Vallonia, in Roman mythology, was the nymph of valleys.
Valois, Fklix he, a pious Frenchman who. in com- pany with John of Matha (q. v.), founded the Order of Brethren of the Holy Trinity, for the redemption of cap- tives, in the early part of the 13th century. He led a solitary life at Ceriroi, in the diocese of Meaiix, where the principal house of the sect still exists. See Jame- son [Mrs.], Legends of the Monastic Orders, p. 217 sq.
Valpuesta, Pisdro, a Spanish painter, born at Osma, in Old Castile, in 1614. He is said to have stud- ied with Engenio Caxes, whose style he was the most successful in imitating. He died at ^ladrid in 1688. His principal works are in the churches and convents at Madrid. Tiie most important are a series of pictures representing the life of the Virgin, in the Church of San Miguel: — The Holy Family, in the chapel of the Hos- pital del Buensuceso : — six jiictures of the history of St. Clara, in the convent of the Franciscan Nuns. See Sponnor. Biog. Hist, of the Fine A i-ts, s. v.
Va!py, Edward, D.U.. a clergyman of the Church
of England, born in the island of Jersey in 1764. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, took orders in the Church, and was for many years assistant to his brother Richard (q. v.) in the classical department of his scliool at Reading. He became head-master of the graiTimar-school at Norwich in 1810. He held the rec- tory (<f Thwaite and the vicarage of St. Mary's. Wals- ham, Norfolk. He died at Yarmouth, April 15, 1832. His published works are, Elcgantia Latime (1803): — Greek Testament (1816,3 vols.)":— 77ie Septuagint (1819): —and Homer's 1 Had (\'S\Q).
Valpy, Richard, D.D„ F.R,S., a clergyman of the Churcii of England, born in the island of Jersey, Dec. 7, 17.54. He was educated at the College of Volognes, Normandy, 1764 to 1769; at the Southamjiton Grammar- school ; and at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he graduated about 1776. He took orders in the Church, held for several years a living at Bury St. Edmund's, and became rector of Stradishall, Suff'olk, in 1787, From 1781 to 1830 he was head-master of the celebrated school fomided at Reading by Henry VII, and composed for tiiat institution a series of classical text-books of considerable reputation. He died at Kensington, March 28, 1836.
Vamana, the fifth avatar, or incarnation, of Vishnu, in which he appears as a dwarf. Bali was a powerful king who conciuered Indra (cj. v.\ rided over the three worlds, and tilled the gods with dismay for their future prosperity. Even Vishini could overcome him only by craft. While Bali was performing on an extraordinary scale a sacrifice in honor of the gods, in order that he might gain still more ])ower by his meritorious action and ride inore widely than ever, a dwarf approached him and did him reverence. Pleased with the devout and unpretending manner of the little Brahman, Bali asked him to demand a boon, however costly it might be. But the dwarf merely asked for so much ground as he could measure with three paces. The king smiling- h' granted so modest a request, although his famil\' priest Usanas, suspecting the divine nature of the dwarf, strongly dissuaded him from doing so. Then the god leaped up as the mightiest of the host of heav- en, and strode with one pace over the earth, with a sec- ond over the intermediate space or atmosphere, and with a tliird over the sky, thus leaving to Bali only the lower regions, which he assigned him as his future abode. The utterance of Bali in reference to this dis- aster will serve to show how sacred a promise is held by the Hindus when once obtained. He said, "If, re- nowned chief of the gods, you consider the word which I uttered to be deceitful, I now do what is sincere and can be no deception, place your third step on my head. Fallen from my position, I fear not the infernal regions, or binding in bonds, or misfortune difficult to escape, or loss of wealth, or your restraint, so much as I am afflict- ed by a bad name" (Muir, Original Sanscrit Texts, iv, 128). For his piety and promise-keeping maimer he was rewarded by Vishnu with the promise that, after a temporary residence in one of the most delightful places of Patala (i\. v.), he shoidd be born as Indra in the reign of the eighth jManu.
The Vedic conception of the three strides of Vishnu is doubtless the basis of the idea from which this avatar arose. In this incarnation as dwarf. Vishnu is considered to have been a son of the same Kasyapa [see Vakaha] who is also the father of Hiranyakasipn and Hiranyaksha; but while their motlier is Diti, the dwarf's mother is Aditi (space) ; and as she had previ- ously brought forth Indra, Vishnu is sometimes called Upendra, or the younger Indra. As son of Aditi, Vish- nu becomes one of the Adityas. See Vishnu.
"Vamis, or ■Vaniacharis (left-hand vorshippers), a Hindu sect who adopt a ritual contrary to what they dare publicly avow. They worship Devi, the Sakti of Siva (<!. v.). The Sakti is personated by a naked fe- male, to whom meat and wine are offered and then dis-