To the south, between Worcester and the vale of Evesham, the soil is partly of a red marl, and part strong loamy rich clay; other parts sandy loam; and there is a small vein of land which partakes of each of these qualities; the sub-soil, more especially under the second division, lime-stone. In the vale the soil is particularly deep, of a darkishcolored earth, with a sub-stratum of strong clay and some gravel. Beyond this, on the confines of the county, and in the small detached parts, including the Cotswold Hills in the county of Gloucester, a limestone prevails on the upper lands and a rich loam on the lower. To the south, between Worcester and Malvern, the general character of the soil is a clay mixed with gravel in different proportions; the former prevailing in the lower and the latter in the higher situations. To the left of this line, including Malvern Chase, a deep surface of clay is found in some places; in others a rich loam inclining to sand; sub-stratum supposed to be marl. To the right, till we approach a central point between the west and north, the proportion of clay increases gradually, till at last a strong loam occurs; this again becomes gradually more gravelly till it joins the light sands in the north; below partly marl, partly soft sandy stone, and some limestone is found: in each of these districts is some very rocky land; and in most some loose stony soil, or stone brash, is met with, but no where are there any traces of chalk or flint.

The principal rivers of this county are the Severn, the Avon, the Teme, and the Stour. The Severn, the principal river of this county, and the second in rank after the Thames-whether we regard the length of its course, the majesty of its stream, or the extensive advantages which the commerce of the county derives from it-takes its name from the British word Sabi or Sabrina, which denotes sandy, and allude to the extreme muddiness of its water, which is particularly remarkable after rain, by a phenomenon, almost peculiar to this river, and expressly denominated by the tenants of its banks the Boar, which is merely a swelling of its waters by the inundations of the mountain torrents which it receives in its course through Wales, its source being at Plinlymmon Hill, in Montgomeryshire. The name is derived from the noise, which at a distance this accumulated mass of water, rising many feet perpendicular above the customary level of the stream, makes in its devastating progress; those who happen to be overtaken by it upon its banks are involved in inevitable destruction. Adapting the British name to their own orthography, the Romans latinised the name of this river by giving it a feminine termination, and calling it Sabrina, whence with a trifling alteration, may be easily traced the Severn of the moderns. The name by which the Welsh still designate this river fully expresses their sense of its importance, Ha au Rian, in their language signifying the Queen of Rivers. The Severn, having washed the fortification of the venerable capital of the county of Salop, enters the county of Worcester just above Bewdley, and pursuing a southern course nearly through the centre of the county, receives, at Stourport, the tributary stream of the Stour, and the commerce of the northern and inland counties, poured in by the Staffordshire Canal; and about seven miles lower is joined by the Salwarp: somewhat lower it is augmented by the Beverbourne or Otter River, so called from the multitude of otters which formerly frequented it.

It next washes the walls of the rich and beautiful city of Worcester, and about one mile lower is joined by the Teme. From this place, during the remainder of its course through this county, it receives no river of importance till it reaches the southern confines at Tewksbury, where it is joined by the Avon, which enters this county to the northeast, near the little village of Salford, winding through the vale of Evesham to the town from which it is named; then to the town of Pershore, and continuing thence a more southerly direction, it finally blends its water with the Severn. The Teme enters this county to the north-west near Tenbury, and falls into the Severn about one mile below Worcester. The Stour enters this county near Stourbridge, passes the town of Kidderminster, receiving a variety of small rills from Dudley, Kinver, Wolverly, &c., and empties itself into the Severn near Stourport. The canals of this county are, first, the Droitwich, about five miles and a half long from Droitwich to the Severn, near the junction of that river with the Salwarp; second, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, which commences at the latter town, and after a course of thirty-one miles and a half falls into the Severn on the south side of the city of Worcester, at a place called Diglis; third, Dudley Extension Canal, joining the Dudley Canal near Netherton, making a course of ten miles and a half, falls into the Birmingham and Worcester Canal near Selly Oak without a lock. The Dudley canal runs through so small a portion of this county as not to merit any particular account. From the Birmingham and Worcester Canal a branch strikes off at King's Norton, and soon after entering the county of Warwick proceeds to Stratford where it falls into the Avon. The Staffordshire Canal enters this county near the village of Kinver, a short distance to the west of Stourbridge, and, pursuing a course nearly parallel to the little river Sour, falls into the Severn at Stourport.

This county is not particularly famous for mines and minerals; and indeed nature has been so propitious to its surface that it is rich enough without searching beneath; and it is generally in more mountainous countries that valuable mines and minerals abound: it is not, however, wholly destitute of mines; brick clay, gravel, sand, and marl, are common, and limestone in the hills and various other parts of the county, and some places burnt for use. Freestone for building is found in various places. Coal is raised at Dudley and in the northwest of the county at Mamble and at Pensax. Quartzum, a siliceous primeval stone, forms the basis of the Malvern Chain; and also the Sickey, north-east of Bromsgrove. Sal commune, common salt; one of the richest sources in the whole world of this domestic article is at Droitwich in this county. And in the vale of Evesham there are quarries of calcareous flagstone. Its vegetable productions are corn, pulse, fine wool, hops, cyder, and perry; and it abounds with fine pastures for cattle.

Worcestershire sends nine members to parliament; viz. two for the county, two for the city of Worcester, two for Evesham, two for Droitwich, and one for Bewdley.

Samuel Butler, a poet of a very singular cast, was born at Strenham 1612. (Author of the celebrated Hudibras.) Died very pro: 1680.-John Baskerville, an eminent printer and letter-founder,

who first introduced into this country a new and elegant kind of types for fine printing, was born at Wolverly 1706. Died 1775.-John de Feckenham, so called because he was born of poor parents in a cottage near the forest of Feckingham, his right name being Howman. He was the last abbot of Westminster, and died in 1585.-William Habington, an historian and poet. Born 1605. Died 1654.Edward Kelley, a famous necromancer and associate with the noted Dr. Dee. Born at Worcester 1555. Died 1595.-Lord George Lyttelton, an elegant historian, poet, and miscellaneous writer. Born at Hagley 1709. Died 1773.-Cardinal Reginald Pole, an eminent statesman and archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of queen Mary. Born at Stoverton Castle 1500. Died 1558.-Lord John Somers, chancellor of England, a most incorrupt Born at Worcester lawyer and honest statesman. 1652. Died 1716. The manufactures of this county are porcelain, glass, pottery, iron, carpets, gloves, hosiery, stuffs, &c.

WORD, n. s., v. N., &r Sax. pond; Belgic WORD'Y, adj. [v. a. Ì woord; Teut. wort; Gothic, Swedish, and Danish ord. A single part of speech; short discourse; talk; dispute; promise; order; signet; tidings; affirmation; Scripture; a Scripture name of the Lord Jesus Christ: to word is to dispute; to express in words: wordy, verbose; full of words.

They say this church of England neither hath the word purely preached, nor the sacraments sincerely Whitgifte.

ministered.

Why should calamity be full of words?

Let them have scope.

Shakspeare.

A word, Lucilius,

In a word, the gospel describes God us in all respects such a one as we would wish him to be. Tillotson.

Cease this contention: be thy words severe, Sharp as he merits; but the sword forbear. Dryden. I know you brave, and take you at your word; That present service, which you vaunt, afford. Id. He that descends not to word it with a shrew, does worse than beat her. L'Estrange. Whether I have improved these fables or no, in the wording or meaning of them, the book must stand or fall to itself. Id.

Amongst men who confound their ideas with words, there must be endless disputes, wrangling, and jargon. Locke.

We need not lavish hours in wordy periods, As do the Romans, ere they dare to fight. Philips. A friend who shall own thee in thy lowest condition, answer all thy wants, and, in a word, never leave thee. South.

The apology for the king is the same, but worded with greater deference to that great prince. Addison.

Timotheus, my workfellow, and Lucius, salute you. Romans.

In having but fortie foot workmanly dight, Take saffron enough for a lord and a knight. Tusser. What time this world's great workmaster did cast To make all things, such as we now behold, It seems that he before his eyes had placed A goodly pattern, to whose perfect mould He fashioned them so comely.

Spenser.

Ye fair nymphs, which oftentimes have loved The cruel worker of your kindly smarts, Prepare yourselves, and open wide your hearts. Id. The most fine-fingered workwoman on ground, Arachne, by his means was vanquished. Work on,

Id.

My medicine, work! thus credulous fools are caught. Shakspeare.

Without the king's assent You wrought to be a legate. Id. Henry VIII. Glory grows guilty of detested crimes, When for fame's sake

Id.

We bend to that the working of the heart. Shakspeare.
The quick forge and workinghouse of thought.
Id. Henry V.
How full of briars is this workingday world! Shaksp.
When workmen strive to do better than well,
They do confound their skill in covetousness.
We will fetch thee straight
Daphne roaming through a thorny wood,
Scratching her legs, that one should swear she bleeds,
And at that sight shall sad Apollo weep,
So workmanly the blood and tears are drawn.
Tell her but a workyday fortune.

Id. Id.

TO WORK, in the manege. To work a horse is to exercise him at pace, trot, or gallop, and ride him at the manege. To work a horse upon volts, or head and haunches in or between two heels, is to passage him, or make him go sidewise upon parallel lines.

WORK, in sea language, is to direct the movements of a ship, by adapting the sails to the force and direction of the wind. See SEAMANSHIP.

WORKHOUSE is also a place where indigent, vagrant, and idle people, are set to work, and supplied with food and clothing. Workhouses are of two kinds, or at least are employed for two different purposes. Some are used as prisons for vagrants or sturdy beggars, who are there confined and compelled to labor for the benefit of the society which maintains them; whilst others, sometimes called poor-houses, are charitable asylums for such indigent persons, as through age or infirmity are unable to support themselves by their own labor.

WORKSOP, a market-town and parish in Basset-law hundred, Nottinghamshire, twenty miles north of Nottingham, and 142 north-west of London. It consists principally of two streets, and although small, it is a very neat town, lying in a pleasant valley near the source of the river Ryton, and noted for its malt and liquorice. Market on Wednesday.

WORLD, n. s. WORLD'LING,

Sax. poplo; Belgic wereld; Swed. werald;

WORLD'LY, adj. & adv. ( Goth. verold. The uniWORLD'LINESS, n. s. verse; the great collective idea of all bodies whatever; the system of beings; the earth; present life; course of things; mankind; a great multitude; manners of men a worldling is a man devoted to this world; a covetous man: worldly is secular; relating to this life; human as an adverb, with relation to this life: the noun substantive corresponding.

God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, by whom he made the worlds. Heb. i. 2.

God of the world and worldlings, Great Mammon! greatest god below the sky. Spenser. This hath bred high terms of separation between such and the rest of the world, whereby the one sort are named the brethren, the godly; the other, worldlings, time-servers, pleasers of men more than of God.

Hooker. Many years it hath cotinued, standing by no other worldly mean but that one only hand which erected it. Id.

The bassa having recommended Barbarussa, it was a world to see, how the court was changed upon him.

Pope.

He is divinely bent to meditation; And in no worldly suits should he be moved, To draw him from his holy exercise.

Id.

Not in the works of bloody Mars employed, The wanton youth inglorious peace enjoyed. To hasten his destruction, come yourself, And work your royal father to his ruin. A. Philips. Each herb he knew that works or good or ill, More learned than Mesve, half as learned as Hill.

Harte. Flavia is very idle, and yet very fond of fine work: this makes her often sit working in bed until noon.

Law.

WORK, CARPENTERS, CLOCK, CROWN, FIELD, FIRE, FRET, GROTESQUE, HORN, MOSAIC. See these articles; also FORTIFICATION and PYRO

TECHNY.

For his weeping in the needless stream; Poor dear, quoth he, thou makest a testament As worldlings do, giving thy sum of more To that which had too mucn. 'Tis the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubbed nor stopped.

Id.

Id.

It is a token of a worldly wise man, not to contend in vain against the nature of times wherein he liveth. Raleigh.