LEWIS, author of the Historical Dictionary, was born at Bargemon in Provence, in 1643. He learned rhetoric and philosophy at Aix, and divinity at Lyons. At 18 years of age he wrote a small piece, entitled *Le Pays d'Amour*, and a collection of the finest French poems entitled *Doux plaisirs de la Poésie*. He learned Spanish and Italian; and translated out of Spanish into French the book entitled *La Perfection Chrétienne de Rodriguez*. He then refined the Saints Lives to the purity of the French tongue. Being ordained priest, he preached at Lyons, and undertook, when he was but 30 years of age, a new Historical Dictionary, printed at Lyons in one vol. folio, 1673. But his continual labour impaired his health; so that he died in 1680, aged 37. His second volume was published after his death; and four more volumes have since been added. He left some other works behind him.

MORRHINA or MURRHINA VASA, were a sort of cups or vases made use of by the ancients for drinking out of, and other purposes. Authors are not agreed as to the substance of which they were made. Some say it was a stone; some assert that it was a fluid condensed by being buried under ground. All that we know concerning it is, that it was known by the name of murra, and that Heliogabalus's chamber pot was made of it. The word is sometimes written myrrhina.