CHARACTER SKETCHES OF ROMANCE, FICTION, AND THE DRAMA. (continued 6)

Paradise Lost. Satan and his crew, still suffering from their violent expulsion out of heaven, are roused by Satan’s telling them about a “new creation;” and he calls a general council to deliberate upon their future operations (bk. i.). The council meet in the Pandemonium hall, and it is resolved that Satan shall go on a voyage of discovery to this “new world” (bk. ii.). The Almighty sees Satan, and confers with His Son about man. He foretells the Fall, and arranges the scheme of man’s redemption. Meantime, Satan enters the orb of the sun, and there learns the route to the “new world” (bk. iii.). On entering Paradise, he overhears Adam and Eve talking of the one prohibition (bk. iv.). Raphael is now sent down to warn Adam of his danger, and he tells him who Satan is (bk. v.); describes the war in heaven, and expulsion of the rebel angels (bk. vi.). The angel visitant goes on to tell Adam why and how this world was made (bk. vii.); and Adam tells Raphael his own experience (bk. viii.) After the departure of Raphael, Satan enters into a serpent, and, seeing Eve alone, speaks to her. Eve is astonished to hear the serpent talk, but is informed that it had tasted of “the tree of knowledge,” and had become instantly endowed with both speech and wisdom. Curiosity induces Eve to taste the same fruit, and she persuades Adam to taste it also (bk. ix.). Satan now returns to hell, to tell of his success (bk. x.). Michael is sent to expel Adam and Eve from the garden (bk. xi.); and the poem concludes with the expulsion, and Eve’s lamentation (bk. xii.).—Milton (1665).

Paradise Lost was first published by Matthias Walker, of St. Dunstan’s. He gave for it £5 down; on the sale of 1300 copies, he gave another £5. On the next two impressions, he gave other like sums. For the four editions, he therefore paid £20. The agreement between Walker and Milton is preserved in the British Museum.

It must be remembered that the wages of an ordinary workman was at that time about 3d. a day, and now we give 3s.; so that the price given was equal to about £250, according to the present value of money. Goldsmith tells us that the clergyman of his “deserted village” was “passing rich” with £40 a year = £500 present value of money.

Paradise Regained, in four books. The subject is the Temptation. Eve, being tempted, lost paradise; Christ, being tempted, regained it.

Book I. Satan presents himself as an old peasant, and, entering into conversation with Jesus, advises Him to satisfy His hunger by miraculously converting stones into bread. Jesus gives the tempter to know that He recognizes him, and refuses to follow his suggestion.

II. Satan reports progress to his ministers, and asks advice. He returns to the wilderness, and offers Jesus wealth, as the means of acquiring power; but the suggestion is again rejected.

III. Satan shows Jesus several of the kingdoms of Asia, and points out to Him their military power. He advises Him to seek alliance with the Parthians, and promises his aid. He says by such alliance He might shake off the Roman yoke, and raise the kingdom of David to first-class power. Jesus rejects the counsel, and tells the tempter that the Jews were for the present under a cloud for their sins, but that the time would come when God would put forth His hand on their behalf.

IV. Satan shows Jesus Rome, with all its greatness, and says, “I can easily dethrone Tiberius, and seat Thee on the imperial throne.” He then shows Him Athens, and says, “I will make Thee master of their wisdom and high state of civilization, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” “Get thee behind Me, Satan!” was the indignant answer; and Satan, finding all his endeavors useless, tells Jesus of the sufferings prepared for Him, takes Him back to the wilderness, and leaves Him there; but angels come and minister unto Him.—Milton (1671).

Paraguay (A Tale of), by Southey, in four cantos (1814). The small-pox, having broken out amongst the Guarānis, carried off the whole tribe except Quiāra and his wife, Monnĕma, who then migrated from the fatal spot to the Mondai woods. Here a son (Yerūti) and afterwards a daughter (Mooma) were born; but before the birth of the latter, the father was eaten by a jagŭar. When the children were of a youthful age, a Jesuit priest induced the three to come and live at St. Joăchin (3 syl.); so they left the wild woods for a city life. Here, in a few months, the mother flagged and died. The daughter next drooped, and soon followed her mother to the grave. The son, now the only remaining one of the entire race, begged to be baptized, received the rite, cried, “Ye are come for me! I am ready;” and died also.

Par´cinus, a young prince, in love with his cousin, Irolit´a, but beloved by Az´ira. The fairy Danamo was Azira’s mother, and resolved to make Irolita marry the fairy Brutus; but Parcinus, aided by the fairy Favorable, surmounted all obstacles, married Irolita, and made Brutus marry Azira.

Parcinus had a noble air, a delicate shape, a fine head of hair admirably white.... He did everything well, danced and sang to perfection, and gained all the prizes at tournaments, whenever he contended for them.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Perfect Love,” 1682).

Par´dalo, the demon-steed given to Iniguez Guerra, by his gobelin mother, that he might ride to Tolēdo and liberate his father, Don Diego Lopez, lord of Biscay, who had fallen into the hands of the Moors.—Spanish Story.

Par´diggle (Mrs.) a formidable lady, who conveyed to one the idea “of wanting a great deal more room.” Like Mrs. Jellyby, she devoted herself to the concerns of Africa, and made her family of small boys contribute all their pocket money to the cause of the Borrioboola Gha mission.—C. Dickens, Bleak House (1853).

Pardoner’s Tale (The), in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is “Death and the Rioters.” Three rioters agree to hunt down Death, and kill him. An old man directs them to a tree in a lane, where, as he said, he had just left him. On reaching the spot, they find a rich treasure, and cast lots to decide who is to go and buy food. The lot falls on the youngest; and the other two, during his absence, agree to kill him on his return. The rascal sent to buy food poisons the wine, in order to secure to himself the whole treasure. Now comes the catastrophe: The two set on the third and slay him, but die soon after of the poisoned wine; so the three rioters find death under the tree, as the old man said, paltering in a double sense (1388).

Parian Verse, ill-natured satire; so called from Archil´ochus, a native of Paros.

Pari-Ba´nou, a fairy who gave Prince Ahmed a tent, which would fold into so small a compass that a lady might carry it about as a toy, but, when spread, it would cover a whole army.—Arabian Nights (“Prince Ahmed and Pari-Banu”).

Paridel is a name employed in the Dunciad for an idle libertine—rich, young, and at leisure. The model is Sir Paridel, in the Faëry Queen.

Paridel (Sir), descendant of Paris, whose son was Parius, who settled in Paros, and left his kingdom to his son, Par´idas, from whom Paridel descended. Having gained the hospitality of Malbecco, Sir Paridel eloped with his wife, Dame Hel´inore (3 syl.), but soon quitted her, leaving her to go whither she would. “So had he served many another one” (bk. iii. 10). In bk. iv. 1 Sir Paridel is discomfited by Sir Scudamore.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, iii. 10; iv. 1 (1590, 1596).

^*_*^* “Sir Paridel” is meant for Charles Nevil, sixth and last of the Nevils, earls of Westmoreland. He joined the Northumberland rebellion of 1569 for the restoration of Mary queen of Scots; and when the plot failed, made his escape to the Continent, where he lived in poverty and obscurity. The earl was quite a Lothario, whose delight was to win the love of women, and then to abandon them.

Paris, a son of Priam and Hecŭba, noted for his beauty. He married Œnōnê, daughter of Cebren, the river-god. Subsequently, during a visit to Menelāus, king of Sparta, he eloped with Queen Helen, and this brought about the Trojan war. Being wounded by an arrow from the bow of Philoctētês, he sent for his wife, who hastened to him with remedies; but it was too late—he died of his wound, and Œnonê hung herself.—Homer, Iliad.

Paris was appointed to decide which of the three goddesses (Juno, Pallas or Minerva) was the fairest fair, and to which should be awarded the golden apple thrown “to the most beautiful.” The three goddesses tried by bribes to obtain the verdict: Juno promised him dominion if he would decide in her favor; Minerva promised him wisdom; but Venus said she would find him the most beautiful of women for wife if he allotted to her the apple. Paris handed the apple to Venus.

Paris, a young nobleman, kinsman of Prince Es´calus of Verona, and the unsuccessful suitor of his cousin, Juliet.—Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1598).

Paris (Notre Dame de), by Victor Hugo (1831). (See Esmeralda and Quasimodo.)

Parisina, wife of Azo, chief of Ferrara. She had been betrothed before her marriage to Hugo, a natural son of Azo, and after Azo took her for his bride, the attachment of Parisina and Hugo continued and had freer scope for indulgence. One night Azo heard Parisina in sleep confess her love for Hugo, whereupon he had his son beheaded, and, though he spared the life of Parisina, no one ever knew what became of her.—Byron, Parisina (1816).

Such is Byron’s version; but history says Niccolo III. of Ferrara (Byron’s “Azo”) had for his second wife Parisina Malatesta, who showed great aversion to Ugo, a natural son of Niccolo, whom he greatly loved. One day, with the hope of lessening this strong aversion, he sent Ugo to escort her on a journey, and the two fell in love with each other. After their return the affection of Parisina and Ugo continued unabated, and a servant, named Zoe´se (3 syl.), having told the marquis of their criminal intimacy, he had the two guilty ones brought to open trial. They were both condemned to death; Ugo was beheaded first, then Parisina. Some time after, Niccolo married a third wife, and had several children.—Frizzi, History of Ferrara.

Parisme´nos, the hero of the second part of Parismus (q.v.). This part contains the adventurous travels of Parismenos, his deeds of chivalry, and love for the Princess Angelica, “the Lady of the Golden Tower.”—Emanuel Foord, Parismenos (1598).

Paris´mus, a valiant and renowned prince of Bohemia, the hero of a romance so called. This “history” contains an account of his battles against the Persians, his love for Laurana, daughter of the king of Thessaly, and his strange adventures in the Desolate Island. The second part contains the exploits and love affairs of Parisme´nos.—Emanuel Foord, Parismus (1598).

Pariza´de (4 syl.), daughter of Khrosrou-schah, sultan of Persia, and sister of Bahman and Perviz. These three, in infancy, were sent adrift, each at the time of birth, through the jealousy of their two maternal aunts, who went to nurse the sultana in her confinement; but they were drawn out of the canal by the superintendent of the sultan’s gardens, who brought them up. Parizadê rivalled her brothers in horsemanship, archery, running and literature. One day, a devotee who had been kindly entreated by Parizadê, told her the house she lived in wanted three things to make it perfect: (1) the talking bird, (2) the singing tree, and (3) the golden-colored water. Her two brothers went to obtain these treasures, but failed. Parizadê then went, and succeeded. The sultan paid them a visit, and the talking bird revealed to him the story of their birth and bringing up. When the sultan heard the infamous tale, he commanded the two sisters to be put to death, and Parizadê, with her two brothers, were then proclaimed the lawful children of the sultan.—Arabian Nights (“The Two Sisters,” the last story).

^*_*^* The story of Cherry and Fairstar, by the Comtesse D’Aunoy, is an imitation of this tale; and introduces the “green bird,” the “singing apple,” and the “dancing water.”

Parkes (Mr.). A clergyman “of simplicity and sincerity, fully in earnest to do the Lord’s work and do it with all his might.” He suggests to his congregation when the Week of Prayer comes around that they “make a Week of Practice instead.” The result is told in The Deacon’s Week.—Rose Terry Cooke (1886).

Parley (Peter), Samuel Griswold Goodrich, an American. Above seven millions of his books were in circulation in 1859 (1793-1860).

^*_*^* Several piracies of this popular name have appeared. Thus, S. Kettell, of America, pirated the name in order to sell under false colors; Darton and Co, issued a Peter Parley’s Annual (1841-1855); Simkins, a Peter Parley’s Life of Paul (1845); Bogue, a Peter Parley’s Visit to London, etc. (1844); Tegg, several works under the same name; Hodson, a Peter Parley’s Bible Geography (1839); Clements, a Peter Parley’s Child’s First Step (1839). None of which works were by Goodrich, the real “Peter Parley.”

William Martin was the writer of Darton’s “Peter Parley series.” George Mogridge wrote several tales under the name of Peter Parley. How far such “false pretences” are justifiable, public opinion, must decide.

Parliament (The Black), a parliament held by Henry VIII. in Bridewell.

(For Addled parliament, Barebone’s parliament, the Devil’s parliament, the Drunken parliament, the Good parliament, the Long parliament, the Mad parliament, the Pensioner parliament, the Rump parliament, the Running parliament, the Unmerciful parliament, the Useless parliament, the Wonder-making parliament, the parliament of Dunces, see Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 657.)

Parnelle (Mde.), the mother of M. Orgon, and an ultra-admirer of Tartuffe, whom she looks on as a saint. In the adaptation of Molière’s comedy by Isaac Bickerstaff, Mde. Parnelle is called “old Lady Lambert;” her son, “Sir John Lambert;” and Tartuffe, “Dr. Cantwell.”—Molière, Tartuffe (1664); Bickerstaff, The Hypocrite (1768).

^*_*^* The Nonjuror, by Cibber (1706), was the quarry of Bickerstaff’s play.

Parody (Father of), Hippo´nax of Ephesus (sixth century B.C.).

Parol´les (3 syl.), a boastful, cowardly follower of Bertram, count of Rousillon. His utterances are racy enough, but our contempt for the man smothers our mirth, and we cannot laugh. In one scene the bully is taken blindfolded among his old acquaintances, whom he is led to suppose are his enemies, and he villifies their characters to their faces in most admired foolery.—Shakespeare, All’s Well that Ends Well (1598).

He [Dr. Parr] was a mere Parolles in a pedagogue’s wig.—Noctes Ambrosianæ.

(For similar tongue-doughty heroes, see Basilisco, Bessus, Bluff, Bobadil, Boroughcliff, Brazen, Flash, Pistol, Pyrgo, Polinices, Scaramouch, Thraso, Vincent de la Rosa, etc.)

Parpaillons (King of the), the father of Gargamelle, “a jolly pug and well-mouthed wench,” who married Grangousier “in the vigor of his age,” and became the mother of Gargantua.—Rabelais, Gargantua, i. 3 (1533).

Parr (Old). Thomas Parr, we are told, lived in the reign of ten sovereigns. He married his second wife when he was 120 years old, and had a child by her. He was a husbandman, born at Salop, in 1483, and died 1635, aged 152.

Parricide (The Beautiful), Beatrice Cenci, who is said to have murdered her father for the incestuous brutality with which he had treated her (died 1599).

Shelley has a tragedy on the subject, called The Cenci (1819).

Parsley Peel, the first Sir Robert Peel. So called from the great quantity of printed calico with the parsley-leaf pattern manufactured by him (1750-1830).

Parson Adams, a simple-minded country clergyman of the eighteenth century. At the age of 50 he was provided with a handsome income of £23 a year (nearly £300 of our money).—Fielding, Joseph Andrews (1742).

Timothy Burrell, Esq., in 1715, bequeathed to his nephew Timothy, the sum of £20 a year, to be paid during his residence at the university, and to be continued to him till he obtained some preferment worth at least £30 a year.—Sussex Archæological Collections, iii. 172.

Parson Bate, a stalwart choleric, sporting parson, editor of the Morning Post in the latter half of the eighteenth century. He was afterwards Sir Henry Bate Dudley, Bart.

When Sir Henry Bate Dudley was appointed an Irish dean, a young lady of Dublin said, “Och! how I long to see our dane! They say ... he fights like an angel.”—Cassell’s Magazine (“London Legends,” iii.)

Parson Collins, shrewd backwoodsman, ready for fight or prayer. He suffers at the hands of desperadoes, but is dauntless, and always gets the better of his partner in a trade. His white mule Ma’y Jane, is the only creature that outwits him, and that only at fence-corners.—Octave Thanet, Expiation (1890).

Parson Runo (A), a simple-minded clergyman, wholly unacquainted with the world; a Dr. Primrose, in fact. It is a Russian household phrase, having its origin in the singular simplicity of the Lutheran clergy of the Isle of Runo.

Parson Trulliber, a fat clergyman, slothful, ignorant, and intensely bigoted.—Fielding, Joseph Andrews (1742).

Parsons (Walter), the giant porter of King James I. (died 1622).—Fuller, Worthies (1662).

Parsons’ Kaiser (The), Karl IV., of Germany, who was set up by Pope Clement VI., while Ludwig IV. was still on the throne. The Germans called the pope’s protégé “pfaffen kaiser.”

Parthe´nia, the mistress of Argălus.—Sir Philip Sidney, Arcadia (1580).

Parthenia, Maidenly Chastity personified. Parthenia is sister of Agnei´a (3 syl.), or wifely chastity, the spouse of Encra´tês, or temperance. Her attendant is Er´ythre, or modesty. (Greek, parthĕnia, “maidenhood.”)—Phineas Fletcher, The Purple Island, x. (1633).

Parthen´ope (4 syl.), one of the three syrens. She was buried at Naples. Naples itself was anciently called Parthenopê, which name was changed to Neap´olis (“the new city”) by a colony of Cumæans.

(The three syrens were Parthenopê, Ligēa, and Leucos´ia, not Leucoth´ea, q.v.)

Parthenope (4 syl.), the damsel beloved by Prince Volscius.—Duke of Buckingham, The Rehearsal (1671).

Parthen´ope of Naples, Sannazora, the Neapolitan poet called “The Christian Virgil.” Most of his poems were published under the assumed name of Actius Sincerus (1458-1530).

Partington (Mrs.), an old lady of amusing affectations and ridiculous blunders of speech. Sheridan’s “Mrs. Malaprop” and Smollett’s “Tabitha Bramble” are similar characters.—B. P. Shillaber (an American humorist).

I do not mean to be disrespectful; but the attempt of the lords to stop the progress of reform reminds me very forcibly of the great storm of Sidmouth, and the conduct of the excellent Mrs. Partington on that occasion. In the winter of 1824, there set in a great flood upon that town; the tide rose to an incredible height; the waves rushed in upon the houses; and everything was threatened with destruction. In the midst of this sublime storm, Dame Partington, who lived upon the beach, was seen at the door of her house with mop and pattens, trundling her mop, squeezing out the sea-water, and vigorously pushing away the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic was roused, Mrs. Partington’s spirit was up; but I need not tell you that the contest was unequal. The Atlantic beat Mrs. Partington. She was excellent at a slop or puddle, but should never have meddled with a tempest.—Sydney Smith (speech at Taunton, 1831).

Partlet, the hen, in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” and in the famous beast-epic of Reynard the Fox (1498).—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (1388).

Sister Partlet with her hooded head, the cloistered community of nuns; the Roman Catholic clergy being the “barn-door fowls.”—Dryden, Hind and Panther (1687).

Partridge. Talus was changed into a partridge.

Partridge, cobbler, quack, astrologer, and almanac-maker (died 1708). Dean Swift wrote an elegy on him.

Partridge, the attendant of Tom Jones, as Strap, is of Smollett’s “Roderick Random.” Faithful, shrewd, and of child-like simplicity. He is half-barber and half-schoolmaster. His excitement in the play-house when he went to see Garrick in “Hamlet” is charming.—Fielding, The History of Tom Jones (1749).

The humor of Smollett, although genuine and hearty, is coarse and vulgar. He was superficial where Fielding showed deep insight; but he had a rude conception of generosity of which Fielding seems incapable. It is owing to this that “Strap” is superior to “Partridge.”—Hazlitt, Comic Writers.

Parvenue. One of the O’Neals, being told that Barrett of Castlemone had only been 400 years in Ireland, replied, “I hate the upstart, which can only look back to yesterday.”

Parviz (“victorious”), surname of Khosrou II. of Persia. He kept 15,000 female musicians, 6000 household officers, 20,500 saddle-mules, 960 elephants, 200 slaves to scatter perfumes when he went abroad, and 1000 sekabers to water the roads before him. His horse, Shibdiz, was called “the Persian Bucephălus.”

The reigns of Khosrou I. and II. were the golden period of Persian history.

Parzival, the hero and title of a metrical romance, by Wolfram v. Eschenbach. Parzival was brought up by a widowed mother, in solitude, but when grown to manhood, two wandering knights persuaded him to go to the court of King Arthur. His mother, hoping to deter him, consented to his going if he would wear the dress of a common jester. This he did, but soon achieved such noble deeds that Arthur made him a knight of the Round Table. Sir Parzival went in quest of the Holy Graal, which was kept in a magnificent castle called Graalburg, in Spain, built by the royal priest Titurel. He reached the castle, but having neglected certain conditions, was shut out, and, on his return, the priestess of Graalburg insisted on his being expelled the court and degraded from knighthood. Parzival then led a new life of abstinence and self-abnegation, and a wise hermit became his instructor. At length he reached such a state of purity and sanctity that the priestess of Graalburg declared him worthy to become lord of the castle (1205).

^*_*^* This, of course, is an allegory of a Christian giving up everything in order to be admitted a priest and king in the city of God, and becoming a fool in order to learn true wisdom (see 1 Cor. iii. 18).

Pasquin, a Roman cobbler of the latter half of the fifteenth century, whose shop stood in the neighborhood of the Braschi palace near the Piazza Navoni. He was noted for his caustic remarks and bitter sayings. After his death, a mutilated statue near the shop was called by his name, and made the repository of all the bitter epigrams and satirical verses of the city; hence called pasquinades (3 syl.).

Passamonte (Gines de), the galley-slave set free by Don Quixote. He returned the favor by stealing Sancho’s wallet and ass. Subsequently he reappeared as a puppet-showman.—Cervantes, Don Quixote.

Passatore (Il), a title assumed by Belli´no, an Italian bandit chief who died 1851.

Passel´yon, a young foundling brought up by Morgan la Fée. He was detected in an intrigue with Morgan’s daughter. The adventures of this amorous youth are related in the romance called Perceforest, iii.

Passe Rose, fair orphan girl, warm of heart and single of purpose. Ingenuous as a babe, and made strong by love. Her adventures are the theme of the novel bearing her name.—Arthur Sherburne Hardy, Passe Rose (1889).

Passetreul, the name of Sir Tristram’s horse.

Passe-tyme of Plesure, an allegorical poem in forty-six capitulos and in seven-line stanzas, by Stephen Hawes (1506) The poet supposes that while Graunde Amoure was walking in a meadow he encountered Fame, “enuyroned with tongues of fyre,” who told him about La bell Pucell, a ladye fair, living in the Tower of Musike, and then departed, leaving him under the charge of Gouernaunce and Grace, who conducted him to the Tower of Doctrine. Countenaunce, the portress, showed him over the tower, and Lady Science sent him to Gramer. Afterwards he was sent to Logyke, Rethorike, Inuention, Arismetrike and Musike. In the Tower of Musike he met La bell Pucell, pleaded his love, and was kindly entreated; but they were obliged to part for the time being, while Graunde Amoure continued his “passe-tyme of plesure.” On quitting La bell Pucell he went to Geometrye and then to Dame Astronomy. Then, leaving the Tower of Science, he entered that of Chyualry. Here Mynerue introduced him to Kyng Melyzyus, after which he went to the temple of Venus, who sent a letter on his behalf to La bell Pucell. Meanwhile the giant False Report (or Godfrey Gobilyue) met him, and put him to great distress in the house of Correction, but Perceueraunce at length conducted him to the manor-house of Dame Comfort. After sundry trials Graunde Amoure married La bell Pucell, and, after many a long day of happiness and love, was arrested by Age, who took him before Policye and Auarice. Death in time came for him, and Remembraunce wrote his epitaph.

Pastor Fi´do (Il), a pastoral by Giovanni Battista Guari´ni of Ferrara (1585).

Pastoral Romance (The Father of), Honoré d’Urfé (1567-1625).

Pastorella, the fair shepherdess (bk. vi. 9), beloved by Corydon, but “neither for him nor any other did she care a whit.” She was a foundling, brought up by the shepherd Melibee. When Sir Calidore (3 syl.) was the shepherd’s guest, he fell in love with the fair foundling, who returned his love. During the absence of Sir Calidore in a hunting expedition, Pastorella, with Melibee and Corydon, were carried off by brigands. Melibee was killed, Corydon effected his escape, and Pastorella was wounded. Sir Calidore went to rescue his shepherdess, killed the brigand chief, and brought back the captive in safety (bk. vi. 11). He took her to Belgard Castle, and it turned out that the beautiful foundling was the daughter of Lady Claribel and Sir Bellamour (bk, vi. 12).—Spenser, Faëry Queen, vi. 9-12 (1596).

“Pastorella” is meant for Frances Walsingham, daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, whom Sir Philip Sidney (“Sir Calidore”) married. After Sidney’s death the widow married the earl of Essex (the queen’s favorite). Sir Philip being the author of a romance called Arcadia suggested to the poet the name Pastorella.

Patch, the clever, intriguing waiting-woman of Isabinda, daughter of Sir Jealous Traffick. As she was handing a love-letter in cipher to her mistress, she let it fall, and Sir Jealous picked it up. He could not read it, but insisted on knowing what it meant. “O,” cried the ready wit, “it is a charm for the toothache!” and the suspicions of Sir Jealous were diverted (act iv. 2).—Mrs. Centlivre, The Busy Body (1709).

Patch (Clause), king of the beggars. He died in 1730, and was succeeded by Bampfylde Moore Carew.

Patche (1 syl.), Cardinal Wolsey’s jester. When the cardinal felt his favor giving way, he sent Patche as a gift to the king, and Henry VIII. considered the gift a most acceptable one.

We call one Patche or Cowlson, whom we see to do a thing foolishly, because these two in their time were notable fools.—Wilson, Art of Rhetorique (1553).

Patelin (2 syl.), the hero of an ancient French comedy. He contrives to obtain on credit six ells of cloth from William Josseaume, by artfully praising the tradesman’s father. Any subtle, crafty fellow, who entices by flattery and insinuating arts, is called a Patelin.—P. Blanchet, L’Avocat Patelin (1459-1519).

On lui attribue, mais à tort, la farce de L’Avocat Patelin, qui est plus ancienne que lui.—Bouillet, Dictionary Universel d’Histoire, etc., art. “Blanchet.”

Consider, sir, I pray you, how the noble Patelin, having a mind to extol to the third heavens, the father of William Josseaume, said no more than this: he did lend his goods freely to those who were desirous of them.—Rabelais, Pantagruel, iii. 4 (1545).

Pater Patrum. St. Gregory, of Nyssa is so called by the council of Nice (332-395).

Paterson (Pate), serving-boy to Bryce Snailsfoot, the pedlar.—Sir W. Scott, The Pirate (time, William III.).

Pathfinder (The), Natty Bumpo; also called “The Deerslayer” “The Hawk-eye,” and “The Trapper.”—Fenimore Cooper, (five novels called The Pathfinder, The Pioneers, The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, and The Prairie).

Pathfinder of the Rocky Mountains. (The), Major-General John Charles Fremont, who conducted four exploring expeditions across the Rocky Mountains in 1842.

Patient Griselda or Grisildis, the wife of Wautier, marquis of Salucês. Boccaccio says she was a poor country lass, who became the wife of Gualtiere, marquis of Saluzzo. She was robbed of her children by her husband, reduced to abject poverty, divorced, and commanded to assist in the marriage of her husband with another woman; but she bore every affront patiently, and without complaint.—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (“The Clerk’s Tale,” 1388); Boccaccio, Decameron, x. 10 (1352).

Patience Strong. Delightful old maid, who, after passing most of her life in a quiet New England township, goes abroad and tells her experiences in Sights and Insights.—A. D. T. Whitney (1860).

She is also the central figure in a quiet story of domestic life, entitled Patience Strong’s Outings (1858).

Patin, brother of the emperor of Rome. He fights with Am´adis of Gaul, and has his horse killed under him.—Vasco de Lobeira, Amadis de Gaul (thirteenth century).

Patison, licensed jester to Sir Thos. More. Hans Holbein has introduced this jester in his famous picture of the lord chancellor.

Patriarch of Dorchester, John White, of Dorchester, a puritan divine (1574-1648).

Patriarchs (The Last of the). So Christopher Casby, of Bleeding-heart Yard was called. “So grey, so slow, so quiet, so impassionate, so very bumpy in the head, that patriarch was the word for him.” Painters implored him to be a model for some patriarch they designed to paint. Philanthropists looked on him as famous capital for a platform. He had once been town agent in the Circumlocution Office, and was well-to-do.

His face had a bloom on it like ripe wall-fruit, and his blue eyes seemed to be the eyes of wisdom and virtue. His whole face teemed with the look of benignity. Nobody could say where the wisdom was, or where the virtue was, or where the benignity was, but they seemed to be somewhere about him.... He wore a long wide-skirted bottle-green coat, and a bottle-green pair of trousers, and a bottle-green waistcoat. The patriarchs were not dressed in bottle-green broadcloth, and yet his clothes looked patriarchal.—C. Dickens, Little Dorrit (1857).

Patrick, an old domestic at Shaw’s Castle.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Patrick (St.), the tutelar saint of Ireland. Born at Kirk Patrick, near Dumbarton. His baptismal name was “Succeath” (“valor in war”), changed by Milcho, to whom he was sold as a slave into “Cotharig” (four families or four masters, to whom he had been sold). It was Pope Celestine who changed the name to “Patricius,” when he sent him to convert the Irish.

Certainly the most marvellous of all the miracles ascribed to the saints is that recorded of St. Patrick. “He swam across the Shannon with his head in his mouth!”

Saint Patrick and King O’Neil. One day, the saint set the end of his crozier on the foot of O’Neil, king of Ulster, and, leaning heavily on it, hurt the king’s foot severely; but the royal convert showed no indication of pain or annoyance whatsoever.

A similar anecdote is told of St. Areed, who went to show the king of Abyssinia a musical instrument he had invented. His majesty rested the head of his spear on the saint’s foot, and leaned with both his hands on the spear while he listened to the music. St. Areed, though his great toe was severely pierced, showed no sign of pain, but went on playing as if nothing was the matter.

St. Patrick and the Serpent. St Patrick cleared Ireland of vermin. One old serpent resisted, but St. Patrick overcame it by cunning. He made a box, and invited the serpent to enter in. The serpent insisted it was too small; and so high the contention grew that the serpent got into the box to prove that he was right, whereupon St. Patrick slammed down the lid, and cast the box into the sea.

This tradition is marvellously like an incident of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. A fisherman had drawn up a box or vase in his net, and on breaking it open a genius issued therefrom, and threatened the fisherman with immediate destruction because he had been enclosed so long. Said the fisherman to the genius, “I wish to know whether you really were in that vase.” “I certainly was,” said the genius. “I cannot believe it,” replied the fisherman, “for the vase could not contain even one of your feet.” Then the genius, to prove his assertion, changed into smoke, and entered into the vase, saying, “Now, incredulous fisherman, dost thou believe me?” But the fisherman clapped the leaden cover on the vase, and told the genius that he was about to throw the box into the sea, and that he would build a house on the spot to warn others not to fish up so wicked a genius.—Arabian Nights (“The Fisherman,” one of the early tales).

^*_*^* St. Patrick, I fear, had read the Arabian Nights, and stole a leaf from the fisherman’s book.

St. Patrick a Gentleman.

This song was written by Messrs. Bennet and Toleken, of Cork, and was first sung by them at a masquerade in 1814. It was afterwards lengthened for Webbe, the comedian, who made it popular.

Patriot King (The), Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke (1678-1751). He hired Mallet to traduce Pope after his decease, because the poet refused to give up certain copies of a work which the statesman wished to have destroyed.

Patriot of Humanity. So Byron calls Henry Grattan (1750-1820).—Don Juan (preface to canto vi., etc.. 1824).

Patron (The), a farce by S. Foote (1764). The patron is Sir Thomas Lofty, called by his friends, “sharp-judging Adriel, the Muse’s friend, himself a Muse,” but by those who loved him less, “the modern Midas.” Books without number were dedicated to him, and the writers addressed him as the “British Pollio, Atticus, the Mæcēnas of England, protector of arts, paragon of poets, arbiter of taste, and sworn appraiser of Apollo and the Muses.” The plot is very simple: Sir Thomas Lofty has written a play called Robinson Crusoe, and gets Richard Bever to stand godfather to it. The play is damned past redemption, and to soothe Bever, Sir Thomas allows him to marry his niece, Juliet.

Horace Walpole, earl of Orford, is the original of “Sir Thomas Lofty” (1717-1797).

Patten, according to Gay, is so called from Patty, the pretty daughter of a Lincolnshire farmer, with whom the village blacksmith fell in love. To save her from wet feet when she went to milk the cows, he mounted her clogs on an iron eke.

(Of course, the word is the French patin, “a skate or high-heeled shoe,” from the Greek, patein, “to walk.”)

Pattieson (Mr. Peter), in the introduction of The Heart of Midlothian, by Sir W. Scott, and again in the introduction of The Bride of Lammermoor. He is a hypothetical assistant teacher at Gandercleuch, and the feigned author of The Tales of My Landlord, which Sir Walter Scott pretends were published by Jedediah Cleishbotham, after the death of Pattieson.

Patton (Mrs.). Tailoress and talker, otherwise known as “the Widow Jim,” who has all genealogy and relationship at her tongue’s end. “She chatters all day as the swallows chatter, and you do not tire of her.”—Sarah Orne Jewett, Deephaven (1877).

Patterson (Elizabeth). One of the most remarkable women of this century. The beautiful daughter of a Baltimore merchant prince, she captivated Jerome Bonaparte, (then a minor, and dependent on his brother), who was visiting America. In the face of parental opposition, she married him Dec. 24, 1803. Napoleon (First Consul) promptly repudiated the marriage, ordered his brother home, and forbade all French vessels to receive as a passenger, “the young person with whom Citizen Joseph has connected himself.” In October, 1804, the young couple sailed for France in the ship Philadelphia, but were blown ashore at Lewes, Del. In March, 1805, they embarked again, reaching Lisbon, April 2. Napoleon (now emperor) refused to allow them to enter France, but sent to know “what he could do for Miss Patterson.” She replied that “Madame Bonaparte demanded her rights as one of the imperial family.” The contest was unequal. She was sent back to America, and the marriage declared null and void. Her son, Jerome, was born in England, July 7, 1805. She was never allowed to see her husband again, yet her ambitious projects for “Bo,” as she called her son, were unremitting until the downfall of the Bonarparte family. After this, she aimed to ally him with the English nobility, a design thwarted by his love-match with a lovely Baltimorean. She was an able financier, and became one of the richest women in Baltimore. Retaining her mind and many traces of her extraordinary beauty to the last, she died, April 3, 1879, at the age of ninety-four.

“By the laws of justice and of the Church she was a queen, although she was never allowed to reign.... There was about her the brilliancy of courts and palaces, the enchantment of a love-story, the suffering of a victim of despotic power.”—Eugene Dìdier, Life and Letters of Madame Bonaparte (1879).

Patty, “the maid of the mill,” daughter of Fairfield, the miller. She was brought up by the mother of Lord Aimworth, and was promised by her father in marriage to Farmer Giles; but she refused to marry him, and became the bride of Lord Aimworth. Patty was very clever, very pretty, very ingenuous, and loved his lordship to adoration.—Bickerstaff, The Maid of the Mill (1765).

Pattypan (Mrs.), a widow who keeps lodgings, and makes love to Tim Tartlet, to whom she is ultimately engaged.

By all accounts, she is just as loving now as she was thirty years ago.—James Cobb, The First Floor, i. 2 (1756-1818).

Patullo (Mrs.), waiting-woman to Lady Ashton.—Sir W. Scott, Bride of Lammermoor (time, William III.).

Pau-Puk-Keewis, a cunning mischief-maker, who taught the North American Indians the game of hazard, and stripped them, by his winnings, of all their possessions. In a mad freak Pau-Puk-Keewis entered the wigwam of Hiawatha and threw everything into confusion; so Hiawatha resolved to slay him. Pau-Puk-Keewis, taking to flight, prayed the beavers to make him a beaver ten times their own size. This they did; but when the other beavers made their escape, at the arrival of Hiawatha, Pau-Puk-Keewis was hindered from getting away by his great size; and Hiawatha slew him. His spirit, escaping, flew upwards, and prayed the storm-fools to make him a “brant” ten times their own size. This was done, and he was told never to look downwards, or he would lose his life. When Hiawatha arrived, the “brant” could not forbear looking at him; and immediately he fell to earth, and Hiawatha transformed him into an eagle.

Paul, the love-child of Margaret, who retired to Port Louis, in the Mauritius, to bury herself, and bring up her only child. Hither came Mde. de la Tour, a widow, and was confined of a daughter, whom she named Virginia. Between these neighbors a mutual friendship arose, and the two children became playmates. As they grew in years their fondness for each other developed into love. When Virginia was 15, her mother’s aunt adopted her, and begged she might be sent to France to finish her education. She was above two years in France; and as she refused to marry a count of the “aunt’s” providing, she was disinherited and sent back to her mother. When within a cable’s length of the island a hurricane dashed the ship to pieces, and the dead body of Virginia was thrown upon the shore. Paul drooped from grief, and within two months followed her to the grave.—Bernardin de St. Pierre, Paul et Virgine (1788).

In Cobb’s dramatic version, Paul’s mother (Margaret) is made a faithful domestic of Virginia’s parents. Virginia’s mother dies, and commits her infant daughter to the care of Dominique, a faithful old negro servant, and Paul and Virginia are brought up in the belief that they are brother and sister. When Virginia is 15 years old, her aunt, Leonora de Guzman, adopts her, and sends Don Antonio de Guardes to bring her to Spain and make her his bride. She is taken by force on board ship; but scarcely has the ship started, when a hurricane dashes it on rocks, and it is wrecked. Alhambra, a runaway slave whom Paul and Virginia had befriended, rescues Virginia, who is brought to shore and married to Paul; but Antonio is drowned (1756-1818).

Paul (Father), Paul Sarpi (1552-1628).

Paul (St.). The very sword which cut off the head of this apostle is preserved at the convent of La Lisla, near Tolēdo, in Spain. If any one doubts the fact he may, for a gratuity, see a “copper sword, twenty-five inches long and three and a half broad, on one side of which is the word MUCRO (‘a sword’), and on the other PAULUS ... CAPITE.” Can anything be more convincing?

Paul (The Second St.). St Remi or Remigius, “The Great Apostle of the French.” He was made bishop of Rheims when only 22 years old. It was St Remi who baptized Clovis, and told him that henceforth he must worship what he hitherto had hated, and abjure what he had hitherto adored (439-535).

^*_*^* The cruse employed by St. Remi in the baptism of Clovis was used through the French monarchy in the anointing of all the kings.

Paul Pry, an idle, inquisitive, meddlesome fellow, who has no occupation of his own, and is forever poking his nose into other people’s affairs. He always comes in with the apology, “I hope I don’t intrude.”—John Poole, Paul Pry.

Thomas Hill, familiarly called “Tommy Hill,” was the original of this character, and also of “Gilbert Gurney,” by Theodore Hook. Planché says of Thomas Hill:

His specialité was the accurate information he could impart on all the petty details of the domestic economy of his friends, the contents of their wardrobes, their pantries, the number of pots of preserves in their store-closets, and of the table-napkins in their linen-presses, the dates of their births and marriages, the amounts of their tradesmen’s bills, and whether paid weekly or quarterly. He had been on the press, and was connected with the Morning Chronicle. He used to drive Mathews crazy by ferreting out his whereabouts when he left London, and popping the information into some paper.—Recollections, i. 131-2.

Paul Rushleigh, son of a wealthy manufacturer, and in love from boyhood with Faith Gartney. She can give him only sisterly affection in return, but her refusal makes a man of the boy. Ten years afterwards, as General Rushleigh, a noble, high-minded patriot, he meets Margaret Regis and marries her.—A. D. T. Whitney, Sights and Insights (1876).

Pauletti (the Lady Erminia), ward of Master George Heriot, the king’s goldsmith.—Sir W. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Pauli´na, the noble-spirited wife of Antig´onus, a Sicilian lord, and the kind friend of Queen Hermi´onê. When Hermionê gave birth in prison to a daughter, Paulina undertook to present it to King Leontês, hoping that his heart would be softened at the sight of his infant daughter; but he commanded the child to be cast out on a desert shore, and left there to perish. The child was drifted to the “coast” of Bohemia, and brought up by a shepherd, who called it Perdĭta. Florizel, the son of king Polixĕnês, fell in love with her, and fled with her to Sicily, to escape the vengeance of the angry king. The fugitives being introduced to Leontês, it was soon discovered that Perdita was the king’s daughter, and Polixenês consented to the union he had before forbidden. Paulina now invited Leontês and the rest to inspect a famous statue of Hermionê, and the statue turned out to be the living queen herself.—Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (1604).

Pauline, “The Beauty of Lyons,” daughter of M. Deschappelles, a Lyonese merchant; “as pretty as Venus, and as proud as Juno.” Pauline rejected the suits of Beauseant, Glavis and Claude Melnotte; and the three rejected lovers combined on vengeance. To this end, Claude, who was a gardener’s son, pretended to be the Prince Como, and Pauline married him, but was indignant when she discovered the trick which had been played upon her. Claude left her, and entered the French army, where in two years and a half he rose to the rank of colonel. Returning to Lyons, he found his father-in-law on the eve of bankruptcy, and Pauline about to be sold to Beauseant for money to satisfy the creditors. Being convinced that Pauline really loved him, Claude paid the money required, and claimed the lady as his loving and grateful wife.—Lord L. B. Lytton, The Lady of Lyons (1838).

Pauline (Mademoiselle) or Monna Paula, the attendant of Lady Erminia Pauletti, the goldsmith’s ward.—Sir W. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Pauline Pavlovna, heroine of T. B. Aldrich’s drama of that name (1890).

Pauli´nus of York, christened 10,000 men, besides women and their children in one single day in the Swale. (Altogether some 50,000 souls, i.e. 104 every minute, 6,250 every hour, supposing he worked eight hours without stopping.)

Paulo, the cardinal and brother of Count Guido Franceschi´ni. He advised the count to repair his bankrupt fortune by marrying an heiress.—R. Browning, The Ring and the Book.

Paupiah, the Hindû steward of the British governor of Madras.—Sir W. Scott, The Surgeon’s Daughter (time, George II.).

Pausa´nias (The British), William Camden (1551-1623). Pausanias was a traveller and geographer in the 2d century A.D., who wrote an Itinerary of Greece. Camden wrote in Latin his “Brittania,” a survey of the British Isles.

Pauvre Jacques. When Marie Antoinette had her artificial Swiss village in the “Little Trianon,” a Swiss girl was brought over to heighten the illusion. She was observed to pine, and was heard to sigh out, pauvre Jacques! This little romance pleased the queen, who sent for Jacques, and gave the pair a wedding portion; while the Marchioness de Travanet wrote the song called Pauvre Jacques, which created at the time quite a sensation. The first and last verses run thus:

Pa´via (Battle of). Francis I. of France is said to have written to his mother these words, after the loss of this battle: “Madame, tout est perdu hors l’honneur;” but what he really wrote was: “Madame ... de toutes choses ne m’est demeuré pas que l’honneur et la vie.”

Pavillon (Meinheer Hermann), the syndic at Liège [Le-aje].

Mother Mabel Pavillon, wife of Meinheer Hermann.

Trudchen or Gertrude Pavillon, their daughter, betrothed to Hans Glover.—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Pawkins (Major), a huge, heavy man, “one of the most remarkable of the age.” He was a great politician and great patriot, but generally under a cloud, wholly owing to his distinguished genius for bold speculations, not to say “swindling schemes.” His creed was “to run a moist pen slick through everything, and start afresh.”—C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit (1844).

Pawnbrokers’ Balls. The gilded balls, the sign of pawnbrokers, are the pills on the shield of the Medici family. Its founder, Cosmo, named after Saint Cosmo, the patron of physicians, joined the guild of the doctors (Medici), as every Florentine enrolled himself in one of these charitable societies. The Medici family became great money-lenders, and their shield with the “balls” or “pills” was placed over the doors of their agents.

Paynim Harper (The), referred to by Tennyson in the Last Tournament, was Orpheus.

Peace (Prince of the), Don Manuel Godoy, born at Badajoz. So called because he concluded the “peace of Basle” between the French and Spanish nations in 1795 (1767-1851).

Peace (The Father of), Andrea Doria (1469-1560).

Peace (The Surest Way to). Fox, afterwards bishop of Hereford, said to Henry VIII., The surest way to peace is a constant preparation for war. The Romans had the axiom, Si vis pacem, para bellum. It was said of Edgar, surnamed “the Peaceful,” king of England, that he preserved peace in those turbulent times “by being always prepared for war” (reigned 959-975.)

Peace Thirlmore, ambitious daughter of a scholarly recluse near New Haven. She marries a clever student, who becomes a sensational preacher, then farmer, then an army officer. His wife passes through many stages of belief and emotion, emerging at last into the sunshine.—W. M. Baker, His Majesty, Myself (1879).

Peace at any Price. Mézeray says of Louis XII., that he had such detestation of war that he rather chose to lose his duchy of Mĭlan than burden his subjects with a war-tax.—Histoire de France (1643).

Peace of Antal´cidas, the peace concluded by Antalcidas, the Spartan, and Artaxerxes (B.C. 387).

Peace of God, a peace enforced by the clergy on the barons of Christendom, to prevent the perpetual feuds between baron and baron (1035).

Peach´um, a pimp, patron of a gang of thieves, and receiver of their stolen goods. His house is the resort of thieves, pickpockets, and villains of all sorts. He betrays his comrades when it is for his own benefit, and even procures the arrest of Captain Macheath.

Mrs. Peachum, wife of Peachum. She recommends her daughter Polly to be “somewhat nice in her deviations from virtue.”

Polly Peachum, daughter of Peachum. (See Polly.)—J. Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

Pearl (Little), illegitimate child of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. A piquant, tricksy sprite, as naughty as she is bewitching—a creature of fire and air, more elfish than human, at once her mother’s torment and her treasure.—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850).

Pearl. It is said that Cleopatra swallowed a pearl of more value than the whole of the banquet she had provided in honor of Antony. This she did when she drank to his health. The same sort of extravagant folly is told of Æsopus, son of Clodius Æsopus, the actor (Horace, Satire, ii. 3).

A similar act of vanity and folly is ascribed to Sir Thomas Gresham, when Queen Elizabeth dined at the City banquet, after her visit to the Royal Exchange.

Pearson (Captain Gilbert), officer in attendance on Cromwell.—Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).

Peasant-Bard (The), Robert Burns (1859-1796).

Peasant-Painter of Sweden, Hörberg. His chief paintings are altar-pieces.

Peasant Poet of Northamptonshire, John Clare (1793-1864).

Peasant of the Danube (The), Louis Legendre, a member of the French National Convention (1755-1797); called in French Le Paysan du Danube, from his “éloquence sauvage.”

Peau de Chagrin, a story by Balzac. The hero becomes possessed of a magical wild ass’s skin, which yields him the means of gratifying every wish; but for every wish thus gratified, the skin shrank somewhat, and at last vanished, having been wished entirely away. Life is a peau d’ane, for every vital act diminishes its force, and when all its force is gone, life is gone (1834).

Peckhams (The), Silas Peckham, “a thorough Yankee, born on a windy part of the coast, and reared chiefly on salt-fish; keeps a young ladies’ school exactly as he would have kept a hundred head of cattle—for the simple, unadorned purpose of making just as much money in just as few years as can be safely done.”

Mrs. Peckham’s specialty is “to look after the feathering, cackling, roosting, rising, and general behavior of these hundred chicks. An honest, ignorant woman, she could not have passed an examination in the youngest class.”—Oliver Wendell Holmes Elsie Venner (1861).

Peck´sniff, “architect and land surveyor,” at Salisbury. He talks homilies even in drunkenness, prates about the beauty of charity, and duty of forgiveness, but is altogether a canting humbug, and is ultimately so reduced in position that he becomes a “drunken, begging, squalid, letter-writing man,” out at elbows, and almost shoeless. Pecksniff’s specialty is the “sleek, smiling abominations of hypocrisy.”

If ever man combined within himself all the mild qualities of the lamb with a considerable touch of the dove, and not a dash of the crocodile, or the least possible suggestion of the very mildest seasoning of the serpent, that man was Mr. Pecksniff, “the messenger of peace.”

Charity and Mercy Pecksniff, the two daughters of the “architect and land surveyor.” Charity is thin, ill-natured, and a shrew, eventually jilted by a weak young man, who really loves her sister. Mercy Pecksniff, usually called “Merry,” is pretty and true-hearted; though flippant and foolish as a girl, she becomes greatly toned down by the troubles of her married life.—C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit (1843).

Peculiar, negro slave, endowed with talent, ambitious of an opportunity to develop and use these, but hopeless of gaining it, until emancipated by the Civil War between the United States and the Southern Confederacy.—Epes Sargent, Peculiar.

Pedant, an old fellow set up to personate Vincentio in Shakespeare’s comedy called The Taming of the Shrew (1695).

Pèdre (Don), a Sicilian nobleman, who has a Greek slave of great beauty, named Isidore (3 syl.). This slave is loved by Adraste (2 syl.), a French gentleman, who gains access to the house under the guise of a portrait-painter. He next sends his slave, Zaïda, to complain to the Sicilian of ill-treatment, and Don Pèdre volunteers to intercede on her behalf. At this moment Adraste comes up, and demands that Zaïde be given up to deserved chastisement. Pedrè pleads for her, Adraste appears to be pacified, and Pedrè calls for Zaïde to come forth. Isidore, in the veil of Zaïde, comes out, and Pedrè says, “There, take her home, and use her well.” “I will do so,” says Adraste, and leads off the Greek slave.—Molière, Le Sicilien ou L’Amour Peintre (1667).

Pedrillo, the tutor of Don Juan. After the shipwreck, the men in the boat, being wholly without provisions, cast lots to know which should be killed as food for the rest, and the lot fell on Pedrillo, but those who feasted on him most ravenously went mad.

Pedro, “the pilgrim,” a noble gentleman servant to Alinda (daughter of Lord Alphonso).—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Pilgrim (1621).

Pedro (Don), prince of Aragon.—Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing (1600).

Pedro (Don), father of Leonora.—R. Jephson, Two Strings to your Bow (1792).

Pedro (Don), a Portuguese nobleman, father of Donna Violante.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder (1714).

Pedro (Dr.), whose full name was Dr. Pedro Rezio de Aguero, court physician in the island of Barataria. He carried a whalebone rod in his hand, and whenever any dish of food was set before Sancho Panza, the governor, he touched it with his wand, that it might be instantly removed, as unfit for the governor to eat. Partridges were “forbidden by Hippoc´ratês,” olla podridas were “most pernicious,” rabbits were “a sharp-haired diet,” veal might not be touched, but “a few wafers, and a thin slice or two of quince,” might not be harmful.

The governor, being served with some beef hashed with onions, ... fell to with more avidity than if he had been set down to Milan godwits, Roman pheasants, Sorrento veal, Moron partridges, or green geese of Lavajos; and turning to Dr. Pedro, he said, “Look you, signor doctor, I want no danties, ... for I have always been used to beef, bacon, pork, turnips and onions.”—Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. iii. 10, 12 (1615).

Peebles (Peter), the pauper litigant. He is vain, litigious, hard-hearted, and credulous; a liar, a drunkard, and a pauper. His “ganging plea” is worthy of Hogarth.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Peecher (Miss), a schoolmistress, in the flat country where Kent and Surrey meet. “Small, shining, neat, methodical, and buxom was Miss Peecher; cherry-cheeked and tuneful of voice. A little pincushion, a little hussie, a little book, a little work-box, a little set of tables and weights and measures, and a little woman all in one. She could write a little essay on any subject exactly a slate long, and strictly according to rule. If Mr. Bradley Headstone had proposed marriage to her, she would certainly have replied ‘yes,’ for she loved him;” but Mr. Headstone did not love Miss Peecher—he loved Lizzie Hexam, and had no love to spare for any other woman.—C. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, ii. 1 (1864).

Peel-the-Causeway (Old), a smuggler. Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Peeler (Sir), any crop which greatly impoverishes the ground. To peel is to impoverish soil, as “oats, rye, barley, and grey wheat,” but not peas (xxxiii. 51).

Peelers, the constabulary of Ireland, appointed under the Peace Preservation Act of 1814, proposed by Sir Robert Peel. The name was subsequently given to the new police of England, who are also called “Bobbies” from Sir Robert Peel.

Peep-o’-Day Boys, Irish insurgents of 1784, who prowled about at day-break, searching for arms.

Peeping Tom of Coventry. Lady Godiva earnestly besought her husband (Leofric, earl of Mercia) to relieve the men of Coventry of their grievous oppressions. Leofric, annoyed at her importunity, told her he would do so when she had ridden on horseback, naked, through the town. The countess took him at his word, rode naked through the town, and Leofric was obliged to grant the men of Coventry a charter of freedom.—Dugdale.

Rapin says that the countess commanded all persons to keep within doors and away from windows during her ride. One man, named Tom of Coventry, took a peep of the lady on horseback, but it cost him his life.

^*_*^* Tennyson, in his Godiva, has reproduced this story.

Peerage of the Saints. In the preamble of the statutes instituting the Order of St. Michael, founded by Louis XI in 1469, the archangel is styled “my lord,” and created a knight. The apostles had been already ennobled and knighted. We read of “the Earl Peter,” “Count Paul,” “the Baron Stephen,” and so on. Thus, in the introduction of a sermon upon St. Stephen’s Day, we have these lines:

Peerce (1 syl.), a generic name for a farmer or ploughman. Piers the plowman is the name assumed by Robert or William Langland, in a historico-satirical poem so called.

Peery (Paul), landlord of the Ship, Dover.

Mrs. Peery, Paul’s wife.—G. Colman, Ways and Means (1788).

Peerybingle (John), a carrier, “lumbering, slow, and honest; heavy, but light of spirit; rough upon the surface, but gentle at the core; dull without, but quick within; stolid, but so good. O, Mother Nature, give thy children the true poetry of heart that hid itself in this poor carrier’s breast, and we can bear to have them talking prose all their life long!”

Mrs. [Mary] Peerybingle, called by her husband “Dot.” She was a little chubby, cheery, young wife, very fond of her husband, and very proud of her baby; a good housewife, who delighted in making the house snug and cozy for John, when he came home after his day’s work. She called him “a dear old darling of a dunce,” or “her little goosie.” She sheltered Edward Plummer in her cottage for a time, and got into trouble; but the marriage of Edward with May Fielding cleared up the mystery, and John loved his little Dot more fondly than ever.—C. Dickens, The Cricket on the Hearth (1845).

Peg. Drink to your peg. King Edgar ordered “that pegs should be fastened into drinking-horns at stated distances and whoever drank beyond his peg at one draught should be obnoxious to a severe punishment.”

I had lately a peg-tankard in my hand. It had on the inside a row of eight pins, one above another, from bottom to top. It held two quarts, so that there was a gill of liquor between peg and peg. Whoever drank short of his pin or beyond it, was obliged to drink to the next, and so on till the tankard was drained to the bottom.—Sharpe, History of the Kings of England.

Peg-a-Ramsey, the heroine of an old song. Percy says it was an indecent ballad. Shakespeare alludes to it in his Twelfth Night, act ii. sc. 3 (1614).

James I. had been much struck with the beauty and embarrassment of the pretty Peg-a-Ramsey? as he called her.—Sir W. Scott.

Peg´asus, the winged horse of the Muses. It was caught by Bellerophon, who mounted thereon, and destroyed the Chimæra; but when he attempted to ascend to heaven, he was thrown from the horse, and Pegasus mounted alone to the skies, where it became the constellation of the same name.

To break Pegasus’s neck, to write halting poetry.

^*_*^* To “break Priscian’s head,” is to write ungrammatically. Priscian was a great grammarian of the fifth century.

Pegg (Catharine), one of the mistresses of Charles II. She was the daughter of Thomas Pegg, Esq., of Yeldersay, in Derbyshire.

Peggot´ty (Clara), servant of Mrs. Copperfield, and the faithful old nurse of David Copperfield. Her name “Clara” was tabooed, because it was the name of Mrs. Copperfield. Clara Peggotty married Barkis, the carrier.

Being very plump, whenever she made any little exertion after she was dressed, some of the buttons on the back of her gown flew off.—Ch. ii.

Dan’el Peggotty, brother of David Copperfield’s nurse. Dan’el was a Yarmouth fisherman. His nephew, Ham Peggotty, and his brother-in-law’s child, “little Em’ly,” lived with him. Dan’el himself was a bachelor, and Mrs. Gummidge (widow of his late partner) kept house for him. Dan’el Peggotty was most tender-hearted, and loved little Em’ly with all his heart.

Ham Peggotty, nephew of Dan’el Peggotty, of Yarmouth, and son of Joe, Dan’el’s brother. Ham was in love with little Em’ly, daughter of Tom (Dan’s brother-in-law), but Steerforth stepped in between them, and stole Em’ly away. Ham Peggotty is represented as the very beau-ideal of an uneducated, simple-minded, honest, and warm-hearted fisherman. He was drowned in his attempt to rescue Steerforth from the sea.

Em’ly Peggotty, daughter of Dan’s brother-in-law, Tom. She was engaged to Ham Peggotty; but being fascinated with Steerforth, ran off with him. She was afterwards reclaimed, and emigrated to Australia with Dan’el and Mrs. Gummidge.—C. Dickens, David Copperfield (1849).

Peggy, grandchild of the old widow Maclure, a covenanter.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Peggy, the laundry-maid of Colonel Mannering, at Woodburne.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Peggy (Shippen). A love-letter from Benedict Arnold to this young lady is extant in which after telling her that he has presumed to write to her papa and has requested his sanction to his addresses, Arnold goes on to protest.

“May I perish if I would give you one moment’s inquietude, to purchase the greatest possible felicity to myself. Whatever my fate may be, my most ardent wish is for your happiness, and my latest breath will be to implore the blessing of heaven on the idol and only wish of my soul.” September 26, 1778.

Peggy [Thrift), the orphan daughter of Sir Thomas Thrift, of Hampshire, and the ward of Moody, who brings her up in seclusion in the country. When Moody is 50, and Peggy 19, the guardian tries to marry her, but “the country girl” outwits him, and marries Belville, a young man of more suitable age. Peggy calls her guardian “Bud.” She is very simple but sharp, ingenuous but crafty, lively and girlish.—The Country Girl (Garrick altered from Wycherly’s Country Wife, 1675).

Peggy. Dream-wife about whom cluster the imaginations of the bachelor over the fire of green wood.

“Smoke always goes before blaze, and doubt before decision.”—Ik. Marvel (Donald G. Mitchell), Reveries of a Bachelor (1850).

Pegler (Mrs.), mother of Josiah Boundderby, Esq., banker and mill-owner, called “The Bully of Humility.” The son allows the old woman £30 a year to keep out of sight.—C. Dickens. Hard Times (1854).

Peg Woffington, celebrated English actress, intriguante, but kind of heart. Sir Charles Vane is one of her lovers, but after the appearance of his simple-hearted wife upon the scene, the actress dismisses her admirer, and induces him to return to domestic life.—Charles Reade, Peg Woffington.

Pek´uah, the attendant of Princess Nekayah, of the “happy valley.” She accompanied the princess in her wanderings, but refused to enter the great pyramid, and, while the princess was exploring the chambers, was carried off by some Arabs. She was afterwards ransomed for 200 ounces of gold.—Dr. Johnson, Rasselas (1759).

Pelay´o (Prince), son of Favil´a, founder of the Spanish monarchy after the overthrow of Roderick, last of the Gothic kings. He united, in his own person, the royal lines of Spain and of the Goths.

Pelham, the hero of a novel by Lord Lytton, entitled Pelham, or The Adventures of a Gentleman (1828).

Pelham (M.), one of the many aliases of Sir R. Phillips, under which he published The Parent’s and Tutor’s First Catechism. In the preface he calls the writer authoress. Some of his other names are Rev. David Blair, Rev. C. C. Clarke, Rev. J. Goldsmith.

Pel´ian Spear (The), the lance of Achillês which wounded and cured Te´lephos. So called from Peleus, the father of Achillês.

Peli´des (3 syl.), Achillês, son of Peleus (2 syl.), chief of the Greek warriors at the siege of Troy.—Homer, Iliad.

Pe´lion (“mud-sprung”), one of the frog chieftains.

Pell (Solomon), an attorney in the Insolvent Debtors’ court. He has the very highest opinions of his own merits, and by his aid Tony Weller contrives to get his son Sam sent to the Fleet for debt, that he may be near Mr. Pickwick to protect and wait upon him.—C. Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Pelleas (Sir), lord of many isles, and noted for his great muscular strength. He fell in love with Lady Ettard, but the lady did not return his love. Sir Gaw´ain promised to advocate his cause with the lady, but played him false. Sir Pelleas caught them in unseemly dalliance with each other, but forbore to kill them. By the power of enchantment, the lady was made to dote on Sir Pelleas; but the knight would have nothing to say to her, so she pined and died. After the Lady Ettard played him false, the Damsel of the Lake “rejoiced him, and they loved together during their whole lives.”—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 79-82 (1470).

^*_*^* Sir Pelleas must not be confounded with Sir Pelles (q.v.).

Pellegrin, the pseudonym of de la Motte Fouqué (1777-1843).

Pelles (Sir), of Corbin Castle, “king of the foragn land and nigh cousin of Joseph of Arimathy.” He was father of Sir Eliazar, and of the Lady Elaine, who fell in love with Sir Launcelot, by whom she became the mother of Sir Galahad, “who achieved the quest of the Holy Graal.” This Elaine was not the “lily maid of Astolat.”

While Sir Launcelot was visiting King Pelles, a glimpse of the Holy Graal was vouchsafed them:

For when they went into the castle to take their repast ... there came a dove to the window, and in her bill was a little censer of gold, and there withall was such a savour as though all the spicery of the world had been there ... and a damsel, passing fair, bare a vessel of gold between her hands, and thereto the king kneeled devoutly and said his prayers.... “Oh, mercy!” said Sir Launcelot, “what may this mean?” ... “This,” said the king, “is the Holy Sancgreall which ye have seen.”—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, iii. 2 (1470).

Pellinore (Sir), king of the isles and knight of the Round Table (pt. i. 57). He was a good man of power, was called “The Knight with the Stranger Beast,” and slew King Lot of Orkney, but was himself slain ten years afterwards by Sir Gawain, one of Lot’s sons (pt. i. 35). Sir Pellinore (3 syl.) had, by the wife of Aries, the cowherd, a son named Sir Tor, who was the first knight of the Round Table created by King Arthur (pt. i. 47, 48); one daughter, Elein, by the Lady of Rule (pt. iii. 10); and three sons in lawful wedlock; Sir Aglouale (sometimes called Aglavale, probably a clerical error), Sir Lamorake Dornar (also called Sir Lamorake de Galis), and Sir Percivale de Gralis (pt. ii. 108). The widow succeeded to the throne (pt. iii. 10).—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur (1470).

Milton calls the name “Pellenore” (2 syl.).

Pelob´ates (4 syl.), one of the frog champions. The word means “mud-wader.” In the battle he flings a heap of mud against Psycarpax, the Hector of the mice, and half blinds him; but the warrior mouse heaves a stone “whose bulk would need ten degenerate mice of modern days to lift,” and the mass, falling on the “mud-wader,” breaks his leg.—Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Pel´ops’ Shoulder, ivory. The tale is that Demēter ate the shoulder of Pelops when it was served up by Tan´talos for food. The gods restored Pelops to life by putting the dismembered body into a caldron, but found that it lacked a shoulder; whereupon Demeter supplied him with an ivory shoulder, and all his descendants bore this distinctive mark.

N.B.—It will be remembered that Pythag´oras had a golden thigh.

Pelos, father of Physigna´thos, king of the frogs. The word means “mud.”—Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice (about 1712).

Pembroke (The earl of), uncle to Sir Aymer de Valence.—Sir W. Scott, Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).

Pembroke (the Rev. Mr.), chaplain at Waverley Honor.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

Pen, Philemon Holland, translator-general of the classics. Of him was the epigram written:

(The point of which is, of course, that the name of the Roman historian was C. Suetonius Tranquillus.)

Many of these translations were written from beginning to end with one pen, and hence he himself wrote:

Pendennis (Arthur), pseudonym of W. M. Thackeray in The Newcomes (1854).

Pendennis, a novel by Thackeray (1849), in which much of his own history and experience is recorded with a novelist’s license. Pendennis stands in relation to Thackeray as David Copperfield to Charles Dickens.

Arthur Pendennis, a young man of ardent feelings and lively intellect, but conceited and selfish. He has a keen sense of honor, and a capacity for loving, but altogether he is not an attractive character.

Laura Pendennis. This is one of the best of Thackeray’s characters.

Major Pendennis, a tuft-hunter, who fawns on his patrons for the sake of wedging himself into their society.—History of Pendennis, published originally in monthly parts, beginning in 1849.

Pendrag´on, probably a title meaning “chief leader in war.” Dragon is Welsh for a “leader in war,” and pcn for “head” or “chief.” The title was given to Uther, brother of Constans, and father of Prince Arthur. Like the word “Pharaoh,” it is used as a proper name without the article.—Geoffrey of Monmouth, Chron., vi. (1142).

Penel´ope’s Web, a work that never progresses. Penelopê, the wife of Ulysses, being importuned by several suitors during her husband’s long absence, made reply that she could not marry again, even if Ulysses were dead, till she had finished weaving a shroud for her aged father-in-law. Every night she pulled out what she had woven during the day, and thus the shroud made no progress towards completion.—Greek Mythology.

The French say of a work “never ending, still beginning,” c’est l’ouvrage de Pénélope.

Penelope Lapham, vivacious, but not pretty daughter of Silas Lapham. Her wit wins the love her sister’s beauty could not capture. Penelope’s unintentional conquest brings painful perplexity to herself, with anguish to her sister. Still she yields finally to Irene’s magnanimity and her suitor’s persuasions, and weds Tom Corey.—W. D. Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham (1887).

Penel´ophon, the beggar loved by King Cophetua. Shakespeare calls the name Zenelophon in Love’s Labor’s Lost, act iv. sc. 1 (1594).—Percy, Reliques, I. ii. 6 (1765).

Penelva (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 an anonymous Portuguese (fifteenth century).

Penfeather (Lady Penelope), the Lady Patroness at the Spa.—Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Pengwern (The Torch of), prince Gwenwyn of Powys-land.—Sir W. Scott, The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Pengwinion (Mr.), from Cornwall; a Jacobite conspirator with Mr. Redgauntlet.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Peninsular War (The), the war carried on by Sir Arthur Wellesley against Napoleon in Portugal and Spain (1808-1814).

Southey wrote a History of the Peninsular War (1822-32).

Penitents of Love (Fraternity of the), an institution established in Languedoc, in the thirteenth century, consisting of knights and esquires, dames and damsels, whose object was to prove the excess of their love by bearing, with invincible constancy, the extremes of heat and cold. They passed the greater part of the day abroad, wandering about from castle to castle, wherever they were summoned by the inviolable duties of love and gallantry; so that many of these devotees perished by the inclemency of the weather, and received the crown of martyrdom to their profession.—See Warton, History of English Poetry (1781).

Pen´lake (Richard), a cheerful man, both frank and free, but married to Rebecca, a terrible shrew. Rebecca knew if she once sat in St. Michael’s chair (on St. Michael’s Mount, in Cornwall), that she would rule her husband ever after; so she was very desirous of going to the mount. It so happened that Richard fell sick, and both vowed to give six marks to St. Michael if he recovered. Richard did recover, and they visited the shrine; but while Richard was making the offering, Rebecca ran to seat herself in St. Michael’s chair; but no sooner had she done so, than she fell from the chair, and was killed in the fall.—Southey, St. Michael’s Chair (a ballad, 1798).

Penniless (The), Maximilian I., emperor of Germany (1459, 1493-1519).

Penniman (Wolfert). Young captain of the Mayga in Outward Bound.—W. T. Adams (Oliver Optic).

Penny (Jock), a highwayman.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Penruddock (Roderick), a “philosopher,” or rather a recluse, who spent his time in reading. By nature gentle, kind-hearted, and generous, but soured by wrongs. Woodville, his trusted friend, although he knew that Arabella was betrothed to Roderick, induced her father to give his daughter to himself, the richer man; and Roderick’s life was blasted. Woodville had a son, who reduced himself to positive indigence by gambling. Sir George Penruddock was the chief creditor. Sir George dying, all his property came to his cousin, Roderick, who now had ample means to glut his revenge on his treacherous friend; but his heart softened. First, he settled all “the obligations, bonds, and mortgages, covering the whole Woodville property,” on Henry Woodville, that he might marry Emily Tempest; and next, he restored to Mrs. Woodville “her settlement, which in her husband’s desperate necessity, she had resigned to him;” lastly, he sold all his own estates, and retired again to a country cottage to his books and solitude.—Cumberland, The Wheel of Fortune (1779).

Pentap´oliff, “with the naked arm,” king of the Garaman´teans, who always went to battle with his right arm bare. Alifanfaron, emperor of Trap´oban, wished to marry his daughter, but, being refused, resolved to urge his suit by the sword. When Don Quixote saw two flocks of sheep coming along the road in opposite directions, he told Sancho Panza they were the armies of these two puissant monarchs met in array against each other.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. iii. 4 (1605).

Pentecôte Vivante (La), Cardinal Mezzofanti, who was the master of fifty or fifty-eight languages (1774-1849).

Penthe´a, sister of Ith´oclês, betrothed to Or´gilus by the consent of her father. At the death of her father, Ithoclês compelled her to marry Bass´anes, whom she hated, and she starved herself to death.—John Ford, The Broken Heart (1633).

Penthesile´a, queen of the Amazons, slain by Achilles. S. Butler calls the name “Penthes´ilê.”

Pen´theus (3 syl.), a king of Thebes, who tried to abolish the orgies of Bacchus, but was driven mad by the offended god. In his madness he climbed into a tree to witness the rites, and being descried was torn to pieces by the Bacchantes.

Pentheus (2 syl.), a king of Thebes, resisted the introduction of the worship of Dyoni´sos (Bacchus) into his kingdom, in consequence of which the Bacchantes pulled his palace to the ground, and Pentheus, driven from the throne, was torn to pieces on Mount Cithæron by his own mother and her two sisters.

Pentweazel (Alderman), a rich city merchant of Blowbladder Street. He is wholly submissive to his wife, whom he always addresses as “Chuck.”

Mrs. Pentweazel, the alderman’s wife, very ignorant, very vain, and very conceitedly humble. She was a Griskin by birth, and “all her family by the mother’s side were famous for their eyes.” She had an aunt among the beauties of Windsor, “a perdigious fine woman. She had but one eye, but that was a piercer, and got her three husbands. We was called the gimlet family.” Mrs. Pentweazel says her first likeness was done after “Venus de Medicis, the sister of Mary de Medicis.”

Sukey Pentweazel, daughter of the alderman, recently married to Mr. Deputy Dripping, of Candlewick Yard.

Carel Pentweazel, a schoolboy, who had been under Dr. Jerks, near Doncaster, for two years and a quarter, and had learnt all As in Præsenti by heart. The terms of this school were £10 a year for food, books, board, clothes and tuition.—Foote, Taste (1753).

People (Man of the), Charles James Fox (1749-1806).

Pepin (William), a White Friar and most famous preacher at the beginning of the sixteenth century. His sermons, in eight volumes quarto, formed the grand repertory of the preachers of those times.

Pepita, Spanish beauty of whom the poet sings:

Pepperpot (Sir Peter), a West Indian epicure, immensely rich, conceited and irritable.—Foote, The Patron (1764).

Peppers. (See White Horse of the Peppers.)

Peps (Dr Parker), a court physician who attended the first Mrs. Dombey on her death-bed. Dr. Peps always gave his patients (by mistake, of course), a title, to impress them with the idea that his practice was exclusively confined to the upper ten thousand.—C. Dickens, Dombey and Son (1846).

Perceforest (King), the hero of a prose romance “in Greek.” The MS. is said to have been found by Count William of Hainault in a cabinet at “Burtimer” Abbey, on the Humber; and in the same cabinet was deposited a crown, which the count sent to King Edward. The MS. was turned into Latin by St. Landelain, and thence into French under the title of La Tres Elegante Deliceux Melliflue et Tres Plaisante Hystoire du Tres Noble Roy Perceforest (printed at Paris in 1528).

(Of course, this pretended discovery is only an invention. An analysis of the romance is given in Dunlop’s History of fiction.)

He was called “Perceforest,” because he dared to pierce, almost alone, an enchanted forest, where women and children were most evilly treated. Charles IX., of France, was especially fond of this romance.

Perch, messenger in the house of Mr. Dombey, merchant, whom he adored, and plainly showed by his manner to the great man: “You are the light of my eyes,” “You are the breath of my soul.”—C. Dickens, Dombey and Son (1846).

Perche Notary (A), a lawyer who sets people together by the ears, one who makes more quarrels than contracts. The French proverb is, Notaire du Perche, qui passe plus d’échalliers que de contrat.

Le Perche, qui se trouve partagé entre les départements de l’Orne et d’Eure-et-Loir, est un contrée fort boisée, dans laquelle la plupart des champs sont entourés de haies dans lesquelles sont ménagées certaines ouvertures propres à donner passage aux piétons seulement, et que l’on nomme échalliers.—Hilaire le Gai.

Percinet, a fairy prince, in love with Graciosa. The prince succeeds in thwarting the malicious designs of Grognon, the step-mother of the lovely princess.—Percinet and Graciosa (a fairy tale).

Percival (Sir), the third son of Sir Pellinore, king of Wales. His brothers were Sir Aglavale and Sir Lamorake Dornar, usually called Sir Lamorake de Galis (Wales). Sir Tor was his half-brother. Sir Percival caught a sight of the Holy Graal after his combat with Sir Ector de Maris (brother of Sir Launcelot), and both were miraculously healed by it. Crétien de Troyes wrote the Roman de Perceval (before 1200), and Menessier produced the same story in a metrical form. (See Parzival.)

Sir Percivale had a glimmering of the Sancgreall and of the maiden that bare it, for he was perfect and clean. And forthwith they were both as whole of limb and hide as ever they were in their life days. “O, mercy!” said Sir Percival, “what may this mean?” ... “I wot well,” said Sir Ector ... “it is the holy vessel, wherein is a part of the holy blood of our blessed Saviour; but it may not be seen but by a perfect man.”—Pt. iii. 14.

Sir Percival was with Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, when the visible Saviour went into the consecrated wafer which was given to them by the bishop. This is called the achievement of the quest of the Holy Graal (pt. iii. 101, 102.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur (1470).

Percival Glyde (Sir). Rascally husband of Laura Fairlie. To possess himself of her fortune, he incarcerates her in an insane asylum, gives out that she is dead, and uses the corpse of her half-sister to confirm the rumor.—Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White.

Percy Arundel (Lord Ashdale), son of Lady Arundel, by her second husband. A hot, fiery youth, proud and overbearing. When grown to manhood, a “sea-captain” named Norman, made love to Violet, Lord Ashdale’s cousin. The young “Hotspur” was indignant and somewhat jealous, but discovered that Norman was the son of Lady Arundel by her first husband, and the heir to the title and estates. In the end, Norman agreed to divide the property equally, but claimed Violet for his bride.—Lord Lytton, The Sea-Captain (1839).

Per´dita, the daughter of the Queen Hermionê, born in prison. Her father, King Leontês, commanded the infant to be cast on a desert shore, and left to perish there. Being put to sea, the vessel was driven by a storm to the “coast” of Bohemia, and the infant child was brought up by a shepherd, who called its name Perdĭta. Flor´izel, the son of the Bohemian king, fell in love with Perdita, and courted her under the assumed name of Doriclês; but the king, having tracked his son to the shepherd’s hut, told Perdita that if she did not at once discontinue this foolery, he would command her and the shepherd too to be put to death. Florizel and Perdita now fled from Bohemia to Sicily, and being introduced to the king, it was soon discovered that Perdita was Leontês’s daughter. The Bohemian king, having tracked his son to Sicily, arrived just in time to hear the news, and gave his joyful consent to the union which he had before forbidden.—Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (1604).

Perdita, Mrs. Mary Robinson (born Darby), the victim of George IV., while prince of Wales. She first attracted his notice while acting the part of “Perdĭta,” and the prince called himself “Florizel.” George, prince of Wales, settled a pension for life on her, £500 a year for herself, and £200 a year for her daughter. She caught cold one winter, and losing the use of her limbs, could neither walk nor stand (1758-1799, not 1800 as is given usually).

Perdrix, toujours Perdrix! Walpole tells us that the confessor of one of the French kings, having reproved the monarch for his conjugal infidelities, was asked what dish he liked best. The confessor replied, “Partridges;” and the king had partridges served to him every day, till the confessor got quite sick of them. “Perdrix, toujours perdrix!” he would exclaim, as the dish was set before him. After a time, the king visited him, and hoped his favorite dish had been supplied him. “Mais oui,” he replied, “toujours perdrix, toujours perdrix!” “Ah, ah!” said the amorous monarch, “and one mistress is all very well, but not perdrix, toujours perdrix!”—See Notes and Queries, 337, October 23, 1869).

The story is at least as old as the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles, compiled between 1450-1461, for the amusement of the dauphin of France, afterwards Louis XI. (Notes and Queries, November 27, 1869).

^*_*^* Farquhar parodies the French expression into “Soup for breakfast, soup for dinner, soup for supper, and soup for breakfast again.”—Farquhar, The Inconstant, iv. 2 (1702).

Père Duchesne (Le), Jacques René Hébert; so called from the Père Duchesne, a newspaper of which he was the editor (1755-1794).

Pereard (Sir), the Black Knight of the Black Lands. Called by Tennyson “Night” or “Nox.” He was one of the four brothers who kept the passages to Castle Perilous, and was overthrown by Sir Gareth.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 126 (1470); Tennyson, Idylls (“Gareth and Lynette”).

Peredur (Sir), son of Evrawe, called “Sir Peredur of the Long Spear,” one of the knights of the Round Table. He was for many years called “The Dumb Youth,” from a vow he made to speak to no Christian till Angharad of the Golden Hand loved him better than she loved any other man. His great achievements were: (1) the conquest of the Black Oppressor, “who oppressed every one and did justice to no one;” (2) killing the Addanc of the Lake, a monster that devoured daily some of the sons of the king of Tortures. This exploit he was enabled to achieve by means of a stone which kept him invisible; (3) slaying the three hundred heroes privileged to sit round the countess of the Achievements; on the death of these men the seat next the countess was freely given to him; (4) the achievement of the Mount of Mourning, where was a serpent with a stone in its tail which would give inexhaustible wealth to its possessor; Sir Peredur killed the serpent, but gave the stone to his companion, Earl Etlym of the east country. These exploits over, Sir Peredur lived fourteen years with the Empress Cristinobyl the Great.

Sir Peredur is the Welsh name for Sir Percival of Wales.—The Mabinogion (from the Red Book of Hergest, twelfth century).

Per´egrine (3 syl.), a sentimental prig, who talks by the book. At the age of 15 he runs away from home, and Job Thornberry lends him ten guineas, “the first earnings of his trade as a brazier.” After thirty years absence, Peregrine returns just as the old brazier is made a bankrupt “through the treachery of a friend.” He tells the bankrupt that his loan of ten guineas has by honest trade grown to 10,000, and these he returns to Thornberry as his own by right. It turns out that Peregrine is the eldest brother of Sir Simon Rochdale, J. P., and when Sir Simon refuses justice to the old brazier Peregrine asserts his right to the estate, etc. At the same time, he hears that the ship he thought was wrecked has come safe into port, and has thus brought him £100,000.—G. Colman, junior, John Bull (1805).

Peregrine Pickle, the hero and title of a novel by Smollett (1751). Peregrine Pickle is a savage, ungrateful spendthrift, fond of practical jokes, and suffering with evil temper the misfortunes brought on himself by his own wilfulness.

Peregri´nus Proteus, a cynic philosopher, born at Parium, on the Hellespont. After a youth spent in debauchery and crimes, he turned Christian, and, to obliterate the memory of his youthful ill practices, divided his inheritance among the people. Ultimately he burned himself to death in public at the Olympic games, A.D. 165. Lucan has held up this immolation to ridicule in his Death of Peregrinus; and C. M. Wieland has an historic romance in German entitled Peregrinus Proteus (1733-1813).

Per´es (Gil), a canon, and the eldest brother of Gil Blas’ mother. Gil was a little punchy man, three feet and a half high, with his head sunk between his shoulders. He lived well, and brought up his nephew and godchild, Gil Blas. “In so doing, Perês taught himself also to read his breviary without stumbling.” He was the most illiterate canon of the whole chapter.—Lesage, Gil Blas, i. (1715).

Perez (Michael), the “copper captain,” a brave Spanish soldier, duped into marrying Estifania, a servant of intrigue, who passed herself off as a lady of property. Being reduced to great extremities, Estifania pawned the clothes and valuables of her husband; but these “valuables” were but of little worth—a jewel which sparkled as the “light of a dark lanthorn,” a “chain of whitings’ eyes” for pearls, and as for his clothes, she tauntingly says to her husband:

Peri, (plu., Peris), gentle, fairy-like beings of Eastern mythology, offspring of the fallen angels, and constituting a race of beings between angels and men. They direct with a wand the pure-minded the way to heaven, and dwell in Shadu´kiam´ and Am´bre-abad, two cities subject to Eblis.

Pe´richole (La), the heroine of Offenbach’s comic opera (opera bouffe) of that name. She was originally a street-singer of Lima, the capital of Peru, but became the mistress of the viceroy. She was not a native of Lima and offended the Creole ladies by calling them, in her bad Spanish, pericholas, “flaunting, bedizened creatures,” and they, in retaliation, called her “La Périchole,” i.e., “the flaunting one par excellence.”

Pericles, the Athenian who raised himself to royal supremacy (died B.C. 429). On his death-bed he overheard his friends recalling his various merits, and told them they had forgotten his greatest praise, viz., that no Athenian through his administration had had to put on mourning, i.e. he had caused no one to be put to death.

Per´icles, prince of Tyre, a voluntary exile, in order to avert the calamities which Anti´ochus, emperor of Greece, vowed against the Tyrians. Pericles, in his wanderings, first came to Tarsus, which he relieved from famine, but was obliged to quit the city to avoid the persecution of Antiochus. He was then shipwrecked, and cast on the shore of Pentap´olis, where he distinguished himself in the public games, and being introduced to the king, fell in love with the Princess Thaïs´a, and married her. At the death of Antiochus, he returned to Tyre; but his wife, supposed to be dead in giving birth to a daughter (Marina), was thrown into the sea. Periclês entrusted his infant child to Cleon (governor of Tarsus), and his wife, Dionysia, who brought her up excellently well till she became a young woman, when Dionysia employed a man to murder her; and when Periclês came to see her, he was shown a splendid sepulchre which had been raised to her honor. On his return home, the ship stopped at Metalinê, and Marina was introduced to Periclês to divert his melancholy. She told him the tale of her life, and he discovered that she was his daughter. Marina was now betrothed to Lysim´achus, governor of Metalinê; and the party, going to the shrine of Diana of Ephesus to return thanks to the goddess, discovered the priestess to be Thaïsa, the wife of Periclês, and mother of Marina.—Shakespeare, Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608).