I — Interest to Invisibility (Part 1 of 3)

Interest (Latin). Something that is between the parties concerned. The interest of money is the sum which the borrower agrees to pay the lender for its use. To take an interest in anything is to feel there is something between it and you which may affect your pleasure.
   Interest for money. In the Tudor dynasty it was 10 per cent. (37 Henry VIII. chap. 9). In the reign of James it was reduced to 8 per cent.; in Queen Anne's reign to 5 per cent.; in the last quarter of the nineteenth century it was reduced to 2½ per cent.

Interim of Augsburg (The). A Concordat drawn up by Charles Quint in 1548 to allay the religious turmoil of Germany. It was a provisional arrangement to be in force till some definite decision could be pronounced by the General Council to be held at Trent. The authors of this instrument were J. Pflug (Bishop of Naumburg), Michael Helding (titular Bishop of Sidon), and John Agricola (a priest of Brandenburg).

Interlard (French). To put lard or fat between layers of meat. Metaphorically, to mix what is the solid part of a discourse with fulsome and irrelevant matter. Thus we say, "To interlard with oaths," to "interlard with compliments," etc.

"They interlard their native drinks with choice
Of strongest brandy." Philips: Cider. ii.

Interloper One who runs between traders. One who sets up business, and by so doing interferes with the actual or supposed rights of others. (Dutch, loopen, to run, to leap.)

Interpolate (4 syl.). For two or more persons to polish up something between them. Metaphorically, to insert spurious matter in a book or document; to gag. (Latin, inter polio, to polish.)

Interpreter (Mr.). The Holy Spirit personified, in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. He is lord of a house a little way beyond the Wicket Gate. Here Christian was kindly entertained and shown many wonderful sights of an allegorical character. Christiana and her party stopped here, and were similarly entertained.

Intone (2 syl.). To thunder out, intonation, the thundering of the voice. (Latin, tono, to thunder.) The Romans said that Cicero and Demosthenes "thundered out their orations." To recite in a musical monotone.

Intoxication Pliny (xvi. 20) tells us this word is derived from taxa, a species of bay-tree used for poisoning arrows. Hence the Greek toxon (a bow and arrows), and toxicon (rank poison).

Intrigue (2 syl.), comes from the Greek thrix, hair, whence the Latin tricæ, trifles or hairs, and the verb intrico, to entangle; the Germans have the verb trugen, to deceive.

Inure (2 syl.) to habituate or harden by use. Ure is an archaic word meaning use. (Latin opus, work. French æuvre; old French, eure.)

Invalide (French). A four-sou piece, so called because it was debased to the value of three sous and a-half.

"Tien, prens cet invalide, a ma sante va boire."
Deux Arlequins (1691).

Inveigle (3 syl.). To lead blindfold; to entice by misrepresentation. (Norman French, enveogler; French, aveugler; Italian, invogliare.)

Invention of the Cross [discovery of the cross ]. A festival held on May 3rd, in commemoration of the "discovery of the cross" by the agents of St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Emperor (316). (Latin, invenio, to discover.)

Inventors Punished by their own inventions.
   BASTILLE. Hugues Aubriot, Provost of Paris, who built the Bastile, was the first person confined therein. The charge against him was heresy.
   BRAZEN BULL. Perillos, who invented the Brazen Bull for Phalaris, Tyrant of Agrigentum, was the first person baked to death in the horrible monster.
   CAPTAIN. Cowper Coles, inventor of the turret-ship, perished in the Captain off Finisterre September 7th, 1870.
   CATHERINE WHEEL. The inventor of St. Catherine's Wheel, a diabolical machine consisting of four wheels turning different ways, and each wheel armed with saws, knives, and teeth, was killed by his own machine; for when St. Catherine was bound on the wheel, she