Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WEAL, n.¹ [Sax. wela; G. wohl; Dan. vel; from the same root as well, Sw. väl; L. valeo, to be strong, to avail, to prevail. The primary sense of weal is strength, soundness, from the sense of straining, stretching or advancing.]

1. A sound state of a person or thing; a state which is prosperous, or at least not unfortunate, not declining; prosperity; happiness. As we love the weal of our souls and bodies. – Bacon. The weal or wo in thee is plac'd. – Milton. So we say, the public weal, the general weal, the weal of the nation or state. – B. Trumbull.
2. Republic; state; public interest. [But we now use commonwealth, in the sense of state.]