Let wantons, light of heart, Tickle the senseless rushes with their heels: For I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase; I'll be a candle-holder and look on. Shakspeare. It is in praise and commendation of men, as it is in gettings and gains; for the proverb is true, that light gains make heavy purses; for light gains come thick, whereas great come but now and then. Bacon's Essays. The sum of his whole book of proverbs is an exhortation to the study of this practic wisdom. Decay of Piety. The proverbs of several nations were much studied by Bishop Andrews, and the reason he gave, was, because by them he knew the minds of several nations, which is a brave thing. Selden. Am I not sung and proverbed for a fool In every street; do they not say, how well Are come upon him his deserts? Milton. He (Solomon), did wonderfully excel in ethics; concerning which he spake three thousand proverbs, or moral aphorisms. Barrow. It is proverbially said, formica sua bilis inest, habet et musca splenem; whereas these parts anatomy hath not discovered in insects. Browne. In case of excesses, I take the German proverbial cure, by a hair of the same beast, to be the worst in the world; and the best, the monks diet, to eat till you are sick, and fast till you are well again. Temple's Miscellanies. The proverb says of the Genoese, that they have a sea without fish, land without trees, and men without faith. Addison. Moral sentences and proverbial speeches are numerous in this poet. Pope. People will, in a great degree, and not without reason, form their opinion of you, upon that which they have of your friends; and there is a Spanish proverb which says, very justly, Tell me with whom you live, and I will tell you who you are.' Chesterfield. PROVERBS, BOOK OF, a canonical book of the Old Testament, containing a part of the proverbs of Solomon. The first twenty-four chapters are the work of that prince; the next five are a collection made by order of king Hezekiah; and the authors of the two last are Agur, the son of Jakeh, and king Lemuel. PROVIDE', v. a. PROVIDENCE, N. S. PROVIDENT, adj. PROVIDENTIAL, PROVIDENTIALLY, adv. PROVIDENTLY, PROVIDER, n. s. Lat. provideo. To procure, or supply, beforehand; furnish; get ready, taking of or with before the object: to provide against' is to take measures to counteract or escape; ' provide for,' to take care of; maintain: provided that means, conditioned that: providence is, forecast; forethought; timely care; prudence; frugality; act of providing; in a theological sense, God's care of all his creatures: providential and providentially are generally used in this last sense: provident is, prudent; forecasting: providently corresponding provider, he who provides. Genesis. God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. The only people which, as by their justice and providence, give neither cause nor hope to their neighhours to annoy them, so are they not stirred with false praise to trouble others' quiet. Sidney. Eternal providence exceeding thought, Where none appears can make himself a way. Spenser. Though the providence of God doth suffer many particular churches to cease, yet the promise of the same God will never permit that all of them at once shall perish. Pearson. Waller. Orange with youth, experience has, In action young, in council old; Orange is what Augustus was, Brave, wary, provident, and bold. They could not move me from my settled faith in God and his providence. More's Divine Dialogues. Nature having designed water fowls to fly in the air, and live in the water, she providently makes their feathers of such a texture that they do not admit the water. Boyle. He went, With large expence and with a pompous train Provided. Dryden. Some men, instructed by the labouring ant, Provide against the extremities of want. Id. By thrift my sinking fortune to repair, Though late, yet is at last become my care; My heart shall be my own, my vast expence Reduced to bounds, by timely providence. Provided that he set up his resolution not to let himself down below the dignity of a wise man. Id. L'Estrange. Every animal is providentially directed to the use of its proper weapons. Ray on the Creation. An earth well provided of all requisite things for an habitable world. Burnet's Theory. The lilies grow and the ravens are fed according to the course of nature, and yet they are made arguments of providence, nor are these things less providential, because regular. My arbitrary bounties undenied ; Burnet. Garth. PROVIDENCE. That there exists a divine providence, or, in other words, that the Deity attends to the affairs of this world, and directs their course, has been an opinion generally received among mankind, in all ages, and in all countries of the world. It has not, however, passed without opposition from philosophers in various ages, as well as the present. The most ancient of these were Democritus, Leucippus, and Epicurus. We think it totally unnecessary, however, to state the arguments on either side, as they would lead into a discussion of the much disputed doctrines about the origin of evil, liberty, and necessity, free-will, predestination, &c., which have been sufficiently noticed elsewhere. The weight of the argument indeed lies on the side of the affirmative, both for a general and particular Providence. Every argument that has been advanced in favor of the eternal selfexistence, infinite power, wisdom, and goodness of God, is equally decisive in favor of his superintending care over all his works. See THEо LOGY. PROVIDENCE, an island near the coast of Honduras, eleven miles long and four wide, and celebrated in the history of the buccaneers, who fortified it for some years. Its western extremity, called the island of Santa Catalina, is separated from the rest of the island by a narrow channel, over which was thrown a bridge. It has been considered one of the best of the West India islands for fertility, and the salubrity of its climate; to which may be added the facility of its fortification and defence, and the abundance of its fine water. PROVIDENCE, a post-town, port of entry, and semi-metropolis of Rhode Island, in a county of the same name; fifteen miles N. N. W. of Bristol, thirty north by west of Newport, forty S. S. W. of Boston, and fifty-nine north-east of New London, is situated on both sides of Providence River, just above the mouth of the Seekhonk, or Pawtucket, and thirty-five miles from the ocean. It is a pleasant, well-built, and very thriving town, well situated for trade, and has a flourishing commerce, and extensive manufactures. The shipping owned here in 1810, amounted to 14,465 tons. The river is navigable as far as the town for vessels of 900 tons. The two parts of the town are connected by an elegant bridge, ninety feet in breadth. In point of population, it is the first town in Rhode Island, and the third in New-England. It contains a court-house, a jail, a university, a public library of about 2000 volumes, a Friends' boarding-school and five public schools, seven banks, including a branch of the United States bank, and eight houses of public worship: three for Congregationalists, two for Baptists, one for Episcopalians, one for Friends, and one for Methodists. Two of the houses, and the Episcopal church, are among the Congregational, and one of the Baptist meetinghandsomest edifices of the kind in the United States. Many of the private houses are elegant, and some of them very finely situated. Among the manufacturing establishments are four cotton manufactories, a large woollen manufactory, a paper-mill, a bleaching, dyeing, and calendering company. These manufactories are aided by three steam engines. Three newspapers are published here, one twice a-week, and two once a-week. A little to the east of the town there are two handsome bridges across the Seekhonk. This town was originally settled, in 1636, by Roger Williams, to whom is ascribed the honor of having established the first political community in which perfect religious toleration was admitted. Brown University was originally founded at Warren in 1764, and removed to Providence in 1770. It received its present name in 1804 from Nicholas Brown, esq., one of its principal benefactors. It is a respectable and flourishing seminary. Its funds are not large, having arisen solely from individual liberality. The college building is a spacious and elegant brick edifice, four stories high, 150 feet long, forty-six broad, with a projection of twenty-feet on each side; and it contains. forty-eight rooms for students, and six rooms for public purposes. It is delightfully situated on an eminence on the east side of the town, commanding a fine prospect. The library contains about 3000 volumes, and the philosophical apparatus is respectable. The board of trustees is composed of thirtysix members; of whom twenty-two must be Baptists, five Friends, five Episcopalians, and four Congregationalists The number of fellows, or learned faculty, is twelve; of these eight, including the president must be Baptists; the other four may be of any denomination; as also may be the professors and tutors. The executive government consists of the president, seven professors, and two tutors. PROVIDENCE, NEW, an island of the West Indies, nearly in the centre of the great Bahama Bank, is twenty-five miles long and nine broad. The harbour of Nassau is on the north side, and is sheltered to the north by Hog Island; it is fit for vessels of thirteen feet. The town of Nassau is the seat of government of the Bahamas, and one of the best planned towns of the West Indies; the streets being wide and airy, and the houses well built. The trade here, particularly with the United States, was at a late period very considerable. Its chief objects were live stock, and salt and fresh provisions; which latter have been chiefly obtained from the more southern of the states. A considerable intercourse has likewise occasionally taken place between New Providence and the Island of Cuba; particularly to the Havannah, where there was a brisk market for British manufactures, prize goods, &c., through the facilities rendered by the licence trade. In May, 1803, there had been granted in this island, by the crown, no less than 23,079 acres of patented estates, for the purpose of cultivation. The population, in 1801, amounted to 1599 whites, 752 free people of color, and 3861 slaves, making a total of 6212; and in 1803 to 1758 whites, 817 people of color, and 2515 slaves, the total being 5090. At Nassau, there are two parish churches, and an old fort near the west entrance of the harbour. The goverument house (built in 1804) is one of the best in the West Indies, and is finely situated on a hill that commands the town and harbour. Here also is Fort Fincastle, and a small lighthouse. The public buildings, courts of justice, &c., are handsome and commodious. The barracks situated in Fort Charlotte, a little to the west of Nassau, were erected at a great expense by the earl of Dunmore, a late governor of the Bahamas. There is a very good road, extending for a considerable way along the coast of New Providence, and likewise one across the island from Nassau to the south. The island is situated between long. 77° 10′ and 77° 38′ W., lat. 25° 3' N. PROVIDENCE, NORTH, a town of Providence county, Rhode Island, on the west side of the Pawtucket. It lies on the north side of Providence, and contains several cot on manufactories, two banks, and an air furnace. Pawtucket village is in this township. Also a town of Saratoga county, New York. PROVIDENCE RIVER, a river of Rhode Island, formed by the Wanasquiatucket and Moshasick, which unite just above Providence. It flows into Narraganset Bay, at Bullock's Point, five or six miles below Providence. PROVINCE, n. s. Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer. Valignanus was provincial of the Jesuits in the Indies. Stillingfleet. Greece, Italy, and Sicily, were divided into commonwealths, till swallowed up and made provinces by Rome. Temple. Dryden. age, "Tis thine, whate'er is pleasant, good, or fair; All nature is thy province, life thy care. They build and treat with such magnificence, That, like the ambitious monarchs of the They give the law to our provincial stage. Id. The woman's province is to be careful in her ceconomy, and chaste in her affection. Tatler. He has caused fortified towns and large provinces to be restored, which had been conquered long before. Davenant. A law made in a provincial synod is properly termed a provincial constitution. Ayliffe's Parergon. See them broke with toils, or sunk in ease, Or infamous for plundered provinces. Pope. A country squire having only the provincial accent upon his tongue, which is neither a fault, nor in his power to remedy, must marry a cast wench. Swift. Their understandings are cooped up in narrow bounds; so that they never look abroad into other Watts. provinces of the intellectual world. His mien was aukward; graces he had none; Provincial were his notions and his tone. Harte. PROVINCE, in Roman antiquity, was a country of considerable extent, which, upon being entirely reduced under the Roman dominion, was new-modelled according to the pleasure of the conquerors, and subjected to the command of annual governors, sent from Rome, being obliged to pay such taxes and contributions as the senate thought fit to demand. Of these countries, that part of France next the Alps was one, and retained the name of Provence till the Revolution. Nicod derives the word a procul vivendo, living afar off; but it is better derived from pro and vinco, I overcome. PROVINCE, in geography, is a division of a kingdom or state, comprising several cities, towns, &c., all under the same government, and usually distinguished by the extent either of the civil or ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The church distinguishes its provinces by archbishoprics; in which sense, England is divided into two provinces, Canterbury and York. PROVINCE ISLAND, a fertile island in the Delaware, six miles below Philadelphia. PROVINCETOWN, a post town of Barnstaple county, Massachusets, near Cape Cod; fortyfour miles north-east of Barnstaple, and 116 south-east of Boston. It is situated on the hook of Cape Cod, three miles south-east of Race Point. The harbour, which is one of the best in the state, opens to the southward, and has sufficient depth of water for any vessels. The houses are of one story, and, in order to prevent their being buried in the sand, are set on piles, that the driving sands may pass under them. The inhabitants depend almost wholly on the Of heaven they marched, and many a province wide. fisheries for subsistence; raise nothing on their The duke dare not more stretch This finger of mine, than he dare rack his own; His subject am I not, nor here provincial. Id. When there was a design to provinciate the whole kingdom, Druina, though offered a canton, would not accept of it. Over many a tract Howel. Milton. lands, and are dependent on Boston and the neighbouring towns, for every vegetable production. They keep a few cows, which obtain a scanty subsistence from the beach grass and marshes. PROVINS, a post-town of the department of the Seine-et-Marne, France, and the chief place of a sub-prefecture of the same name, containing 5600 inhabitants, and having a lower court of judicature, a chamber of commerce, an agricultural society, and a communal college. This town is situated on the declivity and at the foot of a lofty hill, watered by the little rivers of Durtein and Vouzie, which turn about sixty flour-mills in the neighbourhood. It is well built, and divided into the Upper and Lower Town; most of the streets are wide, clean, and airy; but it is not peopled in proportion to its size. It was fortified in ancient times, and there are still to be seen in the Upper Town the remains of a strong castle. Both parts of the town are encompassed with walls in a pretty good state of preservation. It is also almost encircled with boulevards, which form majestic bowers over a fountain of mineral-water, of a ferruginous quality. In 1780 a canal was commenced, for the purpose of rendering the litle river Vouzie navigable; the accomplishment of this enterprise, as the canal would communicate with the Seine near Bray, would be of the highest importance to this town. Here are manufactures of linsey-woolsey, earthenware, and conserve of roses; there are also numerous flour-mills, tan-yards, and bark mills, tile and lime-kilns. The trade consists in corn and flour for the Paris market, Provins roses for medicinal purposes, cultivated in this neighbourhood for centuries; wool, leather, and mineral-waters. The most remarkable public places are, the mineral-spring, the walks, and the extremity of the hill, on which the town is built, the ruins of an ancient fort, supposed to be of Roman construction, from which there is a very extensive prospect. Provins is thirty-seven miles east of Melun, thirteen north-west of Nogent, and sixty-three south-east of Paris. PROVISION, n. s. PROVISIONAL, adj. PROVISIONALLY, adv. PROVI'SO, n. s. Fr. provision; Lat. provisio, proviso. The act of providing; care; things provided or measures taken beforehand; stock, particularly of food; terms settled: provisional means provided for the present only; temporary: the adverb corresponding proviso, stipulation; expressed condition; caution or care taken. Kalander knew that provision is the foundation of hospitality, and thrift the fewel of magnificence. The commenda semestris grew out of a natural equity, that, in the time of the patron's respite given him to present, the church should not be without a provisional pastor. Ayliffe. Fr. provoquer ; Spanish provocar; Lat. provocare, provoco. To excite; rouse to energy; PROVOKE', v. a. & v.n PROVOKER, PROVOKINGLY, adv. rouse or excite to anger; enrage; offend; challenge; induce; promote; move: as a verb neuter, to produce anger; and (a Latinism) to appeal: provocation is, the act or cause which excites to anger; excitement; appeal: provocative, that which operates as an excitement of the appetite, in particular: provoker, one who excites anger or displeasure; promoter: provokingly, in a way to excite anger. The Lord abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons. Deuteronomy xxxii. 19. Ye provoke me unto wrath, burning incense unto other Gods. Jeremiah xliv. 8. To provoke unto love and to good works. Hebrews. The like effects may grow in all towards thei pastor, and in their pastor towards every of them, between whom there daily and interchangeably pass in the hearing of God himself, and in the presence of his holy angels, so many heavenly acclamations, exultations, provocations, and petitions. Hooker. Drink is a great provoker; it provokes and unproShakspeare. vokes. It is a fundamental law, in the Turkish empire, that they may, without any other provocation, make war upon Christendom for the propagation of their law. Bacon. When we see a man that yesterday kept a humiliation, to-day invading the possessions of his bre The PROVOST of a city or town is the chief municipal magistrate in several trading cities, particularly Edinburgh, Paris, &c., being much the same with mayor in other places. He presides in city courts, and, together with the bailies, who are his deputies, determines in all differences that arise among citizens. The provost of Edinburgh is called lord; and the same title is claimed by the provosts of Perth and Glasgow. The former calls yearly conventions of the royal boroughs to Edinburgh by his missives, and is, ex officio, president of the convention when met. PROVOST GENERAL of the marines, a ci-devant French officer, whose duty it was to prosecute the marines when guilty of any crime, and to make report thereof to the council of war; besides a marine provost in every vessel, who was a kind of jailor, and took the prisoners into his care, and kept the vessel clean." PROVOST MARTIAL OF AN ARMY is an officer appointed to seize and secure deserters, and all other criminals. He is to hinder soldiers from pillaging, to indict offenders, and see the sentence passed on them executed. He also regulates the weights and measures, and the price of provisions, &c., in the army. For the discharge of his office, he has a lieutenant, a clerk, and a troop of marshalmen on horseback, as also an executioner. PROVOST OF THE MARSHALS was a kind of lieutenant of the marshals of France: of these there were 180 seats in France; their chief jurisdiction regarded highwaymen, footpads, housebreakers, &c. PROVOST OF A UNIVERSITY or COLLEGE, a title given to the head of King's College, Cambridge, and of Trinity College, Dublin, and also to the president of a college in the United States. PROW, n. s. Fr. proue; Span proa; Lat. prora. The head or forepart of a ship. The sea-victory of Vespasian was a lady holding a palm in her hand, at her foot the prow of a ship. Peacham on Drawing: Straight to the Dutch he turns his dreadful prow, More fierce th' important quarrel to decide. PROW'ESS, n. s. Į PROW'EST, adj. Dryden. Fr. prousse; Ital. prodezza; Span. proeza. Bravery; military valor: prowest, bravest ; valiant: an obsolete barbarism. Men of such prowess, as not to know fear in themselves, and yet to teach it in others that should deal with them; for they had often made their lives triumph over most terrible dangers, never dismayed, and ever fortunate. Sidney. I hope That your wisdom will direct my thought, Or that your prowess can me yield relief. Spenser They be two of the prowest knights on ground, And oft approv'd in many a hard assay, And eke of surest steel, that can be found, Do arm yourself against that day them to confound. Id. |