CHARACTER SKETCHES OF ROMANCE, FICTION, AND THE DRAMA. (continued 14)

^*_*^* This name has become a household word for “the real man,” the ipsissimus ego.

Si´monie or Si´mony, the friar, in the beast-epic of Reynard the Fox (1498). So called from Simon Magus (Acts. viii. 9-24.)

Simony (Dr.), in Foote’s farce, called The Cozeners, was meant for Dr. Dodd.

Sim´org, a bird “which hath seen the world thrice destroyed.” It is found in Kâf, but as Hafiz says, “searching for the simorg is like searching for the philosopher’s stone.” This does not agree with Beckford’s account. (See Simurgh.)

Simpcox (Saunder), a lame man, who asserted he was born blind, and to whom St. Alban said, “Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.” Being brought before Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, the lord protector, he was asked how he became lame; and Simpcox replied he fell from a tree which he had climbed to gather plums for his wife. The duke then asked if his sight had been restored? “Yes,” said the man; and, being shown divers colors, could readily distinguish between red, blue, brown, and so on. The duke told the rascal that a blind man does not climb trees to gather their fruits; and one born blind might, if his sight were restored, know that one color differed from another, but could not possibly know which was which. He then placed a stool before him and ordered the constables to whip him till he jumped over it; whereupon the lame man jumped over it, and ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. Sir Thomas More tells this story, and Shakespeare introduces it in 2 Henry VI. act ii. sc. 1 (1591).

Simple, the servant of Slender (cousin of Justice Shallow).—Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor (1596).

Simple (The), Charles III. of France (879, 893-929).

Simple (Peter), the hero and title of a novel by Captain Marryat (1833).

Simple Simon, a man more sinned against than sinning, whose misfortunes arose from his wife Margery’s cruelty, which began the very morning of their marriage.

We do not know whether it is necessary to seek for a Teutonic or Northern original for this once popular book.—Quarterly Review.

Simpson (Tam), the drunken barber.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Simson (Jean), an old woman at Middlemas village.—Sir W. Scott, The Surgeon’s Daughter (time, George II.).

Simurgh, a fabulous Eastern bird, endowed with reason and knowing all languages. It had seen the great cycle of 7000 years twelve times, and, during that period, it declared it had seen the earth wholly without inhabitant seven times.—W. Beckford, Vathek (notes, 1784). This does not agree with Southey’s account. (See Simorg.)

Sin, twin-keeper, with Death, of Hellgate. She sprang, full-grown, from the head of Satan.

Sin´adone (The lady of), metamorphosed by enchantment into a serpent. Sir Lybius (one of Arthur’s knights) slew the enchantress, and the serpent, coiling about his neck, kissed him; whereupon the spell was broken, the serpent became a lovely princess, and Sir Lybius made her his wife.—Libeaux (a romance).

Sindbad, a merchant of Bagdad, who acquired great wealth by merchandise. He went seven voyages, which he related to a poor, discontented porter named Hindbad, to show him that wealth must be obtained by enterprise and personal exertion.

First Voyage. Being becalmed in the Indian Ocean, he and some others of the crew visited what they supposed to be an island, but which was in reality a huge whale asleep. They lighted a fire on the whale, and the heat woke the creature, which instantly dived under water. Sindbad was picked up by some merchants, and in due time returned home.

Second Voyage. Sindbad was left, during sleep, on a desert island, and discovered a roc’s egg, “fifty paces in circumference.” He fastened himself to the claw of the bird, and was deposited in the valley of diamonds. Next day some merchants came to the top of the crags, and threw into the valley huge joints of raw meat, to which the diamonds stuck, and when the eagles picked up the meat, the merchants scared them from their nests, and carried off the diamonds. Sindbad fastened himself to a piece of meat, was carried by an eagle to its nest, and, being rescued by the merchants, returned home laden with diamonds.

Third Voyage is the encounter with the Cyclops. (See Ulysses and Polyphemos, where the account is given in detail.)

Fourth Voyage. Sindbad married a lady of rank in a strange island on which he was cast; and when his wife died he was buried alive with the dead body, according to the custom of the land. He made his way out of the catacomb, and returned to Bagdad greatly enriched by valuables rifled from the dead bodies.

Fifth Voyage. The ship in which he sailed was dashed to pieces by huge stones let down from the talons of two angry rocs. Sindbad swam to a desert inland, where he threw stones at the monkeys, and the monkeys threw back cocoa-nuts. On this island Sindbad encountered and killed the Old Man of the Sea.

Sixth Voyage. Sindbad visited the island of Serendib (or Ceylon), and climbed to the top of the mountain “where Adam was placed on his expulsion from paradise.”

Seventh Voyage. He was attacked by corsairs, sold to slavery, and employed in shooting elephants from a tree. He discovered a tract of hill country completely covered with elephants’ tusks, communicated his discovery to his master, obtained his liberty, and returned home.—Arabian Nights (“Sindbad the Sailor”).

Sindbad, Ulysses, and the Cyclops. (See Ulysses and Polyphemos.)

Sin´el, thane of Glamis, and father of Macbeth. He married the younger daughter of Malcolm II. of Scotland.

Sinfire, brilliant, seductive, and wicked heroine of Julian Hawthorne’s novel of the same name.

Sing (Sadha), the mourner of the desert.—Sir W. Scott, The Surgeon’s Daughter (time, George II.).

Sing de Racine (Le), Campistron, the French dramatic poet (1656-1723).

Singing Apple (The), in the deserts of Libya. This apple resembled a ruby crowned with a huge diamond, and had the gift of imparting wit to those who only smelt of it. Prince Cherry obtained it for Fairstar. (See Singing Tree.)

The singing apple is as great an embellisher of wit as the dancing water is of beauty. Would you appear in public as a poet or prose writer, a wit or a philosopher, you only need smell it, and you are possessed at once of these rare gifts of genius.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Princess Fairstar,” 1682).

Singing Tree (The), a tree, every leaf of which was a mouth, and all the leaves sang together in harmonious concert.—Arabian Nights (“The Two Sisters,” the last story).

^*_*^* In the tale of Cherry and Fairstar, “the singing tree” is called “the singing apple” (q.v.).

Single-Speech Hamilton, William Gerard Hamilton, statesman (1729-1796). His first speech was delivered November 13, 1775, and his eloquence threw into the shade every orator except Pitt himself.

It was supposed that he had exhausted himself in that one speech, and had become physically incapable of making a second; so that afterwards, when he really did make a second, everybody was naturally disgusted, and most people dropped his acquaintance.—De Quincey (1786-1859).

Singleton (Captain), the hero of a novel by D. Defoe, called The Adventures of Captain Singleton.

Singular Doctor (The), William Occam, Doctor Singularis et Invincibilis (1276-1347).

^*_*^* The “Occam razor” was entia non sunt multiplicanda, “entities are not to be unnecessarily multiplied.” In other words, elements, genera, and first principles are very few in number.

Sinner Saved (A). Cyra, daughter of Proterĭus of Cappadōcia, was on the point of taking the veil among Emmelia’s sisterhood, and just before the day of renunciation, Elĕēmon, her father’s freed slave, who loved her, sold himself to the devil, on condition of obtaining her for his wife. He signed the bond with a drop of his heart’s blood, and carried about with him a little red spot on his bresst, as a perpetual reminder of the compact. The devil now sent a dream to Cyra, and another to her father, which caused them to change their plans; and on the very day that Cyra was to have taken the veil, she was given by St. Basil in marriage to Eleemon, with whom she lived happily for many years, and had a large family. One night, while her husband was asleep, Cyra saw the blood-red spot; she knew what it meant, and next day Eleemon told her the whole story. Cyra now bestirred herself to annul the compact, and went with her husband to St. Basil, to whom a free and full confession was made. Eleemon was shut up for a night in a cell, and Satan would have carried him off, but he clung to the foot of a crucifix. Next day Satan met St. Basil in the cathedral, and demanded his bond. St. Basil assured him the bond was illegal and invalid. The devil was foiled, the red mark vanished from the skin of Eleemon, a sinner was saved, and St. Basil came off victorious.—Amphilochius, Life of St. Basil. (See Rosweyde, Vitæ Patrum, 156-8.)

^*_*^* Southey has converted this legend into a ballad of nine lays (1829).

Sinon, the crafty Greek, who persuaded the Trojans to drag the Wooden Horse into their city.—Virgil, Æneid, ii.

Dantê, in his Inferno, places Sinon, with Potiphar’s wife, Nimrod, and the rebellious giants, in the tenth pit of Malêbolgê.

Sin Saxon. Sprightly, sparkling personage, who appears, first as a saucy girl, then, as a vivacious young matron, in several of A. D. T. Whitney’s books. She marries Frank Sherman.—A. D. T. Whitney, Leslie Goldthwaite and The Other Girls.

Sintram, the Greek hero of the German romance, Sintram and His Companions, by Baron Lamotte Fouqué.

Sintram’s Sword, Welsung.

Sio´na, a seraph, to whom was committed the charge of Bartholomew, the apostle.—Klopstock, The Messiah, iii. (1748).

Siph´a, the guardian angel of Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.—Klopstock, The Messiah, iii. (1748).

Si´phax, a soldier, in love with Princess Calis, sister of Astorax, king of Paphos. The princess is in love with Polydore, the brother of General Memnon, (“the mad brother”).—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Mad Lover (1617).

Sir Oracle, a dictatorial prig; a dogmatic pedant.

Sirens, three sea-nymphs, whose usual abode was a small island near Cape Pelōrus, in Sicily. They enticed sailors ashore by their melodious singing, and then killed them. Their names are Parthenŏpê, Ligeia, and Leucothĕa.—Greek Fable.

Sirloin of Beef. James I., on his return from a hunting excursion, so much enjoyed his dinner, consisting of a loin of roast beef, that he laid his sword across it, and dubbed it Sir Loin. At Chingford, in Essex, is a place called “Friday Hill House,” in one of the rooms of which is an oak table with a brass plate let into it, inscribed with the following words:—“All Lovers of Roast Beef will like to know that on this Table a Loin was knighted by King James the First on his Return from Hunting in Epping Forest.”

Knighting the loin of beef is also ascribed to Charles II.

Sister Anne, sister of Fatĭma (the seventh and last wife of Bluebeard). Fatima, being condemned to death by her tyrannical husband, requested sister Anne to ascend to the highest tower of the castle to watch for her brothers, who were momentarily expected. Bluebeard kept roaring below stairs for Fatima to be quick; Fatima was constantly calling out from her chamber, “Sister Anne, do you see them coming?” and sister Anne was on the watch-tower, mistaking every cloud of dust for the mounted brothers. They arrived at last, rescued Fatima, and put Bluebeard to death.—Charles Perrault, Contes (“La Barbe Bleue,” 1697).

This is a Scandinavian tale taken from the Folks Sagas.

Sis´yphos, in Latin Sisyphus, a king of Corinth, noted for his avarice and fraud. He was punished in the infernal regions by having to roll uphill a huge stone, which always rolled down again as soon as it reached the top. Sisyphos is a type of avarice, never satisfied. The avaricious man reaches the summit of his ambition, and no sooner does he so than he finds the object of his desire as far off as ever.

Sisyphus, in the Milesian tales, was doomed to die, but when Death came to him, the wily fellow contrived to fasten the unwelcome messenger in a chair, and then feasted him till old Spare-ribs grew as fat as a prize pig. In time, Pluto released Death, and Sisyphus was caught, but prayed that he might speak to his wife before he went to Hadês. The prayer was granted, and Sisyphus told his wife not to bury him, for though she might think him dead, he would not be really so. When he got to the infernal regions, he made the ghosts so merry with his jokes, that Pluto reproved him, and Sisyphus pleaded that, as he had not been buried, Pluto had no jurisdiction over him, nor could he even be ferried across the Styx. He then obtained leave to return to earth, that he might persuade his wife to bury him. Now, the wily old king had previously bribed Hermês, when he took him to Hadês, to induce Zeus to grant him life, provided he returned to earth again in the body; when, therefore, he did return, he demanded of Hermês the fulfillment of his promise, and Hermês induced Zeus to bestow on him life. Sisyphus was now allowed to return to earth, with a promise that he should never die again, till he himself implored for death. So he lived, and lived till he was weary of living, and when he went to Hadês the second time, he was allotted, by way of punishment, the task of rolling a huge stone to the top of a mountain. Orpheus (2 syl.), asked him how he could endure so ceaseless and vain an employment, and Sisyphus replied that he hoped ultimately to accomplish the task. “Never,” exclaimed Orpheus; “it can never be done!” “Well, then,” said Sisyphus, “mine is at worst but everlasting hope.”—Lord Lytton, Tales of Miletus, ii.

Sitoph´agus (“the wheat-eater”), one of the mouse princes, who being wounded in the battle, crept into a ditch to avoid further injury or danger.

The last two lines might be amended thus:

Siward [Se.´ward], the earl of Northumberland, and general of the English forces, acting against Macbeth.—Shakespeare, Macbeth (1606).

Six Chronicles (The). Dr. Giles compiled and edited six Old English Chronicles for Bohn’s series in 1848. They are: Ethelwerd’s Chronicle, Asser’s Life of Alfred, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s British History, Gildas the Wise, Nennius’s History of the Britons, and Richard of Cirencester On the Ancient State of Britain. The last three were edited in 1757, by Professor Bertram, in his Scriptores Tres, but great doubt exists as to the genuineness of the chronicles contained in Dr. Bertram’s compilation. (See Three Writers.)

Sixteen-String-Jack, John Rann, a highwayman. He was a great fop, and wore sixteen tags to his breeches, eight at each knee (hanged 1774).

Dr. Johnson said that Gray’s poetry towered above the ordinary run of verse, as Sixteen-String-Jack above the ordinary foot-pad.—Boswell, Life of Johnson (1791).

Skeffington, author of Sleeping Beauty, Maids and Bachelors, etc.

Transcriber’s Note

The following errors and inconsistencies have been maintained.

Misspelled words and typographical errors:

Page Error

1 Perrose should read Penrose

4 tranlation should read translation

4 A. D. should read A.D.

5 sword.’” should read sword.’

9 France. See should read France. (See

13 outstretehed should read outstretched

14 the the sword should read the sword

17 incalcuable should read incalculable

19 waistcoat—Mrs. should read waistcoat.—Mrs.

34 The vail should read The veil

38 “about the Mikado’s” should read “about by the Mikado’s”

42 mutiplied should read multiplied

46 Merlin’s magic mirror (q.v.). This entry does not exist.

47 “He should read He

52 succeeeded should read succeeded

53 also; should read also,

54 rent is paid. should read rent is paid).

56 shows.” should read shows.

56 preformed should read performed

57 (time, Commonwealth. should read (time, Commonwealth).

57 Passe-Tyme should read Passe-tyme

63 Love à-la-Mode- should read Love à-la-Mode.

66 Polyolboin should read Polyolbion

69 gray should read grey

71 (1508) should read (1598)

71 Rev. Mr.) should have a comma following

87 act. i. should read act i.

88 Chauvvin should read Chauvin

92 Bibliothèque Oriental should read Bibliothèque Orientale

94 (1698) should read (1598)

94 Pylos, was has an extra, following Pylos

96 Charles II.). should read Charles II.

100 Gentlehomme should read Gentilehomme

100 “The Chase, The Road, The Turf” should read “The Chase, the Turf, and the Road”

101 Ninive should read Nineve

101 Nino-Thoma should read Nina-Thoma

101 magificence should read magnificence

101 Nine. Worthies should read Nine Worthies

102 Uffizii should read Uffizi

102 He Says should read He says

104 cadavarous should read cadaverous

105 Charles II) should read Charles II.)

106 J Home should read J. Home

112 Atticœ should read Atticæ

116 Sopho´oclês should read Soph´oclês

121 imagintion should read imagination

125 v.), should read v.).

126 Alhague) has extra )

127 dog bark!” should read dog bark!

135 Furlough should read Turlough

135 Coimba should read Coimbra

135 eightteenth should read eighteenth

136 horse-jockey:” should read horse-jockey;”

139 Grondibert should read Gondibert

140 was slain should read were slain

142 le Grand. is missing )

142 howover should read however

144 fifteenth century) should read (fifteenth century)

145 Paine should be Paine

146 (1772) should have a following.

151 Mosart should read Mozart

152 ignorantifiè should read ignorantifié

161 Darton and Co, should read Darton and Co.,

162 villifies should read vilifies

162 Polinices. This entry does note exist.

165 Hawes (1506) should end with a.

166 “The Deerslayer” should read “The Deerslayer,”

167 Rocky Mountains. has an extra . at the end

167 of Dorchester, should read of Dorchester.

168 St Patrick should read St. Patrick

168 etc.. should read etc.,

169 Bonarparte should read Bonaparte

171 St Remi should read St. Remi (2 times)

174 d’ane should read d’âne

175 Zaïda should read Zaïde

175 Pedrè should read Pèdre (3 times)

178 [Thrift) should read (Thrift)

178 Boundderby should read Bounderby

181 pcn should read pen

181 sc. 2 (1589) should read sc. 2 (1589).

184 Dr Parker should read Dr. Parker

185 101, 102. should read 101, 102).

186 —See Notes should read (See Notes

189 “excess.”). should read “excess.”)

190 Po tau should read Pot au

192 (1768-1848. should read (1768-1848).

195 Fennimore should read Fenimore

199 syl.) should read syl.).

201 him thirty should read him “thirty

202 (1214-1292; should read (1214-1292);

202 (1627-1691; should read (1627-1691);

202 (B.C.) 106 should read (B.C. 106

207 breathe-therein. should read breathe-therein.”

209 Elfenseigen. should read Elfenseigen.)

214 “(The incident of” either should not have a ( or a ) is missing at the end of the sentence.

214 notas, should read notas.

227 garralous should read garrulous

228 “Antinöus, should read “Antinöus,”

229 “songs,” should read “songs.”

229 Enggland should read England

232 Friesingen should read Freisingen

232 conscrated should read consecrated

232 Lequien should read Le Quien

234 who stabbed should read who “stabbed

240 Quarakhata. should read Quarakhata.”

246 Docter should read Doctor

248 reions should read regions

250 protegé should read protégé

250 forgiven should read forgiven.

251 caligraphist should read calligraphist

254 i.e, should read i.e.,

257 (Pwyll should read (“Pwyll

265 Monnema should read Monema

267 act. i. should read act i.

268 Pyrnne should read Prynne

275 rantipolish, should read rantipolish.

277 met should read meet

278 refered should read referred

282 king- should read kingdom

282 Cathaginians should read Carthaginians

286 VerborumSignificatione should read Verborum Significatione

286 entititled should read entitled

287 Resolute Doctor should read Resolute Doctor”

287 “The “saint” should read The “saint”

289 thierepos should read Thierepos

295 (bk. vii.) should read (bk. vii.).

296 Perveril should read Peveril

298 See Ormandine. This entry does not exist

299 Mortham, was should read Mortham was

301 Henry IV.) should read Henry IV.).

305 (q.v.) should read (q.v.).

307 The marquis should read “The marquis

310 npon should read upon

311 R.C. should read B.C.

313 (St) should read (St.)

318 Shakepeare should read Shakespeare

322 Edward II. and Edward I. should read Edward II. and Edward I.

325 Innamarato should read Innamorato

326 Inis-Thorna should read Inis-Thona

326 to part!” should read to part!’

326 a friar should read “a friar

330 exqusite should read exquisite

330 into a river. should end with )

332 and and should read and

336 heirarchy should read hierarchy

338 (1474-1566): should read (1474-1566);

339 (died 251. should read (died 251).

339 inkeeper should read innkeeper

340 Arnold should read Arnold

340 martydom should read martyrdom

341 satire (1704) should read satire (1704).

342 Bibliothèques Orientale should read Bibliothèque Orientale

342 folly should read folly.

343 English) should read English),

343 for Uncle should read for “Uncle

343 (1741-1779 should end with a )

344 serpant should read serpent

344 (The) Pythagoras should read (The), Pythagoras

346 (1605-15) should read (1605-15).

356 father of “Lucia.” should end with )

360 plasir should read plaisir

365 instalment should read installment

367 hemlet should read helmet

368 corse should read corpse

368 accidently should read accidentally

369 reconcilation should read reconciliation

379 πλέιους should read πλείους

380 fron should read from

384 Cumberland) has extra )

386 Whitehall 1607 should read Whitehall, 1607

386 Whitehall 1604 should read Whitehall, 1604

386 Meres 1598 should read Meres, 1598

387 n’etait should read n’était

390 lady,and should read lady, and

391 November; should read November:

392 (1651-1610) should read (B.C. 1651-1610)

395 the administration should read The administration

396 etc., (1557) has extra (

400 villian should read villain

405 inland should read island

406 bresst should read breast

The following words had inconsistent spelling:

Aboulhassan / Aboulhassen François / Francois Khrosrou-schah / Khrosru-schar Pullicenella / Pullicinella Sulla / Sylla

The following words had inconsistent hyphenation:

brick-dust / brickdust day-break / daybreak East-cheap / Eastcheap grand-son / grandson Hawk-eye / Hawkeye heart-sick / heartsick May-pole / Maypole moon-light / moonlight Nôman-al-Aôuar / Nômanal-Aôuar out-witted /outwitted Puss-in-Boots / Puss in Boots re-united / reunited Ros-crana / Roscrana step-mother / stepmother Un-born / Unborn

Other inconsistencies:

i.e. / i. e The inclusion of the "or" in the italics for two-part titles connected by ", or"