Here - Norm's Book Club

VIRTUOUS.
virtuous minds. 1816 Shelley /Jarwiwi 0/ World u, 136
The bliss . . Which . . Dawns on the virtuous mind.
f. Sc, Diligent or industrious in work.
Perhaps due to Prov. xii. 4 : see b. above, quot. 1611.
17*5. Ramsay GeniU Shtik. u ii, I've heard my honest
uncle afien say. That lads should a' for wives that's verluous
pray, a iSaj Scott in Jamteson Sc. Diet, Suppl. s.y., Her
daughter was the most virtuous woman in the parish, for
that week she had spun sax spyndles of yarn.
3. Of acts, life, manners, etc. : Characterized by,
of the natnre of, virtue ; according with, or conforming
to, moral law or principles ; morally good
or justi5able.
Occas. in a weakened sense: 'estimable, commendable,
praiseworthy.'
cxyjs Sc. Leg. Saints xix. 6^4 God to christolore gafe
sic grace of vertuyse larc. Ihici. xxxvi. 424 Aganis l>aim,.
|>at awantis Jiaim-selfe of uertuise lif. a 1393 Chaucer
GcntiUsse 17 Ther may no man . , beqweythe his heyre his
vertuous noblesse, a 1400 Apol. Loll. 36 In meknes, pouert,
paciens, & labour, & o>er vertuus dedis. 1450 Lett. Marg.
0/ Anj'tm, etc. (Camden) 97 'I'he womanly and vertuoiise
governance that ye be renowned of. 1484 Caxton Fables
0/Auian xi, Noneoughte to preyse hym self but oughte to
doo good and vertuous werkcs whereof other may preyse
hym. 1509 Fisher Srmi. Wks. (1876) 271 Blewyd are tho
whiche haue made vertuous ende and conclusyon of thcyr
lyfc in our lorde. 1585 T. Washington tr. Ntcholays Voy.
II. vii. 37 [They] are much giuer. too musick and all other
vertuous & honest exercises. 1607 Shaks. Timon in. ii.
44 If his occasion were not vertuous, I should not vrge
it halfe so faithfully. 1667 Milton P. L. veil 550 That what
she wills to do or say. Seems wisest, vertuousest,discreetest,
best. I7i« Steele Sped. Na 500 p 3 There is one thing I
am able to give each of them, which is a virtuous Education.
1759 Johnson Rasselas xxxiii, The present reward of
virtuous conduct. 178a J. Brown Commend. Vieiv Nat. e ves