In explaining the general and popular language, it seems necessary to sort the several senses of each word, and to exhibit first its natural and primitive signification; as,

To arrive, to reach the shore in a voyage:  he arrived at a safe harbour.

Then to give its consequential meaning, to arrive, to reach any place, whether by land or sea; as, he arrived at his country-seat.

Then its metaphorical sense, to obtain any thing desired; as, he arrived at a peerage.

Then to mention any observation that arises from the comparison of one meaning with another; as, it may be remarked of the word arrive, that, in consequence of its original and etymological sense, it cannot be properly applied but to words signifying something desirable; thus we say, a man arrived at happiness; but cannot say, without a mixture of irony, he arrived at misery.

Ground, the earth, generally as opposed to the air or water.  He swam till he reached ground.  The bird fell to the ground.

Then follows the accidental or consequential signification in which ground implies any thing that lies under another; as, he laid colours upon a rough ground.  The silk had blue flowers on a red ground.

Then the remoter or metaphorical signification; as, the ground of his opinion was a false computation.  The ground of his work was his father’s manuscript.

After having gone through the natural and figurative senses, it will be proper to subjoin the poetical sense of each word, where it differs from that which is in common use; as wanton, applied to any thing of which the motion is irregular without terrour; as,

  In wanton ringlets curl’d her hair.

To the poetical sense may succeed the familiar; as of toast, used to imply the person whose health is drunk; as,

  The wise man’s passion, and the vain man’s toast.  POPE.

The familiar may be followed by the burlesque; as of mellow, applied to good fellowship: 

  In all thy humours, whether grave or mellow.  ADDISON.

Or of bite, used for cheat: 

 —­More a dupe than wit,
  Sappho can tell you how this man was bit.  POPE.

And, lastly, may be produced the peculiar sense, in which a word is found in any great author:  as faculties, in Shakespeare, signifies the powers of authority: 

 —­This Duncan
  Has borne his faculties so meek, has been
  So clear in his great office, that, &c.

The signification of adjectives may be often ascertained by uniting them to substantives; as, simple swain, simple sheep.  Sometimes the sense of a substantive may be elucidated by the epithets annexed to it in good authors; as, the boundless ocean, the open lawns:  and where such advantage can be gained by a short quotation, it is not to be omitted.