GREATER,** a river which rises near Fitwell, in Oxfordshire, and proceeds to Buckingham, Stony Stratford, and Newport-Pagnel, in Buckinghamshire; from thence it proceeds to Bedford, and turning north-east, it passes on to Huntingdon and Ely, till at length it arrives at Lynn-Regis, in Norfolk, and falls into the sea.

Smaller,** rises in Suffolk, and, separating that county from Norfolk on the south-west, discharges itself into the Great Ouse near Downham. There is still another of the same name, which rises on the west-north-west side of Yorkshire, and running chiefly to the south-east, at length falls into the Humber.

**OUSSOOR,** a town of Hindustan, in the Mysore raja's territories, which surrendered to British detachment in 1791. Long. 78. E. Lat. 12.45. N.

**OUTCHANG-FOU,** a city of China, of the first rank, situated on the great river Yang-tse-kiang, at its junction with the Han. It is the capital of the province of Houquang, and when joined to Hang-yang-fou, situated on the opposite side of the river, and forming properly one with it, it ranks with the largest cities in China, or in the world. From its position at the junction of the great river Yang-tse-kiang with the Han, it enjoys an easy commercial intercourse with almost every port of China. Though nearly 500 miles from the sea, the river is deep enough to float the largest vessels; and, for some miles in the vicinity of the city, it is entirely covered with barks, amounting to 8000 or 10,000, many of which form the only habitation of numerous Chinese families. This interminable prospect and forest of masts presents one of the most striking scenes in the world. The surrounding country is noted for the excellence of the tea which it produces; and the bamboo paper manufactured here is very highly celebrated all over China.

**OU-TCHEOU,** a city of China, of the first rank, in the province of Quang-see. It is favourably situated for commerce, as the whole rivers of the province meet under its walls in their progress to Quang-tong. The surrounding country is mountainous. The rhinoceros is found in the neighbouring rivers. Long. 110.32. E. Lat. 23.38. N.

**OUTING,** a city of China, of the first rank, in the province of Yunnan, situated in a fertile country, near a range of very rugged mountains, which yield abundance of musk. It is exposed to the inroads of the mountaineers, for which reason a considerable garrison is maintained in the place. Long. 102.6. E. Lat. 25.53. N.

**OUTLAW** signifies one who is deprived of the benefit of the law, and therefore held to be out of the king's protection.

**OUTLAWRY,** the punishment of a person who, being called into court, and sought, according to the usual forms, does contemptuously refuse to appear.

**OUVAROFSKOI,** a fort of Asiatic Russia, in the government of Tomsk. It is agreeably situated, contains twenty houses, and has been erected as a bulwark against the Kirghisses.

**OVAL,** an oblong curvilinear figure, otherwise called ellipse. The proper oval, or egg shape, however, differs considerably from that of the ellipse, being an irregular figure, narrower at one end than at another; whereas the ellipse or mathematical oval is equally broad at each end. But it must be owned that these two are commonly confounded, even geometricians calling the oval a false ellipse.

**OVATION,** in Roman antiquity, was a lesser triumph, allowed to commanders for victories won without the effusion of blood, or for defeating a mean and inconsiderable enemy. The show generally began at the Alban Mountain, whence the general with his retinue made his entry into the city on foot, with many flutes or pipes sounding in concert as he passed along, and wearing a garland or myrtle as a token of peace. The term ovation, according to Servius, is derived from oris, a sheep, because on this occasion the conqueror sacrificed a sheep, as in a triumph he sacrificed a bull. The senate, knights, and principal plebeians assisted at the procession, which concluded at the Capitol, where rams were sacrificed to Jupiter. The first ovation was granted to Publius Posthumius, for his victory over the Sabines in the 253d year of Rome.

**OVEN,** a kind of domestic furnace, used for baking bread, pies, tarts, and the like. It is of a circular structure, with a very low roof, well lined both on the top, bottom, and sides, with stone; and it has a small entrance in the front, fitted with a door, which being clapped to the mouth of the oven, confines the heat, whilst bread, pies, or puddings, are baking. Over this pastry-cooks have another oven built much in the same manner, which is used for such things as require a less degree of heat. Ovens are heated by burning in them dry faggots, wood, &c., till all the parts are equally hot.

**OVERALL,** John, a celebrated English bishop, was born in 1559, and, after a proper foundation in grammatical learning, was sent to St John's College, Cambridge, and elected a scholar of that society; but having afterwards removed to Trinity, he was chosen fellow of that college. In 1596 he was made regius professor of divinity, when he took his degree of doctor, and about the same time was elected master of Catherine Hall. In 1601 he was promoted to the deanery of St Paul's, London, by the recommendation of his patron, Sir Fulke Greville, and Queen Elizabeth; and in the beginning of King James's reign he was chosen prolocutor of the lower house of convocation. In 1612 he was appointed one of the first governors of the Charter-House Hospital, then just founded by Mr Thomas Sutton. In April 1614 he was made Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry; and in 1618 he was translated to Norwich, where he died in May 1619, at the age of about sixty. He was buried in that cathedral, where he lay unnoticed and forgotten till some years after the restoration of Charles II., when Cosin, bishop of Durham, who had been his secretary, erected a monument, with a Latin inscription, in which he is said to be "Vir undeaque doctissimus, et omni encomio major."

Wood observes, that he had the character of being the best scholastic divine in England; and Cosin, who perhaps may be thought to rival him in that sort of learning, calls himself his scholar, and declares that he derived all his knowledge from Overall. He is also celebrated by Smith for his distinguished wisdom, erudition, and piety. In the controversy about predestination and grace, which in his time divided the reformed churches, he held a middle opinion, inclining somewhat to Arminianism. He seems indeed to have paved the way for the reception of that doctrine in England, where it was generally embraced a few years afterwards, chiefly by the authority and influence of Archbishop Laud. Overall cultivated a particular friendship with Gerard Vossius and Grotius, and was much grieved to see the love of peace, and the projects of the latter to obtain it, so ill requited. He himself laboured heartily to settle the differences in Holland, upon what is known by the name of the Quinquarticular Controversy; as appears in part by his letters to the two learned correspondents just mentioned, some of which are printed in the Epistle Praestantium Variorum.

This bishop is known in England chiefly by his Convocation Book, of which Burnet gives the following account:

"This book was wrote on the subject of government, the divine institution of which was very positively asserted. It was read in convocation, and passed by that body, in order to the publishing of it, in opposition to the principles..." laid down in the famous book of Parsons the Jesuit, published under the name of Doleman. But King James did not like a convocation entering into such a theory of politics; so he discouraged the printing of it, especially since, in order to justify the owning of the United Provinces, who had lately thrown off the Spanish yoke, to be a lawful government, it was laid down, that when a change of government was brought to a thorough settlement, it was then to be owned and submitted to, as a work of the providence of God. Here it slept, till Archbishop Sancroft, who had got the book into his own hands, and not observing the last-mentioned passage in it, resolved to publish it, in the beginning of King William's reign, as an authentic declaration which the Church of England had made in the point of non-resistance. Accordingly it was published in quarto, as well as licensed, by him, a very few days before he was under suspension for not taking the oaths.

OVERBURY, Sir Thomas, a learned Englishman, was born in 1581, and studied at Queen's College, Oxford, after which he removed to the Middle Temple, London. He then travelled for some time, and returned a most accomplished person; after which he contracted an intimate acquaintance with Sir Robert Carr, knight of the Bath, who being soon afterwards taken into his majesty's favour, procured Overbury the honour of knighthood. Sir Thomas perceiving the familiarity which subsisted between his patron Carr, now Viscount Rochester, and the Lady Frances, the wife of Robert Earl of Essex, was so much displeased at it that he endeavoured to dissuade Lord Rochester from keeping her company, and from proceeding in the base design he had formed of having her first divorced from her husband, and then marrying her. The viscount, resenting this honest advice, told all he had said to the lady, who was as remarkable for her wickedness as for her beauty; upon which they immediately resolved to effect his destruction. About this time, the king having occasion to send an ambassador abroad, Rochester recommended Sir Thomas Overbury. His majesty approved the choice, and the viscount imparted the king's intentions to Sir Thomas; but, under a treacherous show of friendship, dissuaded him from accepting of that employment, as it might hinder him from a better way of advancement, promising that he would prevent his majesty from being displeased at his refusal. The viscount then went to the king, and having artfully incensed his majesty against Sir Thomas for refusing to obey his commands, the latter was, on the 21st of April 1613, committed for contempt to the Tower, where he continued a prisoner till he was despatched by poison on the 15th of September following. About two years afterwards the whole contrivance of his death was discovered. On this several persons were condemned and executed; but though Carr, now Earl of Somerset, and the Lady Frances, his countess, were condemned to death for contriving the murder, and hiring the persons who were concerned in it, the king only banished them from court, and afterwards pardoned them. Sir Thomas Overbury obtained considerable reputation as an author, both in prose and in verse; but it is probable that the compassion excited by his unhappy end may have at first imparted to his works a degree of popularity which they have not since retained. The principal are, 1. The Wife, a long poem, filled with sentiments, maxims, and observations, such as considerable experience and a correct judgment of mankind could alone supply; and, 2. Characters and Descriptions of the Properties of Sundry Persons, which afford a favourable specimen of his prose style.

OVERHAULING, the act of opening and extending the several parts of a tackle, or other assemblage of ropes, communicating with blocks or dead eyes. It is used to remove those blocks to a sufficient distance from each other, that they may again be placed in a state of action, so as to produce the effect required.

OVERHAULING is also vulgarly employed to signify an examination or inspection of the condition of a person or thing.

OVERRAKE, a nautical term. When a ship riding at anchor so overbeats herself into a high sea that she is washed by the waves breaking in upon her, then it is said that the waves overtake her.

OVERT, the same with open. Thus an overt act signifies an act which in law must be clearly proved; and such must be alleged in every indictment for high treason.

OVERTON, a town of Flintshire, in North Wales, in the hundred of Maylor, 183 miles from London and eight from Wrexham. It stands on the river Dee. In 1801 the population amounted to 1233, in 1811 to 1563, in 1821 to 1668, and in 1831 to 1746.

OVERTON, a town of the hundred of that name, in the division of Kingsclere, in the county of Hampshire, fifty-three miles from London. It was formerly a borough, and sent two members to parliament, but has lost its charter. In 1801 the population amounted to 1130, in 1811 to 1178, in 1821 to 1341, and in 1831 to 1507.

OVERTURE, in Music, a piece of instrumental music which precedes an opera, a ballet of action, a cantata, &c. Amongst the finest modern overtures are Mozart's to "Il Flauto Magico," and to "Don Giovanni;" also some of Cherubini's and Beethoven's. Some of Rossini's, Weber's, and Spohr's have likewise great merit.

OVERYSSEL, one of the provinces of the kingdom of the Netherlands. It extends in east longitude from 5.44. to 6.59., and in north latitude from 52.6. to 53.52., and covers 1342 square miles. It is bounded on the north by Friesland and Drenthe, on the east by Hanover and Prussian Westphalia, on the south by Guelders, and on the west by Guelders and the Zuyder Zee. The face of the country is level, and the land sandy, a great part being covered with heaths, and other parts fertile land for grazing cattle, but marshy. The climate is foggy. This province is watered by the river Yssel and other smaller streams; and its productions are oats, buck-wheat, potatoes, apples, plums, flax, hemp, and turf for fuel. It breeds good horses. In 1831 the inhabitants amounted to 178,980, of whom 117,130 were Protestants, 59,360 Catholics, and the rest Jews. Zwolle is the capital.

OVIDIUS, P. Naso, one of the most celebrated of the Roman poets, was born at Sulmo, a city of the Peligni, on the 20th of March, B.C. 43, the very year in which Cicero lost his life. His father, who was of equestrian rank, bestowed on his son the best education that Rome could furnish, and this was afterwards improved by a residence at Athens. On his return to Rome he applied himself to law, and we find him in succession triumvir, centumvir, and decemvir. He soon found, however, that such a course of life did not suit his inclination; and withdrawing himself from active business, he devoted his whole time to the study of poetry. He was three times married; but his first two wives he divorced, and to his third, who was of the family of the Fabii, he was passionately attached. His daughter Perilla appears also to have been a favourite. With Virgil he could have been but little acquainted, as the Mantuan bard died when Ovid had scarcely attained his twenty-fifth year; but he was the intimate friend of Propertius, Catullus, and Cornelius Gallus. He passed many peaceful years in Rome, enjoying all the pleasures of a luxurious capital, and pursuing his favourite studies; but at last some of his proceedings having excited the displeasure of Augustus, he was ordered to retire from Rome, and take up his residence at Tomi, a city of the Getæ, situated near the mouth of the Danube. What really was the cause of his banishment is a point which has been much discussed by the learned; but as the poet always speaks of it in dark and obscure terms, no satisfactory solution has as yet been suggested. It would appear to have been something of which he had been an innocent witness, and which he had been indiscreet enough to mention to his friends on some convivial occasion. As Julia, the niece of Augustus, was at this time banished on account of her shameless debaucheries, some have imagined that Ovid's punishment might have arisen from participation in her pleasures, or from some indiscreet disclosure of them. It has even been suggested that the lady whom he celebrates under the name of Corinna was no other than Julia; but this is impossible, as he himself states that he was only about his twentieth year when he sung her praises; and his banishment took place about his fiftieth year. Others have suggested that it arose from the disclosure of some state secret respecting Agrippa, the nephew of Augustus, who had been banished to Campania; but there is nothing in the works either of Ovid or of any ancient author that can enable us to come to any satisfactory conclusion. Ovid did not submit to the inconveniences of exile without murmuring, nor was he willing to allow himself to be forgotten. He showed that his mind was completely enervated by the luxurious life he had led at Rome; and he allowed himself to make the most abject entreaties to Augustus to procure his recall; but neither Augustus, nor after him Tiberius, would listen to his request. He remained at Tomi till the time of his death, which happened in the eighth year of his banishment, and the fifty-ninth of his age, A.D. 16.

Ovid's principal work is entitled *Metamorphoseon Libri*, probably from the Latin language not affording a word equally expressive of the author's meaning. They contain, in fifteen books, a series of about three hundred and fifty fables, which begin with Chaos, and end with the death of Cesar; and they are so arranged that one fable seems to arise naturally from the other. The poet has shown much art in selecting those fables which were suited to his purpose, and in uniting into one consistent whole, materials which differ so much in form and in character. He has also contrived to throw into his work much dramatic spirit, which keeps up the attention of the reader, and gives a liveliness to every scene which he describes. No poet has succeeded better in painting the passions and affections which agitate the breast of man. The materials for his work are no doubt mainly drawn from the Greeks, and more particularly from the Alexandrine school, by which this subject had been frequently treated. He has borrowed much from Nicander, who also afforded materials for the work of Antoninus Liberalis, a Greek of the later ages. We possess a Greek translation of the Metamorphoses by Manuel Planudes.

His work entitled *Amorum Libri* consists of forty-nine elegies, and was originally divided, as he himself states, into five books; but he omitted two. The subject of these elegies is the poet himself and his love-adventures, which he describes with the utmost freedom and sincerity. The passions which moved him, and the feelings he experienced, are expressed with all the lightness of touch and grace so peculiar to the poet, and which has taken off much of the grossness that is natural to such a subject. According to a German critic, this work must have been published somewhere between 744 and 752 B.C. (A.D. 10-2).

His work entitled *Tristia*, in fifty elegies, and *Epistle ex Ponto*, forty-six elegies, in four books, were both composed at Tomi during his exile, the first between the years 762-765 (A.D. 9-12), and the second between 765-969 (A.D. 12-16). Both contain heavy and unceasing complaints of the unhappiness of his fate; but the constant repetition of the same idea produces a disagreeable effect; and the unmanliness of his grief does not tend to raise his character in the mind of the reader. The versification of these works, however, is perfect.

The *Heroides* are a series of love-letters written by heroines of the mythological age, to their absent lovers. Ovid does not appear to have borrowed the idea of this species of elegy from any Greek writer, though some have been inclined to suspect that such was the case. We possess twenty-one of these letters, but the genuineness of the last six has been doubted, some ascribing them to the pen of Aulus Sabinus. Love forms the subject of them all, with complaints of the absence of lovers; but the different circumstances in which each is placed have enabled the poet to throw much agreeable variety into the letters. The feelings are described with much truth; and though the simplicity of an earlier age is sometimes to be regretted, still they must be considered as one of the most successful of his works.

The *Fasti* is another work of very high merit, in which he describes the origin and customs observed in different Roman festivals, in chronological order. The six books which we possess include only the first six months of the year, though the poet intended to have completed in the same manner the circle of the year, but was prevented probably by his banishment. The subject is one which enabled him to display his historical and mythological learning; and as he seems to have taken much interest in the investigation of the ancient native religion of Italy, this poem is one of the chief sources from which we gather the customs and superstitions of those early times.

The bibliography of Ovid is immense; indeed the different editions of his works, together with the commentaries, and the translations, would fill a volume. We shall here confine ourselves to the citation of the principal editions. These are, 1. The Bologna edition, Azzoguidi, 1471, in folio, being the first book printed at Bologna; 2. That of Rome, Conrad Sweynheym and Arnold Pannartz, 1471, in two volumes folio, published under the auspices of the Bishop of Alenia; 3. Those published by the Alduses, at Venice, about the beginning of the sixteenth century, which are greatly esteemed, particularly that of 1502, 1503, in three vols. 8vo, and that of 1515, 1516, also in three vols. 8vo, with notes by Navagero; 4. The Leyden edition, 1661, 1662, in three vols. 8vo, cum notis variorum, brought out under the superintendence of Cluiping; and, 5. That of Amsterdam, 1727, in four vols. 4to, being the beautiful edition of Burmann. The French translations are exceedingly numerous, and, upon the whole, the best that have appeared in any modern language.

OVIEDO, a city of Spain, in the province of Asturias, of which it is the capital. It is situated between the rivers Nalon and Nora, on a hill of granite, and enjoys a serene atmosphere, although generally rather rainy. Its fields are fertile, and yield abundance of fruits and horticultural vegetables; and near it there are good meadows, where cattle are depastured, and hay made for the winter consumption of stock. The city contains a population of 6000 inhabitants, amongst whom there are some of the most distinguished families of the province, who unfortunately prefer a residence in cities to living on their own estates. It is not a place of trade, but rather the resort of lawyers and clergy. It has a very magnificent cathedral in the Gothic style, with a remarkable lofty tower, a university, a well-endowed hospital, and a beautiful public walk. It is supplied with water by a fine aqueduct, which conveys it from two fountains in the neighbouring hills.

Long. 5. 56. 22. W. Lat. 43. 21. 55. N.

OVIEDO, John Gonzales, in Spanish, Gonçalo Hernandez de Oviedo y Valdez, a celebrated historian, was born at Madrid about the year 1478, and educated amongst the pages of Ferdinand and Isabella. Oviedo had attained the age of fifteen when Christopher Columbus returned from his first voyage; and being seized with a strong desire to learn the details relating to the great discovery of the il-