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VIRTUOSO. 241 VIRTUOUS.
full of learning' (Baretti) :—L. virtuosus: see
VlRTU0U3a. Hence also K. virtuose^ \ virtuoso^
It is frequently difficult in particular instances to decide
which of the senses is intended.
+ 1. One who has a general interest in arts and
sciences, or who pursues special investigations in
one or more of these ; a learned person ; a scientist,
savant, or scholar. ObsJ^
Sometimes tending towards a depreciatory sense, as in a.
a. 1651 ill Brent tr. Stupis Counc. Trent (1676) xxv,
There have happened to come to Venice., divers Virtuosi in
several professions. 16&0 Boyle New Exp. Phys. Meek.
Proem 2 Perceiving by Letters from. . Paris, that several of
the Virtuosi there, were very intent upon the examination
of the Interest of. the Ayr in hindring the descent of
the Quick-silver. 1684-5 — ^fin, li^aters 73 The little
Bodies that the ingenious Mr. Lewenhoeck, and since him
divers other Virtuosi, have observ'd in Water wherein
Pepper has been infus'd. 1709 T. Robinson Nat. Hist,
li^estmoreid. xii. 69 That new Rypothesis so stiffly main*
tained by some of our learned Vtrtnoii. 1759 Dublin Sac.
IVeekly Observ. I. No. 26. 172 Some Virtuosi tell you that
continued Fermentation and repeated racking certainly
s[x>il your Cyder. 1754 Fif.lding Voy. Lisbon p 16 The
former receives the thanks of mankind ; the latter [i. e. the
antiquary] of that valuable part, the virtuosi. [1855 Kingsley
iVestiuani Hot xvi, Philip .Sidney.. has given up his
rightful place toward the head of the table that he may
have a knot of virtuosi all to himself]
3. 1656 Earl Monm. tr. Boccalini's Advts./r. Parnass. i.
V. 8 The gallant Dispute which arose .. between some
L'^tterati of the State, deserves to be written ; every one
of these Vertuosie defended their own Opinion as the
best. 1665 Glanvill Scepsis Sci. x'u 58 As great Wits, as
it may be e'rc saw the Sun, such as Pythagoras, Des-Cartes,
Copernicus, Galileo, More, Kepler, and generally the vertuosi
of the awakened world. 1700 T. Bkow.n tr. Ftesny's
Amusem, 36 The Projectors who are generally broken
Citizens, were coop'd up in the Counters and Ludgate
..the Vcrtujsi were confined to Gresham-College.
y. 1636 Blount Glossogr.^ Virtuoso^ . . a learned or ingenious
person, or one that is well qualified. 1660 In/.
Lit. II. viiu §61 The well-known word virtuosi, applied to
these lovers of what wai rare and beautiful in art or nature.
1851 D. Wit-sos Prk, Ann. (1863J I. v. 153 Ihe virtuosi
to who^ in^pection it was submitted. 187$ Morley Crit.
Mite. Ser. 1. (1877) 349 For intellectual dilettanti and
moralising virtuosiy,
8. c 16^ CowLEV Queen's repairing Somerset-house 86 If
any prouder Virtuoso's sens: .\t that part of my Prospect
take ofTence. 1657 Dkvden & Dk. Newcastle Sir VI/. Mar^
ail \\\. (beginning), I am sure, in all companies I pass for a
virtuoso, a 1700 EvKi.YN Diary i Mar. 1644, One of the
greatest virtuoso* in France, for his collection of pictures,
achates, medalls, and flowers, xjaa Mandevillk Fah. Bees
u. 414 Look upon the mighty labours of antiquaries,
botanists, and the vertU'>so's in butterHies, cockle-shells, and
other odd productions of nature. 1749 Fielding Tom yones
vm. X, A great number of nicknacks and Curiosities, which
might have engaged the attention of a virtuoso. 1787
Mme. D'Arblay Diary June, Virtuosos being next, .named.
Colonel Manners inveighed against them quite violently.
\Z*^Gentl. Mag. XCV. l 332 The Virtuoso will appreciate
justly this small volume as a very instructive and agreeable
manual. 1858 Mrkivale Rom. Fmp liii. (1^65) VI. 324 For
painting and sculpture, as Grecian arts, he may have acquired
the taste of a virtuoso. 1885 J. Payn Talk of Town
1. 183 He was a virtuoso and antiquary himself, and therefore
recognised the full extent of his danger.
tram/. 1819 Lytton Dezis holy niayde. 1536 Cromwell in Merriman Lije 9f
Lett. (1902) 11. 21 Soo hath his grace I tliinke chosen the
vertuost lady and the veriest gentlewoman that lyveth.
rt 1578 LiNUESAY tPitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 157
Queue Margarit was werie wyse and werteous in hir husbandis
lyme, bot sune efter his deid. .sclio became leichorous
of hir body. 1598 Shaks. Merry W. iv. ii. 136 Mistris
Ford, the honest woman, the modest wife, the vertuous
creature, that hath the iealious foole to her husband. i6xz
Bible Prov. xii. 4 A veituous woman is a crowne to her
husband. 163a High Commission Caj^J (Camden) 265 That
she being a vertuous and a chaste lady, he called her whore
often tymes. 171a Steele 6/*^c/. No. 286 p i In my Opinion,
and in that of many of your virtuous Female Readers. 17..
Suffolk Miracle ii. in Child Ballads V. 66/1 Her beauty
was beyond compare, She was both virtuous and fair. 1796
' H. Hunter tr. St.-l'ierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 77 She
will be virtuous', said she, 'and she will be happy : I knew
calamity only in ceasing to be virtuous'. 1837 Lyttqn
£. Maltrav. 11. i, Madame D'Epinay's memoirs are of this
character. She was not a virtuous woman—but she felt
virtue and loved it. 1843 Bethunk Sc. fireside Stor. 35 A
virtuous woman.who has given her heart . . toone whom [etc.].
i" o. Used as a title of courtesy in addressing or
referring to persons, esp. ladies of rank or eminence,
Obs.
c iS3a Du Wes Introd. Fr. In Palsgr. 896 Most illustre,
ryght exellente & ryght vertuouse lady my lady Mary of
Englande. 1588 Kvn Housek. Philos. Ded., To the Worshipfvll
and Vertvovs Gentleman Maister Thomas Reade,
Esqvier, Health and all Happines. x6i6 Sir W. Mure
Misc. Poems xvii. title. Epitaph of the wery excellent, vertuouse..
and trulie honoured Lady, the Lady Arnestoun.
a 1700 Evelyn Diary 4 Feb. 1668, I saw the tragedy of
'Horace' (written by the virtuous Mrs. Phillips).
d. absol. (as pi.), chiefly with tke.
1390 GowER Coil/. III. 226 He putte awey the vicious
And tok to him the vertuous. ^ I4>S Wvntoun Cron,
VII. 832 He chastit ^>a Jiat war wiciousse, And relewit al
werluouSMC. 1589 Nashe A/iat. Absurd. Wks. (Grosart)
1. 35 The acts of the ventrous, and the praise of the
vertuous. 1597 MoRLEY Introd. Mus. Ded., A second being,
.causing vs Hue in the mindes of the vertuous, as it
were, deified to the posieritie. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iv.
xlvi. 373 As if^ the Vertuous, and their Vertues could be
asunder. ^1711 Ken Urania Wks. 1721 IV 498 They
priz'd an humble modest Air, Sang more the Virtuous than
the Fair. 1759 Johnson Rasselas xxxvii[i,] But the angels
of affliction spread their toils alike for the virtuous and the
wicked. C1805 Levoen in Li/e ^- Poems (1875) 195 The
.•ioft descending dews of sleep, That bathe the virtuous in
serene repose. 1846 Mrs. A. Marsh Father Darcy Il.viii.
137 Theesteem of the noble and virtuous 1 would still retain.
e. Of the disposition or mind.
1584 PowEL Lloyds Cambria 398 Of a good and vertuous
disposition. 1598 Shaks. Merry W. i. i. 189 Slen. If I ^
drunke, He be drunke with those that haue the feare of God,
and not with drunken knaues. Euan. Sogot-udge me, that
is a vertuous miiide. i6oa Ld. Cromwell iv. i. 20 He was
my Maister, And each vertuous part, That lined in him, I
tenderd with my hart. 1634 Milton Comus 211 These
thoughts may startle well, but not astound The vertuous
mind. 1660 Ingelo Bentiv. ff Ur. 11. (1682) 196 ManyVerluous
Dispositions are fair Resemblances of the Divine
Perfections. 1780 A. Hamilton Let. to Miss Schuyler
Wks. 1850 I. 187 A virtuous mind cannot long esteem a base
one. 1784 CowpER Tiroc. 436 The most disint'rested and
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