a daily office, or book of divine service, in the Roman church. It is composed of matins, lauds, first, third, sixth, and ninth vespers, and the compline or pont communio.

The breviary of Rome is general, and may be used in all places; but on the model of this various others have been built, appropriated to each diocese, and each order of religious.

The breviary of the Greeks is the same in almost all churches and monasteries that follow the Greek rites: the Greeks divide the psalter into 20 parts. In general, the Greek breviary consists of two parts; the one containing the office for the evening, the other that of the morning, divided into matins, lauds, first, third, sixth, and ninth vespers, and the compline; that is, of seven different hours, on account of that saying of David, Septies in die laudem dixi tibi.

The institution of the breviary is not very ancient: there have been inserted in it the lives of the saints, full of ridiculous and ill-attempted stories, which gave occasion to several reformations of it, by several councils, particularly those of Trent and Cologne; by several popes, particularly Pius V. Clement VIII., and Urban VIII.; and also by several cardinals and bishops, each lopping off some extravagances, and bringing it nearer to the simplicity of the primitive offices. Originally, everybody was obliged to recite the breviary every day; but by degrees the obligation was reduced to the clergy only, who are enjoined, under penalty of mortal sin and ecclesiastical censures, to recite it at home, when they cannot attend in public. In the 14th century, there was particular reserve granted in favour of bishops, who were allowed, on extraordinary occasions, to pass three days without rehearing the breviary.

This office was originally called curia; and afterwards, the breviarium: which latter name imports that the old office was abridged; or rather, that this collection is a kind of abridgment of all the prayers.

The breviaries now in use are innumerable; the difference between them consists principally in the number and order of the psalms, hymns, paternosters, Ave-Mariés, creeds, magnificates, cantemus's, benedictus's, canticamus's, nunc dimittis's, miserere's, hallelujah's, gloria patri's, &c.

Roman antiquity, a book first introduced by Augustus, containing an account of the application of the public money.

officer under the eastern empire, whose business it was to write and translate briefs.—At Rome those are styled breviators, or abbreviators, who dictate and draw up the pope's briefs.

Brevibus a rotulis liberandis, a writ or command to a sheriff to deliver to his successor the county, with the appurtenances, and the rolls, writs, and other things to his office belonging.

Brevier, among printers, a small kind of type or letter between bourgeoise and minion.

Brevity, in a general sense, that which denominates a thing brief or short.

Brevity is more particularly used in speaking of the style or composition of discourse. Brevity of discourse is by some called brachylogia and breviloguientia; sometimes laconismus. Tacitus and Perhus are remarkable for the brevity of their style. There are two kinds of brevity, one arising from dryness, poverty, and narrowness of genius; the other from judgment and reflection; which latter alone is laudable. Brevity is so essential to a tale, a song, and an epigram, that without it they necessarily languish and become dull. Rhetoricians make brevity one of the principal marks or conditions of eloquence; but the rules they prescribe for attaining it, are difficult to apply, so as still to keep the due medium between too much and too little. A just brevity is attained by using all the words which are necessary, and none but those which are necessary. Sometimes it may also be had, by choosing a word which has the force of several. It is this last kind which Quintilian admires so much in Sallust; and the imitation of which, by other writers, has caused so much obscurity.

Brevium custos. See Custos.