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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. Preface to 1828 Dictionary
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NOV'EL, a.
NOV'EL, n.
Of recent origin or
introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course;
unusual; strange; surprising.
* In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books. These contained new decrees of successive emperors. Novel assignment (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit. Syn. -- New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare; unusual. -- Novel, New . Everything at its first occurrence is new; that is novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound. That which is new or unusual; a
novelty.
News; fresh tidings.
[Obs.]
Some came of curiosity to hear some novels. Latimer. A fictitious tale or narrative, professing
to be conformed to real life; esp., one intended to exhibit the
operation of the passions, and particularly of love.
Dryden. A
new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under Novel,
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