Chapter Valerian to Vatican of V by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Varina Swift, in his early life, professed to have an attachment to Miss Jane Waryng, and Latinised her name into Varina. (See Vanessa .)

Varnish from the French vernis; Italian, vernice. Sir G. C. Lewis says the word is a corruption of Berenice, famous for her amber hair, which was dedicated in the temple of Arsinoe, and became a constellation. (See Berenice .)

Varro called “the most learned of the Romans.” (B.C. 116-28.)

Varun'a The Hindu Neptune. He is represented as an old man riding on a sea-monster, with a club in one hand and a rope in the other. In the Vedic hymns he is the night-sky, and Mitra the day-sky. Varuna is said to set free the “waters of the clouds.”

Vassal A youth. In feudal times it meant a feudatory, or one who held lands under a “lord.” In law it means a bondservant or political slave, as “England shall never be the vassal of a foreign prince.” Christian says, in his Notes on Blackstone, that the corruption of the meaning of vassal into slave “is an incontrovertible proof of the horror of feudalism in England.” (Welsh, gwas, a boy or servant; gwasan, a page; like the French garcon, and Latin puer; Italian, vassallo, a servant.)

Vathek The hero of Beckford's fairy romance. He is a haughty, effeminate monarch, induced by a malignant genius to commit all sorts of crimes. He abjures his faith, and offers allegiance to Eblis, under the hope of obtaining the throne of the pre-Adamite sultans.

Vatican The palace of the Pope: so called because it stands on the Vatican Hill. Strictly speaking, the Vatican consists of the Papal palace, the court and garden of Belvidere, the library, and the museum.

“The sun of the Vatican sheds glory over the Catholic world.”- The Times.

   The thunders of the Vatican. The anathenias of the Pope, which are issued from the Vatican.
   The Council of the Vatican. The twenty- first General or OEcumenical Council. It commenced in 1869, Pius IX. being Pope. (See Councils.)