among divines, is taken, 1. For the free love and favour of God, which is the spring and source of all the benefits we receive from him. 2. For the work of the Spirit renewing the soul after the image of God; and continually guiding and strengthening the believer to obey his will, to resist and mortify sin, and overcome it.

Grace is also used, in a peculiar sense, for a short prayer said before and after meat.

The proofs of the moral obligation of this ceremony, drawn from different passages of the New Testament, are so well known, that it is needless to insist on them here. Some others, drawn from the practice of different nations, and of very remote antiquity, may not be disagreeable to our readers.

1. Athenaeus tells us, in his Deipnosoph. lib. ii. that in the famous regulation made by Amphictyon king of Athens with respect to the use of wine, both in sacrifices and at home, he required that the name of Jupiter the Sufferer should be decently and reverently pronounced. The same writer, in lib. iv. p. 149, quotes Hermeias, an author extant in his time, who informs us of a people in Egypt, inhabitants of the city of Naucratis, whose custom it was on certain occasions, after they had placed themselves in the usual posture of eating at the table, to rise again and kneel; when the priest or precentor of the solemnity began to chant a grace, according to a stated form amongst them; and when that was over, they joined in the meal in a solemn sacrificial manner. Heliodorus has a passage... pallage in his *Ethiopics* to the same purpose, that it was the custom of the Egyptian philosophers to pour out libations and put up ejaculations before they sat down to meals. Porphyry, in his treatise *De abstin.* lib. iv. p. 458., gives a great character of the Samæan gymnosophists in Egypt for the strictness of their life: as one article in their favour, he observes, that at the founding of a bell before their meals, which consisted only of rice, bread, fruits, and herbs, they went to prayers; which being ended, and not before, the bell founded again, and they sat down to eating. In general this was a religious usage or rite among the ancient Greeks; and derived from yet older ages, if Clement of Alexandria rightly informs us. He mentions, that these people when they met together to refresh themselves with the juice of the grape, sung a piece of music, in imitation of the Hebrew psalms, which they called a scholion. Livy, lib. xxxix. speaks of it as a settled custom among the old Romans, that they offered sacrifice and prayer to the gods at their meals and comports. But one of the fullest testimonies to our purpose is given by Quintilian, *Declam.* 301. *Adifii meniam*, says he, *ad quam cum venire capitum, Deos invocamus*; "We approached the table (at supper together), and then invoked the gods."

The Jesuit Trigautius, in his very elegant and instructive narrative of the Christian expedition of their missionaries into China, book i. p. 69. gives this account of the people there in the particular now under consideration. "Before they place themselves for partaking of an entertainment, the person who makes it sets a vessel, either of gold, or silver, or marble, or some such valuable material, in a charger full of wine, which he holds with both his hands, and then makes a low bow to the person of chief quality or character at the table. Then from the hall or dining-room, he goes into the porch or entry, where he again makes a very low bow, and turning his face to the south, pours out this wine upon the ground as a thankful oblation to the Lord of heaven. After this, repeating his reverential obeisance, he returns into the hall," &c.

The Turks pray for a blessing on their meat; and many more instances might be produced of infidels who have constantly observed the like custom in some way or other.

2. The fact, therefore, with respect to the heathen world, being thus evident, we proceed to the sentiments and behaviour of the Jews in this particular. Their celebrated historian Josephus, giving a detail of the rites and customs of the Essenes, who were confessedly the strictest and most pious professors of the Jewish religion, has this remarkable passage to the present purpose: "The priest," says he, "begs a blessing before they presume to take any nourishment; and it is looked upon as a great sin to take or taste before." Then follows the thanksgiving before meat: and "when the meal," proceeds he, "is over, the priest prays again; and the company with him bless and praise God as their preserver, and the donor of their life and nourishment."

Philo, in his book *De vita contemplativa*, gives an account of a body of men and women stricter than even the Essenes themselves. He distinguishes them by no particular name, though his relation is very accurate and circumstantial; namely, that on certain special occasions, before "they took their meals, they placed themselves in a proper decent order; when, lifting up their hands and eyes to heaven, they prayed to God that he would be pleased to be propitious to them in the use of those his good creatures."

From the Hebrew ritual it appears, that the Jews had their hymns and psalms of thanksgiving, not only after eating their passover, but on a variety of other occasions, at and after meals, and even between their several courses and dishes; as when the best of their wine was brought upon the table, or their aromatic concoctions, or the fruit of the garden, &c. On the day of the passover was sung Psalm cxiv. "When Israel came out of Egypt," &c.

Arrietus has a passage full on the present subject. "Moses," says he, "commands that when the Jews are going to eat or drink, the company should immediately join in sacrifice or prayer." Where Rabbi Eleazar (upon that author) met with this sentence, has been controverted. But supposing it not to be found in *scriptis*, it is sufficient for us to know that the Jews did constantly practise this custom, upon the foundation of an ancient and general tradition and usage. That the prophet Daniel gave thanks before meat, is evident from the Apocryphal book concerning Bel and the Dragon, where, ver. 38, 39, we find, that "Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God! neither hast thou forsaken them who seek thee and love thee. So Daniel arose, and did eat." Of this text Prudentia takes notice in Cathemerin, hymn iv.

*His sumptis Danielis excitavit* *In caluit faciem, ciboque fortis,* *Amen reddidit, allelujah dixit.* *The much-belov'd took the repast,* *And up to heav'n his eyes he cast;* *By which refresh'd, he sung aloud,* *Amen, and allelujah to his God.*

Where, by the way, it may be observed, that the poet is a little mistaken in making the prophet give thanks after meat; whereas, according to the text, he did it before.

Gracefulness, in the human character; an agreeable attribute, inseparable from motion as opposed to rest, and as comprehending speech, looks, gesture, and loco-motion.

As some motions are homely, the opposite to graceful; it is to be inquired, With what motions is this attribute connected? No man appears graceful in a mask; and therefore, laying aside the expressions of the countenance, the other motions may be genteel, may be elegant, but of themselves never are graceful. A motion adjusted in the most perfect manner to answer its end, is elegant; but still somewhat more is required to complete our idea of grace or gracefulness.

What this unknown more may be, is the nice point. One thing is clear from what is said, that this more must arise from the expressions of the countenance; and from what expressions so naturally as from those which indicate mental qualities, such as sweetness, benevolence, elevation, dignity? This promises to be a fair analysis: because of all objects mental qualities affect us the most; and and the impression made by graceful appearance upon every spectator of taste, is too deep for any cause purely corporeal.

The next step is, to examine what are the mental qualities, that, in conjunction with elegance of motion, produce a graceful appearance. Sweetness, cheerfulness, affability, are not separately sufficient, nor even in conjunction. Dignity alone, with elegant motion, produce a graceful appearance; but still more graceful with the aid of other qualities, those especially that are the most exalted. See DIGNITY.

But this is not all. The most exalted virtues may be the lot of a person whose countenance has little expression: such a person cannot be graceful. Therefore to produce this appearance, we must add another circumstance, viz. an expressive countenance, displaying to every spectator of taste, with life and energy, everything that passes in the mind.

Collecting these circumstances together, grace may be defined, "that agreeable appearance which arises from elegance of motion and from a countenance expressive of dignity." Expressions of other mental qualities are not essential to that appearance, but they heighten it greatly.

Of all external objects, a graceful person is the most agreeable.

Dancing affords great opportunity for displaying grace, and haranguing still more. See DANCING, DECLAMATION, and ORATORY.

But in vain will a person attempt to be graceful who is deficient in amiable qualities. A man, it is true, may form an idea of qualities he is destitute of; and, by means of that idea, may endeavour to express these qualities by looks and gestures: but such studied expression will be too faint and obscure to be graceful.

Act of Grace, the appellation given to the act of parliament 1696, c. 32, which allows prisoners for civil debts to be set at liberty, upon making oath that they have not therewithal to support themselves in prison, unless they are alimented by the creditors on whose diligences they were imprisoned, within ten days after intimation made for that purpose.

Days of Grace, three days immediately following the term of payment of a bill, within which the creditor must protest it if payment is not obtained, in order to entitle him to recourse against the drawer.

Grace is also a title of dignity given to dukes, archbishops, and in Germany to barons and other inferior princes.