PREFACE. (continued 2)

Her cheek was flushed, and in her eyes there beamed

A wilder brightness. On the Goth [Roderick] she gazed.

While underneath the emotions of that hour

Exhausted life gave way.... Round his neck she threw

Her arms, and cried “My Roderick; mine in heaven!”

Groaning, he claspt her close, and in that act

And agony her happy spirit fled.

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

Flo´ripes (3 syl.), sister of Sir Fierabras [Fe.ā´.ra.brah], daughter, daughter of Laban, and wife of Guy, the nephew of Charlemagne.

Florisan´do (The exploits and adventures of), part of the series of Le Roman des Romans, or those pertaining to Am´adis of Gaul. This part (from bk. vi. to xiv.) was added by Paez de Ribēra.

Florise, (The lady), attendant on Queen Berengaria.—Sir W. Scott, The Talisman, (time, Richard I.)

Flor´isel of Nice’a (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.

Flor´ismart, one of Charlemagne’s paladins, and the bosom friend of Roland.

Florival (Mdlle.), daughter of a French physician in Belleisle. She fell in love with Major Belford, while nursing him in her father’s house during a period of sickness. Her marriage however was deferred, from the great aversion of the major’s father to the French, and he went to Havana. In due time he returned to England and Colonel Tamper with him. Now Colonel Tamper was in love with Emily, and wishing to try the strength of her affection, pretended to be severely mutilated in the wars. Florival was a guest of Emily at the time, and, being apprised of the trick, resolved to turn the tables on the colonel, so when he entered the room as a maimed soldier, he found there Florival, dressed as an officer, and, under the name of Captain Johnson, flirting most desperately with Emily. The colonel was mad with jealousy, but in the very whirlwind of his rage, Major Belford recognized Mdlle. Florival, saw through the trick, and after a hearty good laugh at the colonel all ended happily.—Colman, sen., The Deuce is in Him (1762).

Flor´izel, son of Polixenês, king of Bohemia. In a hunting expedition, he saw Perdita (the supposed daughter of a shepherd), fell in love with her, and courted her under the assumed name of Dor´icles. The king tracked his son to the shepherd’s house, and told Perdita that if she gave countenance to this foolery he would order her and the shepherd 32to be put to death. Florizel and Perdita then fled from Bohemia, and took refuge in Sicily. Being brought to the court of King Leontês, it soon became manifest that Perdita was the king’s daughter. Polixenês, in the mean time, had tracked his son to Sicily, but when he was informed that Perdita was the king’s daughter, his objection to the marriage ceased, and Perdita became the happy bride of Prince Florizel.—Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (1604).

Florizel, the name assumed by George IV. in his correspondence with Mrs. Robinson (actress and poetess), generally known as Per´dita, that being the character in which she first attracted his attention when prince of Wales.

⁂ George IV. was generally nicknamed “Prince Florizel.”

Flower of Chivalry, Sir William Douglas, knight of Liddesdale (*-1353). Sir Philip Sidney, statesman, poet, and soldier, was also called “The Flower of Chivalry” (1554-1586). So was the Chevalier de Bayard, le Chevalier sans Peur et sans Reproche (1476-1514).

Flower of Kings. Arthur is so called by John of Exeter (sixth century).

Flower of Poets, Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400).

Flower of the Levant´. Zantê is so called from its great beauty and fertility.

Zante! Zante! flor di Levanti.

Flower of Yarrow (The), Mary Scott, daughter of Sir William Scott of Harden.

Flowers (The Death of the). In the poem bearing this title William Cullen Bryant thus names the American flowers that have been called “the crown-jewels of the year.”

“On the hill the golden-rod

And the aster in the wood,

And the yellow sunflower by the brook,

In autumn beauty stood,

Till fell the frost from the clear, cold heaven

As falls the plague on men

And the brightness of their smile was gone

From upland, glade and glen.”

The Death of the Flowers (1821-1834).

Flowerdale (Sir John), father of Clarissa, and the neighbor of Colonel Oldboy.—Bickerstaff, Lionel and Clarissa.

Floyd (Ireson).

“Old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart

Tarred and feathered, and carried in a cart

By the women of Marblehead.”

The punishment was inflicted because he had refused succor to a leaking ship, lost in consequence of his inhumanity.—J.G. Whittier, Skipper Ireson’s Ride (1877).

Floyds (The). Artist and wife summering in Broughton, Mass. He is self-indulgent and careless of her; she proud, passionate and morbid. Convinced that her husband is weary of her, and beset by the importunities of another man, she drowns herself.—Bliss Perry, The Broughton House (1890).

Fluel´len, a Welsh captain and great pedant, who, amongst other learned quiddities, drew this parallel between Henry V. and Alexander the Great: One was born in Monmouth and the other in Macedon, both which places begin with M, and in both a river flowed.—Shakespeare, Henry V. act iv. sc. 7 (1599).

Flur, the bride of Cassivelaun, “for whose love the Roman Cæsar first invaded 33Britain.”—Tennyson, Idylls of the King (“Enid”).

Flute (The Magic), a flute which has the powers of inspiring love. When given by the powers of darkness, the love it inspires is sensual love; but when bestowed by the powers of light, it becomes subservient to the very holiest ends. In the opera called Die Zauberflöte, Tami´no and Pami´na are guided by it through all worldly dangers to the knowledge of divine truth (or the mysteries of Isis.)—Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (1791).

Flutter, a gossip, fond of telling a good story, but, unhappily, unable to do so without a blunder. “A good-natured, insignificant creature, admitted everywhere, but cared for nowhere” (act i. 3).—Mrs. Cowley, The Belle’s Stratagem (1780).

Fly. Dainty butterfly of fashion who falls heir to the heroine’s rejected lover in Elizabeth Stuart Phelps’s novel, The Silent Partner.

Fly-gods, Beelzebub, a god of the Philistines, supposed to ward off flies. Achor was worshipped by the Cyrēneads for a similar object. Zeus Apomy´ios was the fly-god of the Greeks.

On the east side of your shop, aloft,

Write Mathlai, Tarmael, and Baraborat;

Upon the north part, Rael, Velel, Thiel.

They are the names of those mercurial sprites

That do fright flies from boxes.

B. Jonson, The Alchemist, i. (1610).

Flying Dutchman (The), a phantom ship, seen in stormy weather off the Cape of Good Hope, and thought to forebode ill luck. The legend is that it was a vessel laden with precious metal, gained by murder and piracy on the high seas. In punishment, the plague broke out among the crew; no port would admit them, and the ship must sail the seas till doomsday.

Another legend is, that a Dutch captain, homeward-bound, driven back by continued storms off the Cape, swore that he would double the Cape if he sailed till the day of doom. Taken at his word, he must now sail the seas forever.—Captain Marryat, The Phantom Ship.

Richard Wagner’s opera, Der Fliegende Holländer, adds a loftier motive to the legend. The doomed captain cannot find rest until some woman consents to share his fate. Elsa, moved by pity, makes the sacrifice and saves him from perdition.

Flying Highwayman. William Harrow, who leaped his horse over turn-pike gates as if it had been furnished with wings. He was executed in 1763.

Flynn (Tom), of Virginia.

“Thar in the drift, back to the wall,

He held the timbers ready to fall

Then, in the darkness I heard him call:—

“Run for your life, Jake! run for your wife’s sake

Don’t wait for me!”

And that was all

Heard in the din,

Heard of Tom Flynn,—

Flynn of Virginia!”

Story told by the miner whose life he saved.—Bert Harte, In the Tunnel (1874).

Flyter (Mrs.), landlady of the lodgings occupied by Frank Osbaldistone in Glasgow.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Fog (Amos). Dreamy fisherman, hunter and wrecker, builder and owner of Castle Nowhere, in Constance Fennimore Woolson’s tale of that name.

Foible, the intriguing lady’s maid of 34Lady Wishfort, and married to Waitwell (lackey of Edward Mirabell). She interlards her remarks with “says he,” “he says, says he,” “she says, says she,” etc.—W. Congreve, The Way of the World (1700).

Foi´gard (Father), one of a gang of thieves. He pretends to be a French priest, but “his French shows him to be English, and his English shows him to be Irish.”—Farquhar, The Beaux’ Stratagem (1705).

Folair´ (2 syl.), a pantomimist at the Portsmouth Theatre, under the management of Mr. Vincent Crummles.—C. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby (1838).

Foldath, general of the Fire-bolg or Belgæ in the south of Ireland. In the epic called Tem´ora, Cathmor is the “lord of Atha,” and Foldath is his general. He is a good specimen of the savage chieftain; bold and daring, but presumptuous, overbearing, and cruel. “His stride is haughty, and his red eye rolls in wrath.” He looks with scorn on Hidalla, a humane and gentle officer in the same army, for his delight is strife, and he exults over the fallen. In counsel Foldath is imperious, and contemptuous to those who differ from him. Unrelenting in revenge; and even when he falls with his death-wound dealt by Fillan the son of Fingal, he feels a sort of pleasure that his ghost would hover in the blast, and exult over the graves of his enemies. Foldath had one child, a daughter, the blue-eyed Dardu-Le´na, the last of the race.—Ossian, Temora.

Fon´dlewife, an uxorious banker.—Congreve, The Old Bachelor (1693).

When Mrs. Jefferson [1733-1776] was asked in what characters she excelled the most, she innocently replied,—“In old men, like ‘Fondlewife’ and ‘Sir Jealous Traffic.’”

⁂ “Sir Jealous Traffic” is in The Busy-Body, by Mrs. Centlivre.

Fondlove (Sir William), a vain old baronet of 60, who fancies himself a schoolboy, capable of playing boyish games, dancing, or doing anything that young men do. “How marvellously I wear! What signs of age have I? I’m certainly a wonder for my age. I walk as well as ever. Do I stoop? Observe the hollow of my back. As now I stand, so stood I when a child, a rosy, chubby boy. My arm is as firm as ’twas at 20. Oak, oak, isn’t it? Think you my leg is shrunk?—not in the calf a little? When others waste, ’tis growing-time with me. Vigor, sir, vigor, in every joint. Could run, could leap. Why shouldn’t I marry?” So thought Sir William of Sir William, and he married the Widow Green, a buxom dame of 40 summers.—S. Knowles, The Love-Chase (1837).

Fool. James I. of Great Britain was called by Henri IV. of France, “The Wisest Fool in Christendom” (1566-1625).

Fool (The), in the ancient morris-dance, represented the court-jester. He carried in his hand a yellow bauble, and wore on his head a hood with ass’s ears, the top of the hood rising into the form of a cock’s neck and head, with a belt at the extreme end. The hood was blue, edged with yellow and scolloped, the doublet red, edged with yellow, the girdle yellow, the hose of one leg yellow and of the other blue, shoes red. (See Morris-Dance.)

Fool’s Prayer (The). A king calls upon his jester to “kneel down and make 35a prayer!” The fool obeys in words so full of pregnant truth that—

“The room was hushed. In silence rose

The King and sought his gardens cool,

And walked apart, and murmured low

‘Be merciful to me, a fool!’”

Edward Rowland Sill, The Fool’s Prayer (1883).

Fools, Jesters and Mirthmen. Those in italics were mirthmen, but not licensed fools or jesters.

Adelsburn (Burkard Kasper), jester to George I. He was not only a fun-maker, but also a ghostly adviser of the Hanoverian.

Aksakoff, the fool of Czarina Elizabeth of Russia (mother of Peter II.). He was a stolid brute, fond of practical jokes.

Angély (L.) jester to Louis XIV., and last of the licensed fools of France. He is mentioned by Boileau in Satires i. and viii.

Aopi (Monsignore), who succeeded Soglia as the merryman of Pope Gregory XVI.

Armstrong (Archie), jester in the courts of James I. and Charles I. One of the characters in Scott’s novel, The Fortunes of Nigel. Being condemned to death by King James for sheep-stealing, Archie implored that he might live till he had read his Bible through for his soul’s weal. This was granted, and Archie rejoined, with a sly look, “Then de’il tak’ me ’gin I ever read a word on’t!”

Berdic, “joculator” to William the Conqueror. Three towns and five caracutes in Gloucestershire were given him by the king.

Bluet d’Arbéres (seventeenth century), fool to the duke of Mantua. During a pestilence he conceived the idea of offering his life as a ransom for his countrymen, and actually starved himself to death to stay the plague.

Bonny (Patrick), jester to the regent Morton.

Borde (Andrew), usually called “Merry Andrew,” physician to Henry VIII. (1500-1549).

Brusquet. Of this court fool Brantôme says: “He never had his equal in repartee” (1512-1563).

Caillet (Guillaume), who flourished about 1490. His likeness is given in the frontispiece of the Ship of Fools (1497).

Chicot, jester of Henri III. and Henri IV. Alexandre Dumas has a novel called Chicot the Jester (1553-1591).

Colquhoun (Jemmy), predecessor of James Geddes, jester in the court of Mary queen of Scots.

Coryat, “prince of non-official jesters and coxcombs.” Kept by Prince Henry, brother of Charles I.

Coulon, doctor and jester to Louis XVIII. He was the very prince of mimics. He sat for the portraits of Thiers, Molé, and Comte Joseph de Villèle (died 1858).

Da´gonet (Sir), jester to King Arthur. He was knighted by the king himself.

Derrie, a court jester to James I. Contemporary with Thom.

Dufresnoy, poet, playwright, actor, gardener, glass-manufacturer, spendthrift, wit, and honorary fool to Louis XIV. His jests are the “Joe Millers” of France.

Geddes (James), jester in the court of Mary, queen of Scots. He was daft, and followed Jemmy Colquhoun in the motley.

Glorieux (Le), jester of Charles le Hardi of Burgundy.

Gonella, domestic jester of the duke of Ferrara. His jests are in print. Gonella used to ride a horse all skin and bone, which is spoken of in Don Quixote.

Hafod (Jack), a retainer in the house of Mr. Bartlett, of Castlemorton, Worcestershire. He died at the close of the eighteenth 36century, and has given birth to the expression “As big a fool as Jack Hafod.” He was the ultimus scurrarum in Great Britain.

Heywood (John) author of numerous dramatic works (1492-1565).

Jean (Seigni), or “Old John;” so called to distinguish him from Jean or Johan, called Le Fol de Madame, (fl. 1380).

Johan, Le Fol de Madame mentioned by Marot in his epitaphs.

Johnson (S.), familiarly known as “Lord Flame,” the character he played in his own extravaganza of Hurlo-Thrumbo (1729).

Kgaw (General), a Saxon general, famous for his broad jests.

Killigrew (Thomas), called “King“King Charles’s jester” (1611-1682).

Longely, jester to Louis XIII.

Narr (Klaus), jester to Frederick, “the Wise,” elector of Prussia.

Patch, court fool of Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII.

Patche, Cardinal Woolsey’s jester. The cardinal made Henry VIII. a present of this “wise fool,” and the king returned word that “the gift was a most acceptable one.”

Patison, licensed jester to Sir Thomas More. He is introduced by Hans Holbein in his famous picture of the lord chancellor’s family.

Paul (Jacob), Baron Gundling. This merryman was laden with titles in ridicule by Frederick William I. of Prussia.

Pearce (Dickie), fool of the earl of Suffolk. Dean Swift wrote an epitaph on him.

Rayère, court jester to Henry I. of England.

Rosen (Kunz von der), private jester to the emperor Maximilian I.

Scogan, court jester to Edward IV.

Soglia (Cardinal), the fun-maker of Pope Gregory XVI. He was succeeded by Aopi.

Somers (Will), court jester to Henry VIII. The effigy of this jester is at Hampton Court. And in Old Fish Street was once a public-house called Will Somers’s tavern (1490-1560).

Stehlin (Professor), in the household of czarina Elizabeth of Russia. He was teacher of mathematics and history to the grand-duke (Peter II.), and was also his licensed buffoon.

Tarleton, (Richard), the famous clown, and jester in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but not attached either to the court or to any nobleman (1530-1588).

Thom, one of the court jesters of James I. Contemporary with Derrie.

Triboulet, court jester to Louis XII. and François I. (1487-1536). Licinio, the rival of Titian, took his likeness, which is still extant.

Wallett (W.F.), court jester to Queen Victoria. He styles himself “the queen’s jester,” but doubtless has no warrant for the title from the Lord Chamberlain.

Walter, jester to Queen Elizabeth.

Will, “my lord of Leicester’s jesting player;” but who this “Will” was is not known. It might be Will Johnson, Will Sly, Will Kimpe, or even Will Shakespeare.

Yorick, jester in the court of Denmark. Referred to by Shakespeare in his Hamlet, act v. sc. 1.

(Dr. Doran published The History of Court Fools, in 1858).

Fools’ Paradise, unlawful pleasure; illicit love; vain hopes; the limbus fatuorum or paradise of fools.

If ye should lead her into a fool’s paradise, it 37were a gross ... behavior.—Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act ii. sc. 4 (1597).

Foot-breadth, the sword of Thoralf Skolinson “the Strong” of Norway.

Quern-biter of Hakon the Good,

Wherewith at a stroke he hewed

The millstone thro’ and thro’;

And foot-breadth of Thoralf “the Strong!”

Were not so broad, nor yet so long.

Nor was their edge so true.

Longfellow.

Fopling Flutter (Sir), “the man of mode,” and chief character of a comedy by Sir George Etherege, entitled The Man of Mode or Sir Fopling Flutter (1676).

Foppery. Vespasian the Roman emperor had a contempt for foppery. When certain young noblemen came to him smelling of perfumes, he said to them, “You would have pleased me more if you had smelt of garlic.”

Charlemagne had a similar contempt of foppery. One day, when he was hunting, the rain poured down in torrents, and the fine furs and silks of his suite were utterly spoilt. The king took this occasion to rebuke the court beaux for their vanity in dress and advised them in future to adopt garments more simple and more serviceable.

Foppington (Lord),an empty-headed coxcomb, intent only on dress and fashion. His favorite oaths, which he brings out with a drawl, are: “Strike me dumb!” “Split my windpipe!” and so on. When he loses his mistress, he consoles himself with this reflection: “Now, for my part, I think the wisest thing a man can do with an aching heart is to put on a serene countenance; for a philosphical air is the most becoming thing in the world to the face of a person of quality.”—Sir John Vanbrugh, The Relapse (1697).

The shoemaker in The Relapse tells Lord Foppington that his lordship is mistaken in supposing that his shoe pinches.—Macaulay.

Foppington (Lord), a young married man about town, most intent upon dress and fashion, whose whole life is consumed in the follies of play and seduction. His favorite oaths are: “Sun, burn me!” “Curse, catch me!” “Stop my breath!” “Let me blood!” “Run me through!” “Strike me stupid!” “Knock me down!” He is reckoned the king of all court fops.—Colley Cibber, The Careless Husband (1704).

Foppington (Lord), elder brother of Tom Fashion. A selfish coxcomb, engaged to be married to Miss Hoyden, daughter of Sir Tunbelly Clumsy, to whom he is personally unknown. His brother Tom, to whom he did not behave well, resolved to outwit him; and passing himself off as Lord Foppington, got introduced to the family, and married the heiress. When his lordship appeared, he was treated as an impostor, till Tom explained his ruse; and Sir Tunbelly, being snubbed by the coxcomb, was soon brought to acquiesce in the change, and gave his hand to his new son-in-law with cordiality. The favorite oaths of Lord Foppington are: “Strike me dumb!” “Strike me ugly!” “Stap my vitals!” “Split my windpipe!” “Rat me!”, etc.; and, in speaking, his affectation is to change the vowel “o” into a, as rat, naw, resalve, waurld, ardered, manth, paund, maunth, lang, philasapher, tarture, and so on.—Sheridan, A Trip to Scarborough (1777).

⁂ This comedy is The Relapse, slightly altered and curtailed.

Forbes (Paul), A travelled man who thinks himself blasé, but finds, to his surprise, 38new sensations in America. The leading excitement (and surprise) is his falling in love with a rich and beautiful girl and a poor and pretty one at the same time. Miriam, the rich beauty, divines the truth and her plan for freeing him is thus described by Edward Jasper, whom she married out of hand one evening.

“She was not happy—she resolved to throw herself into the abyss. I am the abyss.”

Forbes replies: “Since at this hour yesterday I had the honor to consider myself engaged to Miss Reese, who is now your wife, the most graceful act on my part is apparently, to efface myself. Accordingly, I efface myself.”—Ellen Olney Kirk, Sons and Daughters (1887)(1887).

Ford, a gentleman of fortune living at Windsor. He assumes the name of Brook, and being introduced to Sir John Falstaff, the knight informs him “of his whole course of wooing,” and how at one time he eluded Mrs. Ford’s jealous husband by being carried out before his eyes in a buck-basket of dirty linen.—Act iii. sc. 5.

Mrs. Ford, wife of Mr. Ford. Sir John Falstaff pays court to her, and she pretends to accept his protestationsprotestations of love, in order to expose and punish him. Her husband assumes for the nonce the name of Brook, and Sir John tells him from time to time the progress of his suit, and how he succeeds in duping her fool of a husband.—Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor (1596).

Forde´lis (3 syl.), wife of Bran´dimart (Orlando’s intimate friend). When Brandimart was slain, Fordelis dwelt for a time in his sepulchre in Sicily, and died broken-hearted. (See Fourdelis.)—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1615).

Fore´sight (2 syl.), a mad superstitious old man, who “consulted the stars, and believed in omens, portents, and predictions.” He referred “man’s goatish disposition to the charge of a star,” and says he himself was “born when the Crab was ascending, so that all his affairs in life have gone backwards.”

I know the signs, and the planets, and their houses; can judge of motions, direct and retrograde, of sextiles, quadrates, trines, and oppositions, fiery trigons and aquatic trigons. Know whether life shall be long or short, happy or unhappy; whether diseases are curable or incurable; if journeys shall be prosperous, undertakings successful, or stolen goods recovered.—H. Congreve, Love for Love, ii. (1695).

Forester (Sir Philip), a libertine knight. He goes in disguise to Lady Bothwell’s ball on his return from the Continent, but being recognized, decamps.

Lady Jemima Forester, wife of Sir Philip, who goes with her sister Lady Bothwell to consult “the enchanted mirror,” in which they discover the clandestine marriage and infidelity of Sir Philip.—Sir W. Scott, Aunt Margaret’s Mirror (time, William III).

Forgeries (Literary).

Bertram (C. Julius), professor of English at Copenhagen, professed to have discovered, in 1747, the De Situ Britanniæ of Richardus Corinensis, in the library of that city; and in 1757 he published it with two other treatises, calling the whole The Three Writers on the Ancient History of the British Nations (better known as Scriptores Tres). His forgery was exposed by J.E. Mayor, in his preface to Ricardi de Cirencestria Speculum Historiale.

Chatterton (Thomas), in 1777, published certain poems, which he affirmed were written in the fifteenth century by Thomas Rowley, a monk. The poets Gray and Mason detected the forgery.

39His other literary forgeries were: (1) The Pedigree of Burgum (a Bristol pewterer), professed to have been discovered in the muniment-room of St. Mary’s Church, Redcliffe. He accordingly printed a history of the “De Bergham” family, with a poem called The Romaunt of the Cnyghte, by John de Bergham (fourteenth century). (2) A forged account of the opening of the old bridge, signed “Dunhelmus Bristoliensis,” and professing to have been copied from an old MS. (3) An Account of Bristol, by Turgotus, “translated out of Saxon into English, by T. Rowley.” This forgery was made for the use of Mr. Catcott, who was writing a history of Bristol.

Ireland (S. W. H.) published, in folio, 1796, Miscellaneous Papers and Instruments, under the hand and seal of William Shakespeare, including the tragedy of King Lear and a small fragment of Hamlet, from the original, price £4 4s. He actually produced MSS. which he had forged, and which he pretended were original.

On April 2, 1796, the play of Vortigern and Rowena, “from the pen of Shakespeare,” was announced for representation. It drew a most crowded house; but the fraud was detected, and Ireland made a public declaration of his impositions, from beginning to end.

Mentz, who lived in the ninth century, published fifty-nine decretals, which he asserted were by Isidore of Seville, who lived three centuries previously. The object of these forged letters was to exalt the papacy and to corroborate certain dogmas.

At Bremen, in 1837, were printed nine books of Sanchoni´athon, and it was said that the MSS. had been discovered in the convent of St. Maria de Merinhâo by a Colonel Pereira in the Portuguese army; but it was ascertained that there was no such convent, nor any such colonel, and that the paper of this “ancient” MS. bore the water-mark of Osnabrück paper-mills.

Forgive, Blest Shade ... This celebrated epitaph in Brading Churchyard, Isle of Wight, is an altered version, by the Rev. John Gill (curate of Newchurch), of one originally composed by Mrs. Anne Steele, daughter of a Baptist minister at Bristol.

Fornar´ina (La), so called because she was the daughter of a baker (Fornajo), is the name under which Raphael’s mistress is known. Her name is said to have been Margherita. Raphael painted several portraits of this woman, the most famous being in the Uffizi Gallery at Florence, and her face appears to have suggested many of his most beautiful faces in other works.

Forrest (George), Esq., M.A., the nom de plume of the Rev. J. G. Wood, author of Every Boy’s Book (1855), etc.

Forsythe (Dick), Man of the world who comes to spend a few weeks in a country town with his invalid mother, astonishes and fascinates the natives of Ashwist, and falls in love with Lois Howe, the rector’s daughter. She has the bad taste to prefer a plainer man.—Margaret Deland, John Ward, Preacher (1888).

Fortescue (Ellen). Orphan niece adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, shy, gentle, timid, and affectionate. Upon her death-bed Ellen’s mother has charged the child to shield her brother from blame everywhere and always. Performance of her promise to do this bring upon the sister a weight of suspicion that humbles her 40to the dust and nearly breaks her heart. She is cleared by her brother’s confession of his own wrong doing.—Grace Aguilar, Home Influence (1850).

For´tinbras, prince of Norway.—Shakespeare, Hamlet (1596).

Fortuna´tus, a man on the brink of starvation, on whom Fortune offers to bestow either wisdom, strength, riches, health, beauty, or long life. He chooses riches, and she gives him an inexhaustible purse. Subsequently, the sultan gives him a wishing-cap, which as soon as he puts on his head, will transport him to any spot he likes. These gifts prove the ruin of Fortunatus and his sons.

⁂This is one of the Italian tales called Nights, by Straparo´la. There is a German version, and a French one, as far back as 1535. The story was dramatized in 1553 by Hans Sachs; and in 1600 by Thomas Dekker, under the title of The Pleasant Comedie of old Fortunatus. Ludwig Tieck also had a drama upon the same subject.

The purse of Fortunatus could not supply you.—Holcroft, The Road to Ruin, i. 3.

Fortunatus’s Purse, a purse which was inexhaustible. It was given to Fortunatus by Fortune herself.

Fortunatus’s Wishing-cap, a cap given by the sultan to Fortunatus. He had only to put it on his head and wish, when he would find himself transported to any spot he liked.

Fortune (Emerson). Sharp spinster aunt of Ellen Montgomery in Susan Warner’s Wide, Wide World. She rules her house, her mother and niece with a hand of iron until she marries her farmer, phlegmatic Van Brunt.

Fortune’s Frolic, a farce by Allingham. Lord Lackwit died suddenly, and the heir of his title and estates was Robin Roughhead, a poor laborer, engaged to Dolly, a cottager’s daughter. The object of the farce is to show the pleasure of doing good, and the blessings which a little liberality can dispense. Robin was not spoilt by his good fortune, but married Dolly, and became the good genius of the cottage tenantry.

Fortunes of Nigel, a novel by Sir. W. Scott (1822). This story gives an excellent picture of the times of James I., and the account of Alsatia is wholly unrivalled. The character of King James, poor, proud and pedantic, is a masterly historic sketch.

Fortunio, one of the three daughters of an old lord, who at the age of four-score was called out to join the army levied against the emperor of Matapa´. Fortunio put on military costume, and went in place of her father. On her way, a fairy gave her a horse named Comrade, not only of incredible swiftness, but all-knowing and endowed with human speech; she also gave her an inexhaustible Turkey-leather trunk, full of money, jewels and fine clothes. By the advice of Comrade she hired seven gifted servants, named Strongback, Lightfoot, Marksman, Fine-ear, Boisterer, Trinquet, and Grugeon. After performing several marvelous feats by the aid of her horse and servants, Fortunio married Alfurite (3 syl.), the king of her country. Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (1682).

⁂ This tale is reproduced in Grimm’s Goblins.

Fortunio’s Horse, Comrade, which not only possessed incredible speed, but knew all things, and was gifted with human speech.

41Fortunio’s Attendants.

Trinquet drank up the lakes and ponds, and thus caught for his master [sic] most delicate fish. Lightfoot hunted down venison, and caught hares by the ears. As for Marksman, he gave neither partridge or pheasant any quarter, and whatever amount of game Marksman shot, Strongback would carry without inconvenience.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Fortunio,” 1682).

Fortunio’s Sisters. Whatever gifts Fortunio sent her sisters their touch rendered them immediately worthless. Thus the coffers of jewels and gold “became only cut glass and false pistoles” the moment the jealous sisters touched them.

Fortunio’s Turkey-leather Trunk, full of suits of all sorts, swords, jewels, and gold. The fairy told Fortunio “she needed but to stamp with her foot, and call for the Turkey-leather trunk, and it would always come to her, full of money and jewels, fine linen and laces.”—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales, (1682).

Forty Thieves, also called the tale of “Ali Baba.” These thieves lived in a vast cave, the door of which opened and shut at the words, “Open, Sesamê!” “Shut, Sesamê!” One day, Ali Baba, a wood-monger, accidentally discovered the secret, and made himself rich by carrying off gold from the stolen hoards. The captain tried several schemes to discover the thief, but was always outwitted by Morgia´na, the wood-cutter’s female slave, who, with boiling oil, killed the whole band, and at length stabbed the captain himself with his own dagger.—Arabian Nights (“Ali Baba or the Forty Thieves”).

Forwards (Marshal). Blucher is so called for his dash and readiness to attack in the campaign of 1813 (1742-1819).

Fosca´ri (Francis), doge of Venice for thirty-five years. He saw three of his sons die, and the fourth, named Jac´opo, was banished by the Council of Ten for taking bribes from his country’s enemies. The old doge also was deposed at the age of 84. As he was descending the “Giant Staircase” to take leave of his son, he heard the bell announce the election of his successor, and he dropped down dead.

Jac´opo Foscari, the fourth and only surviving son of Francis Foscari, the doge of Venice. He was banished for taking bribes of foreign princes. Jacopo had been several times tortured, and died soon after his banishment to Candia.—Byron, The Two Foscari (1820).

Fosco (Count), the airy, witty, unconscionable villain of Wilkie Collins’ Woman in White. Gallant, audacious and fat.

Foss (Corporal), a disabled soldier, who served many years under Lieutenant Worthington, and remained his ordinary when the lieutenant retired from the service. Corporal Foss loved his master and Miss Emily, the lieutenant’s daughter, and he gloried in his profession. Though brusque in manner, he was tender-hearted as a child.—G. Colman, The Poor Gentleman (1812).

⁂ Corporal Foss is modelled from “Corporal Trim,” in Sterne’s Tristram Shandy (1759).

Foster (Captain), on guard at Tully Veolan ruin.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

42Foster, the English champion.—Sir W. Scott, The Laird’s Jock (time, Elizabeth).

Foster (Anthony) or “Tony-fire-the-Faggot,” agent of the earl of Leicester at Cumnor Place.—Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).

Foster (Sir John), the English warden.—Sir W. Scott, The Monastery (time Elizabeth).

Foster (Dr. James), a dissenting minister, who preached on Sunday evenings for above twenty years, from 1728-1748, in Old Jewry (died 1753).

Let modest Foster, if he will, excel

Ten metropolitans in preaching well.

Pope.

Foster (Silas), the bucolic master of the house that shelters the reformers of The Blithedale Romance. He gulps his tea, helps himself to dip-toast with the flat of his own knife, and perpetrates terrible enormities with the butter-plate, “behaving less like a sensible Christian than the worst kind of an ogre.”—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance (1852).

Foul-weather Jack, Commodore Byron (1723-1786.)

Foundling (The), Harriet, Harriet Raymond, whose mother died in childbirth, was committed to the charge of a gouvernante, who announced to her father (Sir Charles Raymond) that the child was dead. This, however, was not true, for the gouvernante changed the child’s name to Fidelia, and sold her at the age of 12 to one Villiard. One night, Charles Belmont, passing Villiard’s house, heard the cries of a girl for help; he rescued her and took her to his own home, where he gave her in charge to his sister Rosetta. The two girls became companions and friends, and Charles fell in love with the “foundling.” The gouvernante, on her death-bed, revealed the secret to Sir Charles Raymond, the mystery was cleared up, and Fidelia became the wife of Charles Belmont. Rosetta gave her hand to Fidelia’s brother, Colonel Raymond.—Edward Moore, The Foundling (1748).

Fountain, Bellamore, and Hare´brain, suitors to Lady Hartwell, a widow. They are the chums of Valentine the gallant, who would not be persuaded to keep his estate.—Beaumont and Fletcher, Wit without Money (1639).

Fountain of Life, Alexander Hales, “the Irrefragible Doctor” (*-1245).

Fountain of Oblivion. The student, Hieronymous, is told to seek out a certain fountain and cast a scroll into it, “and he shall find peace.” He obeys, and sees mirrored there his own life, and himself as boy and man, and beside him a maiden whose face is like that of the woman he loves.

“And the name was no longer Hermione, but was changed to Mary; and the student, Hieronymous, is lying at your feet!”—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Hyperion (1839).

Fountain of Youth, a marvellous fountain in the island of Bim´ini (one of the Baha´ma group). It had the virtue of restoring the aged to youth again. In the middle ages it was really believed to exist, and Juan Ponce de Leon, among other Spanish navigators, went in serious quest of this fountain.

Four Kings (The) of a pack of cards are Charlemagne (the Franco-German king), David (the Jewish king), Alexander (the Macedonian king), and Cæsar (the 43Roman king). These four kings are representatives of the four great monarchies.

Four Masters (The). (1) Michael O’Clerighe, (2) Cucoirighe O’Clerighe; (3) Maurice Conry; (4) Fearfeafa Conry. These four masters were the authors of the Annals of Donegal.

⁂ O’Clerighe is sometimes Anglicized into Clerkson, and Cucoirighe into Peregrine.

Fourberies de Scapin (Les), by Molière (1671). Scapin is the valet of Lèandre, son of seignior Gèronte (2 syl.), who falls in love with Zerbinette, supposed to be a gypsy, but in reality the daughter of seignior Argante (2 syl.), stolen by the gypsies in early childhood. Her brother Octave (2 syl.) falls in love with Hyacinthe, whom he supposes to be Hyacinthe Pandolphe of Tarentum, but who turns out to be Hyacinthe Gèronte, the sister of Lèandre. Now, the gypsies demand £1500 as the ransom of Zerbinette, and Octave requires £80 for his marriage with Hyacinthe. Scapin obtains both these sums from the fathers under false pretences, and at the end of the comedy is brought in on a litter, with his head bound as if on the point of death. He begs forgiveness, which he readily obtains; whereupon the “sick man” jumps from the litter to join the banqueters. (See Scapin.)

Fourde´lis, personification of France, called the true love of Burbon (Henri IV.), but enticed away from him by Grantorto (rebellion). Talus (power or might) rescues her, but when Burbon catches her by her “ragged weeds,” she starts back in disdain. However, the knight lifts her on his steed, and rides off with her,—Spenser, Faëry Queen, v. 2 (1596).

Fou´rierism, a communistic system; so called from François Charles Fourier of Besançon (1772-1837).

Fourolle (2 syl.), a Will-o’-the-wisp, supposed to have the power of charming sinful human beings into the same form. The charm lasted for a term of years only, unless it chanced that some good Catholic, wishing to extinguish the wandering flame, made to it the sign of the cross, in which case the sinful creature became a fourolle every night, by way of penance.

Fourteen, the name of a young man who could do the work of fourteen men, but had also the appetite of fourteen men. Like Christoph´erus, he carried our Lord across a stream, for which service the Saviour gave him a sack, saying, “Whatever you wish for will come into this sack, if you only say ‘Artchila murtchila!’” (i.e. “come (or go) into my sack”). Fourteen’s last achievement was this: He went to paradise, and being refused admission, poked his sack through the keyhole of the door; then crying out “Artchila murtchila!” (“get into the sack”), he found himself on the other side of the door, and, of course, in paradise.—Rev. W. Webster, Basque Legends, 195 (1877).

Fourteen. This number plays a very conspicuous part in French history, especially in the reigns of Henri IV. and Louis XIV. For example:

14th May, 1029, the first Henri was consecrated, and 14th May, 1610, the last Henri was assassinated.

14 letters compose the name of Henri de Bourbon, the 14th king of France and Navarre.

14th December, 1553 (14 centuries, 14 decades, and 14 years from the birth of Christ), Henri IV. was born, and 1553 added together = 14.

14th May, 1554, Henri II. ordered the enlargement of the Rue de la Ferronnerie. This order 44was carried out, and 4 times 14 years later Henri IV. was assassinated there.

14th May, 1552, was the birth of Margaret de Valois, first wife of Henri IV.

14th May, 1588, the Parisians revolted against Henri III., under the leadership of Henri de Guise.

14th March, 1590, Henri IV. gained the battle of Ivry.

14th May, 1590, Henri IV. was repulsed from the faubourgs of Paris.

14th November, 1590, “The Sixteen” took oath to die rather than serve the Huguenot king Henri IV.

14th November, 1592, the Paris parlement registered the papal bull which excluded Henry IV. from reigning.

14th December, 1599, the Duke of Savoy was reconciled to Henri IV.

14th September, 1606, the dauphin (Louis XIII.), son of Henri IV., was baptized.

14th May, 1610, Ravaillac murdered Henri IV. in the Rue de la Ferronnerie. Henri IV. lived 4 times 14 years, 14 weeks, and 4 times 14 days, i.e. 56 years and 5 months.

14 May, 1643, died Louis XIII., son of Henri IV. (the same day and month as his father). And 1643 added together=14; just as 1553 (the birth of Henri IV.)=14.

Louis XIV. mounted the throne 1643, which added together=14.

Louis XIV. died 1715, which added together=14.

Louis XIV. lived 77 years, which added together=14.

Louis XV. mounted the throne 1715, which added together=14.

Louis XV. died 1774 (the two extremes are 14, and the two means 77=14.)77=14.)

Louis XVI. published the edict for the convocation of the states-general in the 14th year of his reign (September 27, 1788).

Louis XVIII. was restored to the throne, Napoleon abdicated, the “Peace of Paris” was signed, and the “Congress of Vienna” met in 1814; and these figures added together=14.

In 1832=14, was the death of the Duc de Reichstadt (only son of Napoleon I.).

In 1841=14, the law was passed for the fortification of Paris.

In 1850=14, Louis Phillippe died.

Fox (That), Herod Antipas (B.C. 4 to A.D. 39).

Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils.—Luke xiii. 32.

Fox (The Old), Marshal Soult (1769-1851).

Foxley (Squire Matthew), a magistrate who examines Darsie Latimer [i.e. Sir Arthur Darsie Redgauntlet], after he had been attacked by the rioters.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Fracasse (Capitaine), the French Bombastes Furioso.—Theophile Gautier.

Fra Diavolo, the sobriquet of Michel Pozza, a Calabrian insurgent and brigand chief. In 1799 Cardinal Ruffo made him a colonel in the Neapolitan army, but in 1806 he was captured by the French, and hanged at Naples. Auber has a comic opera so entitled, the libretto of which was written by Scribe, but nothing of the true character of the brigand chief appears in the opera.

Fradu´bio [i.e. Brother Doubt]. In his youth he loved Frælissa, but riding with her one day they encountered a knight accompanied by Duessa (false faith), and fought to decide which lady was the fairer. The stranger knight fell, and both ladies being saddled on the victor, Duessa changed her rival into a tree. One day Fradubio saw Duessa bathing, and was so shocked at her deformity that he determined to abandon her, but the witch anointed him during sleep with herbs to produce insensibility, and then planted him as a tree beside Frælissa. The Red Cross Knight plucked a bough from this tree, and seeing with horror that blood dripped from the rift, was told this tale of the metamorphosis.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, i. 2 (1590).

45Frail (Mrs.), a demirep. Scandal says she is a mixture of “pride, folly, affectation, wantonness, inconstancy, covetousness, dissimulation, malice and ignorance, but a celebrated beauty” (act i.). She is entrapped into marriage with Tattle.—W. Congreve, Love for Love (1695).

Frampton (Major), the great man of the little village of Hillsborough, and a connoisseur in peach-brandy. Losing money, horses, wagons, and all his negroes except his body-servant, at cards, he blows out his brains in a convenient pine thicket.—Joel Chandler Harris, Georgian Sketches (1888).

Francatelli, a chef de cuisine at Windsor Castle, Crockford’s, and at the Freemasons’ Tavern. He succeeded Ude at Crockford’s.

Frances, daughter of Vandunke (2 syl.), burgomaster of Bruges.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Beggars’ Bush (1622).

France (Everidge), the unworldly daughter of a worldly mother.—A. D. T. Whitney’s story, Odd or Even? (1880).

Francesea, daughter of Guido da Polenta (lord of Ravenna). She was given by her father in marriage to Lanciotto, son of Malatesta, lord of Rimini, who was deformed. His brother Paolo, who was a handsome man, won the affections of Francesca; but being caught in adultery, both of them were put to death by Lanciotto. Francesca told Dantê that the tale of Lancelot and Guinever caused her fall. The tale forms the close of Dantê’s Hell, v., and is alluded to by Petrarch in his Triumph of Love, iii.

⁂ Leigh Hunt has a poem on the subject, and Silvio Pellico has made it the subject of a tragedy.

George H. Boker’s play under the same title is also founded upon Dante’s story. Lawrence Barrett as Lanciotto, Louis James as Pepe and Marie Wainwright as Francesca will long be recollected by American theatre-goers.

Francesca, a Venetian maiden, daughter of old Minotti, governor of Corinth. Alp, the Venetian commander of the Turkish army in the siegesiege of Corinth, loved her; but she refused to marry a renegade. Alp was shot in the siege, and Francesca died of a broken heart.—Byron, Siege of Corinth (1816).

Medora, Neuha, Leila, Francesca, and Theresa, it has been alleged, are but children of one family, with differences resulting from climate and circumstances.—Finden, Byron Beauties.

⁂ “Medora” in The Corsair; “Neuha” in The Island; “Leila” in The Giaour; and “Theresa,” in Mazeppa.

Francesco, the “Iago” of Massinger’s Duke of Milan; the Duke Sforza “the More” being Othello; and the cause of hatred being that Sforza had seduced “Eugenia” Francesco’s sister. As Iago was Othello’s favorite and ancient, so Francesco was Sforza’s favorite and chief minister. During Sforza’s absence with the camp, Francesco tried to corrupt the duke’s beautiful young bride Marcelia, and being repulsed, accused her to the duke of wishing to play the wanton with him. The duke believed his favorite minister, and in his mad jealously ran upon Marcelia and slew her. He was then poisoned by Eugenia, whom he had seduced.—Massinger, The Duke of Milan (1622). (See Francisco.)

Francis, the faithful, devoted servant 46of “the stranger.” Quite impenetrable to all idle curiosity.—Benj. Thompson, The Stranger (1797).

Francis (Ayrault), a visionary who living in the dream-world he has evoked, neglects his nearest of kin, and lets opportunities of happiness, usefulness and patriotic service go by unimproved.—Thomas Wentworth Higginson, The Monarch of Dreams (1887).

Francis (Father), a Dominican monk, the confessor of Simon Glover.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Francis (Le Baron). Young French nobleman who renounces king and country. Is shipwrecked in New England, marries Molly Wilder and settles in Plymouth as a physician. He is the father of Lazarus le Baron.—“Round Robin Series,” A Nameless Nobleman.

Francis (Father), a monk of the convent at Namur.—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Franciscans. So called from St. Francis, of Assisi, their founder, in 1208. Called “Min´orites” (or Inferiors), from their professed humility; “Gray Friars,” from the color of their coarse clothing; “Mendicants,” because they obtained their daily food by begging; “Observants,” because they observed the rule of poverty. Those who lived in convents were called “Conventual Friars.”

Franciscan Sisters were called “Clares,” “Poor Clares,” “Minoresses,” “Mendicants,” and “Urbanites” (3 syl.)

Francis´co, the son of Valentine. Both father and son are in love with Cellide (2 syl.), but the lady naturally prefers the son.—Beaumont and Fletcher, Mons. Thomas (1619).

Francis´co, a musician, Antonio’s boy in The Chances, a comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (1620).

Francisco, younger brother of Valentine (the gentleman who will not be persuaded to keep his estate). (See Francesco.)—Beaumont and Fletcher, Wit Without Money (1639).

Frank, sister to Frederick; passionately in love with Captain Jac´omo the woman-hater.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Captain (1613).

Frankenstein (3 syl.), a student, who constructed, out of the fragments of bodies picked from churchyards and dissecting-rooms, a human form without a soul. The monster had muscular strength, animal passions, and active life, but “no breath of divinity.” It longed for animal love and animal sympathy, but was shunned by all. It was most powerful for evil, and being fully conscious of its own defects and deformities, sought with persistency to inflict retribution on the young student who had called it into being,—Mrs. Shelley, Frankenstein (1817).

In the summer of 1816, Lord Byron and Mr. and Mrs. Shelley resided on the banks of the lake of Geneva ... and the Shelleys often passed their evenings with Byron, at his house at Diodati. During a week of rain, having amused themselves with reading German ghost stories, they agreed to write something in imitation of them. “You and I,” said Lord Byron to Mrs. Shelley. “will publish ours together.” He then began his tale of the Vampire ... but the most memorable part of this story-telling compact was Mrs. Shelley’s wild and powerful romance of Frankenstein.—T. Moore, Life of Byron.

47Frankford (Mr. and Mrs.). Mrs. Frankford proved unfaithful to her marriage vow, and Mr. Frankford sent her to reside on one of his estates. She died of grief; but on her death-bed her husband went to see her, and forgave her.—John Heywood, A Woman Killed by Kindness (1576-1645).

Frankland (Harry), Englishman saved from death, when buried in the ruins of Lisbon, by the exertions of the woman he has wronged and deserted.—Edwin Lasseter Bynner, Agnes Surriage (1886).

Franklin (Lady), the half-sister of Sir John Vesey, and a young widow. Lady Franklin had an angelic temper, which nothing disturbed, and she really believed that “whatever is is best.” She could bear with unruffled feathers even the failure of a new cap or the disappointment of a new gown. This paragon of women loved and married Mr. Graves, a dolorous widower, for ever sighing over the superlative excellences of his “sainted Maria,” his first wife.—Lord E. Bulwer Lytton, Money (1840).

Frank´lin (The Polish), Thaddeus Czacki (1765-1813).

Franklin’s Tale (The), in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is that of “Dorigen and Arvir´agus.” Dorigen, a lady of rank, married Arviragus, out of pity for his love and meekness. One Aurelius tried to corrupt her, but she said she would never listen to his suit till “on these coasts there n’is no stone y-seen.” Aurelius contrived by magic to clear the coast of stones, and Arviragus insisted that Dorigen should keep troth with him. When Aurelius heard thereof, and saw the deep grief of the lady, he said he would rather die than injure so true a wife and so noble a gentleman.

⁂ This tale is taken from The Decameron, x. 5. (See Dianora.) There is also a similar one in Boccaccio’s Filocopo.

Frankly (Charles), a lighted-hearted, joyous, enthusiastic young man, in love with Clarinda, whom he marries.—Dr. Hoadley, The Suspicious Husband (1747).

Frank (Warrington), a young teacher who goes out into the world to seek her fortune as a governess. She wins the affections of the eldest son of her employers, and, although preferring at heart an earlier lover, marries the gay handsome heir secretly. When the truth is revealed, the bridegroom is killed in a duel by the brother of a woman to whom he had been betrothed. Frank Warrington, humbler and wiser, returns to her country home, and eventually marries her first love.—Mirian Coles Harris, Frank Warrington (1863).

Franval (Madame), born of a noble family, is proud as the proudest of the old French noblesse. Captain St. Alme, the son of a merchant, loves her daughter; but the haughty aristocrat looks with disdain on such an alliance. However, her daughter Marianne is of another way of thinking, and loves the merchant’s son. Her brother intercedes in her behalf, and madame makes a virtue of necessity, with as much grace as possible.—Th. Holcroft, The Deaf and Dumb (1785).

Fra´teret´to, a fiend, who told Edgar that Nero was an angler in the Lake of Darkness.—Shakespeare, King Lear (1605).

48Fraud, seen by Dantê between the sixth and seventh circles of the Inferno.

His face the semblance of a just man’s wore

(So kind and gracious was its outward cheer).

The rest was serpent all.

Dantê, Hell, xvii. (1300).

Fred or Frederick Lewis, prince of Wales, father of George III. It was of this prince that the following epitaph was written:

Here lies Fred,

Who was alive, and is dead.

Had it been his father,

I had much rather;

Had it been his brother,

Still better than another;

Had it been his sister,

No one would have missed her;

Had it been the whole generation,

Still better for the nation;

But, since ’tis only Fred

Who was alive, and is dead,

There’s no more to be said!

Frederick, the usurping duke, father of Celia and uncle of Rosalind. He was about to make war upon his banished brother, when a hermit encountered him, and so completely changed him that he not only restored his brother to his dukedom, but retired to a religious house, and passed the rest of his life in penitence and acts of devotion.—Shakespeare, As You Like It (1598).

Frederick, the unnatural and licentious brother of Alphonso, king of Naples, whose kingdom he usurped. He tried to seduce Evanthé (3 syl.), the chaste wife of Valerio, but not succeeding in his infamous design, he offered her as a concubine for one month to any one who, at the end of that period, would yield his head to the block. As no one would accept the terms, Evanthê was restored to her husband.—Beaumont and Fletcher, A Wife for a Month (1624).

Frederick (Don), a Portuguese merchant, the friend of Don Felix.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder (1714).

Frederick the Great in Flight. In 1741 was the battle of Molwitz, in which the Prussians carried the day, and the Austrians fled; but Frederick, who commanded the cavalry, was put to flight early in the action, and thinking that all was lost, fled with his staff many miles from the scene of action.

Frederick the Great from Molwitz deigned to run.

Byron, Don Juan, viii. 22 (1824.)

Frederick (Olyphant). Young man who has incurred the enmity of one of the Brotherhood of the Sea. In consequence, he is abducted upon the threshold of a friend’s house, and put on board a vessel with directions to the Brotherhood never to allow him to land. He gains his liberty through the accidental drowning of his jailor, and returns to New York, where his absence had excited the wildest alarm among his friends and the most fanciful speculations among acquaintances.—Brander Matthews, The Last Meeting.

Frederick (Owen). Rector and friend of the Major’s family, in Constance Fenimore Woolson’s novel, For the Major.

Freeborn John, John Lilburne, the republican (1613-1657).

Freedom (Wheeler). Hard-headed Yankee whose determination that one of his children shall bear his name is thwarted by circumstances until he gives up and “lets the Lord have His way.”—Rose Terry Cooke, Freedom Wheeler’s Controversy (1881).

49Freehold, a grumpy, rusty, but soft-hearted old gentleman farmer, who hates all new-fangled notions, and detests “men of fashion.” He lives in his farm-house with his niece and daughter.

Aura Freehold, daughter of Freehold. A pretty, courageous, high-spirited lass, who wins the heart of Modely, a man of the world and a libertine.—John Philip Kemble, The Farm-house.

Freelove (Lady), aunt to Harriot [Russet]. A woman of the world, “as mischievous as a monkey, and as cunning too” (act i. 1).—George Colman, The Jealous Wife (1761).

Freeman (Charles), the friend of Lovel, whom he assists in exposing the extravagance of his servants.—Rev. J. Townley, High Life Below Stairs (1763).

Freeman (Sir Charles), brother of Mrs. Sullen and friend of Aimwell.—George Farquhar, The Beaux’ Stratagem (1705).

Freeman (Mrs.), a name assumed by the duchess of Marlborough in her correspondence with Queen Anne, who called herself “Mrs. Morley.”

Freemason (The lady), the Hon. Miss Elizabeth St. Leger (afterwards Mrs. Aldworth), daughter of Arthur, lord of Doneraile. In order to witness the proceedings of a lodge held in her father’s house, she hid herself in an empty clock-case; but, on being discovered, she was compelled to become a member of the craft.

Free Joe, negro manumitted by his master, the latter committing suicide immediately afterward. Joe has an easy time until his wife’s master refuses to let a “free nigger” hang about his place. He consorts with “poor white folks” in order to see “Lucinda,” meeting her secretly. At length she does not come for a month to the trysting-place, and he consults a fortune-teller who shows him that her master has taken her out of the county. Still he awaits her at the appointed rendezvous many days and nights, always sure that she will come, and laughing when others doubt it. One morning his friends, the poor whites, find him there dead.—Joel Chandler Harris, Free Joe (1888).

Free´port (Sir Andrew), a London merchant, industrious, generous, and of sound good sense. He was one of the members of the hypothetical club under whose auspices the Spectator was enterprised.

Freiherr von Guttingen, having collected the poor of his neighborhood in a great barn, burnt them to death, and mocked their cries of agony. Being invaded by a swarm of mice, he shut himself up in his castle of Güttingen, in the lake of Constance; but the vermin pursued him, and devoured him alive. The castle then sank in the lake, and may still be seen there. (See Hatto.)

Freischütz (Der), a legendary German archer, in league with the devil. The devil gave him seven balls, six of which were to hit with certainty any mark he aimed at; but the seventh was to be directed according to the will of the giver.—Weber, Der Freischütz (an opera, 1822).

⁂ The libretto is by F. Kind, taken from Apel’s Gespensterbuch (or ghost book). A translation of Apel’s story may be found in De Quincey’s works.

Freron (Jean), the person bitten by a mad dog, referred to by Goldsmith in the lines:

50The man recovered of the bite

The dog it was that died.

Elegy on a Mad Dog.

Un serpent mordit Jean Freron, eh bien?

Le serpent en mourut.

Gibbon, Decline and Fall, etc., vii. 4 (Milman’s

notes).

Freston, an enchanter, introduced in the romance of Don Belia´nis of Greece.

Freston, the enchanter, who bore Don Quixote especial ill-will. When the knight’s library was destroyed, he was told that some enchanter had carried off the books and the cupboard which contained them. The niece thought the enchanter’s name was Munaton; but the don corrected her, and said, “You mean Freston.” “Yes, yes,” said the niece, “I know the name ended in ton.”

“That Freston,” said the knight, “is doing me all the mischief his malevolence can invent; but I regard him not.”—Ch. 7.

“That cursed Freston,” said the knight, “who stole my closet and books, has transformed the giants into windmills” (ch. 8).—Cervantes, Don Quixote. I. i. (1605).

Friars. The four great religious orders were Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustines, and Car´melites (3 syl.). Dominicans are called black friars, Franciscans grey friars, and the other two white friars. A fifth order was the Trinitarians or Crutched friars, a later foundation. The Dominicans were furthermore called Frates Majores, and the Franciscans Frates Minores.

(For friars famed in fable or story, see under each respective name or pseudonym.)

Friar (Lawrence). Ecclesiastic, who performs the marriage ceremony between Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play of that name.

Friar’s Tale (The), by Chaucer, in The Canterbury Tales (1388). An archdeacon employed a sumpnor as his secret spy to find out offenders, with the view of exacting fines from them. In order to accomplish this more effectually, the sumpnor entered into a compact with the devil, disguised as a yeoman. Those who imprecated the devil were to be dealt with by the yeoman-devil, and those who imprecated God were to be the sumpnor’s share. They came in time to an old woman “of whom they knew no wrong,” and demanded twelve pence “for cursing.” She pleaded poverty, when the sumpnor exclaimed, “The foul fiend fetch me if I excuse thee!” and immediately the foul fiend at his side did seize him, and made off with him, too.

Fribble, a contemptible molly-coddle, troubled with weak nerves. He “speaks like a lady for all the world, and never swears.... He wears nice white gloves, and tells his lady-love what ribbons become her complexion, where to stick her patches, who is the best milliner, where they sell the best tea, what is the best wash for the face, and the best paste for the hands. He is always playing with his lady’s fan, and showing his teeth.” He says when he is married:

“All the domestic business will be taken from my wife’s hands. I shall make the tea, comb the dogs, and dress the children myself.”—D. Garrick, Miss in Her Teens, ii. (1753).

Friday (My man), a young Indian, whom Robinson Crusoe saved from death on a Friday, and kept as his servant and companion on the desert island.—Defoe, Robinson Crusoe (1709).

Friend (The Poor Man’s), Nell Gwynne (1642-1691).

Friend of Man (The), the Marquis de 51ÈMirabeau; so called from one of his books, entitled L’Ami des Hommes (1715-1789).

Friends.

Frenchmen: Montaigne and Etienne de la Boëtie.

Germans: Goethe and Schiller.

Greeks: Achillês and Patroc´les; Diomēdês and Sthen´alos; Epaminondas and Pelop´idas; Harmo´dius and Aristogi´ton; Herculês and Iola´os; Idomeneus (4 syl.) and Merĭon; Pyl´adês and Ores´tês; Septim´ios and Alcander; Theseus (2 syl.) and Pirith´oös.

Jews: David and Jonathan.

Syracusans: Damon and Pythias; Sacharissa and Amŏret.

Trojans: Nisus and Euryalus.

Of Feudal History: Amys and Amylion.

Friendly (Sir Thomas), a gouty baronet living at Friendly Hall.

Lady Friendly, wife of Sir Thomas.

Frank Friendly, son of Sir Thomas and fellow-collegian with Ned Blushington.

Dinah Friendly, daughter of Sir Thomas. She marries Edward Blushington, “the bashful man.”—W. T. Moncrieff, The Bashful Man.

Frithiof [Frit.yof], a hero of Icelandic story. He married Ingëborg [In.ge.boy´e] daughter of a petty Norwegian king, and the widow of Hring. His adventures are recorded in an ancient Icelandic saga of the thirteenth century.

⁂ Bishop Tegnor has made this story the groundwork for his poem entitled Frithiof’s Saga.

Frithiof’s Sword, Angurva´del.

⁂ Frithiof means “peace-maker,” and Angurvadel means “stream of anguish.”

Fritz (Old), Frederick II. “the Great,” king of Prussia (1712, 1740-1786).

Fritz, a gardener, passionately fond of flowers, the only subject he can talk about.—E. Stirling, The Prisoner of State (1847).

Frog (Nic.), the linen-draper. The Dutch are so called in Arbuthnot’s History of John Bull.

Nic. Frog was a cunning, sly rogue, quite reverse of John [Bull] in many particulars; covetous, frugal; minded domestic affairs; would pinch his belly to save his pocket; never lost a farthing by careless servants or bad debts. He did not care much for any sort of diversions, except tricks of high German artists and legerdemain; no man exceeded Nic. in these. Yet it must be owned that Nic. was a fair dealer, and in that way acquired immense riches.—Dr. Arbuthnot, History of John Bull, v. (1712).

Frollo (Claude), an archdeacon, absorbed in a search after the philosopher’s stone. He has a great reputation for sanctity, but entertains a base passion for Esmeralda, the beautiful gypsy girl. Quasimodo flings him into the air from the top of Notre Dame, and dashes him to death.—Victor Hugo, Notre Dame de Paris (1831).

Fronde War (The), a political squabble during the ministry of Maz´arin in the minority of Louis XIV. (1648-1653).

Frondeur, a “Mrs. Candor,” a backbiter, a railer, a scandal-monger; any one who flings stones at another. (French, frondeur, “a slinger,” fronde, “a sling.”)

“And what about Diebitsch?” began another frondeur.—Véra, 200.

52Frondeurs, the malcontents in the Fronde war.

Front de Bœuf (Sir Reginald), a follower of Prince John of Anjou, and one of the knight’s challengers.—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Frontaletto, the name of Sa´cripant’s horse. The word means “Little head.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Fronti´no, the horse of Bradaman´tê (4 syl.). Roge´ro’s horse bore the same name. The word means “Little head.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

The renowned Frontino, which Bradamantê purchased at so high a price, could never be thought thy equal [i.e. Rosinantês equal].—Cervantes, Don Quixote (1605).

Frost (Jack), Frost personified.

Jack Frost looked forth one still, clear night,

And he said, “Now I shall be out of sight,

So over the valley and over the height

In silence I’ll take my way.”

Hannah F. Gould.

Froth (Master), a foolish gentleman. Too shallow for great crime and too light for virtue.—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).

Froth (Lord), a good boon companion; but he vows that “he laughs at nobody’s jests but his own or a lady’s.” He says, “Nothing is more unbecoming a man of quality than a laugh; ’tis such a vulgar expression of the passion; every one can laugh.” To Lady Froth he is most gallant and obsequious, though her fidelity to her liege lord is by no means immaculate.

Lady Froth, a lady of letters, who writes songs, elegies, satires, lampoons, plays, and so on. She thinks her lord the most polished of all men, and his bow the pattern of grace and elegance. She writes an heroic poem called The Syllabub, the subject of which is Lord Froth’s love for herself. In this poem she calls her lord “Spumoso” (Froth), and herself “Biddy” (her own name). Her conduct with Mr. Brisk is most blamable.—W. Congreve, The Double Dealer (1700).

Frothal, king of Sora, and son of Annir. Being driven by tempest to Sarno, one of the Orkney Islands, he was hospitably entertained by the king, and fell in love with Coma´la, daughter of Starno, king of Inistore or the Orkneys. He would have carried her off by violence, but her brother Cathulla interfered, bound Frothal, and, after keeping him in bonds for three days, sent him out of the island. When Starno was gathered to his fathers, Frothal returned and laid siege to the palace of Cathulla; but Fingal, happening to arrive at the island, met Frothal in single combat, overthrew him, and would have slain him, if Utha, his betrothed (disguised in armor), had not interposed. When Fingal knew that Utha was Frothal’s sweetheart, he not only spared the foe, but invited both to the palace, where they passed the night in banquet and song.—Ossian, Carric-Thura.

Fudge Family (The), a family supposed by T. Moore to be visiting Paris after the peace. It consists of Phil Fudge, Esq., his son Robert, his daughter Biddy, and a poor relation named Phelim Connor (an ardent Bonapartist and Irish patriot), acting as bear-leader to Bob. These four write letters to their friends in England. The skit is meant to satirize the parvenu English abroad.

Phil Fudge, Esq., father of Bob and Biddy Fudge; a hack writer devoted 53to legitimacy and the Bourbons. He is a secret agent of Lord Castlereagh [Kar.´sl.ray], to whom he addresses letters ii. and ix. and points out to his lordship that Robert Fudge will be very glad to receive a snug Government appointment, and hopes that his lordship will not fail to bear him in mind. Letter vi. he addresses to his brother, showing how the Fudge family is prospering, and ending thus:

Should we but still enjoy the sway

Of Sidmouth and of Castlereagh,

I hope ere long to see the day

When England’s wisest statesmen, judges,

Lawyers, peers, will all be—Fudges.

Miss Biddy Fudge, a sentimental girl of 18, in love with “romances, high bonnets, and Mde. le Roy.” She writes letters i., v., x., and xi., describing to her friend Dolly or Dorothy the sights of Paris, and especially how she becomes acquainted with a gentleman whom she believes to be the king of Prussia in disguise, but afterwards she discovers that her disguised king calls himself “Colonel Calicot.” Going with her brother to buy some handkerchiefs, her visions of glory are sadly dashed when “the hero she fondly had fancied a king” turns out to be a common linen-draper. “There stood the vile treacherous thing, with the yard-measure in his hand.” “One tear of compassion for your poor heart-broken friend. P.S.—You will be delighted to know we are going to hear Brunel to-night, and have obtained the governor’s box; we shall all enjoy a hearty good laugh, I am sure.”

Bob or Robert Fudge, son of Phil Fudge, Esq., a young exquisite of the first water, writes letters iii. and viii. to his friend Richard. These letters describe how French dandies dress, eat, and kill time.—T. Moore (1818).

⁂ A sequel, called The Fudge Family in England, was published.

Fulgentio, a kinsman of Roberto (king of the two Sicilies). He was the most rising and most insolent man in the court. Cami´ola calls him “a suit-broker,” and says he had the worse report among all good men for bribery and extortion. This canker obtained the king’s leave for his marriage with Camiŏla, and he pleaded his suit as a right, not a favor; but the lady rejected him with scorn, and Adoni killed the arrogant “sprig of nobility” in a duel.—Massinger, The Maid of Honor (1637).

Fulkerson, Western man who removes to New York, and sets up a magazine founded upon “the greatest idea that has been struck since—the creation of man. I don’t want to claim too much, and I draw the line at the creation of man. But if you want to ring the morning stars into the prospectus, all right!”

He makes a success of it, as he has a habit of making of everything; marries a Southern girl, and goes to live over “the office.” “In New York you may do anything.” He violates all sorts of conventionalities, talks slang and loudly, yet is everybody’s friend and most people’s favorite.—W.D. Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes (1889).

Fulmer, a man with many shifts, none of which succeed. He says:

“I have beat through every quarter of the compass ... I have blustered for prerogative; I have bellowed for freedom; I have offered to serve my country; I have engaged to betray it ... I have talked treason, writ treason ... And here I set up as a bookseller, but men leave off reading; and if I were to turn butcher, I believe ... they’d leave off eating.”

Patty Fulmer, an unprincipled, flashy 54woman, living with Fulmer, with the brevet rank of wife. She is a swindler, a scandal-monger, anything, in short, to turn a penny by; but her villainy brings her to grief.—Cumberland, The West Indian (1771).

Fum, George IV. The Chinese fum is a mixture of goose, stag, and snake, with the beak of a cock; a combination of folly, cowardice, malice, and conceit.

And where is Fum the Fourth, our royal bird?

Byron, Don Juan, xi. 78 (1824).

Fum-Hoam, the mandarin who restored Malek-al-Salem, king of Georgia, to his throne, and related to the king’s daughter Gulchenraz [Gundogdi] his numerous metamorphoses; he was first Piurash, who murdered Siamek the usurper; then a flea; then a little dog; then an Indian maiden named Massouma; then a bee; then a cricket; then a mouse; then Abzenderoud the imaum´; then the daughter of a rich Indian merchant, the Jezdad of Iolcos, the greatest beauty of Greece; then a foundling found by a dyer in a box; then Dugmê, queen of Persia; then a young woman named Hengu; then an ape; then a midwife’s daughter of Tartary; then the only son of the sultan of Agra; then an Arabian physician; then a wild man named Kolao; then a slave; then the son of a cadi of Erzerûm; then a dervise; then an Indian prince; and lastly Fum-Hoam.—T.S. Gueulette, Chinese Tales (1723).

Fum-Hoam, first president of the ceremonial academy of Pekin.—Goldsmith, Citizen of the World (1764).

Funk (Peter), auctioneer whose business is to cheat the unwary. Having been branded by a placard placed before his door, “Beware of Mock Auctions!” he concerts a scheme for labeling other places of business and general resort, including newspaper offices and churches.—Charles Frederick Briggs, The Knickerbocker Magazine (1846).

Fungo´so, a character in Ben Jonson’s drama, Every Man in His Humour (1598).

Unlucky as Fungoso in the play.

Pope, Essay on Criticism, 328 (1711).

Furor (intemperate anger), a mad man of great strength, the son of Occasion. Sir Guyon, the “Knight of Temperance,” overcomes both Furor and his mother, and rescues Phaon from their clutches.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, ii. 4 (1590).

Fusber´ta, the sword of Rinaldo.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Fus´bos, minister of state to Artaxam´is, king of Uto´pia. When the king cuts down the boots which Bombastês has hung defiantly on a tree, the general engages the king in single combat, and slays him. Fusbos then coming up, kills Bombastês, “who conquered all but Fusbos, Fusbos him.” At the close of the farce, the slain ones rise one after the other and join the dance, promising “to die again tomorrow,” if the audience desires it.—W.B. Rhodes, Bombastês Furioso.

Fusbos, a nom de plume of Henry Plunkett, one of the first contributors to Punch.

Fy´rapel (Sir), the leopard, the nearest kinsman of King Lion, in the beast epic of Reynard the Fox (1498).

55

Gabble Rechet, a cry like that of hounds, heard at night, foreboding trouble. Said to be the souls of unbaptized children wandering through the air till the day of judgment.—Charles Reade, Put Yourself in His Place.

Gabor, a Hungarian who aided Ulric in saving Count Stral´enheim from the Oder, and was unjustly suspected of being his murderer.—Bryon, Werner (1822).

Ga´briel (2 or 3 syl.), according to Milton is called “chief of the angelic guards” (Paradise Lost, iv. 549); but in bk. vi. 44, etc., Michael is said to be “of celestial armies prince,” and Gabriel “in military prowess next.”

Go, Michael of celestial armies prince;

And thou in military prowess next,

Gabriel; lead forth to battle these my sons

Invincible.

Milton, Paradise Lost, vi. 44, etc, (1665).

⁂ Gabriel is so called “The Messenger of the Messiah,” because he was sent by the Messiah to execute his orders on the earth. He is referred to in Daniel viii. 16, ix. 21; and in Luke i. 19, 26.

Gabriel (according to the Korân and Sale’s notes):

1. It is from this angel that Mahomet professes to have received the Korân; and he acts the part of the Holy Ghost in causing believers to receive the divine revelation.—Ch. ii.

2. It was the angel Gabriel that won the battle of Bedr. Mahomet’s forces were 319, and the enemy’s a thousand; but Gabriel (1) told Mahomet to throw a handful of dust in the air, and so doing the eyes of the enemy were “confounded;” (2) he caused the army of Mahomet to appear twice as many as the army opposed to it; (3) he brought from heaven 3000 angels, and, mounted on his horse Haïzûm, led them against the foe.—Ch. iii.

3. Gabriel appeared twice to Mahomet in his angelic form: first “in the highest part of the horizon,” and next “by the lote tree,” on the right hand of the throne of God.—Ch. liv.

5. Gabriel’s horse is called Haïzûm, and when the golden calf was made, a little of the dust from under this horse’s feet being thrown into its mouth, the calf began to low, and received life.—Ch. ii.

Gabriel (according to other legends):

The Persians call Gabriel “the angel of revelations,” because he is so frequently employed by God to carry His messages to man.

The Jews call Gabriel their enemy and the messenger of wrath; but Michael they call their friend, and the messenger of all good tidings.

In mediæval romance, Gabriel is the second of the seven spirits which stand before the throne of God, and he is frequently employed to carry the prayers of man to heaven, or bring the messages of God to man.

Longfellow, in the Golden Legend, makes Gabriel “the angel of the moon,” and says that he “brings to man the gift of hope.”

Gabriel Lajeunesse, son of Basil the blacksmith of Grand Pré, in Acadia (now Nova Scotia). He was legally plighted to Evangeline, daughter of Benedict Bellefontaine (the richest farmer of the village); but next day all the inhabitants were exiled by order of George II., and their property confiscated. Gabriel was parted from his troth-plight wife, and Evangeline spent her whole life in trying to find him. After many wanderings, she went 56to Philadelphia, and became a sister of mercy. The plague visited this city, and in the almshouse the sister saw an old man stricken down by the pestilence. It was Gabriel. He tried to whisper her name, but died in the attempt. He was buried, and Evangeline lies beside him in the grave.—Longfellow, Evangeline (1849).

Gabrielle (Charmante), or La Belle Gabrielle, daughter of Antoine d’Estrèes (grand-master of artillery and governor of the Ile de France). Henri IV. (1590) happened to stay for the night at the chateau de Cœuvres, and fell in love with Gabrielle, then 19 years old. To throw a veil over his intrigue, he gave her in marriage to Damerval de Liancourt, created her duchess of Beaufort, and took her to live with him at court.

The song beginning “Charmante Gabrielle ...” is ascribed to Henri VI.

Gabrielle (von Dohna). Brought up by her widowed father in singleness of heart and happiness until when she is over twenty he is again betrothed, and his fiancée persuades him to send his daughter to visit a relative, the Countess von Kronfels. She is a selfish old woman who adores her dog, and slights her invalid son. Gabrielle is dutiful to the old countess, and an angel of mercy to her son, although for awhile she dislikes and fears him. Finally, she tells the crippled man:

“You are a greater hero in my eyes than if you were leading men to battle. You may send me away if you will, but you will break my heart.”

He loves her too well to let her go.—Blanche Willis Howard, The Open Door (1889).

Gabri´na, wife of Arge´o, baron of Servia, tried to seduce Philandre, a Dutch knight; but Philandre fled from the house, where he was a guest. She then accused him to her husband of a wanton insult, and Argeo, having apprehended him, confined him in a dungeon. One day, Gabrina visited him there, and implored him to save her from a knight who sought to dishonor her. Philandre willingly espoused her cause, and slew the knight, who proved to be her husband. Gabrina then told her champion that if he refused to marry her, she would accuse him of murder to the magistrates. On this threat he married her, but ere long was killed by poison. Gabrina now wandered about the country as an old hag, and being fastened on Odori´co, was hung by him to the branch of an elm.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Gabriolet´ta, governess of Brittany, rescued by Am´adis de Gaul from the hands of Balan (“the bravest and strongest of all giants”).—Vasco de Lobeira, Amadis de Gaul, iv. 129 (fourteenth century.)

Gadshill, a companion of Sir John Falstaff. This thief receives his name from a place called Gadshill, on the Kentish road, notorious for the many robberies committed there.—Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV. act ii. sc. 4 (1597).

Ga´heris (Sir), son of Lot (king of Orkney) and Morgause (King Arthur’s sister). Being taken captive by Sir Turquine, he was liberated by Sir Launcelot du Lac. One night, Sir Gaheris caught his mother in adultery with Sir Lamorake, and, holding her by the hair, struck off her head.

Gaiour [Djow.´r], emperor of China, and father, of Badour´a (the “most beautiful woman ever seen upon earth”). Badoura married Camaral´zaman, the most beautiful of men.—Arabian Nights (“Camaralzaman 57and Badoura”). (See Giaour).

Gal´ahad (Sir), the chaste son of Sir Launcelot and the fair Elaine (King Pelles’s daughter, pt. iii. 2), and thus was fulfilled a prophecy that she should become the mother of the noblest knight that was ever born. Queen Guenevere says that Sir Launcelot “came of the eighth degree from our Saviour, and Sir Galahad is of the ninth ... and, therefore, be they the greatest gentlemen of all the world” (pt. iii. 35). His sword was that which Sir Balin released from the maiden’s scabbard (see Balin), and his shield belonged to King Euelake [Evelake], who received it from Joseph of Arimathy. It was a snow-white shield, on which Joseph had made a cross with his blood (pt. iii. 39). After divers adventures, Sir Galahad came to Sarras, where he was made king, was shown the sangraal by Joseph of Arimathy, and “took“took the Lord’s body between his hands,” and died. Then suddenly “a great multitude of angels bear his soul up to heaven,” and “sithence was never no man that could say he had seen the sangraal” (pt. iii. 103).

Sir Galahad was the only knight who could sit in the “Siege Perilous,” a seat in the Round Table reserved for the knight destined to achieve the quest of the holy graal, and no other person could sit in it without peril of his life (pt. iii. 32). He also drew from the iron and marble rock the sword which no other knight could release (pt. iii. 33). His great achievement was that of the Holy Graal.

Sometimes on lonely mountain-meres

I find a magic bark;

I leap on board: no helmsman steers

I float till all is dark.

A gentle sound, an awful light!

Three angels bear the holy Grail

With folded feet, in stoles of white

On sleeping wings they sail.

Ah, blessed vision! blood of God!

My spirit beats her mortal bars,

As down dark tides the glory slides

And star-like mingles with the stars.

Tennyson, Sir Galahad.

Then the bishop took a wafer, which was made in the likeness of bread, and at the lifting up [the elevation of the host] there came a figure in the likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as bright as fire; and he smote himself into that bread; so they saw that the bread was formed of a fleshly man, and then he put it into the holy vessel again ... then he took the holy vessel and came to Sir Galahad as he kneeled down, and there he received his Saviour ... then went he and kissed Sir Bors ... and kneeled at the table and made his prayers; and suddenly his soul departed ... and a great multitude of angels bear his soul to heaven.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, iii. 101-103 (1470).

⁂ Sir Galahalt, the son of Sir Brewnor, must not be confounded with Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Launcelot.

Galahalt (Sir), called “The Haut Prince,” son of Sir Brewnor. He was one of the knights of the Round Table.

Gal´antyse (3 syl.), the steed given to Graunde Armoure by King Melyzyus.

And I myselfe shall give you a worthy stede,

Called Galantyse, to helpe you in your nede.

Stephen Hawes, The Passe-tyme of Plesure, xxviii. (1515).

Ga´laor (Don), brother of Am´adis de Gaul. A desultor amoris, who, as Don Quixote says, “made love to every pretty girl he met.” His adventures form a strong contrast to those of his more serious brother.—Amadis de Gaul (fourteenth century).

A barber in the village insisted that none equalled “The Knight of the Sun” [i.e. Amadis], except Don Galaor his brother.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. 1 (1605).

Gal´apas, a giant of “marvellous 58height” in the army of Lucius, king of Rome. He was slain by King Arthur.

[King Arthur] slew a great giant named Galapas ... He shortened him by smiting off both his legs at the knees, saying, “Now art thou better of a size to deal with than thou wert.” And after, he smote off his head.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, I. 115 (1470).

Gal´aphron or Gallaphrone (3 syl.), a king of Cathay, father of Angelica.—Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato (1495); Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

When Agrican ... besieged Albracca ...

The city of Gallaphrone, whence to win

The fairest of her sex, Angelica.

Milton, Paradise Regained, iii. (1671).

Galasp, or rather George Gillespie, mentioned by Milton in Sonnet, x., was a Scottish writer against the independents, and one of the “Assembly of Divines” (1583-1648). See Colkitto.

Galatea. Lovely statue, made by Pygmalion, and endued with life by Venus at the prayer of the sculptor-lover.

Galate´a, a sea-nymph, beloved by Polypheme (3 syl.) She herself had a heartache for Acis. The jealous giant crushed his rival under a huge rock, and Galatēa, inconsolable at the loss of her lover, was changed into a fountain. The word Galatea is used poetically for any rustic maiden.

⁂ Handel has an opera called Acis and Galatea (1710).

Galatea, a wise and modest lady attending on the princess in the drama of Philaster or Love Lies a-bleeding, by Beaumont and Fletcher (1608).

Gala´tine (3 syl.), the sword of Sir Gaw´ain, King Arthur’s nephew.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 93 (1470).

Galbraith (Miss Lucy), a young lady who finds herself en tête-a-tête with her çi-devant lover in a parlor-car. Conversation ensues and a quarrel. Upon attempting to leave the car, she discovers that it is uncoupled and solitary upon the track. In the fright of the alarm caused by what she assumes to be peril, she falls into her lover’s arms entreating forgiveness. The reconciliation is complete by the time they arrive safely at Schenectady.—W. D. Howells, The Parlor Car, A Farce (1876).

Galbraith (Major Duncan), of Garschattachin, a militia officer.—Sir W. Scott, Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Ga´len, an apothecary, a medical man (in disparagement). Galen was the most celebrated physician of ancient Greece, and had a greater influence on medical science than any other man before or since (A. D. 130-200).

Unawed, young Galen bears the hostile brunt,

Pills in his rear, and Cullen in his front.

Wm. Falconer, The Midshipman.

Dr.Dr. William Cullen, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, author of Nosology, (1712-1790).

Gal´enist, a herb doctor.

The Galĕnist and Paracelsian

S. Butler, Hudibras, iii. 3 (1678).

Galeotti Martivalle, (Martius), astrologerastrologer of Louis XI. Being asked by the superstitious king if he knew the day of his own death, the crafty astrologer replied that he could not name the exact day, but he had learnt thus much by his art—that it would occur just twenty-four 59hours before the decease of his majesty (ch. xxix.).—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

⁂ Thrasullus the soothsayer made precisely the same answer to Tibe´rius, emperor of Rome.

Galera´na is called by Ariosto the wife of Charlemagne; but the nine wives of that emperor are usually given as Hamiltrude (3 syl.), Desidera´ta, Hil´degarde (3 syl.), Fastrade (2 syl.), Luitgarde, Maltegarde, Gersuinde, Regi´na, and Adalin´da.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, xxi. (1516).

Galère (2 syl.). Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère? Scapin wants to get from Géronte (a miserly old hunks) £1500, to help Leandre, the old man’s son, out of a money difficulty. So Scapin vamps up a cock-and-bull story about Leandre being invited by a Turk on board his galley, where he was treated to a most sumptuous repast; but when the young man was about to quit the galley, the Turk told him he was a prisoner, and demanded £1500 for his ransom within two hours’ time. When GéronteGéronte hears this, he exclaims, “Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?” and he swears he will arrest the Turk for extortion. Being shown the impossibility of so doing, he again exclaims, “Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?” and it flashes into his mind that Scapin should give himself up as surety for the payment of the ransom. This of course Scapin objects to. The old man again exclaims, “Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?” and commands Scapin to go and tell the Turk that £1500 is not to be picked off a hedge. Scapin says the Turk does not care a straw about that, and insists on the ransom. “Mais, que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?” cries the old hunks; and tells Scapin to go and pawn certain goods. Scapin replies there is no time, the two hours are nearly exhausted. “Que diable,” cries the old man again, “allait-il faire dans cette galère?” and when at last he gives the money, he repeats the same words, “Mais, que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?”—Molière, Les Fourberies de Scapin. ii. 11 (1671).

Gal´gacus, chief of the Caledonians, who resisted Agricŏla with great valor. In A. D. 84 he was defeated, and died on the field. Tacĭtus puts into his mouth a noble speech, made to his army before the battle.

Galgacus, their guide,

Amongst his murthered troops there resolutely died.

Drayton, Polyolbion, viii. (1612).

Galia´na, a Moorish princess, daughter of Gadalfe, king of Tolēdo. Her father built for her a palace on the Tagus, so splendid that “a palace of Galiana” has become a proverb in Spain.

Galien Restored, a mediæval romance of chivalry. Galien was the son of Jaqueline (daughter of Hugh, king of Constantinople). His father was Count Oliver of Vienne. Two fairies interested themselves in Jaqueline’s infant son; one, named Galienne, had the child named after her, Galien; and the other insisted that he should be called “Restored,” for that the boy would restore the chivalry of Charlemagne.—Author unknown.

Galile´o [Galilei], born at Pisa, but lived chiefly in Florence. In 1633 he published his work on the Copernican system, showing that “the earth moved and the sun stood still.” For this he was denounced by the Inquisition of Rome, and accused of contradicting the Bible. At the age of 70 he was obliged to abjure his system, in order to gain his liberty. After pronouncing his abjuration, he said, in a stage whisper, E pur si muove (“It does move, though”). This is said to be a romance (1564-1642).

Galinthia, daughter of Prœtus, king of Argos. She was changed by the Fates into a cat, and in that shape was made by Hecate her high priestess.—Antonius Liberalis, Metam, xxix.

Gallegher, audacious errand-boy in the office of a daily newspaper. He outwits police and sporting-men, and shows detective genius unequalled by a “professional,” becoming the means of arresting a noted murderer, and driving into town after midnight with the news of this event and of a big prize-fight, sinking exhausted on the office floor with the exclamation, “I beat the town!”—Richard Harding Davis, Gallegher (1890).

Gallegos [Gal´.le.goze], the people of Galacia (once a province of Spain).

Gallice´næ, priestesses of Gallic mythology, who had power over the winds and waves. There were nine of them, all virgins.

Galligan´tus, the giant who lived with Hocus-Pocus, the conjuror. When Jack the Giant-killer blew the magic horn, both the giant and conjuror were overthrown.—Jack the Giant-killer.

Gallo-ma´nia, a furor for everything French. Generally applied to that vile imitation of French literature and customs which prevailed in Germany in the time of Frederick II. of Prussia. It is very conspicuous in the writings of Wieland (1733-1813).

Galloping Dick, Richard Ferguson, the highwayman, executed in 1800.

Galloway (The Fair Maid of), Margaret, only daughter of Archibald, fifth earl of Douglas. She married her cousin William, to whom the earldom passed in 1443. After the death of her first husband, she married his brother James (the last earl of Douglas).

Gallowglasses, heavy-armed foot-soldiers of Ireland and the western isles; the light-armed troops were called kernes.

—— the merciless Macdonwald

—— from the western isles

Of kernes and gallowglasses is supplied.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth, act i. sc. 2.

Gallura’s Bird, the cock, the emblem of Gallura in Sardinia, ruled by Nino di Gallura de’Visconti. Dante meets Nino in purgatory, who sends a message to his daughter, but reproaches the mother with her marriage after his death, to Galeazzo de’Visconti of Milan, whose emblem was a viper.

For her so fair a burial will not make

The viper which calls Milan to the field,

As had been made by shrill Gallura’s bird.

Dante, Purgatorio, viii.

Gal´way Jury, an independent jury, neither to be brow-beaten nor led by the nose. In 1635, certain trials were held in Ireland, respecting the right of the Crown to the counties of Ireland. Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, and Mayo gave judgment for the Crown, but Galway stood out, whereupon each of the jury was fined £4000.

Ga´ma (Vasco da), the hero of Camoëns’s Lusiad. Sagacious, intrepid, tender-hearted, pious, and patriotic. He was the 60first European navigator who doubled the Cape of Good Hope (1497).

Gama, captain of the venturous band,

Of bold emprise, and born for high command,

Whose martial fires, with prudence close allied,

Ensured the smiles of fortune on his side.

Camoens, Lusiad, i. (1569).

⁂ Gama is also the hero of Meyerbeer’s posthumous opera called L’Africaine (1865).

Gam´elyn (3 syl.), youngest of the three sons of Sir Johan di Boundys, who, on his death-bed, left “five plowes of land” to each of his two elder sons, and the residue of his property to the youngest. The eldest son took charge of Gamelyn, but treated him shamefully. On one occasion he said to him, “Stand still, gadelyng, and hold thy peace.” To which the proud boy retorted, “I am no gadelyng, but the lawful son of a lady and true knight.” On this, the elder brother sent his servants to chastise him, but he drove them off “with a pestel.” At a wrestling match young Gamelyn threw the champion, and carried off the prize ram; but on reaching home found the door closed against him. He at once kicked the door down, and threw the porter into a well. The elder brother now bound the young madcap to a tree, and left him two days without food; but Adam the spencer, unloosed him; and Gamelyn fell upon a party of ecclesiastics, who had come to dine with his brother, and “sprinkled holy water on them with a stout oaken cudgel.” The sheriff sent to apprehend the young spitfire, but he fled with Adam into the woods, and came upon a party of foresters sitting at meat. The captain gave him welcome, and Gamelyn in time became “king of the outlaws.” His brother being sheriff, would have put him to death, but Gamelyn hanged his brother on a forest tree. After this the king appointed him chief ranger, and he married.—The Coke’s Tale of Gamelyn, formerly attributed to Chaucer.

⁂ Lodge has made this tale the basis of his romance entitled Rosalynd or Eupheus’ Golden Legacye (1590); and from Lodge’s novel Shakespeare has borrowed the plot, with some of the character and dialogue, of As You Like It.

Gamelyn de Guar´dover (Sir), an ancestor of Sir Arthur Wardour.—Sir W. Scott, Antiquary (time, George III.).

Gamester (The), a tragedy by Ed. Moore (1753). The name of the gamester is Beverley, who in despair commits suicide; and the object of the play is to show the great evils of gambling.

Gamester (The), by Mrs. Centlivre (1705). The hero is Valere, to whom Angelica gives a picture, which she enjoins him not to lose on pain of forfeiting her hand. Valere loses it in play, and Angelica, in disguise, is the winner. After much tribulation, Valere is cured of his vice, the picture is restored, and the two are happily united in marriage.

Gammer Gurton’s Needle, by Mr. S., Master of Arts. It was in existence, says Warton, in 1551 (English Poetry, iv. 32). Sir Walter Scott says; “It was the supposed composition of John Still, M.A., afterwards bishop of Bath and Wells;” but in 1551 John Still was a boy not nine years old. The fun of this comedy turns on the loss and recovery of a needle, with which Gammer Gurton was repairing the breeches of her man Hodge. The comedy contains the famous drinking song, “I cannot eat but little Meat.”

Gamp (Sarah), a monthly nurse, residing 61in Kingsgate Street, High Holborn. Sarah was noted for her gouty umbrella, and for her perpetual reference to an hypothetical Mrs. Harris, whose opinions were a confirmation of her own. She was fond of strong tea and strong stimulants. “Don’t ask me,” she said, “whether I won’t take none, or whether I will, but leave the bottle on the chimley piece, and let me put my lips to it when I am so dispoged.” When Mrs. Prig “her pardner,” stretched out her hand to the teapot [filled with gin], Mrs. Gamp stopped the hand and said with great feeling, “No, Betsy! drink fair, wotever you do.” (See Harris.)—C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, xlix. (1843).

⁂ A big, pawky umbrella is called a Mrs. Gamp, and in France, un Robinson, from Robinson Crusoe’s umbrella.