the largest river in Europe, derives its origin from two small lakes in the forest of Volkonski about 80 miles from Tver, a town in Russia. It is navigable a few miles above that town. This noble river waters some of the finest provinces in the Russian empire, and at last falls into the Caspian sea by several mouths, below Astracan.

The Volga is subject to annual inundations. In the year 1774, the inundations exceeded the lowest watermark by nearly 40 feet, since which period they have been rather on the decline; for in 1775, they rose only to 39 feet 2 inches above that mark; in 1782, they rose to 26 feet; in 1785, to 25 feet 2 inches; and in the year 1791, their height was the same. Pallas is of opinion that this phenomenon may have originated from the diminished quantity of snow and rain which had fallen in the higher countries; from the greater evaporation of the Caspian sea, and the gradual extension of the different mouths of the river, or perhaps from the joint operation of all these causes.

VOCABULARY, in Grammar, denotes the collection of the words of a language, with their significations, otherwise called a dictionary, lexicon, or nomenclature. See Dictionary.

A vocabulary is properly a smaller kind of dictionary, which does not enter so minutely into the origin and different acceptations of words.

VOCAL, something that relates to the voice or speech; thus vocal music is that set to words, especially verses, and to be performed by the voice; in contradistinction to instrumental music, composed only for instruments, without singing.

VOCATIVE, in Grammar, the fifth state or case of nouns. See Grammar.

VOLITION, VOLITION, an act of willing. See METAPHYSICS.