a. and sb. Also 6 Sc. Virgiliane, 6, 8 Virgillian. [ad. L. Virgiliān-us, f. Virgili-us: see -AN, and cf. OF. and F. Virgilien.]
A. adj. 1. Of or pertaining to, characteristic of, the poet Virgil; agreeing with, or suggestive of, the style of Virgil.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, Concl. Completit was this wark Virgiliane, Apon the fest of Marie Magdelane.
c. 1590. J. Stewart, Poems (S.T.S.), II. 78. Heirfoir to vichts venerian I quyt To form in verse virgilian perfyt Thair facund fassons.
1635–56. Cowley, Davideis, IV. Note 38. In emulation of the Virgilian Verse, Quadrupedante putrem [etc.].
1718. J. Trapp, trans. Virgil, Pref. to Æneis (1735), I. p. lxxxvii. What could be more well-manner’d, more delicate, and truly Virgillian?
c. 1754. Warton, in Boswell, Johnson (1904), I. 180. I told him, I thought it a very sonorous hexameter. I did not tell him, it was not in the Virgilian style.
1782. V. Knox, Ess., lxiii. (1819), I. 26. The style [of the poem] is beautiful and Virgilian.
1846. Keightley, Notes Virg., Georg., II. 485. This mode of supplying the ellipse … is certainly the more Virgilian.
1886. Swinburne, Misc., 151. An instinctive dignity and precision not unworthy to be called Virgilian.
b. Virgilian lots [tr. L. sortes Virgilianæ], a method of divination consisting in taking a passage of Virgil at random.
1779. Johnson, L. P., Cowley (1800), I. 8. I cannot but suspect Cowley of having consulted on this great occasion the Virgilian lots, and to have given some credit to the answer of his oracle.
1838–45. Encycl. Metrop., XXIV. 737/1. It is said that Charles I. and Lord Falkland made trial of the Virgilian lots a little before the commencement of the great civil war.
2. Of agriculture: Practised according to the methods described in the Georgics of Virgil. Also of persons following these methods.
1724. W. Benson, Virgil’s Husb., II. Pref. p. xvi. I am certain the Husbandry of England in general is Virgilian.
1731–3. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xix. 271. The Virgilian Farmer must be content to have only his Labour for his Travel.
1764. J. Randall (title), The Semi-Virgilian Husbandry, deduced from various Experiments.
B. sb. 1. One who is specially devoted to, or skilled in, the study of Virgil’s works.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphrod., etc., Q iij b. You would a good Virgillian be.
2. One who practises agriculture after the methods laid down by Virgil.
1731–3. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xix. 272. The Virgilian is commonly late in his sowing. Ibid., 279. This puts the Virgilians upon a Necessity of using of Dung.
Hence Virgilianism, the characteristic style of Virgil; a Virgilian expression.
1850. L. Hunt, Autobiog., x. (1860), 164. When I had the pleasure of hearing him [Campbell] afterwards, I forgot his Virgilianisms.
