term derived from the French avant or avant, signifying before or foremost of any thing: thus we say, the van-guard of the army, &c.

Vanbrugh, Sir John, a celebrated English dramatic writer and architect, was descended of a family in Cheshire which came from France, though by his name he appears to have been originally of Dutch extraction. He was born about the middle of the reign of Charles II. and received a liberal education. His first comedy, called the Relapse or Virtue in Danger, was acted in the year 1697 with great applause; which gave him such encouragement,