden.) Delightfully; splendidly (Shakspeare).

GOLDFINDER. s. (gold and find.) One who finds gold. A term ludicrously applied to those that empty jakes (Swift).

GOʻLDSIZE. s. A glue of a golden colour. GOʻLDSMITH. s. (gold and ruit, Saxon.) 1. One who manufactures gold (Shakspeare). 2. A banker; one who keeps money for others in his hands (Swift).

The goldsmith's work is either performed in the mould, or beat out with the hammer, or other engine. All works that have raised figures are cast in a mould, and afterwards polished and finished: plates, or dishes, of silver or gold, are beat out from thin flat plates; and tankards, and other vessels of that kind, are formed of plates soldered together, and their mouldings are beat, not cast. The business of the goldsmiths formerly required much more labour than it does at present; for they were obliged to hammer the metal from the ingot to the thinness they wanted: but there are now invented flattingmills, which reduce metals to the thinness.. that is required, at a very small expence. The goldsmith is to make his own moulds, and for that reason ought to be a good designer, and have a taste in sculpture : he also ought to know enough of metallurgy to be able to assay mixed netals, and to mix the alloy. The goldsmiths in London employ several hands under them for the various articles of their trade; such are the jeweller, the snuffbox and toy maker, the silver turner, the gilder, the burnisher, the chaser, the refiner, and the gold-beater.

GOLDSMITHS' COMPANY. See COMPANY. GOLDSMITH (Oliver), a celebrated writer, was born at Roscommon in Ireland, on Nov. 29th, 1728. His father had nine children, five sons, and four daughters: Oliver was the second son. He was intended by his father for some mercantile employment, and with this view received a scanty instruction in his native village. But some early specimens of his wit and genius induced his father, at the instigation and with the assistance of some liberal friends, to send him to the university; he was, therefore, after a preparatory education at some good schools, sent to Dublin college, in June 1744. Here he was guilty

of some indiscretions, and, in consequence of some harsh treatment from the tutor, fled from college. By the assistance of an uncle, he was removed, about 1752, from Ireland to Edinburgh for the purpose of studying physic. Here he continued till the year 1754, when he passed over to Rotterdam and thence to Leyden, where he studied chemistry under Gaubius and anatomy under Albinus. On leaving Leyden, he made the tour of a great part of Europe on foot, and met with many adventures which he has related in his Vicar of Wakefield; in the year 1756 he arrived in London. While on the Continent he subsisted chiefly by a little skill in music, which made him acceptable to the peasantry; but he often met with a kind reception at the religious houses, where his genius and learning were much esteemed. On his return to England, he was in such low circumstances that it was long before he could get employment in London, being rejected by several apothecaries to whom he offered himself as a journeyman. He was at last taken into a laboratory, and shortly after met with a Dr. Sleigh, who now afforded him aid till something better could be done for him. By degrees he rose into fame from his poems, dramatic writings, and novels, and might have acquired a competency, but that he was lavish of his money and addicted to gaming, which constantly kept him poor. In the latter part of his life he was afflicted with a stranguary, and fell into an habitual despondency. He died in April, 1774, and was buried in Westminster abbey, where there is a monument to his memory, with an elegant epitaph, written by his friend Dr. Johnson.

schools. 5. A View of Experimental Philosophy, 3 vols. 8vo.; a posthumous work, not much esteemed. 6. Miscellanies. 7. The Citizen of the World. 8. The Good natured Man, a comedy. 9. She Stoops to Conquer, a comedy.

GOLDY LOCKS, in botany. See CHRY

SOCOMA.

GOLF, GOFF, or GoUF, an ancient English and Scotch game, and still common to the latter country, in which clubs are used for striking balls, stuffed very hard with feathers, from one hole to another. He who drives his ball into the hole with the fewest strokes is the winner,

The derivation of the word golf or goff has been differently given by the etymologists. Skinner deduces it from the Latin colaphus, a blow : Pinkerton proposes the Scandinavian golf, pavimentum, from its being played on level fields; others, with more probability, from the German kolbe, a club; whence the Dutch_and Swedish kolf of the same meaning. This is farther confirmed by the fact that gouf, in the Scottish dialect, still means a blow or stroke; and that the Dutch still follow the game of golf under the denomination of colf, which they play in an inclosed area, in which are placed two circular posts, each of them about eight or ten feet from each end wall: "and the contest is who shall hit the two posts in the fewest strokes, and make his ball retreat from the last one with such an accurate length as that it shall be nearest to the opposite end wall of the area." Statist. Acc. (Inveresk.) xvi. 23.30. N.

Golf seems to have been an improvement upon foot-ball, in the same manner perhaps as cricket has been an improvement upon golf. In Scotland it occupied so much of the time of the cominon people, in conjunction with foot-ball, and similar sports, as to have rendered a prohibition absolutely necessary in the reign of James IV: for we find it formally enacted by the parliament of 1491, "that in na place of the realme thair be usit fut-ballis, golf, or uther sic unprofitabill sportis for the commoun gude of the realme and defence thairof."

As to his character, it is strongly illustrated by Mr. Pope's line, "In wit a man, simpli city a child." The learned leisure he loved to enjoy was too often interrupted by distresses which arose from the liberality of his temper, and which sometimes threw him into loud fits of passion: but this impetuosity was corrected upon a moment's reflection; and his servants have been known, upon these occasions, purposely to throw themselves in his way, that they might profit by it immediately after; for he who had the good fortune to be reproved was certain of being rewarded for it. The universal esteem in which his poems were held, and the repeated pleasure they give in the perusal, is a striking test of their merit, He was a studious and correct observer of nature; happy in the selection of his images; in the choice of his subjects, and in the har nony of his versification; and though his em--Sports and Pastimes, p. 81. barrassed situation prevented him from putting the last hand to many of his productions, his Hermit, his Traveller, and his Deserted Village, decidedly claim a place among the finished pieces in the English language.

Besides the works already mentioned, he wrote, 1. History of the Earth and Animated Nature, 6 vols. 8vo. 2. History of England, 4 vols. 8vo. 3. History of Rome, 2 vols. 4. thridgments of the two last, for the use of

In England, golf (according to Strutt), was practised in the reign of Edward III. under the Latin name cambuca, which was given it, no doubt, from the crooked club or bat with which it was played: the bat was also called by the common people a bandy, from its being bent; whence the game itself is frequently written in English bandy-ball.

As the game is now usually played, the club employed is taper, progressively diminishing towards the part that strikes the ball, which part is faced with horn and loaded with lead. There are six sorts of clubs used by good players; namely, the common club, used when the ball lies on the ground; the scraper, and half-scraper, when in long grass; the spoon, when in a hollow; the heavy iron club, when it lies deep among stones or

mud; and the light iron dito, when on the surface of chingle or sandy ground. The balls are considerably smaller than those used at cricket, but much harder; being made of horse leather, stuffed with feathers in a peculiar manner, and boiled.

The ground may be circular, triangular, or a semicircle. The number of holes are not limited; always depending on what the length of the ground will admit. The general distance between one hole and another is about a quarter of a mile, which commences and terininates every game; and the party who get their ball in by the fewest number of strokes are the victors.

Two, or as many as choose, may play together; but what is called the good game never exceeds four; that number being allowed to afford best diversion, and not so liable to confusion as a greater number. The more rising or uneven the ground, the greater nicety or skill is required in the players; on which account such is always given the preference to by proficients.

and in consequence of an invitation he taught the Greek language a short time at Rochelle. On his return to Holland, he became the intimate friend of Erpenius, at that time Arabic professor at Leyden. In 1622 he went with the Dutch ambassador to the court of Muley Zidan, emperor of Morocco, taking with him a letter from Erpenius to that prince, together with a present of a grand atlas, and an Arabic translation of the New Testament. Golius returned from the journey with great acquisi tion to his knowledge in the Arabic, and with many books unknown in Europe. On the death of Erpenius, he succeeded to the Arabic professorship at Leyden. In 1623 he went to the Levant, and made excursions into Arabia; and in 1629 he returned to his native country, with a perfect knowledge of the Persian, Turkish, and Arabic tongues, and laden with manuscripts that have ever since been the boast of the university of Leyden. In his absence he had been chosen professor of mathematics in that university, aud after his return was appointed interpreter to the states for the eastern languages. He published an Arabic lexicon; a new edition of Erpenius's grammar; and several pieces of Arabic poetry, This great man died in 1667, universally là

Light balls are used when playing with the wind, and heavy ones against it. At the beginning of each game the ball is allowed to be elevated to whatever height the player chooses, for the convenience of striking; but not after-mented. wards. This is done by means of sand or clay, called a teeing. The balls which are played off at the beginning of the game must not be changed till the next hole is won, even if they should happen to burst. When a ball happens to be lost, that hole is lost to the party; and if a ball should be accidentally stopped, the player is allowed to take his stroke again.

Suppose four are to play the game, A and B against C and D; each party having a ball, they proceed thus: A strikes off first; C next, but perhaps does not drive his ball above half the distance A did, on which account D, his partner, next strikes it, which is called one more, to get it as forward as that of their antagonists, or as much beyond it as possible; if this is done, then B strikes A's ball, which is called playing the like, or equal, of their opponents. But if C and D, by their ball being in an awkward situation, should not be able, by playing one more, to get it as forward as A's, they are to play in turn, two, three, or as many more, until that is accomplished, before B strikes his partner's ball: which he calls one to two, or one to three, or as many strokes as they required to get to the same distance as A did by his once playing. The ball is struck alternately, if the parties are equal, or nearly so.

A club of gentlemen from London meet at the Green Man, Blackheath, every Saturday, when the weather is favourable, and play at golf on the heath, a piece of ground peculiarly fitted for the pastime.

GOLIUS (James), a learned Orientalist, was born at the Hague in 1596. Having finished his education at Leyden, he travelled with the duchess de la Tremouille into France, VOL. V.

GOLL. s. Hands; paws: obsolete (Sidney). GOLNAW, a town of Prussian Pomerania, seated on the Ilna. Lat. 53. 46 N. Lon. 14. 59 E.

GOLTZIUS (Henry,) a painter and engraver, was born in 1558 at Mulbrec, in the duchy of Juliers. He travelled through Germany and Italy in a curious disguise, having with him a servant who passed for master, while he appeared as a servant kept by the other merely for his skill in painting. From this journey he derived great pleasure and improvement. He died at Haerlem in 1617. His execution as an engraver was highly esteemed.

GOMBAULD (John Ogier de,) one of the best French poets in the 17th century, and one of the first members of the French academy, was born at St. Just de Lussac. He acquired the esteem of Mary de Medicis, and of the wits of his time. He was a Protestant, and died in a very advanced age. He wrote many works in verse and prose. His epigrams, and some of his sonnets, are particularly esteemed, He died in 1666, at the great age of 92 years.

and

GOMBROON, a considerable seaport of Persia, in the province of Farsistan. It is called by the natives Bandar Abassi, and is seated on a bay, 12 miles N. of the E. end of the island of Kismish, and nine miles from the famous island of Orinus. The best houses are built of brick dried in the sun, stand close to each other, being flat at the top, with a square turret, having holes on each side for the free passage of the air. Upon these roofs, those that stay in the town sleep every night in the summer season. The common people have wretched huts, made with Z