Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 3 (part 4)

Lagrange-Chancel has a French drama entitled Oreste et Pylade (1695). Voltaire also (Oreste, 1750). The two characters are introduced into a host of plays, Greek, Italian, French, and English. (See Andromache.)

Pynchons (The). Mr. Pynchon, a “representative of the highest and noblest class” in the Massachusetts Colony; one of the first settlers in Agawam (Springfield, Mass.).

Mrs. Pynchon (a second wife), a woman of excellent sense, with thorough reverence for her husband.

Mary Pynchon, beautiful and winning girl, afterward wedded to Elizur Holyoke.

John Pynchon, a promising boy.—J. G. Holland, The Bay Path (1857).

Pyncheon (Col.). An old bachelor, possessed of great wealth, and of an eccentric and melancholy turn of mind, the owner and tenant of the old Pyncheon mansion. He dies suddenly, after a life of selfish devotion to his own interests, and is thus found when the house is opened in the morning.—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables (1851).

Pyrac´mon, one of Vulcan’s workmen in the smithy of Mount Etna. (Greek, pûr akmôn, “fire anvil.”)

Far passing Bronteus or Pyracmon great,
The which in Lipari do day and night
Frame thunderbolts for Jove.

Spenser, Faëry Queen, iv. 5 (1596).

Pyramid. According to Diodo´rus Sic´ulus (Hist., i.), and Pliny (Nat. Hist., xxxvi. 12), there were 360,000 men employed for nearly twenty years upon one of the pyramids.

The largest pyramid was built by Cheops or Suphis, the next largest by Cephrēnês or Sen-Suphis, and the third by Menchērês, last king of the Fourth Egyptian dynasty, said to have lived before the birth of Abraham.

The Third Pyramid. Another tradition is that the third pyramid was built by Rhodŏpis or Rhodopê, the Greek courtezan. Rhodopis means the “rosy-cheeked.”

The Rhodopê that built the pyramid.

Tennyson, The Princess, ii. (1830).

Pyr´amos (in Latin Pyrămus), the lover of Thisbê. Supposing Thisbê had been torn to pieces by a lion, Pyramos stabs himself in his unutterable grief “under a mulberry tree.” Here Thisbê finds the dead body of her lover, and kills herself for grief on the same spot. Ever since then the juice of this fruit has been blood-stained.—Greek Mythology.

Shakespeare has introduced a burlesque of this pretty love story in his Midsummer Night’s Dream, but Ovid has told the tale beautifully.

Pyrgo Polini´ces, an extravagant blusterer. (The word means “tower and town taker.”)—Plautus, Miles Gloriosus.

If the modern reader knows nothing of Pyrgo Polinicês and Thraso, Pistol and Parollês; if he is shut out from Nephelo-Coccygia, he may take refuge in Lilliput.—Macaulay.

* “Thraso,” a bully in Terence (The Eunuch); “Pistol,” in the Merry Wives of Windsor and 2 Henry IV.; “Parollês,” in All’s Well that Ends Well; “Nephelo-Coccygia,” or cloud cuckoo-town, in Aristophanê’s (The Birds); and “Lilliput,” in Swift (Gulliver’s Travels).

Py´rocles (3 syl.) and his brother, Cy´moclês (3 syl.) sons of Acratês (incontinence). The two brothers are about to strip Sir Guyon, when Prince Arthur comes up and slays both of them.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, ii. 8 (1590).

Pyroc´les and Musidorous, heroes, whose exploits are told by Sir Philip Sidney in his Arcadia (1581).

Pyr´rho, the founder of the sceptics or Pyrrhonian school of philosophy. He was a native of Elis, in Peloponne´sus, and died at the age of 90 (B.C. 285).

It is a pleasant voyage, perhaps, to float,
Like Pyrrho, on a sea of speculation.

Byron, Don Juan, ix. 18 (1824).

* “Pyrrhonism” means absolute and unlimited infidelity.

Pythag´oras, the Greek philosopher, is said to have discovered the musical scale from hearing the sounds produced by a blacksmith hammering iron on his anvil.—See Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 722.

As great Pythagoras of yore,
Standing beside the blacksmith’s door.
And hearing the hammers, as he smote
The anvils with a different note ...
... formed the seven-chorded lyre.

Longfellow, To a Child.

Handel wrote an “air with variations” which he called The Harmonious Blacksmith, said to have been suggested by the sounds proceeding from a smithy, where he heard the village blacksmiths swinging their heavy sledges “with measured beat and slow.”

Pyth´ias, a Syracusan soldier, noted for his friendship for Damon. When Damon was condemned to death by Dionysius, the new-made king of Syracuse, Pythias obtained for him a respite of six hours, to go and bid farewell to his wife and child. The condition of this respite was that Pythias should be bound, and even executed, if Damon did not return at the hour appointed. Damon returned in due time, and Dionysius was so struck with this proof of friendship, that he not only pardoned Damon, but even begged to be ranked among his friends. The day of execution was the day that Pythias was to have been married to Calanthê.—Damon and Pythias, a drama by R. Edwards (1571), and another by John Banim in 1825.

Python, a huge serpent engendered from the mud of the deluge, and slain by Apollo. In other words, pytho is the miasma or mist from the evaporation of the overflow, dried up by the sun. (Greek, puthesthai, “to rot;” because the serpent was left to rot in the sun.)

Q (Old), the earl of March, afterwards duke of Queensberry, at the close of the last century and the beginning of this.

Quacks (Noted).

Bechic, known for his “cough pills,” consisting of digitalis, white oxide of antimony and licorice. Sometimes, but erroneously, called “Beecham’s magic cough pills.”

Booker (John), astrologer, etc. (1601-1667).

Bossy (Dr.), a German by birth. He was well known in the beginning of the nineteenth century in Covent Garden, and in other parts of London.

Brodum (eighteenth century). His “nervous cordial” consisted of gentian root infused in gin. Subsequently, a little bark was added.

Cagliostro, the prince of quacks. His proper name was Joseph Balsamo, and his father was Pietro Balsamo, of Palermo. He married Lorenza, the daughter of a girdle-maker of Rome, called himself the Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, and his wife the Countess Seraphina di Cagliostro. He professed to heal every disease, to abolish wrinkles, to predict future events, and was a great mesmerist. He styled himself “Grand Cophta, Prophet, and Thaumaturge.” His “Egyptian pills” sold largely at 30s. a box (1743-1795). One of the famous novels of A. Dumas is Joseph Balsamo (1845).

He had a flat, snub face; dew-lapped, flat-nosed, greasy, and sensual. A forehead impudent, and two eyes which turned up most seraphically languishing. It was a model face for a quack.—Carlyle, Life of Cagliostro.

Case (Dr. John), of Lime Regis, Dorsetshire. His name was Latinized into Caseus, and hence he was sometimes called Dr. Cheese. He was born in the reign of Charles II., and died in that of Anne. Dr. Case was the author of the Angelic Guide, a kind of Zadkiel’s Almanac, and over his door was this couplet:

Within this place
Lives Dr. Case.

Legions of quacks shall join us in this place,
From great Kirlëus down to Dr. Case.

Garth, Dispensary, iii. (1699).

Clarke, noted for his “world-famed blood-mixture” (end of the nineteenth century).

Cockle (James), known for his anti-bilious pills, advertised as “the oldest patent medicine” (nineteenth century).

Franks (Dr. Timothy), who lived in Old Bailey, was the rival of Dr. Rock. Franks was a very tall man, while his rival was short and stout (1692-1763).

Dr. Franks, F.O.G.H., calls his rival “Dumplin’ Dick,”.... Sure the world is wide enough for two great personages. Men of science should leave controversy to the little world ... and then we might see Rock and Franks walking together, hand-in-hand, smiling, onward to immortality.—Goldsmith, A Citizen of the World, lxviii. (1759).

Graham (Dr.), of the Temple of Health, first in the Adelphi, then in Pall Mall. He sold his “elixir of life” for £1000 a bottle, was noted for his mud baths, and for his “celestial bed,” which assured a beautiful progeny. He died poor in 1784.

Grant (Dr.), first a tinker, then a Baptist preacher in Southwark, then oculist to Queen Anne.

Her majesty sure was in a surprise,
Or else was very short-sighted,
When a tinker was sworn to look after her eyes,
And the mountebank tailor was knighted.

Grub Street Journal.

(The “mountebank tailor” was Dr. Read.)

Hancock (Dr.), whose panacea was cold water and stewed prunes.

* Dr. Sandgrado prescribed hot water and stewed apples.—Lesage, Gil Blas.

Dr. Rezio, of Barataria, would allow Sancho Panza to eat only “a few wafers, and a thin slice or two of quince.”—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. iii. 10 (1615).

Hannes (Dr.), knighted by Queen Anne. He was born in Oxfordshire.

The queen, like heaven, shines equally on all,
Her favors now without distinction fall,
Great Read, and slender Hannes, both knighted, show
That none their honors shall to merit owe.

A Political Squib of the Period.

Holloway (Professor), noted for his ointment to cure all strumous affections, his digestive pills, and his enormous expenditure in advertising (nineteenth century). Holloway’s ointment is an imitation of Albinolo’s; being analyzed by order of the French law-courts, it was declared to consist of butter, lard, wax and Venice turpentine. His pills are made of aloes, jalap, ginger and myrrh.

Katerfelto (Dr.), the influenza doctor. He was a tall man, dressed in a black gown and square cap, and was originally a common soldier in the Prussian service. In 1782 he exhibited in London his solar microscope, and created immense excitement by showing the infusoria of muddy water, etc. Dr. Katerfelto used to say that he was the greatest philosopher since the time of Sir Isaac Newton.

And Katerfelto, with his hair on end,
At his own wonders, wondering for his bread.

Cowper, The Task (“The Winter Evening,” 1782).

Lilly (William), astrologer, born at Diseworth, in Leicestershire (1602-1681).

Long (St. John), born at Newcastle, began life as an artist, but afterwards set up as a curer of consumption, rheumatism and gout. His profession brought him wealth, and he lived in Harley Street, Cavendish Square. St. John Long died himself of rapid consumption (1798-1834).

Mapp (Mrs.), bone-setter. She was born at Epsom, and at one time was very rich, but she died in great poverty at her lodgings in Seven Dials, 1737.

* Hogarth has introduced her in his heraldic picture, “The Undertakers’ Arms.” She is the middle of the three figures at the top, and is holding a bone in her hand.

Moore (Mr. John), of the Pestle and Mortar, Abchurch Lane, immortalized by his “worm-powder,” and called the “Worm Doctor” (died 1733).

Vain is thy art, thy powder vain,
Since worms shall eat e’en thee.

Pope, To Mr. John Moore (1723).

Morison (Dr.), famous for his pills (consisting of aloes and cream of tartar, equal parts). Professor Holloway, Dr. Morison, and Rowland, maker of hair-oil and tooth-powder, were the greatest advertisers of their generation.

Partridge, cobbler, astrologer, almanac-maker and quack (died 1708).

Weep, all you customers who use
His pills, his almanacs, or shoes.

Swift, Elegy, etc.

Read (Sir William), a tailor, who set up for oculist, and was knighted by Queen Anne. This quack was employed both by Queen Anne and George I. Sir William could not read. He professed to cure wens, wry-necks and hare-lips (died 1715).

... none their honors shall to merit owe—
That popish doctrine is exploded quite,
Or Ralph had been no duke, and Read no knight;
That none may virtue or their learning plead,
This hath no grace, and that can hardly read.

A Political Squib of the Period.

* The “Ralph” referred to is Ralph Montagu, son of Edward Montagu, created viscount in 1682, and duke of Montagu in 1705 (died 1709).

Rock (Dr. Richard), professed to cure every disease, at any stage thereof. According to his bills, “Be your disorder never so far gone, I can cure you.” He was short in stature and fat, always wore a white, three-tailed wig, nicely combed and frizzed upon each cheek, carried a cane, and waddled in his gait (eighteenth century).

Dr. Rock, F.U.N., never wore a hat. He is usually drawn at the top of his own bills sitting in an armchair, holding a little bottle between his finger and thumb, and surrounded with rotten teeth, nippers, pills and gallipots.—Goldsmith, A Citizen of the World, lxviii. (1759).

Smith (Dr.), who went about the country in the eighteenth century in his coach with four outriders. He dressed in black velvet, and cured any disease for sixpence. “His amusements on the stage were well worth the sixpence which he charged for his box of pills.”

As I was sitting at the George Inn I saw a coach, with six bay horses, a calash and four, a chaise and four, enter the inn, in yellow livery turned up with red; and four gentlemen on horseback, in blue trimmed with silver. As yellow is the color given by the dukes in England, I went out to see what duke it was, but there was no coronet on the coach, only a plain coat-of-arms, with the motto Argento Laborat Faber [Smith works for money]. Upon inquiry I found this grand equipage belonged to a mountebank named Smith.—A Tour through England (1723).

Solomon (Dr.), eighteenth century. His “anti-impetigines” was simply a solution of bichloride of mercury, colored.

Taylor (Dr. Chevalier John). He called himself “Opthalminator, Pontificial, Imperial, and Royal.” It is said that five of his horses were blind from experiments tried by him on their eyes (died 1767).

* Hogarth has introduced Dr. Taylor in his “Undertakers’ Arms.” He is one of the three figures at the top, to the left hand of the spectator.

Unborn Doctor (The), of Moorfields. Not being born a doctor, he called himself “The Un-born Doctor.”

Walker (Dr.), one of the three great quacks of the eighteenth century, the others being Dr. Rock and Dr. Timothy Franks. Dr. Walker had an abhorrence of quacks, and was for ever cautioning the public not to trust them, but come at once to him, adding, “there is not such another medicine in the world as mine.”

Not for himself but for his country he prepares his gallipot, and seals up his precious drops for any country or any town, so great is his zeal and philanthropy.—Goldsmith, A Citizen of the World, lxviii. (1759).

Ward (Dr.), a footman, famous for his “friars’ balsam.” He was called in to prescribe for George II., and died 1761. Dr. Ward had a claret stain on his left cheek, and in Hogarth’s famous picture, “The Undertakers’ Arms,” the cheek is marked gules. He occupies the right hand side of the spectator, and forms one of the triumvirate, the others being Dr. Taylor and Mrs. Mapp.

Dr. Kirlëus and Dr. Tom Saffold are also known names.

Quackleben (Dr. Quentin), “the man of medicine,” one of the committee at the Spa.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Quaint (Timothy), servant of Governor Heartall. Timothy is “an odd fish, that loves to swim in troubled waters.” He says, “I never laugh at the governor’s good humors, nor frown at his infirmities. I always keep a steady, sober phiz, fixed as the gentleman’s on horseback at Charing Cross; and, in his worst of humors, when all is fire and faggots with him, if I turn round and coolly say, ‘Lord, sir, has anything ruffled you?’ he’ll burst out into an immoderate fit of laughter, and exclaim, ‘Curse that inflexible face of thine! Though you never suffer a smile to mantle on it, it is a figure of fun to the rest of the world.”—Cherry, The Soldier’s Daughter (1804).

Quaker Poet (The), Bernard Barton (1784-1849).

Quaker Widow. Gentle old dame who, on the afternoon of her husband’s funeral, tells to a kindly visitor the simple story of her blameless life, its joys and sorrows, and of the light that comes at eventide.

“It is not right to wish for death;
The Lord disposes best.
His spirit comes to quiet hearts
And fits them for His rest.
And that He halved our little flock
Was merciful, I see;
For Benjamin has two in Heaven,
And two are left with me.”

Bayard Taylor, The Quaker Widow.

Quale (Mr.), a philanthropist, noted for his bald, shining forehead. Mrs. Jellyby hopes her daughter, Caddy, will become Quale’s wife.—Charles Dickens, Bleak House (1853).

Quarl (Philip), a sort of Robinson Crusoe, who had a chimpanzee for his “man Friday.” The story consists of the adventures and sufferings of an English hermit named Philip Quarl (1727).

Quasimo´do, a foundling, hideously deformed, but of enormous muscular strength, adopted by Archdeacon Frollo. He is brought up in the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. One day, he sees Esmeralda, who had been dancing in the cathedral close, set upon by a mob as a witch, and he conceals her for a time in the church. When, at length, the beautiful gypsy girl is gibbeted, Quasimodo disappears mysteriously, but a skeleton corresponding to the deformed figure is found after a time in a hole under the gibbet.—Victor Hugo, Notre Dame de Paris (1831).

Quatre Filz Aymon (Les), the four sons of the duke of Dordona (Dordogne). Their names are Rinaldo, Guicciardo, Alardo, and Ricciardetto (i.e. Renaud, Guiscard, Alard, and Richard), and their adventures form the subject of an old French romance by Huon de Villeneuve (twelfth century).

Quaver, a singing-master, who says “if it were not for singing-masters, men and women might as well have been born dumb.” He courts Lucy by promising to give her singing lessons.—Fielding, The Virgin Unmasked.

Queechy. Farmstead to which the Rossiters retired after the ruin of their fortunes in New York. Old-fashioned house and not productive land.—Susan Warner, Queechy (1852).

Queen (The Starred Ethiop), Cassiopēia, wife of Cepheus (2 syl.), king of Ethiopia. She boasted that she was fairer than the sea-nymphs, and the offended nereids complained of the insult to Neptune, who sent a sea-monster to ravage Ethiopia. At death, Cassiopeia was made a constellation of thirteen stars.

... that starred Ethiop queen that strove
To set her beauty’s praise above
The sea-nymphs, and their powers offended.

Milton, Il Penseroso, 19 (1638).

Queen (The White), Mary queen of Scots, La Reine Blanche; so called by the French, because she dressed in white as mourning for her husband.

Queen Dick, Richard Cromwell (1626, 1658-1660, died 1712).

* It happened in the reign of Queen Dick, never, on the Greek kalends. This does not refer to Richard Cromwell, but to Queen “Outis.” There never was a Queen Dick, except by way of joke.

Queen Sarah, Sarah Jennings, duchess of Marlborough (1660-1744).

Queen Anne only reigned while Queen Sarah governed.—Temple Bar, 208.

Queen Square Hermit, Jeremy Bentham, 1 Queen Square, London (1748-1832).

Queen of Hearts, Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James I., the unfortunate queen of Bohemia (1596-1662).

Queen of Heaven, Ashtoreth (“the moon”). Horace calls the moon “the two-horned queen of the stars.”

Some speak of the Virgin Mary as “the queen of heaven.”

Queen of Queens. Cleopatra was so called by Mark Antony (B.C. 69-30).

Queen of Song, Angelica Catala´ni; also called “the Italian Nightingale” (1782-1849).

Queen of Sorrow, the marble tomb at Delhi called the Taj-Mahul, built by Shah Jehan for his wife, Moomtaz-i-Mahul.

Queen of Tears, Mary of Mo´dena, second wife of James II. of England (1658-1718).

Her eyes became eternal fountains of sorrow for that crown her own ill policy contributed to lose.—Noble, Memoirs, etc. (1784).

Queen of the East, Zenobia, queen of Palmy´ra (*, 266-273).

Queen of the South, Maqueda, or Balkis, queen of Sheba, or Saba.

The queen of the south ... came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.—Matt. xii. 42; see also 1 Kings x. 1.

* According to tradition, the queen of the south had a son by Solomon, named Melech, who reigned in Ethiopia or Abyssinia, and added to his name the words Belul Gian (“precious stone”), alluding to a ring given to him by Solomon. Belul Gian translated into Latin, became pretiosus Joannes, which got corrupted into Prester John (presbyter Johannes), and has given rise to the fables of this “mythical king of Ethiopia.”

Queen of the Swords. Minna Troil was so called, because the gentlemen, formed into two lines, held their swords so as to form an arch or roof under which Minna led the ladies of the party.—Sir W. Scott, The Pirate (time, William III.).

* In 1877, W. Q. Orchardson, R. A., exhibited a picture in illustration of this incident.

Queen (My).

But thou thyself shall not come down
From that pure region far above,
But keep thy throne and wear thy crown,
Queen of my heart and queen of love!
A monarch in thy realm complete,
And I a monarch—at thy feet!

William Winter, Wanderers (1889).

Queens (Four Daughters). Raymond Ber´enger, count of Provence, had four daughters, all of whom married kings; Margaret married Louis IX. of France; Eleanor married Henry III. of England; Sancha married Henry’s brother, Richard, king of the Romans; and Beatrice married Charles I. of Naples and Sicily.

Four daughters were there born
To Raymond Ber´enger, and every one
Became a queen.

Dantê, Paradise, vi. (1311).

Quentin (Black), groom of Sir John Ramorny.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Quentin Durward, a novel by Sir W. Scott (1823). A story of French history. The delineations of Louis XI., and Charles the Bold, of Burgundy, will stand comparison with any in the whole range of fiction or history.

Quern-Biter, the sword of Haco I. of Norway.

Quern-biter of Hacon the Good
Wherewith at a stroke he hewed
The millstone thro’ and thro’.

Longfellow.

Querno (Camillo), of Apulia, was introduced to Pope Leo X., as a buffoon, but was promoted to the laurel. This laureate was called the “Antichrist of Wit.”

Rome in her capitol saw Querno sit,
Throned on seven hills, the antichrist of wit.

Pope, The Dunciad, ii. (1728).

Querpo (Shrill), in Garth’s Dispensary, is meant for Dr. Howe.

To this design shrill Querpo did agree,
A zealous member of the faculty,
His sire’s pretended pious steps he treads,
And where the doctor fails, the saint succeeds.

Dispensary, iv. (1699).

Questing Beast (The), a monster called Glatisaunt, that made a noise called questing, “like thirty couple of hounds giving quest” or cry. King Pellinore (3 syl.) followed the beast for twelve months (pt. i. 17), and after his death Sir Palomidês gave it chase.

The questing beast had in shape and head like a serpent’s head, and a body like a libard, buttocks like a lion, and footed like a hart; and in his body there was such a noise as it had been the noise of thirty couple of hounds questing, and such a noise that beast made wheresoever he went; and this beast evermore Sir Palomides followed.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 17; ii. 53 (1470).

Quiara and Mon´nema, man and wife, the only persons who escaped the ravages of the small-pox plague which carried off all the rest of the Guara´ni race, in Paraguay. They left the fatal spot, settled in the Mondai woods, had one son, Yerūti, and one daughter, Mooma; but Quiāra was killed by a jagŭar before the latter was born.—Southey, A Tale of Paraguay (1814). (See Monnema and Mooma.)

Quick (Abel), clerk to Surplus, the lawyer.—J. M. Morton, A Regular Fix.

Quick (John), called “The Retired Diocletian of Islington” (1748-1831).

Little Quick, the retired Diocletian of Islington, with his squeak like a Bart’lemew fiddle.—Charles Mathews.

Quickly (Mistress), servant-of-all-work, to Dr. Caius, a French physician. She says, “I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself.” She is the go-between of three suitors for “sweet Anne Page,” and with perfect disinterestedness wishes all three to succeed, and does her best to forward the suit of all three, “but speciously of Master Fenton.”—Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor (1601).

Quickly (Mistress Nell), a hostess of a tavern in East-cheap, frequented by Harry, prince of Wales, Sir John Falstaff, and all their disreputable crew. In Henry V. Mistress Quickly is represented as having married Pistol, the “lieutenant of Captain Sir John’s army.” All three die before the end of the play. Her description of Sir John Falstaff’s death (Henry V. act ii. sc. 3) is very graphic and true to nature. In 2 Henry IV. Mistress Quickly arrests Sir John for debt, but immediately she hears of his commission is quite willing to dismiss the bailiffs, and trust “the honey sweet” old knight again to any amount.—Shakespeare, 1 and 2 Henry IV. and Henry V.

Quid (Mr.), the tobacconist, a relative of Mrs. Margaret Bertram.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Quid Rides, the motto of Jacob Brandon, tobacco-broker, who lived at the close of the eighteenth century. It was suggested by Harry Calendon of Lloyd’s coffee-house.

* Quid Ridês (Latin) means “Why do you laugh?” Quid rides, i.e. “the tobacconist rides.”

Quidnunc (Abraham), of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, an upholsterer by trade, but bankrupt. His head “runs only on schemes for paying off the National Debt, the balance of power, the affairs of Europe, and the political news of the day.”

* The prototype of this town politician was the father of Dr. Arne (see The Tatler, No. 155).

Harriet Quidnunc, his daughter, rescued by Belmour from the flames of a burning house, and adored by him.

John Quidnunc, under the assumed name of Rovewell, having married a rich planter’s widow, returns to England, pays his father’s debts, and gives his sister to Mr. Belmour for wife.—Murphy, The Upholsterer (1758).

Quidnuncs, a name given to the ancient members of certain political clubs, who were constantly inquiring, “Quidnunc? What news?”

This the Great Mother dearer held than all
The clubs of Quidnuncs, or her own Guildhall.

Pope, The Dunciad, i. 269 (1728).

Quidnunkis, a monkey which climbed higher than its neighbors, and fell into a river. For a few moments the monkey-race stood panic-struck, but the stream flowed on, and in a minute or two the monkeys continued their gambols as if nothing had happened.—Gay, The Quidnunkis (a fable, 1726).

Quildrive (2 syl.), clerk to old Philpot “the citizen.”—Murphy, The Citizen (1761).

Quilp (Daniel), a hideous dwarf, cunning, malicious, and a perfect master in tormenting. Of hard, forbidding features, with head and face large enough for a giant. His black eyes were restless, sly, and cunning; his mouth and chin bristly with a coarse, hard beard; his face never clean, but always distorted with a ghastly grin, which showed the few discolored fangs that supplied the place of teeth. His dress consisted of a large high-crowned hat, a worn-out dark suit, a pair of most capacious shoes, and a huge crumpled dirty white neck-cloth. Such hair as he had was a grizzled black, cut short but hanging about his ears in fringes. His hands were coarse and dirty; his fingernails crooked, long, and yellow. He lived on Tower Hill, collected rents, advanced money to seamen, and kept a sort of wharf, containing rusty anchors, huge iron rings, piles of rotten wood, and sheets of old copper, calling himself a ship-breaker. He was on the point of being arrested for felony, when he drowned himself.

He ate hard eggs, shell and all, for his breakfast, devoured gigantic prawns with their heads and tails on, chewed tobacco and water-cresses at the same time, drank scalding hot tea without winking, bit his fork and spoon till they bent again, and performed so many horrifying acts, that one might doubt if he were indeed human.—Ch. v.

Mrs. Quilp (Betsy), wife of the dwarf, a loving, young, timid, obedient, and pretty blue-eyed little woman, treated like a dog by her diabolical husband, whom she really loved but more greatly feared.—C. Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).

Quinnailon (Father). Benevolent priest in Xerxes, a Western town. He succors the suffering of whatever creed and conditions, and shares his little all with the needy. When appointed bishop, he goes to Rome to beg for permission to decline the honor.

“I will fall at the feet of the Holy Father, and beseech him not to make a bishop out of a poor, simple old man who cannot bear so great a burden; but to let me come back and die among my dear people!”—Octave Thanet, Quilters in the Sun (1877).

Quinap´alus, the Mrs. Harris of “authorities in citations.” If any one quotes from an hypothetical author, he gives Quinapalus as his authority.

What says Quinapalus: “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”—Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, act. i. sc. 5 (1614).

Quinbus Flestrin (the “man-mountain”). So the Lilliputians called Gulliver (ch. ii.).—Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Lilliput,” 1726).

Quince (Peter), a carpenter, who undertakes the management of the play called “Pyramus and Thisbê,” in Midsummer Night’s Dream. He speaks of “laughable tragedy,” “lamentable comedy,” “tragical mirth,” and so on.—Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream (1592).

Quino´nes (Suero de), in the reign of Juan II. He, with nine other cavaliers, held the bridge of Orbigo against all comers for thirty-six days, and in that time they overthrew seventy-eight knights of Spain and France.

Quintano´na, the duenna of Queen Guinever or Ginebra.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. ii. 6 (1615).

Quintessence (Queen), sovereign of Entéléchie, the country of speculative science visited by Pantag´ruel and his companions in their search for “the oracle of the Holy Bottle.”—Rabelais, Pantagruel, v. 19 (1545).

Quin´tiquinies´tra (Queen), a much-dreaded, fighting giantess. It was one of the romances of Don Quixote’s library condemned by the priest and barber of the village to be burnt.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. (1605).

Quintus Fixlein [Fix.line], the title and chief character of a romance by Jean Paul Friedrich Richter (1796).

Francia, like Quintus Fixlein, had perennial fireproof joys, namely, employments.—Carlyle.

Quiri´nus, Mars.

Now, by our sire Quirīnus,
It was a goodly sight
To see the thirty standards
Swept down the stream of flight.

Lord Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome (“Battle of the Lake Regillus,”
xxxvi., 1842).

Quitam (Mr.), the lawyer at the Black Bear inn at Darlington.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

* The first two words in an action on a penal statute are Qui tam. Thus, Qui tam pro domina regina, quam pro seipso, sequitur.

Quixa´da (Gutierre), lord of Villagarcia. Don Quixote calls himself a descendant of this brave knight.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. (1605).

Quixote (Don), a gaunt country gentleman of La Mancha, about 50 years of age, gentle, and dignified, learned and high-minded; with strong imagination perverted by romance, and crazed with ideas of chivalry. He is the hero of a Spanish romance by Cervantes. Don Quixote feels himself called on to become a knight-errant to defend the oppressed, and succor the injured. He engages for his squire Sancho Panza, a middle-aged, ignorant rustic, selfish, but full of good sense, a gourmand, attached to his master, shrewd and credulous. The knight goes forth on his adventures, thinks wind-mills to be giants, flocks of sheep to be armies, inns to be castles, and galley-slaves oppressed gentlemen; but the squire sees them in their true light. Ultimately, the knight is restored to his right mind, and dies like a peaceful Christian. The object of this romance was to laugh down the romances of chivalry of the Middle Ages.

(Quixote means “armor for the thighs,” but Quixada means “lantern jaws.” Don Quixote’s favorite author was Feliciano de Sylva; his model knight was Am´adis de Gaul. The romance is in two parts, of four books each. Pt. I. was published in 1605, and pt. II. in 1615.)

The prototype of the knight was the duke of Lerma.

Don Quixote is a tall, meagre, lantern-jawed, hawk-nosed, long-limbed, grizzle-haired man, with a pair of large black whiskers, and he styles himself “The Knight of the Woeful Countenance.”—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. i. 14 (1615).

Don Quixote’s Horse, Rosinantê (4 syl.), all skin and bone.

Quixote (The Female), or Adventures of Arabella, a novel by Mrs. Lennox (1752).

Quixote of the North (The), Charles XII. of Sweden; sometimes called “The Madman” (1682, 1697-1718).

Quodling (The Rev. Mr.), chaplain to the duke of Buckingham.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Quos Ego—, a threat intended but withheld; a sentence broken off. Eŏlus, angry with the winds and storms which had thrown the sea into commotion without his sanction, was going to say he would punish them severely for this act of insubordination; but having uttered the first two words, “Whom I——,” he says no more, but proceeds to the business in hand.—Virgil, Æneid, i.

“Next Monday,” said he, “you will be a ‘substance,’ and then——;” with which quos ego he went to the next boy.—Dasent, Half a Life (1850).

Quo´tem (Caleb), a parish clerk or Jack-of-all-trades.—G. Colman, The Review, or The Ways of Windsor.

I resolved like Caleb Quotem, to have a place at the review.—Washington Irving.

R Neither Demosthĕnês nor Aristotle could pronounce the letter r.

R (rogue), vagabonds, etc., who were branded on the left shoulder with this letter.

They ... may be burned with a hot burning iron, of the breadth of a shilling, with a great Roman R on the left shoulder, which letter shall remain as a mark of a rogue.—Pyrnne, Histriomastix, or The Player’s Scourge.

If I escape the halter with the letter R
Printed upon it.

Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts, iv. 2 (1629).

Rab´agas, an advocate and editor of a journal called the Carmagnole. At the same office was published another radical paper, called the Crapaud Volant. Rabagas lived in the kingdom of Monaco, and was a demagogue leader of the deepest red; but was won over to the king’s party by the tact of an American lady, who got him an invitation to dine at the palace, and made him chief minister of state. From this moment he became the most strenuous opponent of the “liberal” party.—M. Sardou, Rabagas (1872).

Rabbi Jehosha, wise teacher, whose good words are recorded in James Russell Lowell’s poem “What Rabbi Jehosha Said.”

Rabbi Abron of Trent, a fictitious sage, and most wonderful linguist. “He knew the nature of all manner of herbs, beasts and minerals.”—Reynard the Fox, xii. (1498).

Rabelais (The English). Dean Swift was so called by Voltaire (1667-1745).

Sterne (1713-1768) and Thomas Amory (1699-1788) have also been so called.

Rabelais (The Modern), William Maginn (1794-1842).

Rabelais of Germany, J. Fischart, called “Mentzer” (1550-1614).

Rabelais’s Poison. Rabelais, being at a great distance from Paris, and without money to pay his hotel bill or his fare, made up three small packets of brick-dust. One he labelled “Poison for the king,” another, “Poison for monsieur,” and the third, “Poison for the dauphin.” The landlord instantly informed against this “poisoner,” and the secretary of state removed him at once to Paris. When, however, the joke was found out, it ended only in a laugh.—Spectator (“Art of Growing Rich”).

Rab´ican or Rabica´no, the horse of Astolpho. Its sire was Wind and its dam Fire. It fed on human food. The word means “short tail.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

* Argalia’s horse is called by the same name in Orlando Innamorato (1495).

Rabisson, a vagabond tinker and knife-grinder. He was the only person who knew about “the gold-mine” left to the “miller of Grenoble.” Rabisson was murdered for his secret by Eusebe Noel, the schoolmaster of Bout des Monde.—E. Stirling, The Gold Mine, or Miller of Grenoble (1854).

Rab´sheka (in the Bible Rabshakeh), in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Sir Thomas Player (2 Kings xviii.).

Next him let railing Rabsheka have place—
So full of zeal, he has no need of grace.

Pt. ii. (1682).

Raby (Aurora), a rich young English orphan, Catholic in religion, of virgin modesty, “a rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded.” She was staying in the house of Lord and Lady Amundeville during the parliamentary vacation. Here Don Juan, “as Russian envoy,” was also a guest, with several others. Aurora Raby is introduced in canto xv., and crops up here and there in the two remaining cantos; but, as the tale was never finished, it is not possible to divine what part the beautiful and innocent girl was designed by the poet to play. Probably Don Juan, having sowed his “wild oats,” might become a not unfit match for the beautiful orphan.—Byron, Don Juan (1824).

Raby (The Rose of), the mother of Richard III. She was Cecily, daughter of Ralph Nevyll de Raby, first earl of Westmoreland. Her husband was Richard, duke of York, who was slain at the battle of Wakefield in 1460. She died 1495.

Rachael, a servant-girl at Lady Peveril’s of the Peak.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Rachael (2 syl.), one of the “hands” in Bounderby’s mill at Coketown. She loved Stephen Blackpool, and was greatly beloved by him in return; but Stephen was married to a worthless drunkard. After the death of Stephen, Rachael watched over the good-for-nothing young widow, and befriended her.—C. Dickens, Hard Times (1854).

Rachel Ffrench, beautiful daughter of Haworth’s unworthy partner in the iron business. Haworth loves her, as does Murdoch, a young inventor who rises fast in Haworth’s employ. She seems to vacillate between the two men, but really loves Murdoch, although pride will not let her avow it. When he is on the point of embarking to America, with an assured future, she confesses all, only to learn from him that “it is all over.” Yet, in looking back at her “dark young face turned seaward” as his ship moves away, he mutters, “When I return it will be to you.”—Frances Hodgson Burnett, Haworth’s (1879).

Racine of Italy (The), Metastasio (1698-1782).

Racine of Music (The), Antonio Gaspare Sacchini, of Naples (1735-1786).

Racket (Sir Charles), a young man of fashion, who married the daughter of a wealthy London merchant. In the third week of the honeymoon Sir Charles paid his father-in-law a visit, and quarrelled with his bride about a game of whist. The lady affirmed that Sir Charles ought to have played a diamond instead of a club. Sir Charles grew furious, and resolved upon a divorce; but the quarrel was adjusted, and Sir Charles ended by saying, “You may be as wrong as you please, but I’ll be cursed if I ever endeavor to set you right again.”

Lady Racket, wife of Sir Charles, and elder daughter of Mr. Drugget.—Murphy, Three Weeks after Marriage (1776).

Racket (Widow), a sprightly, good-natured widow and woman of fashion.

A coquette, a wit, and a fine lady.—Mrs. Cowley, The Belle’s Stratagem, ii. 1 (1780).

The “Widow Racket” was one of Mrs. Pope’s best parts. Her usual manner of expressing piquant carelessness consisted in tossing her head from right to left, and striking the palm of one hand with the back of the other [1740-1797].—James Smith.

Rackrent (Sir Condy), in Miss Edgeworth’s novel of Castle Rackrent (1802).

Raddle (Mrs.), keeper of the lodgings occupied by Bob Sawyer. The young medical practitioner invited Mr. Pickwick and his three friends to a convivial meeting; but the termagant Mrs. Raddle brought the meeting to an untimely end.—C. Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Rad´egonde (St.) or St. Radegund, queen of France (born 519, died 587). She was the daughter of Bertaire, king of Thuringia, and brought up a pagan. King Clotaire I. taught her the Christian religion, and married her in 538; but six years later she entered a nunnery, and lived in the greatest austerity.

There thou must walk in greatest gravity,
And seem as saintlike as St. Radegund.

Spenser, Mother Hubbard’s Tale (1591).

Radigund or Radegone, the proud queen of the Amăzons. Being rejected by Bellodant “the Bold,” she revenged herself by degrading all the men who fell into her power by dressing them like women, giving them woman’s work to do, such as spinning, carding, sewing, etc., and feeding them on bread and water to effeminate them (canto 4). When she overthrew Sir Artegal in single combat, she imposed on him the condition of dressing in “woman’s weeds,” with a white apron, and to spend his time in spinning flax, instead of in deeds of arms. Radigund fell in love with the captive knight, and sent Clarinda as a go-between; but Clarinda tried to win him for herself, and told the queen he was inexorable (canto 5). At length Britomart arrived, cut off Radigund’s head, and liberated the captive (canto 7).—Spenser, Faëry Queen, v. 4-7 (1596).

Rag and Famish (The), the Army and Navy Club; so christened by Punch. The rag refers to the flag, and the famish to the bad cuisine.

Ragged Regiment (The), the wan figures in Westminster Abbey, in a gallery over Islip’s Chapel.

Railway King (The), George Hudson, of Yorkshire, chairman of the North Midland Company. In one day he cleared by speculation £100,000. It was the Rev. Sydney Smith who gave Hudson the title of “Railway king” (1800-1871).

Raine (Old Roger), the tapster, near the abode of Sir Geoffrey Peveril.

Dame Raine, old Roger’s widow; afterwards Dame Chamberlain.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Rainy-Day Smith, John Thomas Smith, the antiquary (1766-1833).

Rajah of Mattan (Borneo), has a diamond which weighs 367 carats. The largest cut diamond in the world. It is considered to be a palladium. (See Diamonds.)

Rake (Lord), a nobleman of the old school, fond of debauch, street rows, knocking down Charlies, and seeing his guests drunk. His chief boon companions are Sir John Brute and Colonel Bully.—Vanbrugh, The Provoked Wife (1697).

Rakeland (Lord), a libertine, who makes love to married women, but takes care to keep himself free from the bonds of matrimony.—Mrs. Inchbald, The Wedding Day (1790).

Rak´she (2 syl.), a monster, which lived on serpents and dragons.

Raleigh (Sir Walter), introduced by Sir W. Scott in Kenilworth. The tradition of Sir Walter laying down his cloak on a miry spot for the queen to step on, and the queen commanding him to wear the “muddy cloak till her pleasure should be further known,” is mentioned in ch. xv. (1821).

Raleigh (Sir Walter). Jealous of the earl of Essex, he plots with Lord Burleigh to compass his death.—Henry Jones, The Earl of Essex (1745).

Ralph, abbot of St. Augustine’s, expended £43,000 on the repast given at his installation.

It was no unusual thing for powerful barons to provide 30,000 dishes at a wedding breakfast. The coronation dinner of Edward III., cost £40,000, equal to half a million of money now. The duke of Clarence, at his marriage, entertained 1000 guests, and furnished his table with 36 courses. Archbishop Neville had 1000 egrettes served at one banquet, and the whole species seems to have been extirpated.

After this it will be by no means difficult to understand why Apicius despaired of being able to make two ends meet, when he had reduced his enormous fortune to £80,000, and therefore hanged himself.

* After the winter of 1327 was over, the elder Spenser had left of the stores laid in by him the preceding November and salted down, “80 salted beeves, 500 bacons, and 600 muttons.”

Ralph, son of Fairfield, the miller. An outlandish, ignorant booby, jealous of his sister, Patty, because she “could paint picturs and strum on the harpsicols.” He was in love with Fanny, the gypsy, for which “feyther” was angry with him; but, “what argufies feyther’s anger?” However, he treated Fanny like a brute, and she said of him, “He has a heart as hard as a parish officer. I don’t doubt but he would stand by and see me whipped.” When his sister married Lord Aimworth, Ralph said:

Captain Ralph my lord will dub me,
Soon I’ll mount a huge cockade;
Mounseer shall powder, queue, and club me,—
’Gad! I’ll be a roaring blade.
If Fan should offer then to snub me,
When in scarlet I’m arrayed;
Or my feyther ’temp to drub me—
Let him frown, but who’s afraid?

Bickerstaff, The Maid of the Mill (1647).

Ralph or Ralpho, the squire of Hudibras. Fully described in bk. i. 457-644.—S. Butler, Hudibras (1663-78).

The prototype of “Ralph” was Isaac Robinson, a zealous butcher, in Morefields. Ralph represents the independent party, and Hudibras the Presbyterian.

* In regard to the pronunciation of this name, which, in 1878, was the subject of a long controversy in Notes and Queries, Butler says:

A squire he had whose name was Ralph,
That in th’ adventure went his half: ...
And when we can, with metre safe,
We’ll call him Ralpho, or plain Ra’ph.

Bk. l. 456.

Ralph (Rough), the helper of Lance Outram, park-keeper at Sir Geoffrey Peveril’s of the Peak.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Ralph (James), an American, who came to London and published a poem entitled Night (1725).

Silence, ye wolves! while Ralph to Cynthia howls,
Making night hideous; answer him ye owls.

Pope, The Dunciad, iii. 165 (1728).

Ralph [de Lascours], captain of the Uran´ia, husband of Louise de Lascours. Ralph is the father of Diana and Martha, alias Orgari´ta. His crew having rebelled, Ralph, his wife, infant [Martha], and servant, Bar´abas, were put into a boat, and turned adrift. The boat ran on a huge iceberg, which Ralph supposed to be a small island. In time, the iceberg broke, when Ralph and his wife were drowned, but Martha and Barabas escaped. Martha was taken by an Indian tribe, who brought her up, and named her Orgarita (“withered corn”), because her skin was so white and fair.—E. Stirling, Orphan of the Frozen Sea (1856).

Ralph Roister Doister, by Nicholas Udall, the first English comedy, about 1534. It contains nine male and four female characters. Ralph is a vain, thoughtless, blustering fellow, who is in pursuit of a rich widow named Custance, but he is baffled in his intention.

Ramble (Sir Robert), a man of gallantry, treats his wife with such supreme indifference that she returns to her guardian, Lord Norland, and resumes her maiden name of Marie Wooburn. Subsequently, however, she returns to her husband.

Mrs. Ramble, wife of Sir Robert, and ward of Lord Norland.—Inchbald, Every One Has His Fault (1794).

Ram´iel (3 syl.), one of the “atheist crew” overthrown by Ab´diel. (The word means, according to Hume, “one who exalts himself against God.”)—Milton, Paradise Lost, vi. 371 (1665).

Raminago´bris. Lafontaine, in his fables, gives this name to a cat. Rabelais, in his Pantag´ruel, iii. 21, satirizes under the same name Guillaume Crétin, a poet.

Rami´rez, a Spanish monk, and father confessor to Don Juan, duke of Braganza. He promised Velasquez, when he absolved the duke at bed-time, to give him a poisoned wafer prepared by the Carmelite Castruccio. This he was about to do, when he was interrupted, and the breaking out of the rebellion saved the duke from any similar attempt.—Robert Jephson, Braganza (1775).

Rami´ro (King) married Aldonza, who, being faithless, eloped with Alboa´zar, the Moorish king of Gaya. Ramiro came disguised as a traveller to Alboazar’s castle, and asked a damsel for a draught of water, and when he lifted the pitcher to his mouth, he dropped in it his betrothal ring, which Aldonza saw and recognized. She told the damsel to bring the stranger to her apartment. Scarce had he arrived there when the Moorish king entered, and Ramiro hid himself in an alcove. “What would you do to Ramiro,” asked Aldonza, “if you had him in your power?” “I would hew him limb from limb,” said the Moor. “Then lo! Alboazar, he is now skulking in that alcove.” With this, Ramiro was dragged forth, and the Moor said, “And how would you act if our lots were reversed?” Ramiro replied, “I would feast you well, send for my chief princes and counsellors, and set you before them and bid you blow your horn till you died.” “Then be it so,” said the Moor. But when Ramiro blew his horn, his “merry men” rushed into the castle, and the Moorish king, with Aldonza and all their children, princes, and counsellors, were put to the sword.—Southey, Ramiro (a ballad from the Portuguese, 1804).

Ramona, young Indian woman, who, in defiance of her duenna’s fierce opposition, goes out into the wide world with gallant Alessandro. The struggles and disappointments of the wedded pair, and their oppression by Indian agents are told in Helen Hunt Jackson’s novel, Ramona, (1884).

Ramorny (Sir John), a voluptuary, master of the horse to Prince Robert of Scotland.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Ramsay (David), the old watch-maker, near Temple Bar.

Margaret Ramsay, David’s daughter. She marries Lord Nigel.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Ramsbottom (Mrs.), a vile speller of the language. Theodore Hook’s pseudonym in the John Bull newspaper, 1829.

* Winifred Jenkins, the maid of Miss Tabitha Bramble (in Smollett’s Humphrey Clinker, 1770), rivals Mrs. Ramsbottom in bad spelling.

Randal, the boatman at Lochleven Castle.—Sir W. Scott, The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Randolph (Lord), a Scotch nobleman, whose life was saved by young Norval. For this service, his lordship gave the youth a commission; but Glenalvon, the heir presumptive, hated the new favorite, and persuaded Lord Randolph that Norval was too familiar with his lady. Accordingly, Glenalvon and Lord Randolph waylaid the lad, who being attacked, slew Glenalvon in self-defence, but was himself slain by Lord Randolph. When the lad was killed, Lord Randolph learned that “Norval” was the son of Lady Randolph by Lord Douglas, her former husband. He was greatly vexed, and went to the war then raging between Scotland and Denmark, to drown his sorrow by activity and danger.

Lady Randolph, daughter of Sir Malcolm, was privately married to Lord Douglas, and when her first boy was born, she hid him in a basket, because there was a family feud between Malcolm and Douglas. Soon after this, Douglas was slain in battle, and the widow married Lord Randolph. The babe was found by old Norval, a shepherd, who brought it up as his own son. When 18 years old, the lad saved the life of Lord Randolph, and was given a commission in the army. Lady Randolph, hearing of the incident, discovered that young Norval was her own son, Douglas. Glenalvon, who hated the new favorite, persuaded Lord Randolph that the young man was too familiar with Lady Randolph, and being waylaid, a fight ensued, in which Norval slew Glenalvon, but was himself slain by Lord Randolph. Lord Randolph being informed that the young man was Lady Randolph’s son, went to the wars to “drive away care;” and Lady Randolph, in her distraction, cast herself headlong from a steep precipice.—J. Home, Douglas (1757).

The voice of Mrs. Crawford [1734-1801], when thrown out by the vehemence of strong feeling, seemed to wither up the hearer; it was a flaming arrow, a lighting of passion. Such was the effect of her almost shriek to old Norval, “Was he alive?” It was like an electric shock, which drove the blood back to the heart, and produced a shudder of terror through the crowded theatre.—Boaden, Life of Kemble.

Random, a man of fortune with a scapegrace son. He is pale and puffy, with gout and a tearing cough. Random goes to France to recruit his health, and on his return to England, gets arrested for debt by mistake for his son. He raves and rages, threatens and vows vengeance, but finds his son on the point of marrying a daughter of Sir David Dunder of Dunder Hall, and forgets his evils in contemplation of this most desirable alliance.—G. Colman, Ways and Means (1788).

Random (Roderick), a young Scotch scapegrace, in quest of fortune. At one time he revels in prosperity, at another he is in utter destitution. Roderick is led into different countries (whose peculiarities are described), and falls into the society of wits, sharpers, courtiers, and harlots. Occasionally lavish, he is essentially mean; with a dash of humor, he is contemptibly revengeful; and, though generous minded when the whim jumps with his wishes, he is thoroughly selfish. His treatment of Strap is revolting to a generous mind. Strap lends him money in his necessity, but the heartless Roderick wastes the loan, treats Strap as a mere servant, fleeces him at dice, and cuffs him when the game is adverse.—T. Smollett, Roderick Random (1748).

Ranger, the madcap cousin of Clarinda, and the leading character in Hoadly’s Suspicious Husband (1747).

Ran´tipole (3 syl.), a madcap. One of the nicknames given to Napoleon III. (See Napoleon III.)

Dick, be a little rantipolish,

Colman, Heir-at-Law, i. 2 (1797).

Raoul [Rawl], the old huntsman of Sir Raymond Berenger.—Sir W. Scott, The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Raoul di Nangis (Sir), the Huguenot in love with Valentina (daughter of the Comte de St. Bris, governor of the Louvre). Sir Raoul is offered the hand of Valentina in marriage, but rejects it because he fancies she is betrothed to the comte de Nevers. Nevers being slain in the Bartholomew Massacre, Raoul marries Valentina, but scarcely is the ceremony over when both are shot by the musketeers under the command of St. Bris.—Meyerbeer, Les Huguenots (opera, 1836).

Raphael (2 or 3 syl.), called by Milton, “The Sociable Spirit,” and “The Affable Archangel.” In the book of Tobit it was Raphael who travelled with Tobias into Media and back again; and it is the same angel that holds discourse with Adam through two books of Paradise Lost, v. and vi. (1665).

Raphael, the guardian angel of John the Beloved.

* Longfellow calls Raphael “The Angel of the Sun,” and says that he brings to man “the gift of faith.”—Golden Legend (“Miracle-Play,” iii., 1851).

Raphael (The Flemish), Frans Floris. His chief works are “St. Luke at His Easel,” and the “Descent of the Fallen Angels,” both in Antwerp Cathedral (1520-1570).

Raphael (The French), Eustace Lesueur (1617-1655).

Raphael of Cats (The), Godefroi Mind, a Swiss painter, famous for his cats (1768-1814).

Raphael of Holland (The), Martin van Hemskerck (1498-1574).

Raphael’s Enchanter, La Fornarina, a baker’s daughter. Her likeness appears in several of his paintings. (See Fornarina.)

Rapier (The) was introduced by Rowland York in 1587.

He [Rowland York] was a Londoner, famous among the cutters in his time for bringing in a new kind of fight—to run the point of a rapier into a man’s body ... before that time the use was with little bucklers, and with broadswords to strike and never thrust, and it was accounted unmanly to strike under the girdle.—Carleton, Thankful Remembrance (1625).

Rare Ben. Ben Jonson, the dramatist, was so called by Robert Herrick (1574-1637).

Raredrench (Master), apothecary.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Rashleigh Osbaldistone, called “the scholar,” an hypocritical and accomplished villain, killed by Rob Roy.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

* Surely never gentleman was plagued with such a family as Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone, of Osbaldistone Hall. (1) Percival, “the sot;” (2) Thorncliff, “the bully;” (3) John, “the gamekeeper;” (4) Richard, “the horse-jockey;” (5) Wilfred, “the fool;” (6) Rashleigh, “the scholar and knave.”

Ras´selas, prince of Abyssina, fourth son of the emperor. According to the custom of the country, he was confined in a private paradise, with the rest of the royal family. This paradise was in the valley of Amhara, surrounded by high mountains. It had only one entrance, which was by a cavern under a rock concealed by woods, and closed by iron gates. He escaped with his sister, Nekayah, and Imlac, the poet, and wandered about to find out what condition or rank of life was the most happy. After careful investigation he found no lot without its drawbacks, and resolved to return to the “happy valley.”—Dr. Johnson, Rasselas (1759).

Rats (Devoured by). Archbishop Hatto, Count Graaf, Bishop Widerolf of Strasburg, Bishop Adolph of Cologne, Freiherr von Güttingen were all devoured by rats. (See Hatto.)

Ratcliffe (James), a notorious thief.—Sir W. Scott, Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).

Ratcliffe (Mr. Hubert), a friend of Sir Edward Mauley, “the Black Dwarf.”—Sir W. Scott, The Black Dwarf (time, Anne).

Ratcliffe (Mrs.), the widow of “Don Carlos,” who rescued Sheva at Cadiz from an auto da fe.

Charles Ratcliffe, clerk of Sir Stephen Bertram, discharged because he had a pretty sister, and Sir Stephen had a young son. Charles supported his widowed mother and his sister by his earnings. He rescued Sheva, the Jew, from a howling London mob, and was left the heir of the old man’s property.

Miss [Eliza] Ratcliffe, sister of Charles, clandestinely married to Charles Bertram, and given £10,000 by the Jew to reconcile Sir Stephen Bertram to the alliance. She was handsome, virtuous and elegant, mild, modest and gentle.—Cumberland, The Jew (1776).

Rath´mor, chief of Clutha (the Clyde), and father of Calthon and Colmar. Dunthalmo, lord of Teutha, “came in his pride against him,” and was overcome, whereupon his anger rose, and he went by night with his warriors and slew Rathmor in his own halls, where his feasts had so often been spread for strangers.—Ossian, Calthon and Colmal.

Rattlin (Jack), a famous naval character in Smollett’s Roderick Random. Tom Bowling is in the same novel (1749).

Rattray (Sir Runnion), of Runnagullion; the duelling friend of Sir Mungo Malagrowther.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Raucocan´ti, leader of a troupe of singers going to act in Sicily. The whole were captured by Lambro, the pirate, and sold in Turkey as slaves.

’Twould not become myself to dwell upon
My own merits, and, tho’ young, I see, sir, you [Don Juan]
Have got a travelled air, which shews you one
To whom the opera is by no means new.
You’ve heard of Raucocanti—I’m that man ...
You was [sic] not last year at the fair of Lugo,
But next, when I’m engaged to sing there—do go.

Byron, Don Juan, iv. 88 (1820).

Raven (Barnaby’s), Grip, a large bird of most impish disposition. Its usual phrases were: “I’m a devil!” “Never say die!” “Polly, put the kettle on!” He also uttered a cluck like cork-drawing, a barking like a dog, and a crowing like a cock. Barnaby Budge used to carry it about in a basket at his back. The bird drooped while it was in jail with his master, but after Barnaby’s reprieve

It soon recovered its good looks, and became as glossy and sleek as ever ... but for a whole year it never indulged in any other sound than a grave and decorous croak.... One bright summer morning ... the bird advanced with fantastic steps to the door of the Maypole, and then cried “I’m a devil!” three or four times, with extraordinary rapture ... and from that time constantly practised and improved himself in the vulgar tongue.—C. Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, ii. (1841).

Raven (The), Edgar Allan Poe’s poem bearing this caption is the best known of his works, and one of the most remarkable in the English language (1845).

Ravens of Owain (The). Owain had in his army 300 ravens, who were irresistible. It is thought that these ravens were warriors who bore this device on their shields.

A man who caused the birds to fly upon the host
Like the ravens of Owain, eager for prey.

Bleddynt Vardd, Myvyrian Archaiology, i. 365.

Ravens once White. One day a raven told Apollo that Coro´nis, a Thessalian nymph whom he passionately loved, was faithless. Apollo, in his rage, shot the nymph, but hated the raven, and “bade him prate in white plumes never more.”—Ovid, Metam., ii.

Ravenswood (Allan, lord of), a decayed Scotch nobleman of the royalist party.

Master Edgar Ravenswood, the son of Allan. In love with Lucy Ashton, daughter of Sir William Ashton, lord-keeper of Scotland. The lovers plight their troth at the “Mermaid’s Fountain,” but Lucy is compelled to marry Frank Hayston, laird of Bucklaw. The bride, in a fit of insanity, attempts to murder the bridegroom, and dies in convulsions. Bucklaw recovers, and goes abroad. Colonel Ashton appoints a hostile meeting with Edgar; but young Ravenswood, on his way to the place appointed, is lost in the quicksands of Kelpies Flow, in accordance with an ancient prophecy.—Sir W. Scott, Bride of Lammermoor (time, William III.).

* In Donizetti’s opera of Lucia di Lammermoor, Bucklaw dies of the wound inflicted by the bride, and Edgar, heart-broken, comes on the stage and kills himself.

The catastrophe in the Bride of Lammermoor, where [Edgar] Ravenswood is swallowed up by a quicksand, is singularly grand in romance, but would be inadmissible in a drama.—Encyc. Brit., Art. “Romance.”

Rawhead and Bloody-Bones, two bogies or bugbears, generally coupled together. In some cases the phrase is employed to designate one and the same “shadowy sprite.”

Servants awe children ... by telling them of Rawhead and Bloody-bones.—Locke.

Ray. One of two brothers, divided by the civil war. Beltran is in the Southern army, Ray in the Northern. Both love the same woman whose heart is Beltran’s. The brothers met in battle and Beltran falls. Ray is wounded and left for dead; recovers and makes his way homeward. There he lives—undergoing volcanic changes, now passionless lulls, and now rages and spasms of grief; “gradually out of them all he gathers his strength about him,” and wins Vivia’s hand.—Harriet Prescott Spofford, Ray.

Ray (Will), popular officer in a frontier brigade who steals through the deadly line of Cheyennes drawn about a handful of U. S. soldiers, and, followed by shots and yells, rides for his life and his comrades’ lives to the nearest encampment of troops and brings succor to the devoted little band with the dawn of the day that, but for him, would have been the last on earth for those left behind.—Charles King, Marion’s Faith (1886).

Rayland (Mrs.), the domineering lady of the Old Manor-House, by Charlotte Smith (1749-1806).

Mrs. Rayland is a sort of Queen Elizabeth in private life.—Sir W. Scott.

Raymond, count of Toulouse, the Nestor of the crusaders. He slays Aladine, king of Jerusalem, and plants the Christian standard on the tower of David.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, xx. (1516).

* Introduced by Sir W. Scott in Count Robert of Paris, a novel of the period of Rufus.

Raymond (Sir Charles), a country gentleman, the friend and neighbor of Sir Robert Belmont.

Colonel Raymond, son of Sir Charles, in love with Rosetta Belmont. Being diffident and modest, Rosetta delights in tormenting him, and he is jealous even of William Faddle “a fellow made up of knavery, noise and impudence.”

Harriet Raymond, daughter of Sir Charles, whose mother died in giving her birth. She was committed to the care of a gouvernante, who changed her name to Fidelia, wrote to Sir Charles to say that she was dead, and sold her at the age of 12 to a villain named Villard. Charles Belmont, hearing her cries of distress, rescued her and took her home. The gouvernante at death confessed the truth, and Charles Belmont married her.—Edward Moore, The Foundling (1748).

Raz´eka, the giver of food, one of the four gods of the Adites (2 syl.).

We called on Razeka for food.

Southey, Thalaba, the Destroyer, i. 24 (1797).

Razor, a barber who could “think of nothing but old England.” He was the friend and neighbor of Quidnunc, the upholsterer, who was equally crazy about the political state of the nation, and the affairs of Europe in general.—Murphy, The Upholsterer (1758).

Razor (To cut blocks with a). Oliver Goldsmith said of Edward Burke, the statesman.

Too deep for his hearers, he went on refining,
And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining:
Tho’ equal to all things, to all things unfit;
Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit;
For a patriot too cool; for a drudge disobedient;
And too fond of the right to pursue the expedient.
In short, ’twas his fate, unemployed or in place, sir,
To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor.

Retaliation (1774.)

Read (Sir William), a tailor, who set up for oculist, and was knighted by Queen Anne. This quack was employed both by Queen Anne and George I. Sir William could not read. He professed to cure wens, wry-necks, and hare-lips (died 1715).

None shall their rise to merit owe—
That popish doctrine is exploded quite,
Or Ralph had been no duke, and Read no knight.

A Political Squib of the Period.

* The “Ralph” refered to is Ralph Montagu, created viscount in 1682, and duke of Montagu in 1705 (died 1709).

Ready-to-Halt, a pilgrim that journeyed to the Celestial City on crutches. He joined Mr. Greatheart’s party, and was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire.—Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, ii. (1684).

Reason (The goddess of), in the French Revolution, some say, was the wife of Momoro, the printer; but Lamartine says it was Mdlle. Malliard, an actress.

Rebecca, leader of the Rebeccaïtes, a band of Welsh rioters, who, in 1843, made a raid upon toll-gates. The captain and his guard disguised themselves in female attire.

* This name arose from a gross perversion of a text of Scripture: “And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, ... let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.” (Gen. xxiv. 60).

Rebecca, daughter of Isaac, the Jew; meek, modest, and high-minded. She loves Ivanhoe, who has shown great kindness to her and to her father; and when Ivanhoe marries Rowena, both Rebecca and her father leave England for a foreign land.—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Rebecca (Mistress), the favorite waiting-maid of Mrs. Margaret Bertram, of Singleside.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Record, noted for his superlatives, “most presumptuous,” “most audacious,” “most impatient,” as:

Oh, you will, most audacious.... Look at him, most inquisitive.... Under lock and key, most noble.... I will, most dignified.—S. Birch, The Adopted Child.

Recruiting Officer (The), a comedy by G. Farquhar (1705). The “recruiting officer” is Sergeant Kite, his superior officer is Captain Plume, and the recruit is Sylvia, who assumes the military dress of her brother and the name of Jack Wilful, alias Pinch. Her father, Justice Balance, allows the name to pass the muster, and when the trick is discovered, to prevent scandal, the justice gives her in marriage to the captain.

Red Book of Hergest (The), a collection of children’s tales in Welsh; so called from the name of the place where it was discovered. Each tale is called in Welsh a Mabinogi, and the entire collection is the Mabinogion (from nab, “a child”). The tales relate chiefly to Arthur and the early British kings. A translation in three vols., with notes, was published by Lady Charlotte Guest (1838-49).

Red-Cap (Mother), an old nurse at the Hungerford Stairs.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Red-Cap (Mother). Madame Bufflon was so called, because her bonnet was deeply colored with her own blood in a street fight at the outbreak of the French Revolution.—W. Melville.

Red Cross Knight (The) represents St. George, the patron saint of England. His adventures, which occupy bk. i. of Spenser’s Faëry Queen, symbolize the struggles and ultimate victory of holiness over sin (or protestantism over popery). Una comes on a white ass to the court of Gloriana, and craves that one of the knights would undertake to slay the dragon which kept her father and mother prisoners. The Red Cross Knight, arrayed in all the armor of God (Eph. vi. 11-17), undertakes the adventure, and goes, accompanied for a time, with Una; but, deluded by Archimago, he quits the lady, and the two meet with numerous adventures. At last, the knight, having slain the dragon, marries Una; and thus holiness is allied to the Oneness of Truth (1590).

Red Hand of Ulster.

Calverley, of Calverley, Yorkshire. Walter Calverley, Esq., in 1605, murdered two of his children, and attempted to murder his wife and a child “at nurse.” This became the subject of The Yorkshire Tragedy. In consequence of these murders, the family is required to wear “the bloody hand.”

The Holt family, of Lancashire, has a similar tradition connected with their coat armor.

Red Knight (The), Sir Perimo´nês, one of the four brothers who kept the passages leading to Castle Perilous. In the allegory of Gareth, this knight represents noon, and was the third brother. Night, the eldest born, was slain by Sir Gareth; the Green Knight, which represents the young day-spring, was overcome, but not slain; and the Red Knight, being overcome, was spared also. The reason is this: darkness is slain, but dawn is only overcome by the stronger light of noon, and noon decays into the evening twilight. Tennyson in his Gareth and Lynette, calls Sir Perimonês “Meridies,” or “Noonday Sun.” The Latin name is not consistent with a British tale.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 129 (1470); Tennyson, Idylls.

Red Knight of the Red Lands (The), Sir Ironside. “He had the strength of seven men, and every day his strength went on increasing till noon.” This knight kept the Lady Lionês captive in Castle Perilous. In the allegory of Sir Gareth, Sir Ironside represents death, and the captive lady “the Bride,” or Church triumphant. Sir Gareth combats with Night, Morn, Noon, and Evening, or fights the fight of faith, and then overcomes the last enemy, which is death, when he marries the lady, or is received into the Church, which is “the Lamb’s Bride.” Tennyson, in his Gareth and Lynette, makes the combat with the Red Knight (“Mors,” or “Death”) to be a single stroke; but the History says it is endured from morn to noon, and from noon to night—in fact, that man’s whole life is a contest with moral and physical death.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 134-137 (1470); Tennyson, Idylls (“Gareth and Lynette”).

Red Pipe. The Great Spirit long ago called the Indians together, and, standing on the red pipe-stone rock, broke off a piece, which he made into a pipe, and smoked, letting the smoke exhale to the four quarters. He then told the Indians that the red pipe-stone was their flesh, and they must use the red pipe when they made peace; and that when they smoked it, the war-club and scalping-knife must not be touched. Having so spoken, the Great Spirit was received up into the clouds.—Indian Mythology.

The red pipe has blown its fumes of peace and war to the remotest corners of the continent. It visited every warrior, and passed through its reddened stem the irrevocable oath of war and desolation. Here, too, the peace-breathing calumet was born, and fringed with eagle’s quills, which has shed its thrilling fumes over the land, and soothed the fury of the relentless savage.—Catlin, Letters on ... the North Americans, ii. 160.

Red Ridinghood (Little), a child with a red cloak, who went to carry cakes to her grandmother. A wolf placed itself in the grandmother’s bed, and when the child remarked upon the size of its eyes, ears, and nose, replied it was the better to see, hear, and smell the little grandchild. “But, grandmamma,” said the child, “what a great mouth you have got!” “The better to eat you up,” was the reply, and the child was devoured by the wolf.

This nursery tale is, with slight variations, common to Sweden, Germany, and France. In Charles Perrault’s Contes des Fées (1697) it is called “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge.”

Red Swan (The). Odjibwa, hearing a strange noise, saw in the lake a most beautiful red swan. Pulling his bow, he took deliberate aim, without effect. He shot every arrow from his quiver with the same result; then, fetching from his father’s medicine sack three poisoned arrows, he shot them also at the bird. The last of the three arrows passed through the swan’s neck, whereupon the bird rose into the air and sailed away towards the setting sun.—Schoolcraft, Algic Researches, ii. 9 (1839).

Redgauntlet, a story told in a series of letters, about a conspiracy formed by Sir Edward Hugh Redgauntlet, on behalf of the “Young Pretender,” Charles Edward, then above 40 years of age. The conspirators insist that the prince shall dismiss his mistress, Miss Walkingshaw, and, as he refuses to comply with this demand, they abandon their enterprise. Just as a brig is prepared for the prince’s departure from the island, Colonel Campbell arrives with the military. He connives, however, at the affair, the conspirators disperse, the prince embarks, and Redgauntlet becomes the prior of a monastery abroad. This is one of the inferior novels, but is redeemed by the character of Peter Peebles.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (1824).

Redgauntlet embodies a great deal of Scott’s own personal history and experience.—Chambers, English Literature, ii. 589.

Redgauntlet (Sir Alberick), an ancestor of the family.

Sir Edward Redgauntlet, son of Sir Alberick; killed by his father’s horse.

Sir Robert Redgauntlet, an old tory, mentioned in Wandering Willie’s tale.

Sir John Redgauntlet, son and successor of Sir Robert, mentioned in Wandering Willie’s tale.

Sir Redwald Redgauntlet, son of Sir John.

Sir Henry Darsie Redgauntlet, son of Sir Redwald.

Lady Henry Darsie Redgauntlet, wife of Sir Henry Darsie.

Sir Arthur Darsie Redgauntlet, alias Darsie Latimer, son of Sir Henry and Lady Darsie.

Miss Lilias Redgauntlet, alias Green-mantle, sister of Sir Arthur. She marries Allan Fairford.

Sir Edward Hugh Redgauntlet, the Jacobite conspirator. He is uncle to Darsie Latimer, and is called “Laird of the Lochs,” alias “Mr. Herries of Birrenswark,” alias “Master Ingoldsby.”—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Redi (Francis), an Italian physician and lyric poet. He was first physician to the grand-duke of Tuscany (1626-1698).

Even Redi, tho’ he chanted
Bacchus in the Tuscan valleys,
Never drank the wine he vaunted
In his dithyrambic sallies.

Longfellow, Drinking Song.

Redlaw (Mr.), the “haunted man.” He was a professor of chemistry, who bargained with the spirit which haunted him to leave him, on condition of his imparting to others his own idiosyncrasies. From this moment the chemist carried with him the infection of sullenness, selfishness, discontent and ingratitude. On Christmas Day the infection ceased. Redlaw lost his morbid feelings, and all who suffered by his infection, being healed, were restored to love, mirth, benevolence and gratitude.—C. Dickens, The Haunted Man (1848).

Redmain (Sir Magnus), governor of the town of Berwick (fifteenth century).

He was remarkable for his long red beard, and was therefore called by the English “Magnus Red-beard,” but by the Scotch, in derision, “Magnus Red-mane,” as if his beard had been a horse-mane.—Godscroft, 178.

Redmond O’Neale, Rokeby’s page, beloved by Rokeby’s daughter, Matilda, whom he marries. He turns out to be Mortham’s son and heir.—Sir W. Scott, Rokeby (1812).

Reece (Captain), R.N., of the Mantelpiece; adored by all his crew. They had feather-beds, warm slippers, hot-water cans, brown Windsor soap, and a valet to every four, for Captain Reece said, “It is my duty to make my men happy, and I will.” Captain Reece had a daughter, ten female cousins, a niece and a ma, six sisters and an aunt or two, and, at the suggestion of William Lee, the coxswain, married these ladies to his crew—“It is my duty to make my men happy, and I will.” Last of all, Captain Reece married the widowed mother of his coxswain, and they were all married on one day—“It was their duty, and they did it.”—W. S. Gilbert, The Bab Ballads (“Captain Reece, R.N.”).

Reeve’s Tale (The). Symond Symkyn, a miller of Trompington, near Cambridge, used to serve “Soler Hall College,” but was an arrant thief. Two scholars, Aleyn and John, undertook to see that a sack of corn sent to be ground was not tampered with; so one stood by the hopper, and one by the trough which received the flour. In the mean time the miller let their horse loose, and, when the young men went to catch it, purloined half a bushel of the flour, substituting meal instead. It was so late before the horse could be caught that the miller offered the two scholars a “shakedown” in his own chamber, but when they were in bed he began to belabor them unmercifully. A scuffle ensued, in which the miller, being tripped up, fell upon his wife. His wife, roused from her sleep, seized a stick, and, mistaking the bald pate of her husband for the night-cap of one of the young men, banged it so lustily that the man was almost stunned with the blows. In the mean time the two scholars made off without payment, taking with them the sack and also the half-bushel of flour, which had been made into cakes.—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (1388).

* Boccaccio has a similar story in his Decameron. It is also the subject of a fabliau entitled De Gombert et des Deux Clers. Chaucer borrowed his story from a fabliau given by Thomas Wright in his Anecdota Literaria, 15.

Reformation (The). It was in germ in the early Lollards, and was radiant in the works of Wycliffe.

It was present in the pulpit of Pierre de Bruys, in the pages of Arnoldo da Brescia, in the cell of Roger Bacon.

It was active in the field with Peter Revel, in the castle of Lord Cobham, in the pulpit with John Huss, in the camp with John Ziska, in the class-room of Pico di Mirandola, in the observatory of Abraham Zacuto, and the college of Antonio di Lebrija, and it burst into full light through Martin Luther.

Re´gan, second daughter of King Lear, and wife of the duke of Cornwall. Having received the half of her father’s king- she refused to entertain him with his suite. On the death of her husband, she designed to marry Edmund, natural son of the earl of Gloster, and was poisoned by her elder sister, Goneril, out of jealousy. Regan, like Goneril, is proverbial for “filial ingratitude.”—Shakespeare, King Lear (1605).

Regent Diamond (The). So called from the regent duke of Orleans. This diamond, the property of France, at first set in the crown, and then in the sword of state, was purchased in India by a governor of Madras, of whom the regent bought it for £80,000.

Regillus (The Battle of Lake). Regillus Lacus is about twenty miles east of Rome, between Gabii (north) and Lavīcum (south). The Romans had expelled Tarquin the Proud from the throne, because of the most scandalous conduct of his son Sextus, who had violated Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus. Thirty combined cities of Latium, with Sabines and Volscians, took the part of Tarquin, and marched towards Rome. The Romans met the allied army at the Lake Regillus, and here, on July 15, B.C. 499, they won the great battle which confirmed their republican constitution, and in which Tarquin, with his sons Sextus and Titus, was slain. While victory was still doubtful, Castor and Pollux, on their white horses, appeared to the Roman dictator, and fought for the Romans. The victory was complete, and ever after the Romans observed the anniversary of this battle with a grand procession and sacrifice. The procession started from the temple of Mars outside the city walls, entered by the Porta Capēna, traversed the chief streets of Rome, marched past the temple of Vesta in the Forum, and then to the opposite side of the “great square,” where they had built a temple to Castor and Pollux in gratitude for the aid rendered by them in this battle. Here offerings were made, and sacrifice was offered to the Great Twin-Brothers, the sons of Leda. Macaulay has a lay, called The Battle of the Lake Regillus, on the subject.

Where, by the Lake Regillus,
Under the Porcian height,
All in the land of Tusculum,
Was fought the glorious fight.

Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome (1842).

A very parallel case occurs in the life of Mahomet. The Koreishites had armed to put down “the prophet;” but Mahomet met them in arms, and on January 13, 624, won the famous battle of Bedr. In the Korân (ch. iii.), he tells us that the angel Gabriel, on his horse, Haïzûm, appeared on the field with 3000 “angels,” and won the battle for him.

In the conquest of Mexico, we are told that St. James appeared on his grey horse at the head of the Castilian adventurers, and led them on to victory. Bernal Diaz, who was in the battle, saw the grey horse, but fancies the rider was Francesco de Morla, though, he confesses, “it might be the glorious apostle St. James” for aught he knew.

Regimen of the School of Salerno, a collection of precepts in Latin verse, written by John of Milan, a poet of the eleventh century, for Robert, the duke of Normandy.

A volume universally known
As the “Regimen of the School of Salern.”

Longfellow, The Golden Legend (1851).

Reginald Archer. A refined, debonnaire sensualist, courted by women and envied by men. He wooes and marries a gentle, pure heiress, and would, as her husband, break her heart were not the evil work cut short by his death at the hands of a man whose wife Reginald has lured from her allegiance to her lawful lord.—Anne Crane Seemuller, Reginald Archer (1865).

Region of Death, (Marovsthulli), Thurr, near Delhi, fatal, from some atmospheric influence, especially about sunset.

Regno (The), Naples.

Are our wiser heads leaning towards an alliance with the pope and the Regno?—George Eliot (Marian Evans).

Reg´ulus, a Roman general, who conquered the Carthaginians (B.C. 256), and compelled them to sue for peace. While negotiation was going on, the Carthaginians, joined by Xanthippos, the Lacedemonian, attacked the Romans at Tunis, and beat them, taking Regulus prisoner. The captive was sent to Rome to make terms of peace and demand exchange of prisoners, but he used all his influence with the senate to dissuade them from coming to terms with their foe. On his return to captivity, the Cathaginians cut off his eyelids and exposed him to the burning sun, then placed him in a barrel armed with nails, which was rolled up and down a hill till the man was dead.

* This subject has furnished Pradon and Dorat with tragedies (French), and Metastasio, the Italian poet, with an opera called Regolo (1740).

“Regulus” was a favorite part of the French actor, François J. Talma.

Rehearsal (The), a farce by George Villiers, duke of Buckingham (1671). It was designed for a satire on the rhyming plays of the time. The chief character, Bayes (1 syl.), is meant for Dryden.

The name of George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, demands cordial mention by every writer on the stage. He lived in an age when plays were chiefly written in rhyme, which served as a vehicle for foaming sentiment clouded by hyperbolê.... The dramas of Lee and Settle ... are made up of blatant couplets that emptily thundered through five long acts. To explode an unnatural custom by ridiculing it, was Buckingham’s design in The Rehearsal, but in doing this the gratification of private dislike was a greater stimulus than the wish to promote the public good.—W. C. Russell, Representative Actors.

Reichel (Colonel), in Charles XII., by J. R. Planché (1826).

Rejected Addresses, parodies on Wordsworth, Cobbett, Southey, Scott, Coleridge, Crabbe, Byron, Theodore Hook, etc., by James and Horace Smith; the copyright after the sixteenth edition was purchased by John Murray, in 1819, for £131. The directors of Drury Lane Theatre had offered a premium for the best poetical address to be spoken at the opening of the new building, and the brothers Smith conceived the idea of publishing a number of poems supposed to have been written for the occasion and rejected by the directors (1812).

“I do not see why they should have been rejected,” said a Leicestershire clergyman, “for I think some of them are very good.”—James Smith.

Reksh, Sir Rustam’s horse.

Relapse, (The), a comedy by Vanbrugh (1697). Reduced to three acts, and adapted to more modern times by Sheridan, under the title of A Trip to Scarborough (1777).

Rel´dresal, principal secretary for private affairs in the court of Lilliput, and great friend of Gulliver. When it was proposed to put the Man-mountain to death for high treason, Reldresal moved as an amendment, that the “traitor should have both his eyes put out, and be suffered to live that he might serve the nation.”—Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Lilliput,” 1726).

* Probably the dean had the Bible story of Samson and the Philistines in his thoughts.

Relics. The following relics are worthy of note, if for no other reason, because of the immense number of pilgrims who are drawn to them from all parts of the world.

1. The House of the Virgin. This is now to be seen at Loreto, a town on the Adriatic, near Ancona, whither it was miraculously transported through the air by angels in the year 1294. It had been originally brought from Nazareth to Dalmatia in 1291, but after resting there for three years was again lifted up and placed where it now stands. It is a small brick structure surrounded by a marble screen designed by Bramante and decorated with carvings and sculptures by a number of celebrated sculptors. The church in which the house stands was built over it to protect it shortly after its arrival.

2. The Holy Coat. This is the seamless coat worn by Jesus, and for which the soldiers drew lots at his crucifixion. It is described by John alone of the evangelists: “Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.” John 19, 23. It is preserved at Treves in the cathedral, and is shown at long intervals to the faithful, attracting vast crowds of pilgrims from all parts of Europe and America. It was last shown in 1891. The village of Argenteuil, near Paris, disputes with Treves the possession of the true garment, insisting on its own superior claim, but the right of Treves is generally acknowledged by Catholics.

3. The Holy Face. According to the legend, when Jesus was on His way to Calvary, one of the women standing by, whose name was Veronica, seeing Him sinking under the weight of the cross, gave Him her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from His face. When He returned it the impression of His face was left upon the cloth, and remains distinctly to be seen at the present day.

4. The Sainte Chapelle at Paris, one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in Europe, was built as a shrine to contain the fragment of the true Cross and a thorn from the Crown of Thorns given by Louis IX. of France (Saint Louis). These relics have since been transferred to the Treasury of Notre Dame, at Paris. The church at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) also contains a fragment of the true Cross. In various churches of Italy, pictures of the Virgin Mary said to have been painted by Saint Luke (a painter as well as a physician, and the patron saint of both professions) are preserved, but no one of them has any fame above the rest.

Remember, Thou Art Mortal! When a Roman conqueror entered the city in triumph, a slave was placed in the chariot to whisper from time to time into the ear of the conqueror, “Remember, thou art a man!”

Vespasian, the Roman emperor, had a slave who said to him daily as he left his chamber, “Remember, thou art a man!”

In the ancient Egyptian banquets it was customary during the feast to draw a mummy, in a car, round the banquet hall, while one uttered aloud, “To this estate you must come at last!”

When the sultan of Serendib (i.e. Ceylon) went abroad, his vizier cried aloud, “This is the great monarch, the tremendous sultan of the Indies ... greater than Solimo or the grand Mihragê!” An officer behind the monarch then exclaimed, “This monarch, though so great and powerful, must die, must die, must die!”—Arabian Nights (“Sindbad,” sixth voyage).

Remois (2 syl.), the people of Rheims, in France.

Remond, a shepherd in Britannia’s Pastorals, by William Browne (1613).

Remond, young Remond, that full well could sing,
And tune his pipe at Pan’s birth carolling;
Who, for his nimble leaping, sweetest layes,
A laurell garland wore on holidayes;
In framing of whose hand Dame Nature swore,
There never was his like, nor should be more.

Pastoral, i.

Rem´ores, birds which retard the execution of a project.

“Remores” aves in auspicio dicuntur quæ acturum aliquid remorari compellunt.—Festus, De VerborumSignificatione.

Remus. (See Romulus and Remus.)

Remus (Uncle). Hero of many of Joel Chandler Harris’s tales of negro-life. His fables of “Brer Rabbit,” “Brer Bear,” and the like are curious relics of African folk-lore (1886).

Re´naud, one of the paladins of Charlemagne, always described with the properties of a borderer, valiant, alert, ingenious, rapacious, and unscrupulous. Better known in the Italian form Rinaldo (q.v.).

Renault, a Frenchman, and one of the chief conspirators in which Pierre was concerned. When Jaffier joined the conspiracy, he gave his wife, Belvide´ra, as surety of his fidelity, and a dagger to be used against her if he proved unfaithful. Renault attempted the honor of the lady, and Jaffier took her back in order to protect her from such insults. The old villain died on the wheel, and no one pitied him.—T. Otway, Venice Preserved (1682).

René, the old king of Provence, father of Queen Margaret of Anjou (wife of Henry VI. of England). A minstrel-monarch, friend to the chase and tilt, poetry, and music. Thiebault says he gave in largesses to knights-errant and minstrels more than he received in revenue (ch. xxix.).—Sir W. Scott, Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

René (2 syl.), the hero and title of a romance by Châteaubriand (1801). It was designed for an episode to his Génie du Christianisme (1802). René is a man of social inaction, conscious of possessing a superior genius, but his pride produces in him a morbid bitterness of spirit.

René [Leblanc], notary public of Grand Pré, in Arcadia (Nova Scotia). Bent with age, but with long yellow hair flowing over his shoulders. He was the father of twenty children, and had a hundred grandchildren. When Acadia was ceded by the French to England, George II. confiscated the goods of the simple colonists, and drove them into exile. René went to Pennsylvania, where he died, and was buried.—Longfellow, Evangeline (1849).

Renton (Dr.). A Boston physician, whose best friend, dying, leaves a letter charging Renton, “In the name of the Saviour, be true and tender to mankind.” The doctor believes himself to be haunted by the ghost of this man, intent upon inforcing the admonition, and the needy and the afflicted profit by the hallucination.—William D. O’Connor, The Ghost.

Rentowel (Mr. Jabesh), a covenanting preacher.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

With vehemence of some pulpit-drumming Gowkthrapple, or “precious” Mr. Jabesh Rentowel.—Carlyle.

Renzo and Lucia, the hero and heroine of an Italian novel by Alessandro Manzoni, entititled The Betrothed Lover (“I Promessi Sposi”). This novel contains an account of the Bread Riot and plague of Milan. Cardinal Borro´meo is also introduced. There is an English translation (1827).

Republican Queen, (The), Sophie Charlotte, wife of Frederick I. of Prussia.

Resequenz, wily major-domo to the duke of Romagna, audacious, unscrupulous and treacherous.—William Waldorf Astor, Valentino (1886).

Resolute (The), John Florio, philologist (1545?-1625). Translated Montaigne’s Essays and wrote a French and English Dictionary called a World of Words. One of the few autographs of Shakespeare is in a copy of Florio’s Montaigne in the British Museum.

* Florio is said to have been the prototype of Shakespeare’s “Holofernês,” in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

Resolute Doctor (The), John Baconthorpe (*-1346).

* Guillaume Durandus de St. Pourçain was called “the Most Resolute Doctor (1267-1332).

Restless (Sir John), the suspicious husband of a suspicious wife.

Lady Restless, wife of Sir John. As she has a fixed idea that her husband is inconstant, she is always asking the servants, “Where is Sir John?” “Is Sir John returned?” “Which way did Sir John go?” “Has Sir John received any letters?” “Who has called?” etc.; and, whatever the answer, it is to her a confirmation of her surmises.—A. Murphy, All in the Wrong (1761).

Reuben Dixon, a village schoolmaster of “ragged lads.”

’Mid noise, and dirt, and stench, and play, and prate,
He calmly cuts the pen or views the slate.

Crabbe, Borough, xxiv. (1810).

Reuben and Seth, servants of Nathan ben Israel, the Jew at Ashby, a friend of Isaac and Rebecca.—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Reullu´ra (i.e. “beautiful star”), the wife of Aodh, one of the Culdees, or primitive clergy of Scotland, who preached the gospel of God in Io´na, an island south of Staffa. Here Ulvfa´gre, the Dane, landed, and, having put all who opposed him to death, seized Aodh, bound him in iron, carried him to the church, and demanded where the treasures were concealed. Just then appeared a mysterious figure all in white, who first unbound Aodh, and then taking the Dane by the arm, led him up to the statue of St. Columb, which immediately fell and crushed him to death. Then turning to the Norsemen, the same mysterious figure told them to “go back and take the bones of their chief with them;” adding, whoever lifted hand in the island again, should be a paralytic for life. “The “saint” then transported the remnant of the islanders to Ireland; but when search was made for Reullura, her body was in the sea, and her soul in heaven.—Campbell, Reullura.

Reutha´mir, the principal man of Balclutha, a town belonging to the Britons on the river Clyde. His daughter, Moina, married Clessammor (Fingal’s uncle on the mother’s side). Reuthamir was killed by Combal (Fingal’s father) when he attacked Balcutha and burned it to the ground.—Ossian, Carthon.

Reutner (Karl), young German, serving in the Federal army, finds, on the Gettysburg battle-field, a four-leafed clover, and waves it in the air. The gesture attracts a sharp-shooter, and Reutner falls insensible. He is taken from hospital to prison, and languishes for weeks, in delirium, all the while haunted by a vision of a woman, dark-eyed and beautiful, who brings him handfuls of four-leaved clover. When he reaches home, he recognizes her in Margaret Warren, a guest in his father’s house. The betrothal-ring bears a four-leaved clover of green enamel, set in diamonds.—Helen Hunt Jackson, A Four-Leaved Clover (1886).

Rev´eller (Lady), cousin of Valeria, the blue-stocking. Lady Reveller is very fond of play, but ultimately gives it up, and is united to Lord Worthy.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Basset Table (1706).

Revenge (The), a tragedy by Edward Young (1721). (For the plot, see Zanga.)

Revenge (The), the ship under the command of Sir Richard Grenville, anchored at Flores, in the Azores, when a fleet of fifty-three Spanish ships hove in sight. Lord Thomas Howard, with six men-of-war, sailed off; but Sir Richard stood his ground. He had only a hundred men, but with this crew and his one ship, he encountered the Spanish fleet. The fight was very obstinate. Some of the Spanish ships were sunk, and many shattered; but Sir Richard at length was wounded, and the surgeon shot while dressing the wound. “Sink the ship, master gunner!” cried Sir Richard; “sink the ship, and let her not fall into the hands of Spain!” But the crew were obliged to yield, and Sir Richard died. The Spaniards were amazed at Grenville’s pluck, and gave him all honors, as they cast his body into the sea. The Revenge was then manned by Spaniards, but never reached the Spanish coast, for it was wrecked in a tempest, and went down with all hands aboard.—Tennyson, The Revenge, a ballad of the fleet (1878).

* This sea-fight is the subject of one of Froude’s essays.

Canon Kingsley has introduced it in Westward Ho! where he gives a description of Sir Richard Grenville.

Lord Bacon says the fight “was memorable even beyond credit, and to the height of heroic fable.”

Mr. Arber published three interesting contemporary documents relating to The Revenge, by Sir Walter Raleigh.

Gervase Markham wrote a long poem on the subject (two hundred stanzas of eight lines each).

Revenge (The Palace of), a palace of crystal, provided with everything agreeable to life except the means of going out of it. The fairy Pagan made it, and when Imis rejected his suit because she loved Prince Philax, he shut them up in this palace out of revenge. At the end of a few years Pagan had his revenge, for Philax and Imis longed as eagerly for a separation as they had once done to be united.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Palace of Revenge,” 1682).

Revenons à nos Moutons, let us return to the matter in hand. This phrase comes from an old French comedy of the fifteenth century, entitled L’Avocat Patelin, by Blanchet. A clothier, giving evidence against a shepherd who had stolen some sheep, is for ever running from the subject to talk about some cloth of which Patelin, his lawyer, had defrauded him. The judge from time to time pulls him up by saying, “Well, well! and about the sheep?” “What about the sheep!” (See Patelin.)

Revolutionary Songs. By far the most popular were:

1. La Marseillaise, both words and music by Rouget de Lisle (1792).

2. Veillons au Salut de l’Empire, by Adolphe S. Boy (1791). Music by Dalayra. Very strange that men whose whole purpose was to destroy the empire should go about singing “Let us guard it!”

3. Ça Ira, written to the tune of Le Carillon National, in 1789, while preparations were being made for the Fête de la Féderation. It was a great favorite with Marie Antoinette, who was for ever “strumming the tune on her harpsichord.”

4. Chant du Départ, by Marie Joseph de Chénier (1794). Music by Méhul. This was the most popular next to the Marseillaise.

5. La Carmagnole. “Madame Veto avait promis de faire égorger tout Paris ...” (1792). Probably so called from Carmagnole, in Piedmont. The burden of this dancing song is:

Danson la Carmagnole,
Vive le son! Vive le son!
Danson la Carmagnole,
Vive le son du canon!

6. La Vengeur, a spirited story, in verse, about a ship so called. Lord Howe took six of the French ships, June 1, 1794; but La Vengeur was sunk by the crew, that it might not fall into the hands of the English, and went down while the crew shouted “Vive la République!” The story bears a strong resemblance to that of “The Revenge,” Sir Richard Grenville’s ship. See ante.

In the second Revolution we have:

1. La Parisienne, called “The Marseillaise of 1830,” by Casimir Delavigne, the same year.

2. La France a l’Horreur du Servage, by Casimir Delavigne (1843).

3. Le Champ de Bataille, by Emile Debreaux (about 1830).

The chief political songs of Béranger are: Adieux de Marie Stuart, La Cocarde Blanche, Jacques, La Déesse, Marquis de Carabas, Le Sacre de Charles le Simple, Le Senateur, Le Vieux Caporal, and Le Vilain.

In the American Revolution the air of Yankee Doodle was sung to various sets of words, all derisive of the British and exhilarating to the Americans.

In the Civil War of the United States The Star-Spangled Banner, Hail Columbia, Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! and Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic to the air of John Brown’s Body Lies Mouldering in the Ground were favorites with the Federal troops.

Among the Confederates, Dixie, and Maryland, My Maryland, were most popular.

Rewcastle (Old John), a Jedburgh smuggler, and one of the Jacobite conspirators with the laird of Ellieslaw.—Sir W. Scott, The Black Dwarf (time, Anne).

Reynaldo, a servant to Polonius.—Shakespeare, Hamlet (1596).

Reynard the Fox, the hero of the beast-epic so called. This prose poem is a satire on the state of Germany in the Middle Ages. Reynard represents the Church; Isengrin, the wolf (his uncle), typifies the baronial element; and Nodel, the lion, stands for the regal power. The plot turns on the struggle for supremacy between Reynard and Isengrin. Reynard uses all his endeavors to victimize every one, especially his uncle, Isengrin, and generally succeeds.—Reinecke Fuchs (thierepos, 1498).

Reynardine (3 syl.), eldest son of Reynard the Fox. He assumed the names of Dr. Pedanto and Crabron.—Reynard the Fox (1498).

Reynold of Montalbon, one of Charlemagne’s paladins.

Reynolds (Sir Joshua), is thus described by Goldsmith:

Here Reynolds is laid; and, to tell you my mind,
He has not left a wiser or better behind.
His pencil was striking, resistless and grand;
His manners were gentle, complying and bland ...
To coxcombs averse, yet most civilly steering,
When they judged without skill he was still hard of hearing;
When they talked of their Raphaels, Corregios, and stuff,
He shifted his trumpet, and only took snuff.

Retaliation (1774).

N.B.—Sir Joshua Reynolds was hard of hearing, and used an ear-trumpet.

Rez´io (Dr.) or “Pedro Rezio of Ague´ro,” the doctor of Barata´ria, who forbade Sancho Panza to taste any of the meats set before him. Roast partridge was “forbidden by Hippoc´ratês.” Podri´da was “the most pernicious food in the world.” Rabbits were “a sharp-haired diet.” Veal was “prejudicial to health.” But, he said, the governor might eat “a few wafers, and a thin slice or two of quince.”—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. iii. 10 (1615).

Rhadaman´thus, son of Jupiter and Euro´pa. He reigned in the Cycladês with such partiality, that at death he was made one of the judges of the infernal regions.

And if departed souls must rise again ...
And bide the judgment of reward or pain ...
Then Rhadamanthus and stern Minos were
True types of justice while they livèd here.

Lord Brooke, Monarchie, i. (1554-1628).

Rhampsini´tos, king of Egypt, usually called Ram´esês III., the richest of the Egyptian monarchs, who amassed 72 millions sterling, which he secured in a treasury of stone. By an artifice of the builder, he was robbed every night.—Herodotus, ii. 121.

A parallel tale is told of Hyrieus [Hy´.ri.uce] of Hyrĭa. His two architects, Trophōnios and Agamēdês (brothers), built his treasure-vaults, but left one stone removable at pleasure. After great loss of treasure, Hyrieus spread a net, in which Agame´des was caught. To prevent recognition, Trophonios cut off his brother’s head.—Pausanias, Itinerary of Greece, ix. 37, 3.

A similar tale is told of the treasure-vaults of Augĕas, king of Elis.

Rha´sis or Mohammed Aboubekr ibn Zakaria el Razi, a noted Arabian physician. He wrote a treatise on small-pox and measles, with some 200 other treatises (850-923).

Well, error has no end;
And Rhasis is a sage.

R. Browning, Paracelsus, iii.

Rhea’s Child. Jupiter is so called by Pindar. He dethroned his father, Saturn.

The child
Of Rhea drove him [Saturn] from the upper sky.

Akenside, Hymn to the Naiads (1767).

Rheims (The Jackdaw of), The cardinal-archbishop of Rheims made a great feast, to which he invited all the joblillies of the neighborhood. There were abbots and prelates, knights and squires, and all who delighted to honor the great panjandrum of Rheims. The feast over, water was served, and his lordship’s grace, drawing off his turquoise ring, laid it beside his plate, dipped his fingers into the golden bowl, and wiped them on his napkin; but when he looked to put on his ring, it was nowhere to be found. It was evidently gone. The floor was searched, the plates and dishes lifted up, the mugs and chalices, every possible and impossible place was poked into, but without avail. The ring must have been stolen. His grace was furious, and, in dignified indignation, calling for bell, book, and candle, banned the thief, both body and soul, this life and for ever. It was a terrible curse, but none of the guests seemed the worse for it—except, indeed, the jackdaw. The poor bird was a pitiable object, his head lobbed down, his wings draggled on the floor, his feathers were all ruffled, and with a ghost of a caw he prayed the company follow him; when lo! there was the ring, hidden in some sly corner by the jackdaw as a clever practical joke. His lordship’s grace smiled benignantly, and instantly removed the curse; when lo! as if by magic, the bird became fat and sleek again, perky and impudent, wagging his tail, winking his eye, and cocking his head on one side, then up he hopped to his old place on the cardinal’s chair. Never after this did he indulge in thievish tricks, but became so devout, so constant at feast and chapel, so well-behaved at matins and vespers, that when he died he died in the odor of sanctity, and was canonized, his name being changed to that of Jim Crow.—Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (“Jackdaw of Rheims,” 1837).

Rheingold. The treasure given Siegfried by the dwarfs, and the cause of contention after his death.

Rhesus was on his march to aid the Trojans in their siege, and had nearly reached Troy, when he was attacked in the night by Ulysses and Diomed. In this surprise Rhesus and all his army were cut to pieces.—Homer, Iliad, x.

A parallel case was that of Sweno, the Dane, who was marching to join Godfrey and the crusaders, when he was attacked in the night by Solyman, and both Sweno and his army perished.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Rhiannon’s Birds. The notes of these birds were so sweet that warriors remained spell-bound for eighty years together, listening to them. These birds are often alluded to by the Welsh bards. (Rhiannon was the wife of Prince Pwyll.)—The Mabinogion, 363 (twelfth century).

The snow-white bird which the monk Felix listened to, sang so enchantingly that he was spell-bound for a hundred years, listening to it.—Longfellow, Golden Legend.

Rhodalind, daughter of Aribert, king of Lombardy, in love with Duke Gondibert; but Gondibert preferred Birtha, a country girl, daughter of the sage, Astrăgon. While the duke is whispering sweet love-notes to Birtha, a page comes post-haste to announce to him that the king has proclaimed him his heir, and is about to give him his daughter in marriage. The duke gives Birtha an emerald ring, and says if he is false to her, the emerald will lose its lustre; then hastens to court, in obedience to the king’s summons. Here the tale breaks off, and was never finished.—Sir Wm. Davenant, Gondibert (1605-1668).

Rhodian Venus (The). This was the “Venus” of Protog´enês mentioned by Pliny, Natural History, xxxv. 10.

When first the Rhodian’s mimic art arrayed
The Queen of Beauty in her Cyprian shade,
The happy master mingled in his piece
Each look that charmed him in the fair of Greece.

Campbell, Pleasures of Hope, ii. (1799).

Prior (1664-1721) refers to the same painting in his fable of Protogênes and Appellês:

I hope, sir, you intend to stay
To see our Venus; ’tis the piece
The most renowned throughout all Greece.

Rhod´ope (3 syl.), or Rhod´opis, a celebrated Greek courtezan, who afterwards married Psammetichus, king of Egypt. It is said she built the third pyramid.—Pliny, Nat. Hist., xxxvi. 12.

A statelier pyramis to her I’ll rear,
Than Rhodope’s.

Shakespeare, Henry VI. act i. sc. 6 (1589).

Rhombus, a schoolmaster who speaks “a leash of languages at once,” puzzling himself and his hearers with a jargon like that of “Holofernês” in Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost (1594).—Sir Philip Sidney, Pastoral Entertainment (1587).

Rhombus, a spinning-wheel or rolling instrument used by the Roman witches for fetching the moon out of heaven.

Quæ nunc Thessalico lunam deducere rhombo [sciet].—Martial, Epigrams, ix. 30.

Rhone of Christian Eloquence (The), St. Hilary (300-367).

Rhone of Latin Eloquence (The). St. Hilary is so called by St. Jerome (300-367).

Rhongomyant, the lance of King Arthur.—The Mabinogion (“Kilhwch and Olwen,” twelfth century).

Rhyming to Death. In 1 Henry VI. act i. sc. 1, Thomas Beaufort, duke of Exeter, speaking about the death of Henry V., says, “Must we think that the subtle-witted French conjurors and sorcerers, out of fear of him, ‘by magic verses have contrived his end?’” The notion of killing by incantation was at one time very common.

Irishmen ... will not stick to affirme that they can rime either man or beast to death.—Reg. Scot, Discoverie of Witchcraft (1564).

Ribbon. The yellow ribbon, in France, indicates that the wearer has won a médaille militaire (instituted by Napoleon III.) as a minor decoration of the Legion of Honor.

The red ribbon marks a chevalier of the Legion of Honor. A rosette indicates a higher grade than that of chevalier.

Ribemont (3 syl.), the bravest and noblest of the French host in the battle of Poitiers. He alone dares confess that the English are a brave people. In the battle he is slain by Lord Audley.—Shirley, Edward the Black Prince (1640).

Ribemont (Count), in The Siege of Calais, by Colman.

Riccar´do, commander of Plymouth fortress, a Puritan to whom Lord Walton has promised his daughter, Elvira, in marriage. Riccardo learns that the lady is in love with Arthur Talbot, and when Arthur is taken prisoner by Cromwell’s soldiers, Riccardo promises to use his efforts to obtain his pardon. This, however, is not needful, for Cromwell, feeling quite secure of his position, orders all the captives of war to be released. Riccardo is the Italian form of Sir Richard Forth.—Bellini, I Puritani (opera, 1834).

Ricciardetto, son of Aymon, and brother of Bradamante.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Rice. Eating rice with a bodkin. Aminê, the beautiful wife of Sidi Nouman, ate rice with a bodkin, but she was a ghoul. (See Amine.)

Richard, a fine, honest lad, by trade a smith. He marries, on New Year’s Day, Meg, the daughter of Toby Veck.—C. Dickens, The Chimes (1844).

Richard (Squire), eldest son of Sir Francis Wronghead, of Bumper Hall. A country bumpkin, wholly ignorant of the world and of literature.—Vanbrugh and Cibber, The Provoked Husband (1727).

Robert Wetherilt [1708-1745] came to Drury Lane a boy, where he showed his rising genius in the part of “Squire Richard.”—Chetwood, History of the Stage.

Richard (Prince), eldest son of King Henry II.—Sir W. Scott, The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Richard “Cœur de Lion,” introduced in two novels by Sir W. Scott (The Talisman and Ivanhoe). In the latter he first appears as “The Black Knight,” at the tournament, and is called Le Noir Fainéant, or “The Black Sluggard;” also “The Knight of the Fetter-lock.”

Richard a Name of Terror. The name of Richard I., like that of Attila, Bonaparte, Corvīnus, Narses, Sebastian, Talbot, Tamerlane, and other great conquerors, was at one time employed in terrorem to disobedient children. (See Names of Terror.)

His tremendous name was employed by the Syrian mothers to silence their infants; and if a horse suddenly started from the way, his rider was wont to exclaim, “Dost thou think King Richard is in the bush?”—Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, xi. 146 (1776-88).

The Daughters of Richard I. When Richard was in France, Fulco, a priest, told him he ought to beware how he bestowed his daughters in marriage. “I have no daughters,” said the king. “Nay, nay,” replied Fulco, “all the world knows that you have three—Pride, Covetousness and Lechery.” “If these are my daughters,” said the king, “I know well how to bestow them where they will be well cherished. My eldest I give to the Knights Templars, my second to the monks; and my third I cannot bestow better than on yourself, for I am sure she will never be divorced nor neglected.”—Thomas Milles, True Nobility (1610).

The Horse of Richard I., Fennel.

Ah, Fennel, my noble horse, thou bleedest, thou art slain!—Cœur de Lion and His Horse.

The Troubadour of Richard I., Bertrand de Born.

Richard Pennyroyal, unhappy man whose weary indifference to his first wife heightens into aversion as she becomes insane. He is relieved when she drowns herself. His second wife, passionately beloved, is unfaithful to him, and loathes him as he drinks more and more to drown disappointment. His rival triumphs over him in a struggle for property, but Richard has his wife still. Straying one night toward the pool in which his first wife drowned herself, he comes upon the false wife and her lover, challenges the latter to a duel then and there, and is shot through the heart. His body is tossed into the pool and never discovered.—Julian Hawthorne, Archibald Malmaison (1878).

Richard II’s Horse, Roan Barbary.—Shakespeare, Richard II. act v. sc. 5 (1597).

Richard III., a tragedy by Shakespeare (1597). At one time parts of Rowe’s tragedy of Jane Shore were woven in the acting edition, and John Kemble introduced other clap-traps from Colley Cibber. The best actors of this part were David Garrick (1716-1779), Henry Mossop (1729-1773) and Edmund Kean (1787-1833).

Richard III. was only 19 years old at the opening of Shakespeare’s play.—Sharon Turner.

The Horse of Richard III., White Surrey.—Shakespeare, Richard III. act v. sc. 3 (1597).

Richard’s himself again! These words were interpolated by John Kemble from Colley Cibber.

Richards (Allen). He meets his lately betrothed in a parlor-car, and the dialogue that ensues ends in reconciliation and renewal of vows. They are alone, except when the porter enters from time to time, and a providential detention on the road prolongs the interview.—W. D. Howells, The Parlor Car (a farce, 1876).

Richelieu (Armand), cardinal and chief minister of France. The duke of Orleans (the king’s brother), the count de Baradas (the king’s favorite), and other noblemen, conspired to assassinate Richelieu, dethrone Louis XIII., and make Gaston, duke of Orleans, the regent. The plot was revealed to the cardinal by Marion de Lorme, in whose house the conspirators met. The conspirators were arrested, and several of them put to death, but Gaston, duke of Orleans, turned king’s evidence, and was pardoned.—Lord Lytton, Richelieu (1839).

Richland (Miss), intended for Leontine Croaker, but she gives her hand in marriage to Mr. Honeywood, “the good-natured man,” who promises to abandon his quixotic benevolence, and to make it his study in future “to reserve his pity for real distress, his friendship for true merit, and his love for her who first taught him what it is to be happy.”—Goldsmith, The Good-natured Man (1768).

Richlings (The). Brave young couple who come to New Orleans to make a living. John Richling has forfeited the favor of a rich father by marrying the woman of his choice, but never regrets the action. From the outset ill-fortune pursues him. He is willing to work, but work is hard to get. He accepts various employments, more or less menial, and through no fault of his, loses one after another. Nothing is stable except Mary’s love and Dr. Sevier’s friendship. Just before the war poverty compels him to send Mary to her mother in Milwaukee. There her child is born. He remains in New Orleans, working hard, and steadily failing in health. For three years they are separated by war, the noble wife trying all the while to get to her husband. When she succeeds, it is to find him on his death-bed.

Mary becomes, under Dr. Sevier’s direction a city-missionary. “The work ... seemed to keep John near. Almost, sometimes, he seemed to walk at her side in her errands of mercy, or to spread above her the arms of benediction.”—George W. Cable, Dr. Sevier (1888).

Richmond (The duchess of) wife of Charles Stuart, in the court of Charles II. The line became extinct, and the title was given to the Lennox family.—Sir W. Scott, Perveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Richmond (The earl of), Henry of Lancaster.—Sir W. Scott, Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

Richmond Hill (The Lass of), Miss l’Anson, of Hill House, Richmond, Yorkshire. Words by M’Nally, music by James Hook, who married the young lady.

The Lass of Richmond Hill is one of the sweetest ballads in the language.—John Bell.

Richmond (Kate). New England girl, heroine of several sketches in Grace Greenwood’s Leaves. “Aside from her beauty and unfailing cheerfulness, she has a clear, strong intellect, an admirable taste and an earnest truthfulness of character.”—Grace Greenwood, Greenwood Leaves (1850).

Rickets (Mabel), the old nurse of Frank Osbaldistone.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Riderhood (Rogue), the villain in Dickens’s novel of Our Mutual Friend (1864).

Rides on the Tempest and Directs the Storm. Joseph Addison, speaking of the duke of Marlborough and his famous victories, says that he inspired the fainting squadrons, and stood unmoved in the shock of battle:

So when an angel by divine command,
With rising tempests shakes a guilty land,
Such as of late o’er pale Britannia past,
Calm and serene he drives the furious blast;
And, pleased th’ Almighty’s orders to perform,
Rides on the tempest and directs the storm.

The Campaign (1705).

Ridicule (Father of). François Rabelais is so styled by Sir Wm. Temple (1495-1553).

Ridolphus, one of the band of adventurers that joined the crusaders. He was slain by Argantês (bk. vii.)—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Rienzi (Nicolo Gabrïni) or Cola di Rienzi, last of the tribunes, who assumed the name of “Tribune of Liberty, Peace and Justice” (1313-1354).

* Cola di Rienzi is the hero of a novel by Lord Bulwer Lytton, entitled Rienzi, or The Last of the Tribunes (1849).

Rienzi, an opera by Wagner (1841). It opens with a number of the Orsini breaking into Rienzi’s house, in order to abduct his sister, Irēnê, but in this they are foiled by the arrival of the Colonna and his followers. The outrage provokes a general insurrection, and Rienzi is appointed leader. The nobles are worsted, and Rienzi becomes a senator; but the aristocracy hate him, and Paolo Orsini seeks to assassinate him, but without success. By the machinations of the German emperor and the Colonna, Rienzi is excommunicated and deserted by all his adherents. He is ultimately fired on by the populace and killed on the steps of the capitol.—Libretto by J. P. Jackson.

Rienzi (The English), William with the Long Beard, alias Fitzosbert (*-1196).

Rigaud (Mons.), a Belgian, 35 years of age, confined in a villainous prison at Marseilles, for murdering his wife. He has a hooked nose, handsome after its kind, but too high between the eyes, and his eyes, though sharp, were too near to one another. He was, however, a large, tall man, with thin lips, and a goodly quantity of dry hair shot with red. When he spoke, his moustache went up under his nose, and his nose came down over his moustache. After his liberation from prison, he first took the name of Lagnier, and then of Blandois, his name being Rigaud Lagnier Blandois.—Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit (1857).

Rigdum-Funnidos, a courtier in the palace of King Chrononhotonthologos. After the death of the king, the widowed queen is advised to marry again, and Rigdum Funnidos is proposed to her as “a very proper man.” At this Aldiborontephoscophornio takes umbrage, and the queen says, “Well, gentlemen, to make matters easy, I’ll have you both.”—H. Carey, Chrononhotonthologos (1734).

* John Ballantyne, the publisher, was so called by Sir W. Scott. He was “a quick, active, intrepid little fellow, full of fun and merriment ... all over quaintness and humorous mimicry.”

Right-Hitting Brand, one of the companions of Robin Hood, mentioned by Mundy.

Rig´olette (3 syl.), a grisette and courtezan.—Eugène Sue, Mysteries of Paris (1842-3).

Rigoletto, an opera, describing the agony of a father obliged to witness the violation of his own daughter.—Verdi, Rigoletto (1852).

* The libretto of this opera is borrowed from Victor Hugo’s drama Le Roi s’Amuse.

Rimegap (Joe), one of the miners of Sir Geoffrey Perveril of the Peak.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Rimini (Francesca di), a woman of extraordinary beauty, daughter of the lord of Ravenna. She was married to Lanciotto Malatesta, signore of Rimini, a man of great bravery, but deformed. His brother, Paolo, was extremely handsome, and with him Francesca fell in love. Lanciotto, detecting them in criminal intercourse, killed them both (1389).

This tale forms one of the episodes of Dantê’s Inferno; is the subject of a tragedy called Francesca di Rimini, by Silvio Pellico (1819); and Leigh Hunt, about the same time, published his Story of Rimini, in verse.

Rimmon, seventh in order of the hierarchy of Hell: (1) Satan, (2) Beëlzebub, (3) Moloch, (4) Chemos, (5) Thammuz, (6) Dagon, (7) Rimmon, whose chief temple was at Damascus (2 Kings v. 18).

Him [Dagon] followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat
Was fair Damascus on the fertile banks
Of A´bana and Pharpar, lucid streams.

Milton, Paradise Lost, i. 467, etc. (1665).

Rinaldo, son of the fourth Marquis d’Estê, cousin of Orlando, and nephew of Charlemagne. He was the rival of Orlando in his love for Angelica, but Angelica detested him. Rinaldo brought an auxiliary force of English and Scotch to Charlemagne, which “Silence” conducted safely into Paris.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Rinaldo, the Achillês of the Christian army in the siege of Jerusalem. He was the son of Bertoldo and Sophia, but was brought up by Matilda. Rinaldo joined the crusaders at the age of 15. Being summoned to a public trial for the death of Gernando, he went into voluntary exile.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

* Pulci introduces the same character in his burlesque poem entitled Morgantê Maggiorê, which holds up to ridicule the romances of chivalry.

Rinaldo, steward to the countess of Rousillon—Shakespeare, All’s Well that Ends Well (1598).

Rinaldo of Montalban, a knight who had the “honor” of being a public plunderer. His great exploit was stealing the golden idol of Mahomet.

In this same Mirror of Knighthood we meet with Rinaldo de Montalban and his companions, with the twelve peers of France, and Turpin, the historian.... Rinaldo had a broad face, and a pair of large rolling eyes; his complexion was ruddy, and his disposition choleric. He was, besides, naturally profligate, and a great encourager of vagrants.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. i. 1, 6 (1605).

Ring (Dame Liŏnês’s), a ring given by Dame Lionês to Sir Gareth, during a tournament.

“That ring,” said Dame Lionês, “increaseth my beauty much more than it is of itself; and this is the virtue of my ring: that which is green it will turn to red, and that which is red it will turn green; that which is blue it will turn white, and that which is white it will turn blue; and so with all other colors. Also, whoever beareth my ring can never lose blood.”—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 146 (1470).

Ring (Luned’s). This ring rendered the wearer invisible. Luned or Lynet gave it to Owain, one of King Arthur’s knights. Consequently, when men were sent to kill him he was nowhere to be found, for he was invisible.

Take this ring, and put it on thy finger, with the stone inside thy hand; and close thy hand upon the stone; and as long as thou concealest it, it will conceal thee.—The Mabinogion (“Lady of the Fountain,” twelfth century).

Ring (The Steel), made by Siedel-Beckir. This ring enabled the wearer to read the secrets of another’s heart.—Comte de Caylus, Oriental Tales (“The Four Talismans,” 1743).

Ring (The Talking), a ring given by Tartaro, the Basque Cyclops, to a girl whom he wished to marry. Immediately she put it on, it kept incessantly saying, “You there, and I here;” so, to get rid of the nuisance, she cut off her finger and threw both ring and finger into a pond.—Rev. W. Webster, Basque Legends, 4 (1876).

The same story appears in Campbell’s Popular Tales of the West Highlands, i. 111, and in Grimm’s tale of The Robber and His Sons. When the robber put on the ring, it incessantly cried out, “Here I am;” so he bit off his finger, and threw it from him.

Ring (The Virgin’s Wedding Ring), kept in the Duomo of Perugia, under fourteen locks.

Ring and the Book (The), an idyllic epic, by Robert Browning, founded on a cause célèbre of Italian history in 1698. The case was this: Guido Franceschini, a Florentine count of shattered fortune, married Pompilia, thinking her to be an heiress. When the young bride discovered that she had been married for her money only, she told her husband she was no heiress at all, but was only the supposititious child of Pietro (2 syl.), supplied by one Violantê, for the sake of keeping in his hands certain entailed property. The count now treated Pompilia so brutally that she ran away from home, under the protection of Caponsacchi, a young priest, and being arrested at Rome, a legal separation took place. Pompilia sued for a divorce, but, pending the suit, gave birth to a son. The count now murdered Pietro, Violantê, and Pompilia, but being taken red-handed, was brought to trial, found guilty, and executed.

Ring the Bells Backwards (To), to ring a muffled peal, to lament. Thus, John Cleveland, wishing to show his abhorrence of the Scotch, says:

How! Providence! and yet a Scottish crew!...
Ring the bells backwards. I am all on fire;
Not all the buckets in a country quire
Shall quench my rage.

The Rebel Scot (1613-1659).

Ringdove (The Swarthy). The responses of the oracle of Dodōna, in Epīros, were made by old women called “pigeons,” who derived their answers from the cooing of certain doves, the bubbling of a spring, a rustling of the sacred oak [or beech], and the tinkling of a gong or bell hung in the tree. The women were called pigeons by a play on the word pelīæ, which means “old women” as well as “pigeons;” and as they came from Libya they were swarthy.

According to the fable, Zeus gave his daughter, Thēbê, two black doves endowed with the gift of human speech; one of them flew into Libya, and the other into Dodona. The former gave the responses in the temple of Ammon, and the latter in the oracle of Dodona.

... beach or lime,
Or that Thessalian growth,
In which the swarthy ringdove sat,
And mystic sentence spoke.

Tennyson.

Ringhorse (Sir Robert), a magistrate at Old St. Ronan’s.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Ringwood, a young Templar.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Rintherout (Jenny), a servant at Monkbarns to Mr. Jonathan Oldbuck, the antiquary.—Sir W. Scott, The Antiquary (time, George III.).

Riou (Captain), called by Nelson “The Gallant and the Good;” fell in the battle of the Baltic.

Brave hearts! to Britain’s pride
Once so faithful and so true,
On the deck of fame that died,
With the gallant, good Riou.

Campbell, Battle of the Baltic (1777-1844).

Rip van Winkle slept twenty years in the Catskill Mountains, of North America. (See Winkle.)

Epimenĭdês, the Gnostic, slept for fifty-seven years.

Gyneth slept 500 years, by the enchantment of Merlin.

The seven sleepers slept for 250 years in Mount Celion.

St. David slept for seven years. (See Ormandine.)

(The following are not dead, but only sleep till the fulness of their respective times:—Elijah, Endymion, Merlin, King Arthur, Charlemagne, Frederick Barbarossa and his knights, the three Tells, Desmond of Kilmallock, Thomas of Erceldoune, Boabdil el Chico, Brian Boroimhe, Knez Lazar, King Sebastian of Portugal, Olaf Tryggvason, the French slain in the Sicilian Vespers, and one or two others.)

Riquet with the Tuft, the beau-ideal of ugliness, but with the power of bestowing wit and intelligence on the person he loved best. Riquet fell in love with a most beautiful woman, as stupid as he was ugly, but possessing the power of giving beauty to the person she loved best. The two married, whereupon Riquet gave his bride wit, and she bestowed on him beauty.—Charles Perrault, Contes des Fées (“Riquet à la Houppe,” 1697).

* This tale is borrowed from the Nights of Straparola. It is imitated by Mde. Villeneuve in her Beauty and the Beast.

Risingham (Bertram), the vassal of Philip of Mortham. Oswald Wycliffe induced him to shoot his lord at Marston Moor; and for this deed the vassal demanded all the gold and movables of his late master. Oswald, being a villain, tried to outwit Bertram, and even to murder him; but it turned out that Philip of Mortham, was not killed, neither was Oswald Wycliffe, his heir, for Redmond O’Neale (Rokeby’s page) was found to be the son and heir of Philip of Mortham.—Sir W. Scott, Rokeby (1812).

Ritho or Rython, a giant who had made himself furs of the beards of kings killed by him. He sent to King Arthur, to meet him on Mount Aravius, or else to send his beard to him without delay. Arthur met him, slew him, and took “fur” as a spoil. Drayton says it was this Rython who carried off Helĕna, the niece of Duke Hoel; but Geoffrey of Monmouth says that King Arthur, having killed the Spanish giant, told his army “he had found none so great in strength since he killed the giant Ritho;” by which it seems that the Spanish giant and Ritho are different persons, although it must be confessed the scope of the chronicle seems to favor their identity.—Geoffrey, British History, x. 3 (1142).

As how great Rython’s self he [Arthur] slew ...
Who ravished Howell’s niece, young Helena, the fair.

Drayton, Polyolbion, iv. (1612).

Rival Queens (The), Stati´ra and Roxa´na. Statīra was the daughter of Darīus, and wife of Alexander the Great. Roxana was the daughter of Oxyartês, the Bactrian; her, also, Alexander married. Roxana stabbed Statira, and killed her.—N. Lee, Alexander the Great, or The Rival Queens (1678).

Rivals (The), a comedy by Sheridan (1775). The rivals are Bob Acres and Ensign Beverley (alias Captain Absolute), and Lydia Languish is the lady they contend for. Bob Acres tells Captain Absolute that Ensign Beverley is a booby; and if he could find him out, he’d teach him his place. He sends a challenge to the unknown, by Sir Lucius O’Trigger, but objects to forty yards, and thinks thirty-eight would suffice. When he finds that Ensign Beverley is Captain Absolute, he declines to quarrel with his friend; and when his second calls him a coward, he fires up and exclaims, “Coward! Mind, gentlemen, he calls me a ‘coward,’ coward by my valor!” and when dared by Sir Lucius, he replies, “I don’t mind the word ‘coward;’ ‘coward’ may be said in a joke; but if he called me ‘poltroon,’ ods, daggers and balls——” “Well, sir, what then?” “Why,” rejoined Bob Acres, “I should certainly think him very ill-bred.” Of course, he resigns all claim to the lady’s hand.

River of Juvenescence. Prester John, in his letter to Manuel Comnēnus, emperor of Constantinople, says there is a spring at the foot of Mount Olympus, which changes its flavor hour by hour, both night and day. Whoever tastes thrice of its waters, will never know fatigue or the infirmities of age.

River of Paradise, St. Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux (1091-1153).

Rivers Arise.... In this Vacation Exercise, George Rivers (son of Sir John Rivers of Westerham, in Kent), with nine other freshmen, took the part of the ten “Predicaments,” while Milton himself performed the part of “Ens.” Without a doubt, the pun suggested the idea in Milton’s Vacation Exercise (1627):

Rivers arise; whether thou be the son
Of utmost Tweed, or Ouse, or gulpy Don,
Or Trent, who, like some earthborn giant, spreads
His thirty arms along the indented meads,
Or sullen Mole that runneth underneath,
Or Severn swift, guilty of maiden’s death,
Or rocky Avon, or of sedgy Lee,
Or cooly Tyne, or ancient hallowed Dee,
Or Humber loud that keeps the Scythian’s name,
Or Medway smooth, or royal towered Thame.

Rivulet Controversy (The) arose against Rev. T. T. Lynch, a Congregationalist, who, in 1853, had expressed neologian views in The Rivulet, a book of poems.

Rizzio (David), the private secretary of Marie Stuart, queen of the Scots, and reputed by her enemies to be her favored lover. He was murdered in her presence by a gang of conspirators, led by Henry Darnley, her husband. Poets and musicians have made lavish use of this episode in the life of the unhappy queen.

Road to Ruin, a comedy by Thomas Holcroft (1792). Harry Dornton and his friend, Jack Milford, are on “the road to ruin,” by their extravagance. The former brings his father to the eve of bankruptcy; and the latter, having spent his private fortune, is cast into prison for debt. Sulky, a partner in the bank, comes forward to save Mr. Dornton from ruin; Harry advances £6000 to pay his friend’s debts, and thus saves Milford from ruin; and the father restores the money advanced by Widow Warren to his son, to save Harry from the ruin of marrying a designing widow instead of Sophia Freelove, her innocent and charming daughter.

Roads (The king of), John Loudon Macadam, the improver of roads (1756-1836).

Roan Barbary, the charger of Richard II., which would eat from his master’s hand.

Oh, how it yearned my heart when I beheld
In London streets, that coronation day,
When Bolingbroke rode on Roan Barbary!
That horse that thou so often hast bestrid;
That horse that I so carefully have dressed!

Shakespeare, Richard II. act v. sc. 5 (1597).

Rob Roy, published in 1818, excellent for its bold sketches of Highland scenery. The character of Bailie Nicol Jarvie is one of Scott’s happiest conceptions; and the carrying of him to the wild mountains among outlaws and desperadoes is exquisitely comic. The hero, Frank Osbaldistone, is no hero at all. Dramatized by I. Pocock.

Rob Roy M’Gregor, i.e. “Robert the Red,” whose surname was MacGregor. He was an outlaw who assumed the name of Campbell in 1662. He may be termed the Robin Hood of Scotland. The hero of the novel is Frank Osbaldistone, who gets into divers troubles, from which he is rescued by Rob Roy. The last service is to kill Rashleigh Osbaldistone, whereby Frank’s great enemy is removed; and Frank then marries Diana Vernon.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Rather beneath the middle size than above it, his limbs were formed upon the very strongest model that is consistent with agility.... Two points in his person interfered with the rules of symmetry: his shoulders were too broad ... and his arms (though round, sinewy and strong) were so very long as to be rather a deformity.—Ch. xxiii.

Rob Tally-ho, Esq., cousin of the Hon. Tom Dashall, the two blades whose rambles and adventures through the metropolis are related by Pierce Egan (1821-2).

Rob the Rambler, the comrade of Willie Steenson, the blind fiddler.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Robb (Duncan), the grocer near Ellangowan.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Robber (Alexander’s). The pirate who told Alexander he was the greater robber of the two, was Dionĭdês. (See Evenings at Home, art. “Alexander and the Robber.”) The tale is from Cicero:

Nam quum quæreretur ex eo, quo scelere impulsus mare haberet infestum uno myoparone: eodem, inquit, quo tu orbem terræ.—De Repub., iii. 14 sc. 24.

Robber (Edward the). Edward IV. was so called by the Scotch.

Robert, father of Marian. He had been a wrecker, and still hankered after the old occupation. One night a storm arose, and Robert went to the coast to see what would fall into his hands. A body was washed ashore, and he rifled it. Marian followed, with the hope of restraining her father, and saw in the dusk some one strike a dagger into a prostrate body. She thought it was her father, and when Robert was on his trial he was condemned to death on his daughter’s evidence. Black Norris, the real murderer, told her he would save her father if she would consent to be his wife; she consented, and Robert was acquitted. On the wedding day her lover, Edward, returned to claim her hand, Norris was seized as a murderer, and Marian was saved.—S. Knowles, The Daughter (1836).

Robert, a servant of Sir Arthur Wardour, at Knockwinnock Castle.—Sir W. Scott, The Antiquary (time, George III.).

Robert (Mons.), a neighbor of Sganarelle. Hearing the screams of Mde. Martine (Sganarelle’s wife), he steps over to make peace between them, whereupon Madame calls him an impertinent fool, and says if she chooses to be beaten by her husband it is no affair of his; and Sganarelle says, “Je la veux battre, si je le veux; et ne la veux pas battre, si je ne le veux pas;” and beats M. Robert again.—Molière, Le Médecin Malgré Lui (1666).

Robert Kent. Weak, vicious husband of Margaret Kent. Causes trouble all his life and dies of yellow fever.—Ellen Olney Kirk, The Story of Margaret Kent (1886).

Robert Macaire, a bluff, free-living libertine. His accomplice is Bertrand, a simpleton and a villain.—Daumier, L’Auberge des Adrets.

Robert, duke of Albany, brother of Robert III. of Scotland.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.)

Robert, duke of Normandy, sold his dominions to Rufus for 10,000 marks, to furnish him with ready money for the crusade, which he joined at the head of 1000 heavy-armed horse and 1000 light-armed Normans.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Robert III. of Scotland, introduced by Sir W. Scott in the Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Robert le Diable, son of Bertha and Bertramo. Bertha was the daughter of Robert, duke of Normandy, and Bertramo was a fiend in the guise of a knight. The opera shows the struggle in Robert between the virtue inherited from his mother and the vice inherited from his father. His father allures him to gamble till he loses everything, and then claims his soul, but his foster-sister, Alice, counterplots the fiend, and rescues Robert by reading to him his mother’s will.—Meyerbeer, Roberto il Diavolo (libretto by Scribe, 1831).

* Robert le Diable was the hero of an old French metrical romance (thirteenth century). This romance in the next century was thrown into prose. There is a miracle-play on the same subject.

Robert of Paris (Count), one of the crusading princes. The chief hero of this novel is Hereward (3 syl.), one of the Varangian guard of the Emperor Alexius Comnēnus. He and the count fight a single combat with battle-axes; after which Hereward enlists under the count’s banner, and marries Bertha, also called Agatha.—Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Robert Penfold. Hero of Foul Play, by Charles Reade. He is foully wronged by Arthur Wardlaw, who forges his father’s name on a note with Penfold’s endorsement. Penfold is found guilty and imprisoned. After his release, he takes passage in the ship with Helen Rolleston, Wardlaw’s betrothed. Penfold also loves her, but hopelessly. They are wrecked and cast upon an island in company, and for several months are the only residents. After their rescue and return home, the truth is made manifest, Robert is vindicated, and marries Helen. His aliases are James Seaton and John Hazel.

Robert the Devil, or Robert the Magnificent, Robert I., duke of Normandy, father of William “the Conqueror” (*, 1028-1035).

Robert François Damiens, who tried to assassinate Louis XV., was popularly so called (*, 1714-1757).

Robert of Lincoln. The saucy songster is an especial favorite with American poets. Bryant does not disdain to write a long poem that has him as the theme.

“Merrily singing on briar and reed,
Near to the nest of his little dame,
Over the mountain-side or mead,
Robert of Lincoln is telling his name:
‘Bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link!
Spink, spank, spink!
Snug and safe is that nest of ours,
Hidden among the summer flowers,
Cha! cha! cha!’”

William Cullen Bryant, Poems.

Roberts, cash-keeper of Master George Heriot, the king’s goldsmith.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Roberts (John), a smuggler.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Robespierre’s Weavers, the fish-fags and their rabble female followers of the very lowest class, partisans of Robespierre in the first French Revolution.

Robin, the page of Sir John Falstaff.—Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor (1601).

Robin, servant of Captain Rovewell, whom he helps in his love adventure with Arethusa, daughter of Argus.—Carey, Contrivances (1715).

Robin, brother-in-law of Farmer Crop, of Cornwall. Having lost his property through the villainy of Lawyer Endless, he emigrates, and in three years returns. The ship is wrecked off the coast of Cornwall and Robin saves Frederick, the young squire. On landing, he meets his old sweetheart, Margaretta, at Crop’s house, and the acquaintance is renewed by mutual consent.—P. Hoare, No Song no Supper (1790).

Robin, a young gardener, fond of the minor theatres, where he has picked up a taste for sentimental fustian, but all his rhapsodies bear upon his trade. Thus, when Wilhelmina asks why he wishes to dance with her, he replies:

Ask the plants why they love a shower; ask the sunflower why it loves the sun; ask the snowdrop why it is white; ask the violet why it is blue; ask the trees why they blossom; the cabbages why they grow. ’Tis all because they can’t help it; no more can I help my love for you.—C. Didbin, The Waterman, i. (1774).

Robin (Old), butler to old Mr. Ralph Morton, of Milnwood.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Robin Bluestring. Sir Robert Walpole was so called, in allusion to his blue ribbon as a knight of the garter (1676-1745).

Robin des Bois. Mysterious rover of the woods in Freischütz, also in Eugène Sue’s novels—“a bug-a-boo!”

Robin Gray (Auld). The words of this song are by Lady Anne Lindsay, daughter of the earl of Balcarres; she was afterwards Lady Barnard. The song was written, in 1772, to an old Scotch tune called The Bridegroom Grat when the Sun gaed Down. (See Gray.)

Robin Hood was born at Locksley, in Notts., in the reign of Henry II. (1160). His real name was Fitzooth, and it is commonly said that he was the earl of Huntingdon. Having outrun his fortune, and being outlawed, he lived as a freebooter in Barnsdale (Yorkshire), Sherwood (Notts.), and Plompton Park (Cumberland). His chief companions were Little John (whose name was Nailor), William Scadlock (or Scarlet), George Green, the pinder (or pound-keeper) of Wakefield, Much, a miller’s son, and Tuck, a friar, with one woman, Maid Marian. His company at one time consisted of a hundred archers. He was bled to death in his old age by his sister, the Prioress of Kirkley’s Nunnery, in Yorkshire, November 18, 1247, aged 87 years.

* An excellent sketch of Robin Hood is given by Drayton in his Polyolbion, xxvi. Sir W. Scott introduces him in two novels—Ivanhoe and The Talisman. In the former he first appears as Locksley, the archer, at the tournament. He is also called “Dickon Bend-the-Bow.”

The following dramatic pieces have the famous outlaw for the hero: Robin Hood, i. (1597), Munday; Robin Hood, ii. (1598), Chettle; Robin Hood (1741), an opera, by Dr. Arne and Burney; Robin Hood (1787), an opera by O’Keefe, music by Shield; Robin Hood, by Macnally (before 1820).

Major tells us that this famous robber took away the goods of rich men only; never killed any person except in self-defence; never plundered the poor, but charitably fed them; and adds, “he was the most humane and the prince of all robbers.”—Britanniæ Historia, 128 (1740).

The abbot of St. Mary’s, in York, and the sheriff at Nottingham were his bêtês noires. Munday and Chettle wrote a popular play in 1601, entitled The Death of Robert, Earl of Huntington.

Epitaph of Robin Hood.

Hear undernead dis laitl stean
Laiz robert earl of Huntingtun.
Near arcir ver az hie sa geud,
An pipl kauld im robin heud.
Sick utlawz az hi an iz men
Vil england nivr si agen.
Obiit 24 (? 14) kal dekembris, 1247.

Dr. Gale (dean of York).

Robin Hood’s Fat Friar was Friar Tuck.

Robin Hood’s Men, outlaws, freebooters.

There came sodainly twelve men all appareled in short cotes of Kentish Kendal [green] ... every one of them ... like outlaws or Robyn Hodes men.—Hall (fo. lvi. b).

Robin Redbreast. One tradition is that the robin pecked a thorn out of the crown of thorns when Christ was on His way to Calvary, and the blood which issued from the wound, falling on the bird, dyed its breast red.

Another tradition is that it carries in its bill dew to those shut up in the burning lake, and its breast is red from being scorched by the fire of Gehenna.

He brings cool dew in his little bill,
And lets it fall on the souls of sin;
You can see the mark on his red breast still,
Of fires that scorch as he drops it in.

J. G. Whittier, The Robin.

Robin Redbreasts, Bow Street officers. So called from their red vests.

Robin Roughhead, a poor cottager and farm laborer, the son of Lord Lackwit. On the death of his lordship, Robin Roughhead comes into the title and estates. This brings out the best qualities of his heart—liberality, benevolence and honesty. He marries Dolly, to whom he was already engaged, and becomes the good genius of the peasantry on his estate.—Allingham, Fortune’s Frolic.

Robin and Makyne (2 syl.), an old Scotch pastoral. Robin is a shepherd, for whom Makyne sighs, but he turns a deaf ear to her, and she goes home to weep. In time, Robin sighs for Makyne, but she replies, “He who wills not when he may, when he wills he shall have nay.”—Percy, Reliques, etc., II.

Robin of Bagshot, alias Gordon, alias Bluff Bob, alias Carbuncle, alias Bob Booty, one of Macheath’s gang of thieves, and a favorite of Mrs. Peachum’s.—Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

Robins (Zerubbabel), in Cromwell’s troop.—Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).

Robinson Cru´soe (2 syl.), a tale by Daniel Defoe. Robinson Crusoe ran away from home, and went to sea. Being wrecked, he led for many years a solitary existence on an uninhabited island of the tropics, and relieved the weariness of life by numberless contrivances. At length he met a human being, a young Indian, whom he saved from death on a Friday. He called him his “man Friday,” and made him his companion and servant.

Defoe founded this story on the adventures of Alexander Selkirk, sailing-master of the Cinque Ports Galley, who was left by Captain Stradling on the desolate island of Juan Fernandez for four years and four months (1704-1709), when he was rescued by Captain Woodes Rogers and brought to England.

Robsart (Amy), countess of Leicester. She was betrothed to Edmund Tressilian. When the earl falls into disgrace at court for marrying Amy, Richard Varney loosens a trap-door at Cumnor Place; and Amy, rushing forward to greet her husband, falls into the abyss and is killed.

Sir Hugh Robsart, of Lidcote Hall, father of Amy.—Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).

Roc, a white bird of enormous size. Its strength is such that it will lift up an elephant from the ground and carry it to its mountain nest, where it will devour it. In the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, it was a roc which carried Sindbad the sailor from the island on which he had been deserted by his companions (“Second Voyage”). And it was a roc which carried Agib from the castle grounds of the ten young men who had lost their right eyes (“The Third Calender’s Story”). Sindbad says one claw of the roc is as “big as the trunk of a large tree,” and its egg is “fifty paces [150 feet] in circumference.”

* The “rukh” of Madagascar, lays an egg equal to 148 hen’s eggs.—Comptes Rendus, etc., xxxii. 101 (1851).

Rocco, the jailer sent with Fidelio (Leonora) to dig the grave of Fernando Florestan (q.v.)—Beethoven, Fidelio (1791).

Roch´dale (Sir Simon), of the manor-house. He is a J.P., but refuses to give justice to Job Thornberry, the old brazier, who demands that his son, Frank Rochdale, should marry Mary [Thornberry], whom he has seduced. At this crisis, Peregrine appears, and tells Sir Simon he is the elder brother, and, as such, is heir to the title and estates.

Frank Rochdale, son of the baronet, who has promised to marry Mary Thornberry, but Sir Simon wants him to marry Lady Caroline Braymore, who has £4000 a year. Lady Caroline marries the Hon. Tom Shuffleton, and Frank makes the best reparation he can by marrying Mary.—G. Colman, Jr., John Bull (1805).

Roche’s Bird (Sir Boyle), which was “in two places at the same time.” The tale is that Sir Boyle Roche said in the House of Commons, “Mr. Speaker, it is impossible I could have been in two places at once, unless I were a bird.” This is a quotation from Jevon’s play, The Devil of a Wife (seventeenth century).

Wife. I cannot be in two places at once.

Husband (Rowland). Surely no, unless thou wert a bird.

Rochecliffe (Dr. Anthony), formerly Joseph Albany, a plotting royalist.—Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, commonwealth).

Rochester (The earl of), the favorite of Charles II., introduced in high feather by Sir W. Scott in Woodstock, and in Peveril of the Peak in disgrace.

Rochester (Edward). Brusque, cynical lover of Jane Eyre. Having married in his early youth a woman who disgraces him and then goes crazy, he shuts her up at Thornhill, and goes abroad. He returns to find a governess there in charge of his child-ward; falls in love with her, and would marry her, but for the discovery of his insane wife. Jane Eyre leaves him, and is lost to him until he is almost blind from injuries received in trying to rescue his wife from burning Thornhill. Jane marries and ministers unto him.—Charlotte Bronté, Jane Eyre (1847).

Rock (Dr. Richard), a famous quack, who professed to cure every disease. He was short of stature and fat, wore a white three-tailed wig, nicely combed and frizzed upon each cheek, carried a cane, and halted in his gait.

Dr. Rock, F.U.N., never wore a hat.... He and Dr. Franks were at variance.... Rock cautioned the world to beware of bog-trotting quacks, while Franks called his rival “Dumplin’ Dick.” Head of Confucius, what profanation!—Goldsmith, Citizen of the World (1759).

Oh! when his nerves had received a shock,
Sir Isaac Newton might have gone to Rock.

Crabbe, Borough (1810).

Rocket. He rose like a rocket, and fell like the stick. Thomas Paine said this of Mr. Burke.

Roderick, the thirty-fourth and last of the Gothic kings of Spain, son of Theod´ofred and Rusilla. Having violated Florinda, daughter of Count Julian, he was driven from his throne by the Moors, and assumed the garb of a monk with the name of “Father Maccabee.” He was present at the great battle of Covadonga, in which the Moors were cut to pieces, but what became of him afterwards no one knows. His helm, sword, and cuirass were found, so was his steed. Several generations passed away, when, in a hermitage near Viseu, a tomb was discovered, “which bore in ancient characters King Roderick’s name;” but imagination must fill up the gap. He is spoken of as most popular.

Time has been
When not a tongue within the Pyrenees
Dared whisper in dispraise of Roderick’s name,
Lest, if the conscious air had caught the sound,
The vengeance of the honest multitude
Should fall upon the traitorous head, and brand
For life-long infamy the lying lips.

Southey, Roderick, etc., xv. (1814).

Roderick’s Dog was called Theron.

Roderick’s Horse was Orel´io.

Roderick (The Vision of Don). Roderick, the last of the Gothic kings of Spain, descended into an ancient vault near Toledo. This vault was similar to that in Greece, called the cave of Triphōnios, where was an oracle. In the vault Roderick saw a vision of Spanish history from his own reign to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Period I. The invasion of the Moors, with his own defeat and death. Period II. The Augustine age of Spain, and their conquests in the two Indies. Period III. The oppression of Spain by Bonaparte, and its succor by British aid.—Sir W. Scott, The Vision of Don Roderick (1811).

Roderick Dhu, an outlaw and chief of a banditti, which resolved to win back the spoil of the “Saxon spoiler.” Fitz-James, a Saxon, met him and knew him not. He asked the Saxon why he was roaming unguarded over the mountains, and Fitz-James replied that he had sworn to combat with Roderick, the rebel, till death laid one of them prostrate. “Have, then, thy wish!” exclaimed the stranger, “for I am Roderick Dhu.” As he spoke, the whole place bristled with armed men. Fitz-James stood with his back against a rock, and cried, “Come one, come all, this rock shall fly from its firm base as soon as I.” Roderick, charmed with his daring, waved his hand, and all the band disappeared as mysteriously as they had appeared. Roderick then bade the Saxon fight, “For,” said he, “that party will prove victorious which first slays an enemy.” “Then,” replied Fitz-James, “thy cause is hopeless, for Red Murdock is slain already.” They fought, however, and Roderick was slain (canto v.).—Sir W. Scott, The Lady of the Lake (1810).

Roderick Random, a child of impulse, and a selfish libertine. His treatment of Strap is infamous and most heartless.—Smollett, Roderick Random (1748).

Rod´erigo or Roderi´go (3 syl.), a Venetian gentleman, in love with Desdemona. When Desdemona eloped with Othello, Roderigo hated the “noble Moor,” and Ia´go took advantage of this temper for his own base ends.—Shakespeare, Othello (1611).

Roderigo’s suspicious credulity and impatient submission to the cheats which he sees practised on him, and which, by persuasion, he suffers to be repeated, exhibit a strong picture of a weak mind betrayed by unlawful desires to a false friend.—Dr. Johnson.

Rodilardus, a huge cat, which attacked Panurge, and which he mistook for “a young, soft-chinned devil.” The word means “gnaw-lard” (Latin, rodĕre lardum).—Rabelais, Pantagruel, iv. 67 (1545).

* The marquis de Carabas.” (See Puss in Boots.)

Rodrigo, king of Spain, conquered by the Moors. He saved his life by flight, and wandered to Guadaletê, where he begged food of a shepherd, and gave him in recompense his royal chain and ring. A hermit bade him, in penance, retire to a certain tomb full of snakes and toads, where, after three days, the hermit found him unhurt; so, going to his cell, he passed the night in prayer. Next morning, Rodrigo cried aloud to the hermit, “They eat me now; I feel the adder’s bite.” So his sin was atoned for, and he died.

* This Rodrigo is Roderick, the last of the Goths.

Rodrigo, rival of Pe´dro, “the pilgrim,” and captain of a band of outlaws.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Pilgrim (1621).

Rodri´go de Mondragon (Don), a bully and tyrant, the self-constituted arbiter of all disputes in a tennis-court of Valladolid.

Don Rodrigo de Mondragon was about 30 years of age, of an ordinary make, but lean and muscular; he had two little twinkling eyes that rolled in his head, and threatened everybody he looked at; a very flat nose, placed between red whiskers that curled up to his very temples; and a manner of speaking so rough and passionate that his words struck terror into everybody.—Lesage, Gil Bias, ii. 5 (1715).

Rodhaver, the sweetheart of Zal, a Persian. Zal being about to scale her bower, she let down her long tresses to assist him, but Zal managed to fix his crook into a projecting beam, and thus made his way to the lady of his devotion.—Champion, Ferdosi.

Rodman (Keeper, The), an ex-colonel of the Federal army, who has become the keeper of a national cemetery at the south. “At sunrise, the keeper ran up the stars and stripes, and ... he had taken money from his own store to buy a second flag for stormy weather, so that, rain or not, the colors should float over the dead.... It was simply a sense of the fitness of things.” He deviates so far from his rule as to fall in love with a Southern girl, whose nearest relative he has nursed through his last illness. She despises him as a Yankee too much to suspect this; she will not even write her name as a visitor to the National Cemetery. She goes to Tennessee to teach school, and Rodman offers to buy the uprooted vines discarded by the new owner of her cottage. “Wuth about twenty-five cents, I guess,” said the Maine man, handing them over.—Constance Fenimore Woolson (1880).

Rodmond, chief mate of the Brittania, son of a Northumbrian, engaged in the coal trade; a hardy, weather-beaten seaman, uneducated, “boisterous of manners,” and regardless of truth, but tender-hearted. He was drowned when the ship struck on Cape Colonna, the most southern point of Attica.

Unskilled to argue, in dispute yet loud,
Bold without caution, without honors proud,
In art unschooled, each veteran rule he prized,
And all improvement haughtily despised.

Falconer, The Shipwreck, i. (1756).

Ro´dogune, Rhodogune, or Rho´dogyne (3 syl.), daughter of Phraa´tês, king of Parthia. She married Deme´trius Nica´nor (the husband of Cleopat´ra, queen of Syria) while in captivity.

* P. Corneille has a tragedy on the subject entitled Rodogune (1646).

Rodolfo (Il conte). It is in the bedchamber of this count that Ami´na is discovered the night before her espousal to Elvi´no. Ugly suspicion is excited, but the count assures the young farmer that Amina walks in her sleep. While they are talking Amina is seen to get out of a window and walk along a narrow edge of the mill-roof while the huge wheel is rapidly revolving. She crosses a crazy bridge, and walks into the very midst of the spectators. In a few minutes she awakens and flies to the arms of her lover.—Bellini, La Sonnambula (opera, 1831).

Rodomont, king of Sarza or Algiers. He was Ulien’s son, and called the “Mars of Africa.” His lady-love was Dor´alis, princess of Grana´da, but she eloped with Mandricardo, king of Tartary. At Rogero’s wedding Rodomont accused him of being a renegade and traitor, whereupon they fought, and Rodomont was slain.—Orlando Innamorato (1495); and Orlando Furioso (1516).

Who so meek? I’m sure I quake at the very thought of him; why, he’s as fierce as Rodomont!—Dryden, Spanish Fryar, v. 2 (1680).

* Rodomontade (4 syl.), from Rodomont, a bragging although a brave knight.

Rogel of Greece (The Exploits and Adventures of), part of the series called Le Roman des Romans, pertaining to “Am´adis of Gaul.” This part was added by Feliciano de Silva.

Roger, the cook who “cowde roste, sethe, broille, and frie, make mortreux, and wel bake a pye.”—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (1388).

Roger (Sir), curate to “The Scornful Lady” (no name given).—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Scornful Lady (1616).

Roger Armstrong, clerical lover of Faith Gartney, and her preferred suitor.—A. D. T. Whitney, Faith Gartney’s Girlhood.

Roger Bontemps, the personation of contentment with his station in life, and of the buoyancy of good hope. “There’s a good time coming, John.”

Vous pauvres, pleins d’enviè;
Vous rich, désireux;
Vous dont le char dévie
Après un cours heureux;
Vous qui perdrez peut-être
Des titres éclatans;
Eh! gai! prenez pour maitre
Le gros Roger Bontemps.

Béranger (1780-1856).

Ye poor, with envy goaded;
Ye rich, for more who long;
Ye who by fortune loaded
Find all things going wrong;
Ye who by some disaster
See all your cables break;
From henceforth, for your master
Sleek Roger Bontemps take.

Roger Chillingworth, deformed husband of Hester Prynne. He returns to Boston from a long sojourn with the Indians, and sees his wife in the pillory with a baby—not his—in her arms. From that instant he sets himself to work to discover the name of her seducer, and, suspecting Arthur Dimmesdale, attaches himself to the oft-ailing clergyman as his medical attendant. He it is who first suspects the existence of the cancer that is devouring the young clergyman’s life, and when the horrible thing is revealed, kneels by the dying man with the bitter whisper, “Thou hast escaped me!”—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850).

Roger de Coverley (Sir), an hypothetical baronet of Coverley or Cowley, near Oxford.—Addison, The Spectator (1711, 1712, 1714).

* The prototype of this famous character was Sir John Pakington, seventh baronet of the line.

Roge´ro, brother of Marphi´sa; brought up by Atlantês, a magician. He married Brad´amant, the niece of Charlemagne. Rogero was converted to Christianity, and was baptized. His marriage with Bradamant and his election to the crown of Bulgaria concludes the poem.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Who more brave than Rodomont? who more courteous than Rogero?—Cervantês, Don Quixote, I. i. (1605).

Rogero, son of Roberto Guiscardo, the Norman. Slain by Tisaphernês.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, xx. (1575).

Rogero (3 syl.), a gentleman of Sicilia.—Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (1604).

* This is one of those characters which appear in the dramatis personæ, but are never introduced in the play. Rogero not only does not utter a word—he does not even enter the stage all through the drama. In the Globe edition his name is omitted. (See Violenta.)

Rogers (Mr.), illiterate, tender-hearted, great-souled old father of Louisiana. When she begs his pardon for having been ashamed of, and having disowned him, he tells her, “It’s you as should be a-forgivin’ me ... I hadn’t done ye no sort o’ justice in the world, an’ never could.”—Frances Hodgson Burnett, Louisiana (1880).

Roget, the pastoral name of George Wither in the four “eglogues” called The Shepheards Hunting (1615). The first and last “eglogues” are dialogues between Roget and Willy, his young friend; in the second pastoral Cuddy is introduced, and in the third Alexis makes a fourth character. The subject of the first three is the reason of Roget’s imprisonment, which, he says, is a hunt that gave great offence. This hunt is in reality a satire called Abuses Stript and Whipt. The fourth pastoral has for its subject Roget’s love of poetry.

* “Willy” is his friend, William Browne, of the Inner Temple (two years his junior), author of Britannia’s Pastorals.

Roi Panade (“king of slops”), Louis XVIII. (1755, 1814-1824).

Roister Doister (Ralph), a vain, thoughtless, blustering fellow, in pursuit of Custance, a rich widow, but baffled in his endeavor.—Nicholas Udall, Ralph Roister Doister (the first English comedy, 1534).

Rokesmith (John), alias John Harmon, secretary of Mr. Boffin. He lodged with the Wilfers, and ultimately married Bella Wilfer. John Rokesmith is described as “a dark gentleman, 30 at the utmost, with an expressive, one might say, a handsome face.”—Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864).

* For solution of the mystery, see vol. I. ii. 13.

Ro´land, count of Mans and knight of Blaives. His mother, Bertha, was Charlemagne’s sister. Roland is represented as brave, devotedly loyal, unsuspicious, and somewhat too easily imposed npon. He was eight feet high, and had an open countenance. In Italian romance he is called Orlan´do. He was slain in the valley of Roncesvalles as he was leading the rear of his uncle’s army from Spain to France. Charlemagne himself had reached St. Jean Pied de Port at the time, heard the blast of his nephew’s horn, and knew it announced treachery, but was unable to render him assistance (A.D. 778).

Roland is the hero of Théroulde’s Chanson de Roland; of Turpin’s Chronique; of Bojardo’s Orlando Innamorato; of Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso; of Piccini’s opera called Roland (1778); etc.

Roland’s Horn, Olivant or Olifant. It was won from the giant Jatmund, and might be heard at the distance of thirty miles. Birds fell dead at its blast, and the whole Saracen army drew back in terror when they heard it. So loud it sounded, that the blast reached from Roncesvallês to St. Jean Pied de Port, a distance of several miles.

Roland lifts Olifant to his month and blows it with all his might. The mountains around are lofty, but high above them the sound of the horn arises [at the third blast, it split in twain].—Song of Roland (as sung by Taillefer, at the battle of Hastings). See Warton, History of English Poetry, v. I, sect. iii. 132 (1781).

Roland’s Horse, Veillantif, called in Italian Velian´tino (“the little vigilant one”).

In Italian romance, Orlando has another horse, called Brigliado´ro (“golden bridle”).

Roland’s Spear. Visitors are shown a spear in the cathedral of Pa´via, which they are told belonged to Roland.

Roland’s Sword, Duran´dal, made by the fairies. To prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy, when Roland was attacked in the valley of Roncesvallês, he smote a rock with it, and it made in the solid rock a fissure some 300 feet in depth, called to this day La Brêche de Roland.

Then would I seek the Pyrenean breach,
Which Roland clove with huge two-handed sway,
And to the enormous labor left his name.

Wordsworth.

* A sword is shown at Rocamadour, in the department of Lot (France), which visitors are assured was Roland’s Durandal. But the romances says that Roland, dying, threw his sword into a poisoned stream.

Death of Roland. There is a tradition that Roland escaped the general slaughter in the defile of Roncesvallês, and died of starvation while trying to make his way across the mountains.—John de la Bruiere Champier, De Cibaria, xvi. 5.

Died like Roland, died of thirst.

Nonnulli qui de Gallicis rebus historias conscripserunt, non dubitarunt posteris significare Rolandum Caroli illius magni sororis filium, verum certe bellica gloria omnique fortitudine nobillissimum, post ingentem Hispanorum cædem prope Pyrenæi saltus juga, ubi insidiæ ab hoste collocatæ fuerint, siti miserrime extinctum. Inde nostri intolerabili siti et immiti volentes significare se torqueri, facete aiunt “Rolandi morte se perire.”—John de la Bruiere Champier, De Cibaria, xvi. 5.

Roland (The Roman). Sicinius Dentātus is so called by Niebuhr. He is not unfrequently called “The Roman Achillês” (put to death B.C. 450).

Roland Blake. Hero of a war-novel of the same name.—Silas Weir Mitchell, M.D. (1886).

Roland and Oliver, the two most famous of the twelve paladins of Charlemagne. To give a “Roland for an Oliver” is to give tit for tat, to give another as good a drubbing as you receive.

Froissart, a countryman of ours [the French] records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred
During the time Edward the Third did reign.

Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI. act i. sc. 2 (1589).

Roland de Vaux (Sir), baron of Triermain, who wakes Gyneth from her long sleep of 500 years, and marries her.—Sir W. Scott, Bridal of Triermain (1813).

Rolando (Signor), a common railer against women, but brave, of a “happy wit and independent spirit.” Rolando swore to marry no woman, but fell in love with Zam´ora, and married her, declaring “that she was no woman, but an angel.”—J. Tobin, The Honeymoon (1804).

The resemblance between Rolando and Benedick will instantly occur to the mind.

Rolandseck Tower, opposite the Drachenfels. Roland was engaged to Aude, daughter of Sir Gerard and Lady Guibourg; but the lady, being told that Roland had been slain by Angoulaffre, the Saracen, retired to a convent. The paladin returned home full of glory, having slain the Saracen, and when he heard that his lady-love had taken the veil, he built Rolandseck Castle, which overlooks the convent, that he might at least see the lady to whom he could never be united. After the death of Aude, Roland “sought the battle-field again, and fell at Roncevall.”—Campbell, The Brave Roland.

Roldan, “El encantado,” Roldan made invulnerable by enchantment. The cleft “Roldan,” in the summit of a high mountain in the kingdom of Valencia, was so called because it was made by a single back-stroke of Roldan’s sword. The character is in two Spanish romances, authors unknown.—Bernardo del Carpio and Roncesvalles.

This book [Rinaldo de Montalban], and all others written on French matters, shall be deposited in some dry place ... except one called Bernardo del Carpio, and another called Roncesvalles, which shall certainly accompany the rest on the bonfire.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. i. 6 (1605).

Rolla, kinsman of the Inca Atali´ba, and the idol of the army. “In war a tiger chafed by the hunters’ spears; in peace more gentle than the unweaned lamb” (act i. 1). A firm friend and most generous foe. Rolla is wounded in his attempt to rescue the infant child of Alonzo from the Spaniards, and dies. His grand funeral procession terminates the drama.—Sheridan, Pizarro (altered from Kotzebue, 1799).

Rolleston (General), father of Helen, in Foul Play, by Charles Reade.

Rollo, duke of Normandy, called “The Bloody Brother.” He caused the death of his brother, Otto, and slew several others, some out of mere wantonness.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Bloody Brother (1639).

Rollo, boy who is the hero of Jacob Abbott’s celebrated and delightful “Rollo Books,” embracing Rollo Learning to Read, Rollo Learning to Work, Rollo at School, Rollo’s Vacation, etc., etc. (1840-1857).

Roman (The), Jean Dumont, the French painter, Le Romain (1700-1781).

Stephen Picart, the French engraver, Le Romain (1631-1721).

Giulio Pippi, called Giulio Romano (1492-1546).

Adrian von Roomen, mathematician, Adriānus Romānus (1561-1615).

Roman Achillês, Sicinius Dentātus (slain R.C. 450).

Roman Brevity. Cæsar imitated laconic brevity when he announced to Amintius his victory at Zela, in Asia Minor, over Pharna´cês, son of Mithridatês; Veni, vidi, vici.

Poins. I will imitate the honorable Roman in brevity.—Shakespeare, 2 Henry IV. act ii. sc. 2 (1598).

Sir Charles Napier is credited with a far more laconic despatch, on making himself master of Scinde, in 1843. Taking possession of Hyderabad, and outflanking Shere Mohammed by a series of most brilliant manœuvres, he is said to have written home this punning despatch: Peccāvi (“I have sinned” [Scinde]).

Roman Father (The), Horatius, father of the Horatii and of Horatia. The story of the tragedy is the well-known Roman legend about the Horatii and Curiatii. Horatius rejoices that his three sons have been selected to represent Rome, and sinks the affection of the father in love for his country. Horatia is the betrothed of Caius Curiatius, but is also beloved by Valerius, and when the Curiatii are selected to oppose her three brothers, she sends Valerius to him with a scarf, to induce him to forego the fight. Caius declines, and is slain. Horatia is distracted; they take from her every instrument of death, and therefore she resolves to provoke her surviving brother, Publius, to kill her. Meeting him in his triumph, she rebukes him for murdering her lover, scoffs at his “patriotism,” and Publius kills her. Horatius now resigns Publius to execution for murder, but the king and Roman people rescue him.—W. Whitehead (1741).

* Corneille has a drama on the same subject, called Les Horaces (1639).

Roman des Romans (Le), a series of prose romances connected with Am´adis, of Gaul. So called by Gilbert Saunier.

Romans (Last of the), Rienzi, the tribune (1310-1354).

Charles James Fox (1749-1806).

Horace Walpole, Ultimus Romanorum (1717-1797).

Caius Cassius was so called by Brutus.

The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow.

Shakespeare, Julius Cæsar, act v. sc. 3. (1607).

Romans (Most Learned of the), Marcus Terentius Varro (B.C. 116-28).

Romance of the Rose, a poetical allegory, begun by Guillaume di Lorris in the latter part of the thirteenth century, and continued by Jean de Meung in the former half of the fourteenth century. The poet dreams that Dame Idleness conducts him to the palace of Pleasure, where he meets Love, whose attendant maidens are Sweet-looks, Courtesy, Youth, Joy, and Competence, by whom he is conducted to a bed of roses. He singles out one, when an arrow from Love’s bow stretches him fainting on the ground, and he is carried off. When he comes to himself, he resolves, if possible, to find his rose, and Welcome promises to aid him; Shyness, Fear, and Slander obstruct him; and Reason advises him to give up the quest. Pity and Kindness show him the object of his search; but Jealousy seizes Welcome, and locks her in Fear Castle. Here the original poem ends. The sequel, somewhat longer than the twenty-four books of Homer’s Iliad, takes up the tale from this point.

Roma´no, the old monk who took pity on Roderick in his flight (viii.), and went with him for refuge to a small hermitage on the sea-coast, where they remained for twelve months, when the old monk died.—Southey, Roderick, The Last of the Goths, i., ii. (1841).

Rome Does (Do as). The saying originated with Saint Ambrose (fourth century). It arose from the following diversity in the observance of Saturday:—The Milanese make it a feast, the Romans a fast. St. Ambrose, being asked what should be done in such a case, replied, “In matters of indifference, it is better to be guided by the general usage. When I am at Milan, I do not fast on Saturdays, but when I am at Rome, I do as they do at Rome.”

Rome Saved by Geese. When the Gauls invaded Rome, a detachment in single file scaled the hill on which the capitol stood, so silently that the foremost man reached the summit without being challenged; but while striding over the rampart, some sacred geese were disturbed, and by their cackle aroused the guard. Marcus Manlius rushed to the wall, and hustled the Gaul over, thus saving the capitol.

A somewhat parallel case occurred in Ireland in the battle of Glinsaly, in Donegal. A party of the Irish would have surprised the Protestants if some wrens had not disturbed the guards by the noise they made in hopping about the drums and pecking on the parchment heads.—Aubrey, Miscellanies, 45.

Ro´meo, a son of Mon´tague (3 syl.), in love with Juliet, the daughter of Cap´ulet; but between the houses of Montague and Capulet there existed a deadly feud. As the families were irreconcilable, Juliet took a sleeping draught, that she might get away from her parents and elope with Romeo. Romeo, thinking her to be dead, killed himself; and when Juliet awoke and found her lover dead, she also killed herself.—Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1598).

Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy by Shakespeare (1598). The tale is taken from Rhomeo and Julietta, a novel by Boisteau, in French, borrowed from an Italian story by Bandello (1554).

In 1562 Arthur Brooke produced the same tale in verse, called The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet. In 1567 Painter published a prose translation of Boisteau’s novel.

Romola, superb woman, high-spirited, pure and single of heart, the idol and co-laborer of her scholarly father. She wrecks her life by the marriage with the fascinating Greek, Tito Melema.—George Eliot, Romola.

Romp (The), a comic opera altered from Bickerstaff’s Love in the City. Priscilla Tomboy is “the romp,” and the plot is given under that name.

A splendid portrait of Mrs. Jordan, in her character of “The Romp,” hung over the mantelpiece in the dining-room [of Adolphus Fitzclarence].—Lord W. P. Lennox, Celebrities, etc., i. 11.

Rom´uald (St). The Catalans had a great reverence for a hermit so called, and hearing that he was about to quit their country, called together a parish meeting, to consult how they might best retain him amongst them, “For,” said they, “he will certainly be consecrated, and his relics will bring a fortune to us.” So they agreed to strangle him; but their intention being told to the hermit, he secretly made his escape.—St. Foix, Essais Historiques sur Paris, v. 163.

* Southey has a ballad on the subject.

Romulus (The Second and Third), Camillus and Marĭus. Also called “The Second and Third Founders of Rome.”

Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Silvia, a vestal virgin, and the god Mars. The infants were exposed in a cradle, and the floods carried the cradle to the foot of the Palatine. Here a wolf suckled them, till one Faustulus, the king’s shepherd, took them to his wife, who brought them up. When grown to manhood, they slew Amulius, who had caused them to be exposed.

The Greek legend of Tyro is in many respects similar. This Tyro had an amour with Poseidon (as Silvia had with Mars), and two sons were born in both cases. Tyro’s mother-in-law confined her in a dungeon, and exposed the two infants (Pelias and Neleus) in a boat on the river Enīpeus (3 syl.). Here they were discovered and brought up by a herdsman (Romulus and Remus were brought up by a shepherd), and when grown to manhood, they put to death their mother-in-law, who had caused them to be exposed (as Romulus and Remus put to death their great-uncle, Amulius).

Ron, the ebony spear of Prince Arthur.

The temper of his sword, the tried Excalibor,
The bigness and the length of Rone his noble spear,
With Pridwin his great shield.

Drayton, Polyolbion, iv. (1612).

Ronald (Lord), in love with Lady Clare, to whom he gave a lily-white doe. The day before the wedding nurse Alice told Lady Clare she was not “Lady Clare” at all, but her own child. On hearing this, she dressed herself as a peasant girl, and went to Lord Ronald to release him from his engagement. Lord Ronald replied, “If you are not the heiress born, we will be married to-morrow, and you shall still be Lady Clare.”—Tennyson, Lady Clare.

Ronaldson (Neil), the old ranzelman of Jarlshof (ch. vii.).—Sir W. Scott, The Pirate (time William III.).

Rondib´ilis, the physician consulted by Panurge, on the knotty question, “whether he ought to marry, or let it alone.”—Rabelais, Pantagruel (1545).

* This question, which Panurge was perpetually asking every one, of course refers to the celibacy of the clergy.

Rondo (The Father of the), Jean Baptiste Davaux.

Rope of Ocnus (A), profitless labor. Ocnus was always twisting a rope with unwearied diligence, but an ass ate it as fast as it was twisted.

* This allegory means that Ocnus worked hard to earn money, which his wife squandered by her extravagance.

The work of Penelopê’s web was “never ending, still beginning,” because Penelopê pulled out at night all that she had spun during the day. Her object was to defer doing what she abhorred but knew not how to avoid.

Roper (Margaret), was buried with the head of her father, Sir Thomas More, between her hands.

Her who clasped in her last trance
Her murdered father’s head.

Tennyson.

Roque (1 syl.), a blunt, kind-hearted old servitor to Donna Floranthe.—Colman, The Mountaineers (1793).

Roque Guinart, a freebooter, whose real name was Pedro Rocha Guinarda. He is introduced by Cervantês in Don Quixote.

Rosa, a village beauty, patronized by Lady Dedlock. She marries Mrs. Rouncewell’s grandson.—C. Dickens, Bleak House (1853).

Rosabelle (3 syl.), the lady’s-maid of Lady Geraldine. Rosabelle promised to marry L’Eclair, the orderly of Chevalier Florian.—W. Dimond, The Foundling of the Forest.

Rosalind (i.e. Rose Daniel), the shepherd lass who rejected Colin Clout (the poet Spenser) for Menalcas (John Florio, the lexicographer, 1579). Spenser was at the time in his twenty-sixth year. Being rejected by Rosalind, he did not marry till he was nearly 41, and then we are told that Elizabeth “was the name of his mother, queen and wife” (Sonnet, 74). In the Faëry Queen, “the country lass” (Rosalind) is introduced dancing with the Graces, and the poet says she is worthy to be the fourth (bk. vi. 10, 16). In 1595 appeared the Epithala´mion, in which the recent marriage is celebrated.—Ed. Spenser, Shepheardes Calendar, i., vi. (1579).

“Rosalinde” is an anagram for Rose Daniel, evidently a well-educated young lady of the north, and probably the “Lady Mirabella” of the Faëry Queen, vi. 7, 8. Spenser calls her “the widow’s daughter of the glen” (ecl. iv.), supposed to be either Burnley or Colne, near Hurstwood, in Yorkshire. Ecl. i. is the plaint of Colin for the loss of Rosalind. Ecl. vi. is a dialogue between Colin and Hobbinol, his friend, in which Colin laments, and Hobbinol tries to comfort him. Ecl. xii. is a similar lament to ecl. i. Rose Daniel married John Florio, the lexicographer, the “Holofernês” of Shakespeare.

Rosalind, daughter of the banished duke who went to live in the forest of Arden. Rosalind was retained in her uncle’s court as the companion of his daughter, Celia; but when the usurper banished her, Celia resolved to be her companion, and, for greater security, Rosalind dressed as a boy, and assumed the name of Ganymede, while Celia dressed as a peasant girl, and assumed the name of Aliēna. The two girls went to the forest of Arden, and lodged for a time in a hut; but they had not been long there when Orlando encountered them. Orlando and Rosalind had met before at a wrestling match, and the acquaintance was now renewed; Ganymede resumed her proper apparel, and the two were married, with the sanction of the duke.—Shakespeare, As You Like It (1598).

Nor shall the griefs of Lear be alleviated, or the charms and wit of Rosalind be abated by time.—N. Drake, M.D., Shakespeare and His Times, ii. 554 (1817).

Rosaline, the niece of Capulet, with whom Romeo was in love before he saw Juliet. Mercutio calls her “a pale-hearted wench,” and Romeo says she did not “grace for grace and love for love allow,” like Juliet.—Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1598).

* Rosaline is frequently mentioned in the first act of the play, but is not one of the dramatis personæ.

Rosaline, a lady in attendance on the princess of France. A sharp wit was wedded to her will, and “two pitch balls were stuck in her face for eyes.” Rosaline is called “a merry, nimble, stirring spirit.” Biron, a lord in attendance on Ferdinand, king of Navarre, proposes marriage to her, but she replies:

You must be purged first, your sins are racked ...
Therefore if you my favor mean to get,
A twelvemonth shall you spend, and never rest,
But seek the weary beds of people sick.

Shakespeare, Love’s Labor’s Lost (1594).

Rosalu´ra, the airy daughter of Nantolet, beloved by Belleur.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Wild-goose Chase (1652).

Ros´amond (The Fair), Jane Clifford, daughter of Walter, Lord Clifford. The lady was loved, not wisely, but too well, by Henry II., who kept her for concealment in a labyrinth at Woodstock. Queen Eleanor compelled the frail fair one to swallow poison (1777).

She was the fayre daughter of Walter, Lord Clifford.... Henry made for her a house of wonderfull working, so that no man or woman might come to her. This house was named “Labyrinthus,” and was wrought like unto a knot, in a garden called a maze. But the queen came to her by a clue of thredde, and so dealt with her that she lived not long after. She was buried at Godstow, in a house of nunnes, with these verses upon her tombe:

Hic jacet in tumba Rosa mundi, non Rosa munda;
Non redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet.

Here Rose the graced, not Rose the chaste, reposes;
The smell that rises is no smell of roses.

* The subject has been a great favorite with poets. We have in English the following tragedies:—The Complaint of Rosamond, by S. Daniel (before 1619); Henry II.... with the Death of Rosamond, either Bancroft or Mountford (1693); Rosamond, by Addison (1706); Henry and Rosamond, by Hawkins (1749); Fair Rosamond, by Tennyson (1879). In Italian, Rosmonda, by Rucellai (1525). In Spanish, Rosmunda, by Gil y Zarate (1840). We have also Rosamond, an opera, by Dr. Arne (1733); and Rosamonde, a poem in French, by C. Briffaut (1813). Sir Walter Scott has introduced the beautiful soiled dove in two of his novels—The Talisman and Woodstock.

* Dryden says her name was Jane:

Jane Clifford was her name, as books aver:
“Fair Rosamond” was but her nom de guerre.

We rede that in Englande was a king that had a concubyne whose name was Rose, and for hir greate bewtye he cleped hir Rose à mounde (Rosa mundi), that is to say, Rose of the world, for him thought that she passed al wymen in bewtye.—R. Pynson (1493), subsequently printed by Wynken de Worde in 1496.

The Rosemonde of Alfieri is quite another person. (See Rosemond.)

Rosa´na, daughter of the Armenian queen who helped St. George to quench the seven lamps of the knight of the Black Castle.—R. Johnson, The Seven Champions of Christendom, ii. 8, 9 (1617).

Roscius (Quintus), the greatest of Roman actors (died B.C. 62).

What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?

Shakespeare, 3 Henry VI. act v. sc. 6 (1592).

Roscius (The British), Thomas Betterton (1635-1710), and David Garrick (1716-1779).

* The earl of Southampton says that Richard Burbage “is famous as our English Roscius” (1566-1619).

Roscius (The Irish), Spranger Barry, “The Silver Tongued” (1719-1777).

Roscius (The Young), William Henry West Betty, who, in 1803, made his début in London. He was about 12 years of age, and in fifty-six nights realized £34,000. He died, aged 84, in 1874.

Roscius of France (The), Michel Boyron or Baron (1653-1729).

Roscrana, daughter of Cormac, king of Ireland (grandfather of that Cormac murdered by Cairbar). Roscra´na is called “the blue-eyed and white-handed maid,” and was “like a spirit of heaven, half folded in the skirt of a cloud.” Subsequently she was the wife of Fingal, king of Morven, and mother of Ossian, “king of bards.”—Ossian, Temora, vi.

* Cormac, the father of Roscrana, was great-grandfather of that Cormac who was reigning when Swaran made his invasion. The line ran thus: (1) Cormac I., (2) Cairbre, his son, (3) Artho, his son, (4) Cormac II., father-in-law of Fingal.

Rose, “the gardener’s daughter,” a story of happy first love, told in later years by an old man who had, in his younger days, trifled with the passion of love; but, like St. Augustin, was always “loving to love” (amans amāre), and was at length heart-smitten with Rose, whom he married. (See Alice.)—Tennyson, The Gardener’s Daughter.

Rose. Sir John Mandeville says that a Jewish maid of Bethlehem (whom Southey names Zillah) was beloved by one Ham´uel, a brutish sot. Zillah rejected his suit, and Hamuel, in revenge, accused the maiden of offences for which she was condemned to be burned alive. When brought to the stake, the flames burnt Hamuel to a cinder, but did no harm to Zillah. There she stood, in a garden of roses, for the brands which had been kindled became red roses, and those which had not caught fire became white ones. These are the first roses that ever bloomed on earth since the loss of paradise.

As the fyre began to brenne about hire, she made her preyeres to oure Lord ... and anon was the fayer quenched and oute, and brondes that weren brennynge becomen white roseres ... and theise werein the first roseres that ever ony man saughe.—Sir John Maundeville, Voiage and Traivaile.

Rose. According to Mussulman tradition, the rose is thus accounted for: When Mahomet took his journey to heaven, the sweat which fell on the earth from the prophet’s forehead produced White roses, and that which fell from Al Borak´ (the animal he rode) produced yellow ones.

Rose.

The gentle name that shows
Her love, her loveliness, and bloom
(Her only epitaph a rose)
Is growing on her tomb!

John James Piatt, Poems of House and Home (1879).

Rose of Aragon (The), a drama by S. Knowles (1842). Olivia, daughter of Ruphi´no (a peasant), was married to Prince Alonzo of Aragon. The king would not recognize the match, but sent his son to the army, and made the cortez pass an act of divorce. A revolt having been organized, the king was dethroned, and Almagro was made regent. Almagro tried to marry Olivia, and to murder her father and brother, but the prince returning with the army made himself master of the city, Almagro died of poison, the marriage of the prince and peasant was recognized, the revolt was broken up, and order was restored.

Rose of Har´pocrate (3 syl.). Cupid gave Harpocrate a rose, to bribe him not to divulge the amours of his mother, Venus.

Red as a rose of Harpocrate.

E. B. Browning, Isobel’s Child, iii.

Rose of Paradise. The roses which grew in paradise had no thorns. “Thorns and thistles” were unknown on earth till after the Fall (Gen. iii. 18). Both St. Ambrose and St. Basil note that the roses in Eden had no thorns, and Milton says, in Eden bloomed “Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose.”—Paradise Lost, iv. 256 (1665).

Rose of Raby, the mother of Richard III. This was Cicely, daughter of Ralph de Nevill of Raby, earl of Westmoreland.

Rose Vaughan. Lover of “Yone” Willoughby, in The Amber Gods. He has super-refined and poetical tastes; delights and revels in beauty, and until he met Yone had admired her gentle sister. The siren, Yone, sets herself to win him and succeeds. Marriage disenchants him and the knowledge of this maddens her into something akin to hatred. Yet she dies begging him to kiss her. “I am your Yone! I forgot a little while,—but I love you, Rose, Rose!”—Harriet Prescott Spofford, The Amber Gods (1863).

Rose of York, the heir and head of the York faction.

When Warwick perished, Edmund de la Pole became the Rose of York, and if this foolish prince should be removed by death ... his young and clever brother [Richard] would be raised to the rank of Rose of York.—W. H. Dixon, Two Queens.

Roses (War of the). The origin of this expression is thus given by Shakepeare:

Plant. Let him that is a true-born gentleman ...
If he supposes that I have pleaded truth,
From off this briar pluck a white rose with me.

Somerset. Let him that is no coward, nor no flatterer,
But dare maintain the party of the truth,
Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.

Whereupon Warwick plucked a white rose and joined the Yorkists, while Suffolk plucked a red one and joined the Lancastrians.—Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI. act ii. sc. 4 (1589).

Rosemond, daughter of Cunimond, king of the Gepidæ. She was compelled to marry Alboin, king of the Lombards, who put her father to death A.D. 567. Alboin compelled her to drink from the skull of her own father, and Rosemond induced Peride´us (the secretary of Helmichild, her lover), to murder the wretch (573). She then married Helmichild, fled Ravenna, and sought to poison her second husband, that she might marry Longin, the exarch; but Helmichild, apprised of her intention, forced her to drink the mixture she had prepared for him. This lady is the heroine of Alfieri’s tragedy called Rosemonde (1749-1803). (See Rosamond.)

Ro´sencrantz, a courtier in the court of Denmark, willing to sell or betray his friend and schoolfellow, Prince Hamlet, to please a king.—Shakespeare, Hamlet (1596).

Rosetta, the wicked sister of Brunetta and Blon´dina, the mothers of Cherry and Fairstar. She abetted the queen-mother in her wicked designs against the offspring of her two sisters, but, being found out, was imprisoned for life.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Princess Fairstar,” 1682).

Rosetta, a bright, laughing little coquette, who runs away from home because her father wants her to marry young Meadows, whom she has never seen. She enters the service of Justice Woodcock. Now, it so happens that Sir William Meadows wishes his son to marry Rosetta, whom he has never seen, and he also runs away from home, and under the name of Thomas becomes gardener to Justice Woodcock. Rosetta and young Meadows here fall in love with each other, and the wishes of the two fathers are accomplished.—Isaac Bickerstaff, Love in a Village (1763).

In 1786 Mrs. Billington made her début in “Rosetta,” at once dazzling the town with the brilliancy of her vocalization and the flush of her beauty.—C. R. Leslie.

Rosetta [Belmont], daughter of Sir Robert Belmont. Rosetta is high-spirited, witty, confident, and of good spirits. “If you told her a merry story, she would sigh; if a mournful one, she would laugh. For yes she would say ‘no,’ and for no, ‘yes.’” She is in love with Colonel Raymond, but shows her love by teasing him, and Colonel Raymond is afraid of the capricious beauty.—Edward Moore, The Foundling (1748).

Rosiclear and Donzel del Phebo, the heroine and hero of the Mirror of Knighthood, a mediæval romance.

Rosinan´te (4 syl.), the steed of Don Quixote. The name implies “that the horse had risen from a mean condition to the highest honor a steed could achieve, for it was once a cart-horse, and was elevated into the charger of a knight-errant.”—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. ii. 1 (1605).

Rosinante was admirably drawn, so lean, lank, meagre, drooping, sharp-backed, and raw-boned, as to excite much curiosity and mirth.—Pt. I. ii. 1.

Rosiphele (3 syl.), princess of Armenia; of surpassing beauty, but insensible to love. She is made to submit to the yoke of Cupid, by a vision which befalls her on a May-day ramble.—Gower, Confessio Amantis (1393).

Rosmonda, a tragedy in Italian, by John R. Ruccellai (1525). This is one of the first regular tragedies of modern times. Sophonisba, by Trissino, preceded it, being produced in 1514, and performed in 1515.

Rosny (Sabina), the young wife of Lord Sensitive. “Of noble parents, who perished under the axe in France.” The young orphan, “as much to be admired for her virtues, as to be pitied for her misfortunes,” fled to Padua, where she met Lord Sensitive.—Cumberland, First Love (1796).

Ross (Lord), an officer in the king’s army, under the duke of Monmouth.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Ross (The Man of), John Kyrle, of Whitehouse, in Gloucestershire. So called because he resided in the village of Ross, Herefordshire. Kyrle was a man of unbounded benevolence, and beloved by all who knew him.

* Pope celebrates him in his Moral Essays, iii. (1709).

Rosse (2 syl.), the sword which the dwarf Elberich gave to Otwit, king of Lombardy. It was so keen that it left no gap where it cut.

Balmung, the sword forged by Wieland, and given to Siegfried, was so keen that it clove Amilias in two without his knowing it, but when he attempted to move he fell asunder.

This sword to thee I give; it is all bright of hue,
Whatever it may cleave, no gap will there ensue.
From Almari I brought it, and Rossê is its name.

The Heldenbuch.

Rostocostojambedanesse (M. N.), author of After Beef, Mustard.—Rabelais, Pantagruel, ii. 7 (1533).

Rothmar, chief of Tromlo. He attacked the vassal kingdom of Croma, while the under-king, Crothar, was blind with age, resolving to annex it to his own dominion. Crothar’s son, Fovar-Gormo, attacked the invader, but was defeated and slain. Not many days after, Ossian (one of the sons of Fingal) arrived with succors, renewed the battle, defeated the victorious army, and slew the invader.—Ossian, Croma.

Rothsay (The duke of) prince Robert, eldest son of Robert III. of Scotland.

Margaret, duchess of Rothsay.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Rou (Le Roman de), a metrical and mythical history, in Norman-French, of the dukes of Normandy, from Rollo downwards, by Robert Wace (author of Le Brut).

* Rou’, that is, Roul, the same as Rollo.

Roubigné (Julie de), the heroine and title of a novel by Henry Mackenzie (1783).

Rougedragon (Lady Rachel), the former guardian of Lilias Redgauntlet.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Rouncewell (Mrs.), housekeeper at Chesney Wold to Lord and Lady Dedlock, to whom she is most faithfully attached.—C. Dickens, Bleak House (1823).

Round Table (The), a table made at Carduel, by Merlin, for Uther, the pendragon. Uther gave it to King Leodegraunce, of Camelyard, and when Arthur married Guinever (the daughter of Leodegraunce), he received the table with a hundred knights as a wedding present (pt. i. 45). The table would seat 150 knights (pt. iii. 36), and each seat was appropriated. One of them was called the “Siege Perilous,” because it was fatal for any one to sit therein, except the knight who was destined to achieve the Holy Graal (pt. iii. 32). King Arthur instituted an order of knighthood called “the knights of the Round Table,” the chief of whom were Sir Launcelot, Sir Tristram, and Sir Lamerock, or Lamorake. The “Siege Perilous” was reserved for Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Launcelot by Elaine.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur (1470).

* There is a table shown at Winchester, as “Arthur’s Round Table,” but it corresponds in no respect with the Round Table described in the History of Prince Arthur. Round Tables are not unusual, as Dr. Percy has shown, with other kings in the times of chivalry. Thus, the king of Ireland, father of Christabelle, had his “knights of the Round Table.”—See “Sir Cauline,” in Percy’s Reliques.

In the eighth year of Edward I., Roger de Mortimer established at Kenilworth, a Round Table for “the encouragement of military pastimes.” Some seventy years later, Edward III. had his Round Table at Windsor; it was 200 feet in diameter.

Rousseau (Jean Jacques) used to say that all fables which ascribe speech and reason to dumb animals ought to be withheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception.

I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau
If birds confabulate or no;
’Tis clear that they were always able
To hold discourse—at least in fable.

Cowper, Pairing-Time Anticipated (1782).

Roustam or Rostam, the Persian Herculês. He was the son of Zal, and a descendant of Djamshid At one time Roustam killed 1000 Tartars at a blow; he slew dragons, overcame devils, captured cities, and performed other marvellous exploits. This mighty man of strength fell into disgrace for refusing to receive the doctrines of Zoroaster, and died by the hand of one of his brothers named Scheghad (sixth century B.C.).

Routledge (Harold). First love of Lilian Westbrook, in The Banker’s Daughter. They have a lover’s quarrel and separate. Lilian, to save her father from poverty, marries another man. Meeting Harold in after years, her love revives. When he challenges a Frenchman who has spoken lightly of her, she follows him to the field in time to receive his last breath and sob in his ear—“I have loved you—you only—from the first.”—Bronson Howard, The Banker’s Daughter, (1878).

Rover, a dissolute young spark, who set off vice “as naughty but yet nice.”—Mrs. Behn, The Rover (1680).

William Mountford [1660-1692] had so much in him of the agreeable, that when he played “The Rover,” it was remarked by many, and particularly by Queen Mary, that it was dangerous to see him act—he made vice so alluring.—C. Dibdin, History of the Stage.

Rovewell (Captain), in love with Arethusa, daughter of Argus. The lady’s father wanted her to marry Squire Cuckoo, who had a large estate; but Arethusa contrived to have her own way and marry Captain Rovewell, who turned out to be the son of Ned Worthy, who gave the bridegroom £30,000.—Carey, Contrivances (1715).

Rowe (Nicholas), poet-laureate (1673, 1714-1718). The monument in Westminster Abbey to this poet was by Rysbrack.

Rowena (The lady), of Hargettstanstede, a ward of Cedric the Saxon, of Rotherwood. She marries Ivanhoe.—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Rowland (Childe), youngest brother of Helen. Under the guidance of Merlin, he undertook to bring back his sister from elf land, whither the fairies had carried her, and he succeeded in his perilous exploit.—An Ancient Scotch Ballad.

Rowland for an Oliver (A), a tit for tat; getting as good as you gave. Rowland (or Roland) and Oliver were two of Charlemagne’s paladins, so much alike in prowess and exploits that they might be described as “fortemque Gyan, fortemque Cloanthum” (Æneid, i. 222).

Och! Mrs. Mustard-pot, have you found a Rowland for your Oliver at last?—T. Knight, The Honest Thieves.

Rowley, one of the retainers of Julia Avenel (2 syl.).—Sir W. Scott, The Monastery (time, Elizabeth).

Rowley (Master), formerly steward of Mr. Surface, Sr., the friend of Charles Surface, and the fidus Achātês of Sir Oliver Surface, the rich uncle.—Sheridan, School for Scandal (1777).

Rowley (Thomas), the hypothetical priest of Bristol, said by Chatterton to have lived in the reigns of Henry VI. and Edward IV., and to have written certain poems, of which Chatterton himself was the author.

Rowley Overdees, a highwayman.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Roxa´na, daughter of Oxyartês of Bactria, and wife or concubine of Alexander the Great. Proud, imperious, and relentless, she loved Alexander with a madness of love; and being jealous of Statīra, daughter of King Darius, and wife of Alexander, she stabbed her and slew her.—N. Lee, Alexander the Great (1678).

So now am I as great as the famed Alexander; but my dear Statīra and Roxana, don’t exert yourselves so much about me.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder, iii. 1 (1714).

Roxa´na and Stati´ra. Dr. Doran says that Peg Woffington (as “Roxana”), jealous of Mrs. Bellamy (as “Statira”) because she was better dressed, pulled her to the floor when she left the stage, and pummeled her with the handle of her dagger, screaming as she did so:

Nor he, nor heaven, shall shield thee from my justice.
Die, sorceress, die! and all my wrongs die with thee?

Table Traits.

Campbell tells a very similar story of Mrs. Barry (“Roxana”) and Miss Boutwell (“Statira”). The stage-manager had given to Miss Boutwell a lace veil, and Mrs. Barry, out of jealousy, actually stabbed her rival in acting, and the dagger went a quarter of an inch through the stays into the flesh.

Royal Mottoes or Legends.

Dieu et mon droit, Richard I.

Honi soit qui mal y pense, Edward III.

Semper eadem, Elizabeth and Anne.

Je maintiendrai, William III.

Royal Style of Address.

“My Liege,” the usual style till the Lancastrian usurpation.

“Your Grace,” Henry IV.

“Your Excellent Grace,” Henry VI.

“Most High and Mighty Prince,” Edward IV.

“Your Highness,” Henry VII.

“Your Majesty,” Henry VIII. So addressed in 1520, by François I.

“The King’s Sacred Majesty,” James I.

“Your Most Excellent Majesty,” Charles II.

“Your Most Gracious Majesty,” the present style.

Royal Titles.

William I. called himself “Rex Anglorum, comes Normannorum et Cinomanentium.”

William II. called himself “Rex Anglorum,” or “Monarchicus Britanniæ.”

Henry I. called himself “Rex Anglorum et dux Normannorum.” Subsequent to 1106 we find “Dei gratia” introduced in charters.

Henry II. called himself “Rex Anglorum, et dux Normannorum et Aquitannorum, et comes Andegavorum;” or “Rex Angliæ, dux Normanniæ et Aquitaniæ, et comes Andegaviæ.”

Richard I. began his charters with “Dei gratia, rex Angliæ, et dux Normaniæ et Aquitaniæ, et comes Andegaviæ.”

John headed his charters with “Johannes, D.G. rex Angliæ, dominus Hiberniæ, dux Normanniæ et Aquitaniæ, et comes Andegaviæ.” Instead of “Hiberniæ” we sometimes find “Iberniæ,” and sometimes “Yberniæ.”

Henry III. followed the style of his father till October, 1259, when he adopted the form “D.G. rex Angliæ, dominus Hiberniæ, et dux Aquitaniæ.”

Edward I. adopted the latter style. So did Edward II. till 1326, when he used the form “Rex Angliæ et dominus Hiberniæ.” Edward I. for thirteen years headed his charters with “Edwardus, Dei gratia rex Angliæ, dominus Hiberniæ, et dux Aquitaniæ.” But after 1337 the form ran thus: “Edwardus, D.G. rex Angliæ et Franciæ, dominus Hiberniæ, et dux Aquitaniæ;” and sometimes “Franciæ” stands before “Angliæ.”

Richard II. began thus: “Richardus, D.G. rex Angliæ et Franciæ, et dominus Hiberniæ.”

Henry IV. continued the same style. So did Henry V. till 1420, after which date he adopted the form, “Henricus, D.G. rex Angliæ, hæres et regens Franciæ, et dominus Hiberniæ.”

Henry VI. began, “Henricus, D.G. rex Angliæ et Franciæ, et dominus Hiberniæ.”

Edward IV., Edward V., Richard III., Henry VII. continued the same style.

From Henry VIII. (1521) to George III. (1800) the royal style and title was “* by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, king, Defender of the Faith.”

From George III. (1800) to the present day it has been, “* by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, king, Defender of the Faith.”

Ru´bezahl, Number Nip, a famous mountain-spirit of Germany corresponding to our Puck.

Rubi, one of the cherubs or spirits of wisdom who was with Eve in Paradise. He loved Liris, who was young, proud, and most eager for knowledge. She asked her angel lover to let her see him in his full glory; so Rubi came to her in his cherubic splendor. Liris, rushing into his arms, was burnt to ashes; and the kiss she gave him became a brand upon his forehead, which shot unceasing agony into his brain.—T. Moore, Loves of the Angels, ii. (1822).

Ru´bicon (Napoleon’s), Moscow. The invasion of Moscow was the beginning of Napoleon’s fall.

Thou, Rome, who saw’st thy Cæsar’s deeds outdone!
Alas! why passed he [Napoleon] too the Rubicon ...
Moscow! thou limit of his long career,
For which rude Charles had wept his frozen tear.

Byron, Age of Bronze, v. (1821).

* Charles XII. of Sweden formed the resolution of humbling Peter the Great (1709).

Rubo´nax, a man who hanged himself from mortification and annoyance at some verses written upon him by a poet.—Sir P. Sidney, Defence of Poesie (1595).

Rubrick (The Rev. Mr.), chaplain to the baron of Bradwardine.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

Ruby (Lady), the young widow of Lord Ruby. Her “first love” was Frederick Mowbray, and when a widow she married him. She is described as “young, blooming and wealthy, fresh and fine as a daisy.”—Cumberland, First Love (1796).

Rucellai (John), i.e. Oricellarius, poet (1475-1525), son of Bernard Rucellai, of Florence, historian and diplomatist.

As hath been said by Rucellai.

Longfellow, The Wayside Inn (prelude, 1863).

Ruddymane (3 syl.), the name given by Sir Guyon to the babe rescued from Amavia, who had stabbed herself in grief at the death of her husband. So called because:

... in her streaming blood he [the infant] did embay his little hands.

Spenser, Faëry Queen, ii. 1, 3 (1590).

Rudge (Barnaby), a half-witted young man of three and twenty years old; rather spare, of a fair height and strong make. His hair, of which he had a great profusion, was red and hung in disorder about his face and shoulders. His face was pale, his eyes glassy and protruding. His dress was green, clumsily trimmed here and there with gaudy lace. A pair of tawdry ruffles dangled at his wrists, while his throat was nearly bare. His hat was ornamented with a cluster of peacock’s feathers, limp, broken, and trailing down his back. Girded to his side was the steel hilt of an old sword, without blade or scabbard; and a few knee-ribbons completed his attire. He had a large raven named Grip, which he carried at his back in a basket, a most knowing imp, which used to cry out in a hoarse voice, “Halloa!” “I’m a devil!” “Never say die!” “Polly, put the kettle on!”

Barnaby joined the Gordon rioters for the proud pleasure of carrying a flag and wearing a blue bow. He was arrested and lodged in Newgate, from whence he made his escape, with other prisoners, when the jail was burnt down by the rioters; but both he and his father and Hugh, being betrayed by Dennis, the hangman, were recaptured, brought to trial, and condemned to death, but by the influence of Gabriel Varden, the locksmith, the poor half-witted lad was reprieved, and lived the rest of his life with his mother in a cottage and garden near the Maypole.

Here he lived, tending the poultry and the cattle, working in a garden of his own, and helping every one. He was known to every bird and beast about the place, and had a name for every one. Never was there a lighter-hearted husbandman, a creature more popular with young and old, a blither and more happy soul than Barnaby.—Ch. lxxxii.

Mr. Rudge, the father of Barnaby, supposed to have been murdered the same night as Mr. Haredale, to whom he was steward. The fact is that Rudge himself was the murderer both of Mr. Haredale and also of his faithful servant, to whom the crime was falsely attributed. After the murder, he was seen by many haunting the locality, and was supposed to be a ghost. He joined the Gordon rioters when they attacked and burnt to the ground the house of Mr. Haredale, the son of the murdered man, and being arrested (ch. lvi.), was sent to Newgate, but made his escape with the other prisoners when it was burnt down by the rioters. Being betrayed by Dennis, he was brought to trial for murder, but we are not told if he was executed (ch. lxxiii.). His name is not mentioned again, and probably he suffered death.

Mrs. [Mary] Rudge, mother of Barnaby, and very like him, “but where in his face there was wildness and vacancy, in hers there was the patient composure of long effort and quiet resignation.” She was a widow. Her husband (steward at the Warren), who murdered his master, Mr. Haredale, and his servant, told her of his deed of blood a little before the birth of Barnaby, and the woman’s face ever after inspired terror. It was thought for many years that Rudge had been murdered in defending his master, and Mrs. Rudge was allowed a pension by Mr. Haredale, son and heir of the murdered man. This pension she subsequently refused to take. After the reprieve of Barnaby, Mrs. Rudge lived with him in a cottage near the Maypole, and her last days were her happiest. C. Dickens, Barnaby Rudge (1841).

Ru´diger, a wealthy Hun, liegeman of Etzel, sent to conduct Kriemhild to Hungary. When Günther and his suite went to visit Kriemhild, Rudiger entertained them all most hospitably, and gave his daughter in marriage to Giselher (Kriemhild’s brother). In the broil which ensued, Rudiger was killed fighting against Gernot, but Gernot dropped down dead at the same moment, “each by the other slain.”—Nibelungen Lied (by the minnesingers, 1210).

Rudiger, a knight who came to Waldhurst in a boat drawn by a swan. Margaret fell in love with him. At every tournament he bore off the prize, and in everything excelled the youths about him. Margaret became his wife. A child was born. On the christening day, Rudiger carried it along the banks of the Rhine, and nothing that Margaret said could prevail on him to go home. Presently, the swan and boat came in sight, and carried all three to a desolate place, where was a deep cavern. Rudiger got on shore, still holding the babe, and Margaret followed. They reached the cave, two giant arms clasped Rudiger, Margaret sprang forward and seized the infant, but Rudiger was never seen more.—R. Southey, Rudiger (a ballad from Thomas Heywood’s notes).

Rufus (or the Red), William II. of England (1057, 1087-1100).

Rugby, servant to Dr. Caius, in Merry Wives of Windsor, by Shakespeare.

Rugg, (Mr.) a lawyer living at Pentonville. A red-haired man, who wore a hat with a high crown and narrow brim. Mr. Pancks employed him to settle the business pertaining to the estate which had long lain unclaimed, to which Mr. Dorrit was heir-at-law. Mr. Rugg delighted in legal difficulties as much as a housewife in her jams and preserves.—C. Dickens, Little Dorrit (1857).

Ruggie´ro, a young Saracen knight, born of Christian parents. He fell in love with Bradamant (sister of Rinaldo), whom he ultimately married. Ruggiero is especially noted for possessing a hippogriff, or winged horse, and a shield of such dazzling splendor that it blinded those who looked on it. He threw away this shield into a well, because it enabled him to win victory too cheaply.—Orlando Innamarato (1495), and Orlando Furioso (1516).

Rukenaw (Dame), the ape’s wife, in the beast-epic called Reynard the Fox (1498).

Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, a comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (1640). Donna Margaritta, a lady of great wealth, wishes to marry in order to mask her intrigues, and seeks for a husband a man without spirit, whom she can mould to her will. Leon, the brother of Altea, is selected as the “softest fool in Spain,” and the marriage takes place. After marriage, Leon shows himself firm, courageous, high-minded, but most affectionate. He “rules his wife” and her household with a masterly hand, wins the respect of every one, and the wife, wholly reclaimed, “loves, honors, and obeys” him.

Rumolt, the chief cook of Prince Günther of Burgundy.—Nibelungen Lied, 800 (1210).

Rumpelstilzchen [Rumple.stiltz.skin], an irritable, deformed dwarf. He aided a miller’s daughter, who had been enjoined by the king to spin straw into gold; and the condition he made with her for this service, was that she should give him for wife her first daughter. The miller’s daughter married the king, and when her first daughter was born, the mother grieved so bitterly that the dwarf consented to absolve her of her promise, if, within three days she could find out his name. The first day passed, but the secret was not discovered; the second passed with no better success; but on the third day, some of the queen’s servants heard a strange voice singing:

Little dreams my dainty dame
Rumpelstilzchen is my name.

The queen, being told thereof, saved her child, and the dwarf killed himself from rage.—German Popular Stories.

Runa, the dog of Argon and Ruro, sons of Annir, king of Inis-Thona, an island of Scandinavia.—Ossian, The War of Inis-Thorna.

Runners.

1. Iphiclês, son of Phylakos and Klymĕnê. Hesiod says he could run over ears of corn without bending the stems; and Demarātos says he could run on the surface of the sea.—Argonauts, i. 60.

2. Camilla, queen of the Volsci, was so swift of foot that she could run over standing corn, without bending the ears, and over the sea without wetting her feet.—Virgil, Æneid, vii. 303; xi. 433.

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain,
Flies o’er th’ unbending corn, and skims along the main.

Pope.

3. Lădas, the swift runner of King Alexander. He ran so fast that he never left a foot-print on the ground.

4. Phidippĭdês, a professional courier, ran from Athens to Sparta (150 miles) in two days.

5. Theagĕnês, a native of Thasos, was noted for his swiftness of foot.

* The Greek hemerodromos would run from twenty to thirty-six leagues in a day.

Runnymede, the nom de plume of Benj. Disraeli, in the Times (1805-1881).

Rupert, i.e. Major Roselheim, the betrothed of Meeta, “the maid of Mariendorpt.”—S. Knowles, The Maid of Mariendorpt (1838).

Rupert (Prince), in the service of Charles II. Introduced by Sir W. Scott, in three of his novels.—Woodstock, Legend of Montrose, and Peveril of the Peak.

Rupert (Sir), in love with Catharine.—S. Knowles, Love (1840).

Rupert of Debate. Edward Geoffrey, earl of Derby, when he was Mr. Stanley, was so called by Lord Lytton (1799-1869).

Rupert Clare. Desperate lover, who skates with “handsome Madge” straight toward the rotten ice. Seeing their danger and his revengeful resolve, she shrieks out the name of her betrothed who, unknown to her and the rejected suitor, has followed them. “He hurls himself upon the pair,” and rescues his affianced.

“The lovers stand with heart to heart,
‘No more,’ they cry, ‘no more to part!”
But still along the lone lagoon
The steel skates ring a ghostly tune,
And in the moonlight, pale and cold,
The panting lovers still behold
The self-appointed sacrifice
Skating toward the rotten ice!”

Fitz-James O’Brien, Poems and Stories.

Rush (Friar), a house-spirit, sent from the infernal regions in the seventeenth century to keep the monks and friars in the same state of wickedness they then were.

* The legends of this roistering friar are of German origin. (Bruder Rausch means “Brother Tipple.”)

Milton confounds “Jack-o’-Lantern” with Friar Rush. The latter was not a field bogie at all, and was never called “Jack.” Probably Milton meant a friar with a rush-[light].” Sir Walter Scott also falls into the same error:

Better we had thro’ mire and bush
Been lantern-led by Friar Rush.

Marmion (1808).

Rusil´la, mother of Roderick, the last of the Goths, and wife of Theodofred, rightful heir to the Spanish throne.—Southey, Roderick, etc. (1814).

Rusport (Lady), second wife of Sir Stephen Rusport, a City knight, and step-mother of Charlotte Rusport. Very proud, very mean, very dogmatical, and very vain. Without one spark of generosity or loving charity in her composition. She bribes her lawyer to destroy a will, but is thwarted in her dishonesty. Lady Rusport has a tendresse for Major O’Flaherty; but the major discovers the villainy of the old woman, and escapes from this Scylla.

Charlotte Rusport, step-daughter of Lady Rusport. An amiable, ingenuous, animated, handsome girl, in love with her cousin, Charles Dudley, whom she marries.—R. Cumberland, The West Indian (1771).

Russet (Mr.), the choleric old father of Harriot, on whom he dotes. He is so self-willed that he will not listen to reason, and has set his mind on his daughter marrying Sir Harry Beagle. She marries, however, Mr. Oakly.—(See Harriot.)—George Colman, The Jealous Wife (1761).

Russian Byron (The), Alexander Sergeiwitch Pushkin (1799-1837).

Russian History (The Father of), Nestor, a monk of Kiev. His Chronicle includes the years between 862 and 1116 (twelfth century).

Russian Murat (The), Michael Miloradowith (1770-1820).

Rust (Martin), an absurd old antiquary. “He likes no coins but those which have no head on them.” He took a fancy to Juliet, the niece of Sir Thomas Lofty, but preferred his “Ænēas, his precious relic of Troy,” to the living beauty; and Juliet preferred Richard Bever to Mr. Rust; so matters were soon amicably adjusted.—Foote, The Patron (1764).

Rustam, chief of the Persian mythical heroes, son of Zâl “the Fair,” king of India, and regular descendant of Benjamin, the beloved son of Jacob, the patriarch. He delivered King Caïcāus (4 syl.) from prison, but afterwards fell into disgrace because he refused to embrace the religious system of Zoroaster. Caïcaus sent his son, Asfendiar (or Isfendiar) to convert him, and, as persuasion availed nothing, the logic of single combat was resorted to. The fight lasted two days, and then Rustam discovered that Asfendiar bore a “charmed life,” proof against all wounds. The valor of these two heroes is proverbial, and the Persian romances are full of their deeds of fight.

Rustam’s Horse, Reksh.—Chardin, Travels (1686-1711).

In Matthew Arnold’s poem, Sohrab and Rustum, Rustum fights with and overcomes Sohrab, and finds too late that he has slain his own son.

Rustam, son of Tamur, king of Persia. He had a trial of strength with Rustam, son of Zâl, which was to pull away from his adversary an iron ring. The combat was never decided, for Rustam could no more conquer Rustam than Roland could overcome Oliver.—Chardin, Travels (1686-1711).

Rusticus’s Pig, the pig on which Rusticus fed daily, but which never diminished.

Two Christians, travelling in Poland, ... came to the door of Rustĭcus, a heathen peasant, who had killed a fat hog to celebrate the birth of a son. The pilgrims, being invited to partake of the feast, pronounced a blessing on what was left, which never diminished in size or weight from that moment, though all the family fed on it freely every day.—J. Brady, Clavis Calendaria, 183.

This, of course, is a parallelism to Elijah’s miracle (1 Kings xvii. 11-16).

Rut (Doctor), in The Magnetic Lady, by Ben Jonson (1632).

Ruth, the friend of Arabella, an heiress, and ward of Justice Day. Ruth also is an orphan, the daughter of Sir Basil Thoroughgood, who died when she was two years old, leaving Justice Day trustee. Justice Day takes the estates, and brings up Ruth as his own daughter. Colonel Careless is her accepted amé de cœur.—T. Knight, The Honest Thieves.

Ruthven (Lord), one of the embassy from Queen Elizabeth to Mary Queen of Scots.—Sir W. Scott, The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Rutil´io, a merry gentleman, brother of Arnoldo.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Custom of the Country (1647).

Rutland (The Countess of), wife of the earl of Essex, whom he married when he started for Ireland. The queen knew not of the marriage, and was heart-broken when she heard of it.—Henry Jones, The Earl of Essex (1745).

Rutland (The duchess of), of the court of Queen Elizabeth.—Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time Elizabeth).

Rutledge (Archie), constable at Osbaldistone Hall. Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Rutledge (Job), a smuggler.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Rut´terkin, name of a cat, the spirit of a witch, sent at one time to torment the countess of Rutland (sixteenth century).

Ruy´dera, a duenna who had seven daughters and two nieces. They were imprisoned for 500 years in the cavern of Montesi´nos, in La Mancha, of Spain. Their ceaseless weeping stirred the compassion of Merlin, who converted them into lakes in the same province.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. ii. 6 (1615).

Ryence (Sir), king of Wales, Ireland, and many of the isles. When Arthur first mounted the throne, King Ryence, in scorn, sent a messenger to say “he had purfled a mantel with the beards of kings; but the mantel lacked one more beard to complete the lining, and he requested Arthur to send his beard by the messenger, or else he would come and take head and beard too.” Part of the insolence was in this: Arthur at the time was too young to have a beard at all; and he made answer, “Tell your master, my beard at present is all too young for purfling; but I have an arm quite strong enough to drag him hither, unless he comes without delay to do me homage.” By the advice of Merlin, the two brothers, Balin and Balan, set upon the insolent king, on his way to Lady De Vauce, overthrew him, slew “more than forty of his men, and the remnant fled.” King Ryence craved for mercy; so “they laid him on a horse-litter, and sent him captive to King Arthur.”—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 24, 34 (1470).

Rymar (Mr. Robert), poet at the Spa.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Ryno, youngest of the sons of Fingal, king of Morven. He fell in the battle of Lena between the Norsemen led by Swaran and the Irish led by Fingal.

“Rest!” said Fingal; “youngest of my sons, rest! Rest, O Ryno, on Lena! We, too, shall be no more. Warriors must one day fall.”—Ossian, Fingal, v.

Ryparog´rapher of Wits, Rabelais (1495-1553).

* Greek, rupăros (“foul, nasty”). Pliny calls Pyrĭcus the painter a “ryparographer.”

Rython, a giant of Brittany, slain by King Arthur. (See Ritho.)

Rython, the mighty giant, slain,
By his good brand relieved Bretagne.

Sir W. Scott, Bridal of Triermain, ii. 11 (1813).

Saadi or Sadi, the Persian poet, called “The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs.” His poems are The Gulistan or “Garden of Roses,” The Boston or “Garden of Fruits,” and The Pend Nâmeh, a moral poem. Saadi (1184-1263) was one of the “Four Monarchs of Eloquence.”

Saba or Zaba (The Queen of), called Balkis. She came to the court of Solomon, and had by him a son named Melech. This queen of Ethiopia or Abyssinia is sometimes called Maqueda.—Zaga Zabo, Ap. Damian. a Goes.

The Korân (ch. xxvii.) tells us that Solomon summoned before him all the birds to the valley of ants, but the lapwing did not put in an appearance. Solomon was angry, and was about to issue an order of death, when the bird presented itself, saying, “I come from Saba, where I found a queen reigning in great magnificence, but she and her subjects worship the sun.” On hearing this, Solomon sent back the lapwing to Saba with a letter, which the bird was to drop at the foot of the queen, commanding her to come at once, submit herself unto him, and accept from him the “true religion.” So she came in great state, with a train of 500 slaves of each sex, bearing 500 “bricks of solid gold,” a crown, and sundry other presents.

Sabbath-Breakers. The fish of the Red Sea used to come ashore on the eve of the Sabbath, to tempt the Jews to violate the day of rest. The offenders at length became so numerous that David, to deter others, turned the fish into apes.—Jallâlo´ddin.—Al Zamakh.

Sabellan Song, incantation. The Sabelli or Samnites were noted for their magic art and incantations.

Sabine (The). Numa, the Sabine, was taught the way to govern by Egĕrĭe, one of the Camēnæ (prophetic nymphs of ancient Italy). He used to meet her in a grove, in which was a well, afterwards dedicated by him to the Camenæ.

Our statues—she
That taught the Sabine how to rule.

Tennyson, The Princess, ii. (1830).

Sablonnière (La), the Tuilleries. The word means the “sand-pit.” The tuilleries means the “tile-works.” Nicolas de Neuville, in the fifteenth century, built a mansion in the vicinity, which he called the “Hotel des Tuilleries,” and François I. bought the property for his mother in 1518.

Sabra, daughter of Ptolemy, king of Egypt. She was rescued by St. George from the hands of a giant, and ultimately married her deliverer. Sabra had three sons at a birth: Guy, Alexander, and David.

Here come I, St. George, the valiant man,
With naked sword and spear in han’,
Who fought the dragon and brought him to slaughter,
And won fair Sabra thus, the king of Egypt’s daughter.

Notes and Queries, December 21, 1878.

Sabreur (Le Beau), Joachim Murat (1767-1815).

Sab´rin, Sabre, or Sabri´na, the Severn, daughter of Locrine (son of Brute) and his concubine, Estrildis. His queen, Guendolen, vowed vengeance, and, having assembled an army, made war upon Locrine, who was slain. Guendolen now assumed the government, and commanded Estrildis and Sabrin to be cast into a river, since then called the Severn.—Geoffrey of Monmouth, British History, ii. 5 (1142).

(An exqusite description of Sabine, sitting in state as a queen, is given in the opening of song v. of Drayton’s Polyolbion, and the tale of her metamorphosis is recorded at length in song vi. Milton in Comus, and Fletcher in The Faithful Shepherdess, refer to the transformation of Sabrina into a river.

Sabrina (Aunt). “Grim old maid in rusty bombazine gown and cap,” whose strongest passion is family pride in the old homestead and farm which “her grandfather, a revolted cobbler from Rhode Island, had cleared and paid for at ten cents an acre.”—Harold Frederic, Seth’s Brother’s Wife (1886).

Sabrinian Sea or Severn Sea, i.e. the Bristol Channel. Both terms occur not unfrequently in Drayton’s Polyolbion.

Sacchini (Antonio Maria Gaspare), called “The Racine of Music,” contemporary with Glück and Piccini (1735-1786).

Sacharissa. So Waller calls the Lady Dorothea Sidney, eldest daughter of the earl of Leicester, to whose hand he aspired. Sacharissa married the earl of Sunderland. (Greek, sakchar, “sugar.”)

Sackbut, the landlord of a tavern, in Mrs. Centlivre’s comedy, A Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717).

Sackingen (The Trumpeter of). Werner, a trumpeter, discourses such divine music upon his instrument as gains him access to a baronial castle, the good-will of the baron and the love of Margaret, the baron’s daughter.—Victor Hugo, The Trumpeter of Sackingen.

Sacred Nine (The), the Muses, nine in number.

Fair daughters of the Sun, the Sacred Nine,
Here wake to ecstasy their harps divine.

Falconer, The Shipwreck, iii. 3 (1756).

Sacred War (The), a war undertaken by the Amphictyonic League for the defence of Delphi, against the Cirrhæans (B.C. 595-587).

The Sacred War, a war undertaken by the Athenians for the purpose of restoring Delphi to the Phocians (B.C. 448-447).

The Sacred War, a war undertaken by Philip of Macedon, as chief of the Amphictyonic League, for the purpose of wresting Delphi from the Phocians (B.C. 357).

Sa´cripant (King), king of Circassia, and a lover of Angelica.—Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato (1495); Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

With the same stratagem, Sacripant had his steed stolen from under him, by that notorious thief Brunello, at the siege of Albracca.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. iii. 9 (1605).

* The allusion is to Sancho Panza’s ass, which was stolen from under him by the galley-slave, Gines de Passamonte.

Sacripant, a false, noisy, hectoring braggart; a kind of Pistol or Bobadil.—Tasso, Secchia Rapita (i.e. “Rape of the Bucket”).

Sa´dak and Kalasra´de (4 syl.), Sadak, general of the forces of Am´urath, sultan of Turkey, lived with Kalasradê in retirement, and their home life was so happy that it aroused the jealousy of the sultan, who employed emissaries to set fire to their house, carry off Kalasradê to the seraglio, and seize the children. Sadak, not knowing who were the agents of these evils, laid his complaint before Amurath, and then learnt that Kalasradê was in the seraglio. The sultan swore not to force his love upon her till she had drowned the recollections of her past life by a draught of the waters of oblivion. Sadak was sent on this expedition. On his return, Amurath seized the goblet, and, quaffing its contents, found “that the waters of oblivion were the waters of death.” He died, and Sadak was made sultan in his stead.—J. Ridley, Tales of the Genii (“Sadak and Kalasradê,” ix. 1751).

Sadaroubay. So Eve is called in Indian mythology.

Saddletree (Mr. Bartoline), the learned saddler.

Mrs. Saddletree, the wife of Bartoline.—Sir W. Scott, Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).

Sadha-Sing, the mourner of the desert.—Sir W. Scott, The Surgeon’s Daughter (time, George II.).

Sæmund Sigfusson, surnamed “the Wise,” an Icelandic priest and scald. He compiled the Elder or Rythmical Edda, often called Sæmund’s Edda. This compilation contains not only mythological tales and moral sentences, but numerous sagas in verse or heroic lays, as those of Völung and Helgê, of Sigurd and Brynhilda, of Folsungs and Niflungs (pt. ii.). Probably his compilation contained all the mythological, heroic, and legendary lays extant at the period in which he lived (1054-1133).

Saga, the goddess of history.—Scandinavian Mythology.

Saga and Edda. The Edda is the Bible of the ancient Scandinavians. A saga is a book of instruction, generally, but not always, in the form of a tale, like a Welsh “mabinogi.” In the Edda there are numerous sagas. As our Bible contains the history of the Jews, religious songs, moral proverbs, and religious stories, so the Edda contained the history of Norway, religious songs, a book of proverbs, and numerous stories. The original Edda was compiled and edited by Sæmund Sigfusson, an Icelandic priest and scald, in the eleventh century. It contains twenty-eight parts or books, all of which are in verse.

Two hundred years later, Snorro Sturleson, of Iceland, abridged, re-arranged, and reduced to prose the Edda, giving the various parts a kind of dramatic form, like the dialogues of Plato. It then became needful to distinguish these two works; so the old poetical compilation is the Elder or Rythmical Edda, and sometimes the Sæmund Edda, while the more modern work is called the Younger or Prose Edda, and sometimes the Snorro Edda. The Younger Edda is, however, partly original. Pt. i. is the old Edda reduced to prose, but pt. ii. is Sturleson’s own collection. This part contains “The Discourse of Bragi” (the scald of the gods) on the origin of poetry; and here, too, we find the famous story called by the Germans the Nibelungen Lied.

Sagas. Besides the sagas contained in the Eddas, there are numerous others. Indeed, the whole saga literature extends over 200 volumes.

I. The Edda Sagas. The Edda is divided into two parts and twenty-eight lays or poetical sagas. The first part relates to the gods and heroes of Scandinavia, creation, and the early history of Norway. The Scandinavian “Books of Genesis” are the “Voluspa Saga,” or “prophecy of Vola” (about 230 verses), “Vafthrudner’s Saga,” and “Grimner’s Saga.” These three resemble the Sibylline books of ancient Rome, and give a description of chaos, the formation of the world, the creation of all animals (including dwarfs, giants and fairies), the general conflagration, and the renewal of the world, when, like the new Jerusalem, it will appear all glorious, and there shall in no wise enter therein “anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.”

The “Book of Proverbs” in the Edda is called the “Hâvamâl Saga,” and sometimes “The High Song of Odin.”

The “Völsunga Saga” is a collection of lays about the early Teutonic heroes.

The “Saga of St. Olaf” is the history of this Norwegian king. He was a savage tyrant, hated by his subjects, but because he aided the priests in forcing Christianity on his subjects, he was canonized.

The other sagas in the Edda are “The Song of Lodbrok” or “Lodbrog,” “Hervara Saga,” the “Vilkina Saga,” the “Blomsturvalla Saga,” the “Ynglinga Saga” (all relating to Norway), the “Jomsvikingia Saga,” and the “Knytlinga Saga” (which pertain to Denmark), the “Sturlunga Saga,” and the “Eryrbiggia Saga” (which pertain to Iceland). All the above were compiled and edited by Sæmund Sigfusson, and are in verse; but Snorro Sturleson reduced them to prose in his prose version of the old Edda.

II. Sagas not in the Edda. Snorro Sturleson, at the close of the twelfth century, made the second great collection of chronicles in verse, called the Heimskringla Saga, or the book of the kings of Norway, from the remotest period to the year 1177. This is a most valuable record of the laws, customs, and manners of the ancient Scandinavians. Samuel Laing published his English translation of it in 1844.

1. The Icelandic Sagas. Besides the two Icelandic sagas collected by Sæmund Sigfusson, numerous others were subsequently embodied in the Landama Bok, set on foot by Ari hinn Frondê, and continued by various hands.

2. Frithjof’s Saga contains the life and and adventures of Frithjof, of Iceland, who fell in love with Ingeborg, the beautiful wife of Hring, king of Norway. On the death of Hring, the young widow marries her Icelandic lover. Frithjof lived in the eighth century, and this saga was compiled at the beginning of the fourteenth century, a year or two after the Heimskringla. It is very interesting, because Tegnér, the Swedish poet, has selected it for his Idylls (1825), just as Tennyson has taken his idyllic stories from the Morte d’Arthur or the Welsh Mabinogion. Tegnér’s Idylls were translated into English by Latham (1838), by Stephens (1841), and by Blackley (1857).

3. The Swedish Saga, or lay of Swedish “history,” is the Ingvars Saga.

4. The Russian Saga, or lay of Russian legendary history, is the Egmunds Saga.

5. The Folks-Sagas are stories of romance. From this ancient collection we have derived our nursery tales of Jack and the Bean-Stalk, Jack the Giant-Killer, the Giant who smelt the Blood of an Englishman, Blue Beard, Cinderella, the Little Old Woman cut Shorter, the Pig that wouldn’t go over the Bridge, Puss in Boots, and even the first sketches of Whittington and His Cat, and Baron Munchausen. (See Dasent, Tales from the Norse, 1859.)

6. Sagas of Foreign origin. Besides the rich stores of original tales, several foreign ones have been imported and translated into Norse, such as Barlaham and Josaphat, by Rudolph of Ems, one of the German minnesingers. On the other hand, the minnesingers borrowed from the Norse sagas their famous story embodied in the Nibelungen Lied, called the “German Iliad,” which is from the second part of Snorro Sturleson’s Edda.

Sagaman, a narrator of sagas. These ancient chroniclers differed from scalds in several respects. Scalds were minstrels, who celebrated in verse the exploits of living kings or national heroes; sagamen were tellers of legendary stories, either in prose or verse, like Scheherazādê, the narrator of the Arabian Nights, the mandarin, Fum-Hoam, the teller of the Chinese Tales, Moradbak, the teller of the Oriental Tales, Ferămorz, who told the tales to Lalla Rookh, and so on. Again, scalds resided at court, were attached to the royal suite, and followed the king in all his expeditions; but sagamen were free and unattached, and told their tales to prince or peasant, in lordly hall or at village wake.

Sage of Concord (The), Ralph Waldo Emerson, author of Literary Ethics (1838), Poems (1846), Representative Men (1850), English Traits (1856), and numerous other works (1803-1882).

In Mr. Emerson we have a poet and a profoundly religious man, who is really and entirely undaunted by the discoveries of science, past, present or prospective. In his case, poetry, with the joy of a Bacchanal, takes her graver brother, science, by the hand, and cheers him with immortal laughter. By Emerson scientific conceptions are continually transmuted into the finer forms and warmer lines of an ideal world.—Professor Tyndall, Fragments of Science.

Sage of Monticello (The), Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, whose country seat was at Monticello.

As from the grave where Henry sleeps,
From Vernon’s weeping willow,
And from the grassy pall which hides
The Sage of Monticello ...
Virginia, o’er thy land of slaves
A warning voice is swelling.

Whittier, Voices of Freedom (1836).

Sage of Samos (The), Pythagŏras, a native of Samos (B.C. 584-506).

Sages (The Seven). (See Seven Wise Men of Greece.)

Sag´ittary, a monster, half man and half beast, described as “a terrible archer, who neighs like a horse, and with eyes of fire which strike men dead like lightning.” Any deadly shot is a sagittary.—Guido delle Colonna (thirteenth century), Historia Troyana Prosayce Composita (translated by Lydgate).

The dreadful Sagittary,
Appals our numbers.

Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (1602).

(See also Othello, act i. sc. 1, 3. The barrack is so called from the figure of an archer over the door.)

Sagramour le De´sirus, a knight of the Round Table.—See Launcelot du Lac and Morte d’Arthur.

Sailor King (The), William IV. of Great Britain (1765, 1830-1837).

Saint (The), Kang-he, of China, who assumed the name of Chin-tsou-jin (1653, 1661-1722).

St. Aldobrand, the noble husband of Lady Imogine, murdered by Count Bertram, her quondam lover.—C. Maturin, Bertram (1816).

St. Alme (Captain), son of Darlemont, a merchant, guardian of Julio, count of Harancour. He pays his addresses to Marianne Franval, to whom he is ultimately married. Captain St. Alme is generous, high-spirited, and noble-minded.—Thomas Holcroft, The Deaf and Dumb (1785).

St. Andre, a fashionable dancing-master in the reign of Charles II.

St. Andre’s feet ne’er kept more equal time.

Dryden, MacFlecknoe (1682).

St. Asaph (The dean of), in the court of Queen Elizabeth.—Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (1821).

St. Basil Outwits the Devil. (See Sinner Saved.)

St. Botolph (The Prior of). Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

St. Cecili, Cecily, or Cecile (2 syl.), the daughter of noble Roman parents, and a Christian. She married Valirian. One day, she told her husband she had “an aungel ... that with gret love, wher so I wake or slepe, is redy ay my body for to kepe.” Valirian requested to see this angel, and Cecile told him he must first go to St. Urban, and, being purged by him “fro synne, than [then] schul ye see that aungel.” Valirian was accordingly “cristened” by St. Urban, returned home, and found the angel with two crowns, brought direct from paradise. One he gave to Cecile and one to Valirian, saying that “bothe with the palme of martirdom schullen come unto God’s blisful feste.” Valirian suffered martydom first; then Almachius, the Roman prefect, commanded his officers to “brenne Cecile in a bath of flammês red.” She remained in the bath all day and night, yet, “sat she cold, and felte of it no woe.” Then smote they her three strokes upon the neck, but could not smite her head off. She lingered on for three whole days, preaching and teaching, and then died. St. Urban buried her body privately by night, and the house he converted into a church, which he called the church of Cecily.—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (“The Second Nun’s Tale,” 1388).

St. Christopher, a native of Lycia, very tall, and fearful to look at. He was so proud of his strength that he resolved to serve only the mightiest, and went in search of a worthy master. He first entered the service of the emperor; but one day, seeing his master cross himself for fear of the devil, he quitted his service for that of Satan. This new master he found was thrown into alarm at the sight of a cross; so he quitted him also, and went in search of the Saviour. One day, near a ferry, a little child accosted him, and begged the giant to carry him across the water. Christopher put the child on his back, but found every step he took the child grew heavier and heavier, till the burden was more than he could bear. As he sank beneath his load, the child told the giant he was Christ, and Christopher resolved to serve Christ and Him alone. He died three days afterwards, and was canonized. The Greek and Latin churches look on him as the protecting saint against floods, fire, and earthquake.—James de Voragine, Golden Legends, 100 (thirteenth century).

* His body is said to be at Valencia, in Spain; one of his arms at Compostella; a jaw-bone at Astorga; a shoulder at St. Peter’s, in Rome; and a tooth and rib at Venice. His day is May 9 in the Greek Church, and July 25 in the Latin. Of course, “the Christ-bearer” is an allegory. The gigantic bones called his relics may serve for “matters of faith” to give reality to the fable.

(His name before conversion was Offĕrus, but after he carried Christ across the ford, it was called Christ-Offerus, shortened into Christopher, which means “the Christ-bearer.”)

St. Clare (Augustin), the kind, indulgent master of Uncle Tom. He was beloved by all his slaves.

Evangeline St. Clare, daughter of Mr. St. Clare. Evangeline was the good angel of the family, and was adored by Uncle Tom.

Miss Ophelia St. Clare, sister of Augustin.—Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852).

St. Distaff, an imaginary saint to whom January 7, or Twelfth Day is consecrated.

Partly worke and partly play
You must on St. Distaff’s Day;
Give St. Distaff all the right,
Then give Christmas sport good night.

Wit Asporting in a Pleasant Grove of New Fancies (1657).

St. Filume´na or Filomena, a new saint of the Latin Church. Sabateli has a picture of this nineteenth-century saint, representing her as hovering over a group of sick and maimed, who are healed by her intercession. In 1802 a grave was found in the cemetery of St. Priscilla, and near it three tiles, with these words in red letters.

LUMENA PAXTE CVMFI

A re-arrangement of the tiles made the inscription, Pax Te-cum, Fi-lumena. That this was the correct rendering is quite certain, for the virgin martyr herself told a priest and a nun in a dream, that she was Fi[lia] Lumina, the daughter Lumina, i.e. the daughter of the Light of the world. In confirmation of this dream, as her bones were carried to Mugnano, the saint repaired her own skeleton, made her hair grow, and performed so many miracles, that those must indeed be hard of belief who can doubt the truth of the story.

St. George is the national saint of England, in consequence of the miraculous assistance rendered by him, to the arms of the Christians under Godfrey de Bouillon during the first crusade.

St. George’s Sword, Askelon.

George he shaved the dragon’s beard,
And Askelon was his razor.

Percy’s Reliques, III. iii. 15.

St. George (Le chevalier de), James Francis Edward Stuart, called “The Old (or elder) Pretender” (1688-1766).

St. Graal. (See Sangraal.)

St. Leon, the hero of a novel of the same name, by W. Goodwin (1799). St. Leon becomes possessed of the “elixir of life,” and of the “philosopher’s stone;” but this knowledge, instead of bringing him wealth and happiness, is the source of misery and endless misfortunes.

Saint Maur, one of the attendants of Sir Reginald Front de Bœuf (a follower of Prince John).—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

St. Nicholas, the patron saint of boys. He is said to have been bishop of Myra, in Lycia, and his death is placed in the year 326.

Under his triple names of St. Nicholas, Santa Claus and Kriss Kringle, he fills good children’s stockings on Christmas Eve. Clement C. Moore has made the annual visit of this saint “in a miniature sleigh drawn by eight tiny reindeer,” the subject of his famous nursery poem beginning:

“’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

(1844).

St. Prieux, the amant of Julie, in Rousseau’s novel entitled Julie ou La Nouvelle Héloïse (1760).

St. Ronan’s Well, a novel by Sir W. Scott (1823). An inferior work; but it contains the character of Meg Dods, of the Clachan or Mowbray Arms inn, one of the very best low comic characters in the whole range of fiction.

St. Stephen’s Chapel, properly the House of Commons, but sometimes applied to the two Houses of Parliament. So called by a figure of speech from St. Stephen’s Chapel, built by King Stephen, rebuilt by Edward II. and III., and finally destroyed by fire in 1834. St. Stephen’s Chapel was fitted up for the use of the House of Commons in the reign of Edward IV. The great council of the nation met before in the chapel-house of the abbey.

St. Swithin, tutor of King Alfred, and bishop of Winchester. The monks wished to bury him in the chancel of the minster; but the bishop had directed that his body should be interred under the open vault of heaven. Finding the monks resolved to disobey his injunction, he sent a heavy rain on July 15, the day assigned to the funeral ceremony, in consequence of which it was deferred from day to day for forty days. The monks then bethought them of the saint’s injunction, and prepared to inter the body in the churchyard. St. Swithin smiled his approbation by sending a beautiful sunshiny day, in which all the robes of the heirarchy might be displayed without the least fear of being injured by untimely and untoward showers.

Saints (Island of), Ireland.

Saints (Royal).

David of Scotland (*, 1124-1153).

Edward the Confessor (1004, 1042-1066).

Edward the Martyr (961, 975-979).

Eric IX. of Sweden (*, 1155-1161).

Ethelred I., king of Wessex (*, 866-871).

Eugenius I., pope (*, 654-657).

Felix I., pope (*, 269-274).

Ferdinand III. of Castile and Leon (1200, 1217-1252).

Julius I., pope (*, 337-352).

Kâng-he, second of the Manchoo dynasty of China (*, 1661-1722).

Lawrence Justiniani, patriarch of Venice (1380, 1451-1465).

Leo IX., pope (1002, 1049-1054).

Louis IX. of France (1215, 1226-1270).

Olaus II. of Norway (992, 1000-1030).

Stephen I. of Hungary (979, 997-1038).

Saints for Diseases. These saints either ward off ills or help to relieve them, and should be invoked by those who trust their power:—

Ague. St. Pernel cures.

Bad Dreams. St. Christopher protects from.

Blear Eyes. St. Otilic cures.

Blindness. St. Thomas à Becket cures.

Boils and Blains. St. Rooke cures.

Chastity. St. Susan protects.

Children’s Diseases (All). St Blaise heals; and all cattle diseases. The bread consecrated on his day (February 3) and called “the Benediction of St. Blaise,” should have been tried in the recent cattle plague.

Cholera. Oola Beebee is invoked by the Hindûs in this malady.

Colic. St. Erasmus relieves.

Dancing Mania. St. Vitus cures.

Defilement. St. Susan preserves from.

Discovery of Lost Goods. St. Ethelbert and St Elian.

Doubts. St. Catherine resolves.

Dying. St. Barbara relieves.

Epilepsy. St. Valentine cures.

Fire. St. Agatha protects from it, but St. Florian should be invoked if it has already broken out.

Flood, Fire, and Earthquake. St. Christopher saves from.

Gout. St. Wolfgang, they say, is of more service than Blair’s pills.

Gripes. St. Erasmus cures.

Idiocy. St. Gildas is the guardian angel of idiots.

Infamy. St. Susan protects from.

Infection. St. Roque protects from.

Leprosy. St. Lazarus, the beggar.

Madness. St. Dymphna cures.

Mice and Rats. St. Gertrude and St. Huldrick ward them off.

Night Alarms. St. Christopher protects from.

Plague. St. Roch, they say, in this case is better than the “good bishop of Marseilles.”

Quenching Fire. St. Florian and St. Christopher should not be forgotten by fire-insurance companies.

Quinsy. St. Blaise will cure it sooner than tartarized antimony.

Riches. St. Anne and St. Vincent help those who seek it. Gold-diggers should ask them for nuggets.

Scabs. St. Rooke cures.

Small-pox. St. Martin of Tours may be tried by those objecting to vaccination. In Hindûstan, Seetla wards it off.

Sudden Death. St. Martin saves from.

Temperance. Father Mathew is called “The Apostle of Temperance” (1790-1856).

Tooth-ache. St. Appolline cures better than creosote.

Vermin-destroyers. St. Gertude and St. Huldrick.

Wealth-bestower. St. Anne, recommended to the sultan.

Saints of Places. The following are the patron saints of the cities, nations, or places set down:—

Aberdeen, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.

Abyssinia, St. Frumentius (died 360). His day is October 27.

Alexandria, St. Mark, who founded the church there (died A.D. 52). His day is April 25th.

Alps (The), Felix Neff (1798-1829).

Antioch, St. Margaret (died 275). Her day is July 20.

Ardennes (The), St. Hubert (656-730). He is called “The Apostles of the Ardennes.” His days are May 30 and November 3d.

Armenia, St. Gregory of Armenia (256-331). His day is September 30.

Bath, St. David, from whose benediction the waters of Bath received their warmth and medicinal qualities (480-544). His day is March 1.

Beauvais, St. Lucian (died 290), called “The Apostle of Beauvais.” His day is January 8.

Belgium, St. Boniface (680-755). His day is on June 5.

Bohemia, St. Wenceslaus.

Brussels, the Virgin Mary; St. Gudule, who died 712. St. Gudule’s day is January 8.

Cagliari (in Sardinia), St. Efisio or St. Ephesus.

Cappadocia, St. Matthias (died A.D. 62). His day is February 24.

Carthage, St. Perpetua (died 203). Her day is March 7.

Cologne, St. Ursula (died 452). Her day is October 21.

Corfu, St. Spiridion (fourth century). His day is December 14.

Cremona, St. Margaret (died 275). Her day is July 20.

Denmark, St. Anscharius (801-864), whose day is February 3; and St. Canute (died 1086), whose day is January 19.

Edinburgh, St. Giles (died 550). His day is September 1.

England, St. George (died 290). St. Bede calls Gregory the Great “The Apostle of England,” but St. Augustin was “The Apostle of the English People” (died 607). St. George’s day is April 23.

Ethiopia, St. Frumentius (died 360). His day is October 27.

Flanders, St. Peter (died 66). His day is June 29.

Florence, St. John the Baptist (died A.D. 32). His days are June 24 and August 29.

Forests, St. Sylvester, because silva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.

Forts, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.

France, St. Denys (died 272). His day is October 9. St. Remi is called “The Great Apostle of the French” (439-535). His day is October 1.

Franconia, St. Kilian (died 689). His day is July 8.

Friseland, St. Wilbrod or Willibrod (657-738), called “The Apostle of the Frisians.” His day is November 7.

Gaul, St. Irenæus (130-200), whose day is June 28; and St. Martin (316-397), whose day is November 12; St. Denys is called “The Apostle of the Gauls.”

Genoa, St. George of Cappadocia. His day is April 23.

Gentiles. St. Paul was “The Apostle of the Gentiles” (died A.D. 66). His days are January 25 and June 29.

Georgia, St. Nino, whose day is September 16.

Germany, St. Boniface, “Apostles of the Germans” (680-755), whose day is June 5; and St. Martin (316-397), whose day is November 11. (St. Boniface was called Winfred till Gregory II. changed the name.)

Glasgow, St. Mungo, also called Kentigern (514-601).

Groves, St. Sylvester, because silva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.

Highlanders, St. Columb (521-597). His day is June 9.

Hills, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.

Holland, the Virgin Mary. Her days are: her Nativity, November 21; Visitation, July 2; Conception, December 8; Purification, February 2; Assumption, August 15.

Hungary, St. Louis; Mary of Aquisgrana (Aix-la-Chapelle); and St. Anastatius (died 628), whose day is January 22.

India, St. Bartolomé de las Casas (1474-1566): the Rev. J. Eliot (1603-1690); and Francis Xavier (1506-1552), called “The Apostle of the Indians,” whose day is December 4.

Ireland, St. Patrick (372-493). His day is March 17. (Some give his birth 387, and some his death 495).

Italy, St. Anthony (251-356). His day is January 17.

Lapland, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.

Lichfield, St. Chad, who lived there (died 672). His day is March 2.

Liege, St. Albert (died 1195). His day is November 21.

Lisbon, St. Vincent (died 304). His translation to Lisbon is kept September 15.

London, St. Paul, whose day is January 25; and St. Michael, whose day is September 29.

Moscow, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.

Mountains, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.

Naples, St. Januarius (died 291), whose day is September 19; and St. Thomas Aquīnas (1227-1274), whose days are March 7 and July 18.

Netherlands, St. Armand (589-679).

North (The), St. Ansgar (801-864), and Bernard Gilpin (1517-1583). Norway, St. Anscharius, called “The Apostle of the North” (801-864), whose day is February 3; and St. Olaus (992, 1000-1030).

Oxford, St. Frideswide.

Padua, St. Justina, whose day is October 7; and St. Anthony (1195-1231), whose day is June 13.

Paris, St. Geneviève (419-512). Her day is January 3.

Peak (The), Derbyshire, W. Bagshaw (1628-1702).

Picts (The), St. Ninian (fourth century), whose day is September 16; and St. Columb (521-597), whose day is June 9.

Pisa, San Ranieri.

Poitiers, St. Hilary (300-367). His day is January 14.

Poland, St. Hedviga (1174-1243), whose day is October 15; and St. Stanislaus (died 1078), whose day is May 7.

Portugal, St. Sebastian (250-288). His day is January 20.

Prussia, St. Andrew, whose day is November 30; and St. Albert (died 1195), whose day is November 21.

Rochester, St. Paulīnus (353-431). His day is June 22.

Rome, St. Peter and St. Paul. Both died on the same day of the month, June 29. The old tutelar deity was Mars.

Russia, St. Nicholas, St. Andrew, St. George, and the Virgin Mary.

Saragossa, St. Vincent, where he was born (died 304). His day is January 22.

Sardinia, Mary the Virgin. Her days are: Nativity, November 21; Visitation, July 2; Conception, December 8; Purification, February 2; Assumption, August 15.

Scotland, St. Andrew, because his remains were brought by Regulus into Fifeshire in 368. His day is November 30.

Sebastia (in Armenia), St. Blaise (died 316). His day is February 3.

Sicily, St. Agatha, where she was born (died 251. Her day is February 5. The old tutelar deity was Cerês.

Silesia, St. Hedviga, also called Avoye (1174-1243). His day is October 15.

Slaves or Slavi, St. Cyril, called “The Apostle of the Slavi” (died 868). His day is February 14.

Spain, St. James the Greater (died A.D. 44). His day is July 24.

Sweden, St. Anscharius, St John, and St. Eric IX. (reigned 1155-1161).

Switzerland, St. Gall (died 646). His day is October 16.

Valleys, St. Agatha (died 251). Her day is February 5.

Venice, St. Mark, who was buried there. His day is April 25. St. Pantaleon, whose day is July 27; and St. Lawrence Justiniani (1380-1465).

Vienna, St. Stephen (died A.D. 34). His day is December 26.

Vineyards, St. Urban (died 230). His day is May 25.

Wales, St. David, uncle of King Arthur (died 544). His day is March 1.

Woods, St. Silvester, because silva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.

Yorkshire, St. Paulīnus (353-431). His day is June 22.

Saints for Special Classes of Persons, such as tradesmen, children, wives, idiots, students, etc.:—

Archers, St. Sebastian, because he was shot by them.

Armorers, St. George of Cappadocia.

Artists and the Arts, St. Agatha; but St. Luke is the patron of painters, being himself one.

Bakers, St. Winifred, who followed the trade.

Barbers, St. Louis.

Barren Women. St. Margaret befriends them.

Beggars, St. Giles. Hence the outskirts of cities are often called “St. Giles.”

Bishops, etc., St. Timothy and St. Titus (1 Tim. iii. 1; Titus i. 7).

Blind Folk, St. Thomas à Becket, and St. Lucy, who was deprived of her eyes by Paschasius.

Booksellers, St. John Port Latin.

Brides, St. Nicholas, because he threw three stockings, filled with wedding portions, into the chamber window of three virgins, that they might marry their sweethearts, and not live a life of sin for the sake of earning a living.

Burglars, St. Dismas, the penitent thief.

Candle and Lamp Makers, St. Lucy and Lucian. A pun upon lux lucis (“light”).

Cannoneers, St. Barbara, because she is generally represented in a fort or tower.

Captives, St. Barbara and St. Leonard.

Carpenters, St. Joseph, who was a carpenter.

Children, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas. This latter saint restored to life some children, murdered by an inkeeper, of Myra, and pickled in a pork-tub.

Cobblers, St. Crispin, who worked at the trade.

Cripples, St. Giles, because he refused to be cured of an accidental lameness, that he might mortify his flesh.

Divines, St. Thomas Aquinas, author of Somme de Theology.

Doctors, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon in Cilicia.

Drunkards. St. Martin, because St. Martin’s Day (November 11) happened to be the day of the Vinalia, or feast of Bacchus. St. Urban protects.

Dying, St. Barbara.

Ferrymen, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman.

Fishermen, St. Peter, who was a fisherman.

Fools, St. Maturin because the Greek word matia or matê means “folly.”

Free Trade. R. Cobden is called “The Apostle of Free Trade” (1804-1865).

Freemen, St. John.

Fullers, St. Sever, because the place so called, on the Adour, is or was famous for its tanneries and fulleries.

Goldsmiths, St. Eloy, who was a goldsmith.

Hatters, St. William, the son of a hatter.

Hog and Swineherds, St. Anthony. Pigs unfit for food used anciently to have their ears slit, but one of the proctors of St. Anthony’s Hospital once tied a bell about the neck of a pig whose ear was slit, and no one ever attempted to injure it.

Housewives, St. Osyth, especially to prevent their losing the keys, and to help them in finding these “tiny tormentors;” St. Martha, the sister of Lazarus.

Huntsmen, St. Hubert, who lived in the Ardennes, a famous hunting forest; and St. Eustace.

Idiots. St. Gildas restores them to their right senses.

Infants, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas.

Infidels. Voltaire is called “The Apostle of Infidels” (1694-1778).

Insane Folks, St. Dymphna.

Lawyers, St. Yves Helori (in Sicily), who was called “The Advocate of the Poor,” because he was always ready to defend them in the law courts gratuitously (1233-1303).

Learned Men, St. Catherine, noted for her learning, and for converting certain philosophers, sent to convince the Christians of Alexandria of the folly of the Christian faith.

Madmen, St. Dymphna.

Maidens, the Virgin Mary.

Mariners, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman; and St. Nicholas, who was once in danger of shipwreck, and who, on one occasion, lulled a tempest for some pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.

Millers, St. Arnold, the son of a miller.

Mercers, St. Florian, the son of a mercer.

Mothers, the Virgin Mary; St. Margaret, for those who wish to be so. The girdle of St. Margaret, in St. Germain’s, is placed round the waist of those who wish to be mothers.

Musicians, St. Cecilia, who was an excellent musician.

Nailers, St. Cloud, because clou, in French means “a nail.”

Netmakers, St. James and St. John (Matt. iv. 21).

Nurses, St. Agatha.

Painters, St. Luke, who was a painter.

Parish Clerks, St. Nicholas.

Parsons, St. Thomas Aquinas, doctor of theology, at Paris.

Physicians, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon; St. Luke (Col. iv. 14).

Pilgrims, St. Julian, St. Raphael, St. James of Compostella.

Pinmakers, St. Sebastian, whose body was as full of arrows in his martydom as a pincushion is of pins.

Poor Folks, St. Giles, who affected indigence, thinking “poverty and suffering” a service acceptable to God.

Portrait-painters and Photographers, St. Veronica, who had a handkerchief with the face of Jesus stamped on it.

Potters, St. Gore, who was a potter.

Prisoners, St. Sebastian and St. Leonard.

Sages, St. Cosme, St. Damian, and St. Katherine.

Sailors, St. Nicholas and St. Christopher.

Scholars, St. Katherine. (See “Learned Men.”)

School Children, St. Nicholas and St. Gregory.

Scotch Reformers. Knox is “The Apostle of the Scotch Reformers” (1505-72).

Seaman, St. Nicholas, who once was in danger of shipwreck; and St. Christopher, who was a ferryman.

Shepherds and their Flocks, St. Windeline, who kept sheep, like David.

Shoemakers, St. Crispin, who made shoes.

Silversmiths, St. Eloy, who worked in gold and silver.

Slaves, St. Cyril. This is a pun; he was “The Apostle of the Slavi.”

Soothsayers, etc., St. Agabus (Acts xxi. 10).

Sportsmen, St. Hubert. (See “Huntsmen.”)

Statuaries, St. Veronica. (See above, “Portrait-painters.”)

Stonemasons, St. Peter, (John i. 42).

Students, St. Katherine, noted for her great learning.

Surgeons, St. Cosme, who practised medicine in Cilicia gratuitously (died 310).

Sweethearts, St. Valentine, because in the Middle Ages ladies held their “courts of love” about this time. (See Valentine.)

Swineherds and Swine, St. Anthony.

Tailors, St. Goodman, who was a tailor.

Tanners, St. Clement, the son of a tanner.

Tax-collectors, St. Matthew, (Matt. ix. 9).

Tentmakers, St. Paul and St. Aquila, who were tentmakers (Acts xviii. 3).

Thieves, St. Dismas, the penitent thief. St. Ethelbert and St. Elian ward off thieves.

Travellers, St. Raphael, because he assumed the guise of a traveller in order to guide Tobias from Nineveh to Ragês (Tobit v.).

Vintners and Vineyards, St. Urban.

Virgins, St. Winifred and St. Nicholas.

Wheelwrights, St. Boniface, the son of a wheelwright.

Wigmakers, St. Louis.

Wise Men, St. Cosme, St. Damian, and St. Catherine.

Woolcombers and Staplers, St. Blaise, who was torn to pieces by “combes of yren.”

Sakhar, the devil who stole Solomon’s signet. The tale is that Solomon, when he washed, entrusted his signet-ring to his favorite concubine, Amina. Sakhar one day assumed the appearance of Solomon, got possession of the ring, and sat on the throne as the king. During this usurpation, Solomon became a beggar, but in forty days Sakhar flew away, and flung the signet-ring into the sea. It was swallowed by a fish, the fish was caught and sold to Solomon, the ring was recovered, and Sakhar was thrown into the sea of Galilee with a great stone round his neck.—Jallâlo´ddin, Al Zamakh. (See Fish and the Ring.)

Sa´kia, the dispenser of rain, one of the four gods of the Adites (2 syl.).

Sakia, we invoked for rain;
We called on Razeka for food;
They did not hear our prayers—they could not hear.
No cloud appeared in heaven,
No nightly dews came down.

Southey, Thalaba, the Destroyer, i. 24 (1797).

Sakunta´la, daughter of Viswamita and a water-nymph, abandoned by her parents, and brought up by a hermit. One day, King Dushyanta came to the hermitage, and persuaded Sakuntala to marry him. In due time a son was born, but Dushyanta left his bride at the hermitage. When the boy was six years old, his mother took him to the king, and Dushyanta recognized his wife by a ring which he had given her. Sakuntala was now publicly proclaimed queen, and the boy (whose name was Bhârata) became the founder of the glorious race of the Bhâratas.

This story forms the plot of the famous drama, Sakuntala, by Kâlidasa, well known to us through the translation of Sir W. Jones.

Sakya-Muni, the founder of Buddhism. Sakya is the family name of Siddharta, and muni means “a recluse.” Buddha (“perfection”) is a title given to Siddharta.

Sal´ace (3 syl.) or Salacia, wife of Neptune, and mother of Triton.

Triton, who boasts his high Neptunian race,
Sprung from the god by Salace’s embrace.

Camoens, Lusiad, vi. (1672).

Sal´adin, the soldan of the East. Sir W. Scott introduces him in The Talisman, first as Sheerkohf, emir of Kurdistan, and subsequently as Adonbeck el Hakim, the physician.

Salamanca (The Bachelor of), the title and hero of a novel by Lesage. The name of the bachelor is Don Cherubim, who is placed in all sorts of situations suitable to the author’s vein of satire (1704)

Sala´nio, a friend to Antonio and Bassānio.—Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice (1598).

Salari´no, a friend to Antonio and Bassānio.—Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice (1598).

Sa´leh. The Thamûdites (3 syl.), proposed that Sâleh should, by miracle, prove that Jehovah was a God superior to their own. Prince Jonda said he would believe it if Sâleh made a camel, big with young, come out of a certain rock which he pointed out. Sâleh did so, and Jonda was converted.

(The Thamûdites were idolaters, and Sâleh, the prophet, was sent to bring them back to the worship of Jehovah.)

Sâleh’s Camel. The camel thus miraculously produced, used to go about the town, crying aloud, “Ho! every one that wanteth milk, let him come, and I will give it him.”—Sale, Al Korân, vii. notes. (See Isaiah lv. 1).

Saleh, a son of Faras´chê (3 syl.) queen of a powerful under-sea empire. His sister was Gulna´rê (3 syl.), empress of Persia. Saleh asked the king of Samandal, another under-sea emperor, to give his daughter, Giauha´rê, in marriage to Prince Beder, son of Gulnarê; but the proud, passionate despot ordered the prince’s head to be cut off for such presumptuous insolence. However, Saleh made his escape, invaded Samandal, took the king prisoner, and the marriage between Beder and the Princess Giauharê was duly celebrated.—Arabian Nights (“Beder and Giauharê”).