Polonius is a man bred in courts, exercised in business, stored with observations, confident of his knowledge, proud of his eloquence, and declining to dotage.—Dr. Johnson.

It was the great part of William Mynitt (1710-1763).

Soon after Munden retired from the stage, an admirer met him in Covent Garden. It was a wet day, and each carried an umbrella. The gentleman's was an expensive silk one, and Joe's an old gingham. "So you have left the stage, ... and 'Polonius,' 'Jemmy Jumps,' 'Old Dornton,' and a dozen others have left the world with you? I wish you'd give me some trifle by way of memorial, Munden!" "Trifle, sir? I' faith, sir, I've got nothing. But, hold, yes, egad, suppose we exchange umbrellas."—Theatrical Anecdotes.

Polwarth (Alick), a servant of Waverley's.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

Polycle'tos (in Latin Polycletus), a statuary of Sicyon, who drew up a canon of the proportions of the several parts of the human body: as, twice round the thumb is once round the wrist; twice round the wrist is once round the neck; twice round the neck is once round the waist; once round the fist is the length of the foot; the two arms extended is the height of the body; six times the length of the foot, or eighteen thumbs, is also the height of the body.

Again, the thumb, the longest toe, and the nose should all be of the same length. The index finger should measure the breadth of the hand and foot, and twice the breadth should give the length. The hand, the foot, and the face should all be the same length. The nose should be one-third of the face; and, of course, the thumbs should be one-third the length of the hand. Gerard de Lairesse has given the exact measurements of every part of the human figure, according to the famous statues of "Antinöus,[TN-98] "Apollo Belvidere," "Herculês," and "Venus de'Medici."

Polycrates (4 syl.), tyrant of Samos. He was so fortunate in everything, that Am'asis, king of Egypt, advised him to part with something he highly prized. Whereupon, Polycrătês threw into the sea an engraved gem of extraordinary value. A few days afterwards, a fish was presented to the tyrant, in which this very gem was found. Amasis now renounced all friendship with him, as a man doomed by the gods; and not long after this, a satrap, having entrapped the too fortunate despot, put him to death by crucifixion. (See FISH AND THE RING.)—Herodotus, iii. 40.

Polyd'amas, a Thessalian athlete of enormous strength. He is said to have killed an angry lion, to have held by the heels a raging bull and thrown it helpless at his feet, to have stopped a chariot in full career, etc. One day, he attempted to sustain a falling rock, but was killed and buried by the huge mass.

Milo carried a bull, four years old, on his shoulders through the stadium at Olympia; he also arrested a chariot in full career. One day, tearing asunder a pine tree, the two parts, rebounding, caught his hands and held him fast, in which state he was devoured by wolves.

Polydore (3 syl.), the name by which Belarius called Prince Guiderius, while he lived in a cave in the Welsh mountains. His brother, Prince Arvirăgus, went by the name of Cadwal.—Shakespeare, Cymbeline (1605).

Polydore (3 syl.), brother of General Memnon, beloved by the Princess Calis, sister of Astorax, king of Paphos.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Mad Lover (1618).

Polydore (Lord), son of Lord Acasto, and Castalio's younger brother. He entertained a base passion for his father's ward Monimia, "the orphan," and, making use of the signal ("three soft taps upon the chamber door") to be used by Castalio, to whom she was privately married, indulged his wanton love, Monimia supposing him to be her husband. When, next day, he discovered that Monimia was actually married to Castalio, he was horrified, and provoked a quarrel with his brother; but as soon as Castalio drew his sword, he ran upon it and was killed.—Thomas Otway, The Orphan (1680).

Polydore (3 syl.), a comrade of Ernest of Otranto (page of Prince Tancred).—Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Polyglot (Ignatius), the master of seventeen languages, and tutor of Charles Eustace (aged 24). Very learned, very ignorant of human life; most strict as a disciplinarian, but tender-hearted as a girl. His pupil has married clandestinely, but Polyglot offers himself voluntarily to be the scapegoat of the young couple, and he brings them off triumphantly.—J. Poole, The Scapegoat.

Polyglott (A Walking), Cardinal Mezzofanti, who knew fifty-eight different languages (1774-1849).

Polyolbion (the "greatly blessed"), by Michael Drayton, in thirty parts, called "songs,"[TN-99] It is a topographical description of England. Song i. The landing of Bruce. Song ii. Dorsetshire, and the adventures of Sir Bevis of Southampton. Song iii. Somerset. Song iv. Contention of the rivers of England and Wales respecting Lundy—to which country it belonged. Song v. Sabrina, as arbiter, decides that it is "allied alike both to Enggland[TN-100] and Wales;" Merlin and Milford Haven. Song vi. The salmon and beaver of Twy; the tale of Sabrina; the druids and bards. Song vii. Hereford. Song viii. Conquest of Britain by the Romans and by the Saxons. Song ix. Wales. Song x. Merlin's prophecies; Winifred's well; defence of the "tale of Brute" (1612). Song xi. Cheshire, the religious Saxon kings. Song xii. Shropshire and Staffordshire; the Saxon warrior kings; and Guy of Warwick. Song xiii. Warwick; Guy of Warwick concluded. Song xiv. Gloucestershire. Song xv. The marriage of Isis and Thame. Song xvi. The Roman roads and Saxon kingdoms. Song xvii. Surrey and Sussex; the sovereigns of England from William to Elizabeth. Song xviii. Kent; England's great generals and sea-captains (1613). Song xix. Essex and Suffolk; English navigators. Song xx. Norfolk. Song xxi. Cambridge and Ely. Song xxii. Buckinghamshire, and England's intestine battles. Song xxiii. Northamptonshire. Song xxiv. Rutlandshire; and the British saints. Song xxv. Lincolnshire. Song xxvi. Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire; with the story of Robin Hood. Song xxvii. Lancashire and the Isle of Man. Song xxviii. Yorkshire. Song xxix. Northumberland. Song xxx. Cumberland (1622).

Pol'ypheme (3 syl.), a gigantic cyclops of Sicily, who fed on human flesh. When Ulysses, on his return from Troy, was driven to this Island, he and twelve of his companions were seized by Polypheme, and confined in his cave, that he might devour two daily for his dinner. Ulysses made the giant drunk, and, when he lay down to sleep, bored out his one eye. Roused by the pain, the monster tried to catch his tormentors; but Ulysses and his surviving companions made their escape by clinging to the bellies of the sheep and rams when they were let out to pasture (Odyssey, ix.).

There is a Basque legend told of the giant Tartaro, who caught a young man in his snares, and confined him in his cave for dessert. When, however, Tartaro fell asleep, the young man made the giant's spit red hot, bored out his one eye, and then made his escape by fixing the bell of the bell-ram round his neck, and a sheep-skin over his back. Tartaro seized the skin, and the man, leaving it behind, made off.—Basque Legends.

A very similar adventure forms the tale of Sindbad's third voyage, in the Arabian Nights. He was shipwrecked on a strange island, and entered, with his companions, a sort of palace. At nightfall, a one-eyed giant entered, and ate one of them for supper, and another for breakfast next morning. This went on for a day or two, when Sindbad bored out the giant's one eye with a charred olive stake. The giant tried in vain to catch his tormentors, but they ran to their rafts; and Sindbad, with two others, contrived to escape.

[Asterism] Homer was translated into Syriac by Theophilus Edessenes in the caliphate of Hárun-ur-Ráshid (A.D. 786-809).

Polypheme and Galatea. Polypheme loved Galatēa, the sea-nymph; but Galatea had fixed her affections on Acis, a Sicilian shepherd. The giant, in his jealousy, hurled a huge rock at his rival, and crushed him to death.

The tale of Polypheme is from Homer's Odyssey, ix. It is also given by Ovid in his Metamorphoses, xiv. Euripidês introduces the monster in his Cyclops; and the tragedy of Acis and Galatea is the subject of Handel's famous opera so called.

(In Greek the monster is called Polyphêmos, and in Latin Polyphēmus.)

Polyphe'mus of Literature, Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784).

Polypho'nus ("big voiced"), the Kapăneus and most boastful of the frog heroes. He was slain by the mouse Artophăgus ("the bread-nibbler").

But great Artophagus avenged the slain, ... And Polyphōnus died, a frog renowned For boastful speech and turbulence of sound.

Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Polyx'ena, a magnanimous and most noble woman, wife of Charles Emmanuel, king of Sardinia (who succeeded to the crown in 1730).—R. Browning, King Victor and King Charles, etc.

Pomegranate Seed. When Perseph'onê was in Hadês, whither Pluto had carried her, the god, foreknowing that Jupiter would demand her release, gathered a pomegranate, and said to her, "Love, eat with me, this parting day, of the pomegranate seed;" and she ate. Demēter, in the mean time, implored Zeus (Jupiter) to demand Persephonê's release; and the king of Olympus promised she should be set at liberty, if she had not eaten anything during her detention in Hadês. As, however, she had eaten pomegranate seeds, her return was impossible.

Low laughs the dark king on his throne— "I gave her of pomegranate seeds" ...

And chant the maids of Enna still— "O fateful flower beside the rill, The daffodil, the daffodil." (See DAFFODIL.)

Jean Ingelow, Persephone.

Pomoma. The incomparable maid-of-work, custodian, novelist, comedienne, tragedienne, and presiding genius of Rudder Grange. Her chef d'oeuvre is the expedient of posting the premises "To be Sold for Taxes," to keep away peddlers of trees, etc., in her employers' absence.—Frank Stockton, Rudder Grange (1879).

Pompey, a clown; servant to Mrs. Overdone (a bawd).—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).

Pompey the Great, was killed by Achillas and Septimius, the moment the Egyptian fishing-boat reached the coast. Plutarch tells us they threw his head into the sea. Others say his head was sent to Caesar, who turned from it with horror, and shed a flood of tears. Shakespeare makes him killed by "savage islanders" (2 Henry VI. act iv. sc. 1, 1598).

Pompil'ia, a foundling, the putative daughter of Pietro (2 syl.). She married Count Guido Franceschini, who treated her so brutally that she made her escape under the protection of a young priest named Caponsacchi. Pompilia subsequently gave birth to a son, but was slain by her husband.

The babe had been a find i' the filth-heap, sir, Catch from the kennel. There was found at Rome, Down in the deepest of our social dregs, A woman who professed the wanton's trade ... She sold this babe eight months before its birth To our Violante (3 syl.), Pietro's honest spouse, ... Partly to please old Pietro, Partly to cheat the rightful heirs, agape For that same principal of the usufruct, It vexed him he must die and leave behind.

R. Browning, The Ring and the Book, ii, 557, etc.

Ponce de Léon, the navigator who went in search of the Fontaine de Jouvence, "qui fit rajovenir la gent." He sailed in two ships on this "voyage of discoveries," in the sixteenth century.

Like Ponce de Léon, he wants to go off to the Antipodês in search of that Fontaine de Jouvence which was fabled to give a man back his youth.—Véra, 130.

Pongo, a cross between "a land-tiger and a sea-shark." This terrible monster devastated Sicily, but was slain by the three sons of St. George.—R. Johnson, The Seven Champions, etc. (1617).

Ponoc'rates (4 syl.), the tutor of Gargantua.—Rabelais, Gargantua (1533).

Pontius Pilate's Body-Guard, the 1st Foot Regiment. In Picardy the French officers wanted to make out that they were the seniors, and, to carry their point, vaunted that they were on duty on the night of the Crucifixion. The colonel of the 1st Foot replied, "If we had been on guard we should not have slept at our posts" (see Matt. xxviii. 13).

Pontoys (Stephen), a veteran in Sir Hugo de Lacy's troop.—Sir W. Scott, The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Pony (Mr. Garland's), Whisker (q.v.).

Poole (1 syl.), in Dorsetshire; once "a young and lusty sea-born lass," courted by Great Albion, who had by her three children, Brunksey, Fursey and [St.] Hellen. Thetis was indignant that one of her virgin train should be guilty of such indiscretion; and, to protect his children from her fury, Albion placed them in the bosom of Poole, and then threw his arms around them.—M. Drayton, Polyolbion, ii. (1612).

Poor (Father of the), Bernard Gilpin. (1517-1583).

Poor Gentleman (The), a comedy by George Colman, the younger (1802). "The poor gentleman" is Lieutenant Worthington, discharged from the army on half-pay because his arm had been crushed by a shell in storming Gibraltar. On his half-pay he had to support himself, his daughter Emily, an old corporal and a maiden sister-in-law. Having put his name to a bill for [pounds]500, his friend died without effecting an insurance, and the lieutenant was called upon for payment. Imprisonment would have followed if Sir Robert Bramble had not most generously paid the money. With this piece of good fortune came another—the marriage of his daughter Emily to Frederick Bramble, nephew and heir of the rich baronet.

Poor Richard, the pseudonym of Benjamin Franklin, under which he issued a series of almanacs, which he made the medium of teaching thrift, temperance, order, cleanliness, chastity, forgiveness, and so on. The maxims or precepts of these almanacs generally end with the words, "as poor Richard says" (begun in 1732).

Poor Robin, the pseudonym of Robert Herrick, the poet, under which he issued a series of almanacs (begun in 1661).

Pope (to drink like a). Benedict XII. was an enormous eater, and such a huge wine-drinker that he gave rise to the Bacchanalian expression, Bibāmus papaliter.

Pope Changing His Name. Peter Hogsmouth, or, as he is sometimes called, Peter di Porca, was the first pope to change his name. He called himself Sergius II. (844-847). Some say he thought it arrogant to be called Peter II.

Pope-Fig-Lands, Protestant countries. The Gaillardets, being shown the pope's image, said, "A fig for the pope!" whereupon their whole island was put to the sword, and the name changed to Pope-fig-land, the people being called "Pope-figs."—Rabelais, Pantag'ruel, iv. 45 (1545).

The allusion is to the kingdom of Navarre, once Protestant; but in 1512 it was subjected to Ferdinand, the Catholic.

Pope-Figs, Protestants. The name was given to the Gaillardets for saying "A fig for the pope!"

They were made tributaries and slaves to the Papimans for saying "A fig for the pope's image!" and never after did the poor wretches prosper, but every year the devil was at their doors, and they were plagued with hail, storms, famine, and all manner of woes, in punishment of this sin of their forefathers.—Rabelais, Pantagruel, iv. 45 (1545).

Pope Joan, between Leo IV. and Benedict III., and called John [VIII.]. The subject of this scandalous story was an English girl, educated at Cologne, who left her home in man's disguise with her lover (the monk Folda), and went to Athens, where she studied law. She went to Rome and studied theology, earning so great a reputation that, at the death of Leo IV., she was chosen his successor. Her sex was discovered by the birth of a child, while she was going to the Lateran Basilica, between the Coliseum and the church of St. Clement. Pope Joan died, and was buried, without honors, after a pontificate of two years and five months (853-855).—Marianus Scotus (who died 1086).

The story is given most fully by Martinus Polonus, confessor to Gregory X., and the tale was generally believed till the Reformation. There is a German miracle-play on the subject, called The Canonization of Pope Joan (1480). David Blondel, a Calvinist divine, has written a book to confute the tale.

The following note contains the chief points of interest:—

Anastasius, the librarian, is the first to mention such a pope, A.D. 886, or thirty years after the death of Joan.

Marianus Scotus, in his Chronicle, says she reigned two years, five months and four days (853-855). Scotus died 1086.

Sigebert de Gemblours, in his Chronicle, repeats the same story (1112).

Otto of Friesingen[TN-101] and Gotfried of Viterbo both mention her in their histories.

Martin Polonus gives a very full account of the matter. He says she went by the name of John Anglus, and was born at Metz, of English parents. While she was pope, she was prematurely delivered of a child in the street "between the Coliseum and St. Clement's Church."

William Ocham alludes to the story.

Thomas de Elmham repeats it (1422).

John Huss tells us her baptismal name was not Joan, but Agnes.

Others insist that her name was Gilberta.

In the Annalês Augustani (1135), we are told her papal name was John VIII., and that she it was who conscrated[TN-102] Louis II., of France.

Arguments in favor of the allegation are given by Spanheim, Exercit. de Papa Faemina, ii. 577; in Lenfant, Historie de la Papesse Jeanne.

Arguments against the allegation are given by Allatius or Allatus, Confutatio Fabulae de Johanna Papissa; and in Lequien,[TN-103] Oriens Christianus, iii. 777.

Arguments on both sides are given in Cunningham's translation of Geiseler, Lehrbuch, ii. 21, 22; and in La Bayle's Dictionnaire, iii., art. "Papisse."

[Asterism] Gibbon says, "Two Protestants, Blondel and Bayle, have annihilated the female pope;" but the expression is certainly too strong, and even Mosheim is more than half inclined to believe there really was such a person.

Pope of Philosophy, Aristotle (B.C. 384-322).

Popes (Titles assumed by). "Universal Bishop," prior to Gregory the Great. Gregory the Great adopted the style of "Servus Servorum" (591).

Martin IV. was addressed as "the lamb of God which takest away the sins of the world," to which was added, "Grant us thy peace!" (1281).

Leo X. was styled, by the council of Lateran, "Divine Majesty," "Husband of the Church," "Prince of the Apostles," "The Key of all the Universe," "The Pastor, the Physician, and a God possessed of all power both in heaven and on earth" (1513).

Paul V. styled himself "Monarch of Christendom," "Supporter of the Papal Omnipotence," "Vice-God," "Lord God the Pope" (1605).

Others, after Paul, "Master of the World," "Pope the Universal Father," "Judge in the place of God," "Vicegerent of the Most High."—Brady, Clavis Calendaria, 247 (1839).

The pope assumes supreme dominion, not only over spiritual but also over temporal affairs, styling himself "Head of the Catholic or Universal Church, Sole Arbiter of its rights, and Sovereign Father of all the Kings of the Earth." From these titles, he wears a triple crown, one as High Priest, one as emperor, and the third as king. He also bears keys, to denote his privilege of opening the gates of heaven to all true believers.—Brady, 250-1.

[Asterism] For the first five centuries the bishops of Rome wore a bonnet, like other ecclesiastics. Pope Hormisdas placed on his bonnet the crown sent him by Clovis; Boniface VIII. added a second crown during his struggles with Philip the Fair; and John XXII. assumed the third crown.

Popish Plot, a supposed Roman Catholic conspiracy to massacre the Protestants, burn London, and murder the king (Charles II.). This fiction was concocted by one Titus Oates, who made a "good thing" by his schemes; but being at last found out, was pilloried, whipped, and imprisoned (1678-9).

Poppy (Ned), a prosy old anecdote teller, with a marvellous tendency to digression.

Poquelin (Jean-ah), a wealthy Creole living in seclusion in an old house, attended only by a deaf-mute negro. The secrecy and mystery of his life excite all sorts of ugly rumors, and he is mobbed by a crowd of mischievous boys and loafers, receiving injuries that cause his death. The story that his house is haunted keeps intruders from the doors, but they venture near enough on the day of his funeral, to see the coffin brought out by the mute negro, and laid on a cart, and that the solitary mourner is Poquelin's brother, long supposed to be dead. He is a leper, for whom the elder brother has cared secretly all these years, not permitting the knowledge of his existence to get abroad, lest the unfortunate man should be removed forcibly, and sent to what is the only asylum for him now that his guardian is dead—the abhorrent Terre aux Lepreux.—George W. Cable, Old Creole Days (1879).

Porch (The). The Stoics were so called, because their founder gave his lectures in the Athenian stoa, or porch, called "Poe'cilê."

The successors of Socrătês formed ... the Academy, the Porch, the Garden.—Professor Seeley, Ecce Homo.

George Herbert has a poem called The Church Porch (six-line stanzas). It may be considered introductory to his poem entitled The Church (Sapphic verse and sundry other metres).

Porcius, son of Cato, of Utĭca (in Africa), and brother of Marcus. Both brothers were in love with Lucia; but the hot-headed, impulsive Marcus, being slain in battle, the sage and temperate Porcius was without a rival.—J. Addison, Cato (1713).

When Sheridan reproduced Cato, Wignell, who acted "Porcius," omitted the prologue, and began at once with the lines, "The dawn is overcast, the morning lowers...." "The prologue! the prologue!" shouted the audience; and Wignell went on in the same tone, as if continuing his speech:

Ladies and gentleman, there has not been A prologue spoken to this play for years— And heavily on clouds brings on the day, The great, th' important day, big with the fate Of Cato and of Rome.

History of the Stage.

Porcupine (Peter). William Cobbett, the politician, published The Rushlight under this pseudonym in 1860.

Pornei'us (3 syl.), Fornication personified; one of the four sons of Anag'nus (inchastity), his brothers being Mae'chus (adultery), Acath'arus, and Asel'gês (lasciviousness). He began the battle of Mansoul by encountering Parthen'ia (maidenly chastity), but "the martial maid" slew him with her spear. (Greek, porneia, "fornication.").

In maids his joy; now by a maid defied, His life he lost and all his former pride. With women would he live, now by a woman died.

Phineas Fletcher, The Purple Island, xi. (1633).

Porphyrius, in Dryden's drama of Tyrannic Love.

Valeria, daughter of Maximin, having killed herself for the love of Porphyrus, was on one occasion being carried off by the bearers, when she started up and boxed one of the bearers on the ears, saying to him:

Hold! are you mad, you damned confounded dog? I am to rise and speak the epilogue.

W. C. Russell, Representative Actors, 456.

Porphyro-Genitus ("born in the Porphyra"), the title given to the kings of the Eastern empire, from the apartments called Porphyra, set apart for the empresses during confinement.

There he found Irene, the empress, in travail, in a house anciently appointed for the empresses during childbirth. They call that house "Porphyra," whence the name of the Porphyro-geniti came into the world.—See Selden, Titles of Honor, v. 61 (1614).

Porrex, younger son of Gorboduc, a legendary king of Britain. He drove his elder brother, Ferrex, from the kingdom, and, when Ferrex returned with a large army, defeated and slew him. Porrex was murdered while "slumbering on his careful bed," by his own mother, who stabbed[TN-104] him to the heart with a knife."—Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, Gorboduc (a tragedy, 1561-2).

Por'sena, a legendary king of Etruria, who made war on Rome to restore Tarquin to the throne.

Lord Macaulay has made this the subject of one of his Lays of Ancient Rome (1842).

Port'amour, Cupid's sheriff's officer, who summoned offending lovers to "Love's Judgment Hall."—Spenser, Faëry Queen, vi. 7 (1596).

Porteous (Captain John), an officer of the city guard. He is hanged by the mob (1736).

Mrs. Porteous, wife of the captain.—Sir W. Scott, The Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.)

Porter (Sir Joseph), K. C. B. The admiral who "stuck close to his desk, and never went to sea." His reward was the appointment as "ruler of the Queen's navee."—W. S. Gilbert, Pinafore.

Portia, the wife of Pontius Pilate, in Klopstock's Messiah.

Portia, wife of Marcus Brutus. Valerius Maximus says: "She, being determined to kill herself, took hot burning coals into her mouth, and kept her lips closed till she was suffocated by the smoke."

With this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, act iv. sc. 3 (1607).

Portia, a rich heiress, in love with Bassa'nio; but her choice of a husband was restricted by her father's will to the following condition: Her suitors were to select from three caskets, one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead, and he who selected the casket which contained Portia's picture, was to claim her as his wife. Bassanio chose the lead, and being successful, became the espoused husband. It so happened that Bassanio had borrowed 3,000 ducats, and Antonio, a Venetian merchant, was his security. The money was borrowed of Shylock, a Jew, on these conditions: If the loan was repaid within three months, only the principal would be required; if not, the Jew should be at liberty to claim a pound of flesh from Antonio's body. The loan was not repaid, and the Jew demanded the forfeiture. Portia, in the dress of a law doctor, conducted the defence, and saved Antonio by reminding the Jew that a pound of flesh gave him no drop of blood, and that he must cut neither more nor less than an exact pound, otherwise his life would be forfeited. As it would be plainly impossible to fulfill these conditions, the Jew gave up his claim, and Antonio was saved.—Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice (1598).

Portsmouth (The duchess of), "La Belle Louise de Querouaille," one of the mistresses of Charles II.—Sir W. Scott, Perveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Portuguese Cid (The), Nunez Alvarez Pereria (1360-1431).

Portuguese Horace (The), Antonio Ferreira (1528-1569).

"Posson Jone," a gigantic parson from "up the river" who has "been to Mobile on business for Bethesdy Church." His sojourn in New Orleans on his way home is marked by divers adventures. He is beguiled into a gambling den, drugged and made drunk. While intoxicated, he visits a circus and has a scene with the showman and his tiger; he is locked up and awakes in his senses and penitent. His simplicity of self-condemnation, his humility and fortitude move his tempter to restore the $500 of church-money he has "borrowed" from the confiding victim whose transport of pious gratitude overwhelms the world-hardened man with shame and inspires him to new resolves.—George W. Cable, "Posson Jone" (1879).

Posthu'mus [LEONATUS] married Imogen, daughter of Cymbeline, king of Britain, and was banished the kingdom for life. He went to Italy, and there, in the house of Philario, bet a diamond ring with Iachimo that nothing could seduce the fidelity of Imogen. Iachimo accepted the bet, concealed himself in a chest in Imogen's chamber, made himself master of certain details and also of a bracelet, and with these vouchers claimed the ring. Posthūmus now ordered his servant, Pisanio, to inveigle Imogen to Milford Haven under the promise of meeting her husband, and to murder her on the road; but Pisanio told Imogen to assume boy's apparel, and enter the service of the Roman general in Britain, as a page. A battle being fought, the Roman general, Iachimo, and Imogen were among the captives; and Posthumus, having done great service in the battle on Cymbeline's behalf, was pardoned. The Roman general prayed that the supposed page might be set at liberty, and the king told her she might also claim a boon, whereupon she asked that Iachimo should state how he became possessed of the ring he was wearing. The whole villainy being thus exposed, Imogen's innocence was fully established, and she was re-united to her husband.—Shakespeare, Cymbeline (1605).

Potage (Jean), the French "Jack Pudding;" similar to the Italian "Macaroni," the Dutch "Pickel-herringe," and the German "Hanswurst." Clumsy, gormandizing clowns, fond of practical jokes, especially such as stealing eatables and drinkables.

Pother (Doctor), an apothecary, "city register, and walking story-book." He had a story à propos of every remark made and of every incident; but as he mixed two or three together, his stories were pointless and quite unintelligible. "I know a monstrous good story on that point He! he! he" "I tell you a famous good story about that, you must know. He! he! he!..." "I could have told a capital story, but there was no one to listen to it. He! he! he!" This is the style of his chattering ... "speaking professionally—for anatomy, chemistry, pharmacy, phlebotomy, oxygen, hydrogen, caloric, carbonic, atmospheric, galvanic. Ha! ha! ha! Can tell you a prodigiously laughable story on the subject. Went last summer to a watering-place—lady of fashion—feel pulse—not lady, but lap-dog—talk Latin—prescribed galvanism—out jumped Pompey plump into a batter pudding, and lay like a toad in a hole. Ha! ha! ha!"—Dibdin, The Farmer's Wife (1780).

[Asterism] Colman's "Ollapod" (1802) was evidently copied from Dibdin's "Doctor Pother."

Potiphar (Mr.), freshly-made man intensely uncomfortable in his plated harness. His ideas of art are grounded upon a dim picture in his wife's drawing-room, called by him "Giddo's Shay Doover."

Mrs. Potiphar, shoddy of shoddys. Purse-proud, affected, pretentious and ambitious, and even less fit for her position than her husband for his.—George William Curtis, Potiphar Papers (1853).

Potiphar's Wife, Zoleikha or Zuleika; but some call her Raïl.—Sale, Al Korân, xii. note.

Pott (Mr.), the librarian at the Spa.

Mrs. Pott, the librarian's wife.—Sir W. Scott, St. Roman's Well (time, George III.).

Potteries (Father of the), Josiah Wedgewood (1730-1795).

Pounce (Mr. Peter), in The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, by Fielding (1742).

Poundtext (Peter), an "indulged pastor" in the covenanters' army.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Pourceaugnac [Poor-sone-yak], the hero of a comedy so called. He is a pompous country gentleman, who comes to Paris to marry Julie, daughter of Oronte (2 syl.); but Julie loves Eraste (2 syl.), and this young man plays off so many tricks, and devises so many mystifications upon M. de Pourceaugnac, that he is fain to give up his suit.—Molière, M. de Pourceaugnac (1669).

Poussin (The British), Richard Cooper (*-1806).

Poussin (Gaspar). So Gaspar Dughet, the French painter, is called (1613-1675).

Powell (Mary), the first wife of John Milton.

Powheid (Lazarus), the old sexton in Douglas.—Sir W. Scott, Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).

Poyning's Law, a statute to establish the English jurisdiction in Ireland. The parliament that passed it was summoned in the reign of Henry VII. by Sir Edward Poynings, governor of Ireland (1495).

Poyser (Mrs.), shrewd, capable and ready-tongued wife of a British yeoman, and aunt of Hetty Sorrel.—George Eliot, Adam Bede.

P. P., "Clerk of the Parish," the feigned signature of Dr. Arbuthnot, subscribed to a volume of Memoirs in ridicule of Burnet's History of My Own Times.

Those who were placed around the dinner-table had those feelings of awe with which P. P., Clerk of the Parish, was oppressed when he first uplifted the psalm in presence of ... the wise Mr. Justice Freeman, the good Lady Jones, and the great Sir Thomas Truby.—Sir W. Scott.

Pragmatic Sanction. The word pragmaticus means "relating to State affairs," and the word sanctio means "an ordinance" or "decree." The four most famous statutes so called are:

1. The Pragmatic Sanction of St. Louis (1268), which forbade the court of Rome to levy taxes or collect subscriptions in France without the express permission of the king. It also gave French subjects the right of appealing, in certain cases, from the ecclesiastical to the civil courts of the realm.

2. The Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, passed by Charles VII. of France, in 1438. By this ordinance the power of the people in France was limited and defined. The authority of the National Council was declared superior to that of the pope. The French clergy were forbidden to appeal to Rome on any point affecting the secular condition of the nation; and the Roman pontiff was wholly forbidden to appropriate to himself any vacant living, or to appoint to any bishopric or parish church in France.

3. The Pragmatic Sanction of Kaiser Karl VI. of Germany (in 1713), which settled the empire on his daughter, the Archduchess Maria Theresa, wife of François de Loraine. Maria Theresa ascended the throne in 1740, and a European war was the result.

4. The Pragmatic Sanction of Charles III. of Spain (1767). This was to suppress the Jesuits of Spain.

What is meant emphatically by The Pragmatic Sanction is the third of these ordinances, viz., settling the line of succession in Germany on the house of Austria.

Pramnian Mixture (The), any intoxicating draught; so called from the Pramnian grape, from which it was made. Circê gave Ulysses "Pramnian wine" impregnated with drugs, in order to prevent his escape from the island.

And for my drink prepared The Pramnian mixture in a golden cup, Impregnating (on my destruction bent) With noxious herbs the draught.

Homer, Odyssey, x. (Cowper's trans.).

Prasildo, a Babylonish nobleman, who falls in love with Tisbi'na, wife of his friend Iroldo. He is overheard by Tisbina threatening to kill himself, and, in order to divert him from his guilty passion she promises to return his love on condition of his performing certain adventures which she thinks to be impossible. However, Prasildo performs them all, and then Tisbina and Iroldo, finding no excuse, take poison to avoid the alternative. Prasildo resolves to do the same, but is told by the apothecary that the "poison" he had supplied was a harmless drink. Prasildo tells his friend, Iroldo quits the country, and Tisbina marries Prasildo. Time passes on and Prasildo hears that his friend's life is in danger, whereupon he starts forth to rescue him at the hazard of his own life.—Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato (1495).

Prasu'tagus or Praesu'tagus, husband of Bonduica or Boadicēa, queen of the Icēni.—Richard of Cirencester, History, xxx. (fourteenth century).

Me, the wife of rich Prasutagus; me the lover of liberty.— Me, they seized, and me they tortured!

Tennyson, Boadicea.

Prate'fast (Peter), who "in all his life spake no word in waste." His wife was Maude, and his eldest son, Sym Sadle Gander, who married Betres (daughter of Davy Dronken Nole, of Kent, and his wife, Al'yson).—Stephen Hawes, The Passe-tyme of Plesure, xxix. (1515).

Prattle (Mr.), medical practitioner, a voluble gossip, who retails all the news and scandal of the neighborhood. He knows everybody, everybody's affairs, and everybody's intentions.—G. Colman, Sr, The Deuce is in Him (1762).

Pre-Adamite Kings, Soliman Raad, Soliman Daki, and Soliman de Gian ben Gian. The last named, having chained up the dives (1 syl.) in the dark caverns of Pâf, became so presumptuous as to dispute the Supreme Power. All these kings maintained great state [before the existence of that contemptible being denominated by us "The Father of Mankind"]; but none can be compared with the eminence of Soliman ben Daoud.

Pre-Adamite Throne (The). It was Vathek's ambition to gain the pre-Adamite throne. After long search, he was shown it at last in the abyss of Eblis; but being there, return was impossible, and he remained a prisoner without hope forever.

They reached at length the hall [Argenk] of great extent, and covered with a lofty dome.... A funereal gloom prevailed over it. Here, upon two beds of incorruptible cedar, lay recumbent the fleshless forms of the pre-Adamite kings, who had once been monarchs of the whole earth.... At their feet were inscribed the events of their several reigns, their power, their pride, and their crimes. [This was the pre-Adamite throne, the ambition of the Caliph Vathek.]—W. Beckford, Vathek (1784).

Preacher (The) Solomon, the son of David, author of The Preacher (i. e. Ecclesiastes).

Thus saith the Preacher, "Nought beneath the sun Is new;" yet still from change to change we run.

Byron.

Preacher (The Glorious), St. Chrys'ostom (347-407). The name means "Golden mouth."

Preacher (The Little), Samuel de Marets, Protestant controversialist (1599-1663).

Preacher (The Unfair). Dr. Isaac Barrow was so called by Charles II., because his sermons were so exhaustive that they left nothing more to be said on the subject, which was "unfair" to those that came after him.

Preachers (The King of), Louis Bourdaloue (1632-1704).

Précieuses Ridicules (Les), a comedy by Molière, in ridicule of the "precieuses," as they were styled, forming the coterie of the Hotel de Rambouillet in the seventeenth century. The soirées held in this hotel were a great improvement on the licentious assemblies of the period; but many imitators made the thing ridiculous, because they wanted the same presiding talent and good taste.

The two girls of Molière's comedy are Madelon and Cathos, the daughter and niece of Gorgibus, a bourgeois. They change their names to Polixène and Aminte, which they think more genteel, and look on the affectations of two flunkies as far more distingué than the simple, gentlemanly manners of their masters. However, they are cured of their folly, and no harm comes of it (1659).

Preciosa, the heroine of Longfellow's Spanish Student, in love with Victorian, the student.

Precocious Genius.

JOHANN PHILIP BARATIER, a German, at the age of five years, knew Greek, Latin, and French, besides his native German. At nine he knew Hebrew and Chaldaic, and could translate German into Latin. At thirteen he could translate Hebrew into French, or French into Hebrew (1721-1740).

[Asterism] The life of this boy was written by Formey. His name is enrolled in all biographical dictionaries.

CHRISTIAN HENRY HEINECKEN, at one year old, knew the chief events of the Pentatauch!! at thirteen months he knew the history of the Old Testament!! at fourteen months he knew the history of the New Testament!! at two and a half years he could answer any ordinary question of history or geography; and at three years old knew French and Latin as well as his native German (1721-1725).

[Asterism] The life of this boy was written by Schoeneich, his teacher. His name is duly noticed in biographical dictionaries.

Pressaeus ("eater of garlic"), the youngest of the frog chieftains.

The pious ardor young Pressaeus brings, Betwixt the fortunes of contending kings; Lank, harmless frog! with forces hardly grown, He darts the reed in combats not his own, Which, faintly tinkling on Troxartas' shield, Hangs at the point and drops upon the field.

Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Prest, a nickname given by Swift to the duchess of Shrewsbury, who was a foreigner.

Prester John, a corruption of Belul Gian, meaning "precious stone." Gian (pronounced zjon) has been corrupted into John, and Belul, translated into "precious;" in Latin Johannes preciosus ("precious John") corrupted into "Presbyter Joannes." The kings of Ethiopia or Abyssinia, from a gemmed ring given to Queen Saba, whose son by Solomon was king of Ethiopia, and was called Melech, with the "precious stone," or Melech Gian-Belul.

AEthiopes regem suum, quem nos vulgo "Prete Gianni" corrupte dicimus, quatour appellant nominibus, quorum primum est "Belul Giad," hoc est lapis preciosus. Ductum est autem hoc nomen ab annulo Salomonis quem ille filio ex regina Saba, ut putant genito, dono dedisse, quove omnes postea reges usos fuisse describitor.... Cum vero eum coronant, appellant "Neghuz." Postremo cum vertice capitis in coronae modum abraso, ungitur a patriarcha, vocant "Masih," hoc est unctum. Haec autem regiae dignitatis nomina omnibus communia sunt.—Quoted by Selden, from a little annal of the Ethiopian kings (1552), in his Titles of Honor, v. 65 (1614).

[Asterism] As this title was like the Egyptian Pharaoh, and belonged to whole lines of kings, it will explain the enormous diversity of time allotted by different writers to "Prester John."

Marco Polo says that Prester John was slain in battle by Jenghiz Khan; and Gregory Bar-Hebraeus says, "God forsook him because he had taken to himself a wife of the Zinish nation, called Quarakhata.[TN-105]

Bishop Jordānus, in his description of the world, sets down Abyssinia as the kingdom of Prester John. Abyssinia used to be called "Middle India."

Otto of Freisingen is the first author to mention him. This Otto wrote a chronicle to the date 1156. He says that John was of the family of the Magi, and ruled over the country of these Wise Men. Otto tells us that Prester John had "a sceptre of emeralds."

Maimonĭdês, about the same time (twelfth century), mentions him, but calls him "Prester-Cuan."

Before 1241 a letter was addressed by "Prester John" to Manuel Comnēnus, emperor of Constantinople. It is preserved in the Chronicle of Albericus Trium Fontium, who gives for its date 1165.

Mandeville calls Prester John a lineal descendant of Ogier, the Dane. He tells us that Ogier, with fifteen others, penetrated into the north of India, and divided the land amongst his followers. John was made sovereign of Teneduc, and was called "Prester" because he converted the natives to the Christian faith.

Another tradition says that Prester John had seventy kings for his vassals, and was seen by his subjects only three times in a year.

In Orlando Furioso, Prester John is called by his subjects "Senāpus, king of Ethiopia." He was blind, and though the richest monarch of the world, he pined with famine, because harpies flew off with his food by way of punishment for wanting to add paradise to his empire. The plague, says the poet, was to cease "when a stranger appeared on a flying griffin." This stranger was Astolpho, who drove the harpies to Cocy'tus. Prester John, in return for this service, sent 100,000 Nubians to the aid of Charlemagne. Astolpho supplied this contingent with horses by throwing stones into the air, and made transport-ships to convey them to France by casting leaves into the sea. After the death of Agramant, the Nubians were sent home, and then the horses became stones again, and the ships became leaves (bks. xvii.-xix.).

Pretender (The Young), Prince Charles Edward Stuart, son of James Francis Edward Stuart (called "The Old Pretender"). James Francis was the son of James II., and Charles Edward was the king's grandson.—Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).

Charles Edward was defeated at Cullōden in 1746, and escaped to the Continent.

God bless the king—I mean the "Faith's defender;" God bless—no harm in blessing—the Pretender. Who that Pretender is, and who is king, God bless us all! that's quite another thing.

Ascribed by Sir W. Scott to John Byrom (in Redgauntlet).

The mistress of Charles Edward Stuart was Miss Walkingshaw.

Prettyman (Prince), in love with Cloris. He is sometimes a fisherman, and sometimes a prince.—Duke of Buckingham, The Rehearsal (1671).

[Asterism] "Prince Prettyman" is said to be a parody on "Leonidas" in Dryden's Marriage-à-la-mode.

Pri'amus (Sir), a knight of the Round Table. He possessed a phial, full of four waters that came from paradise. These waters instantly healed any wounds which were touched by them.

"My father," says Sir Priamus, "is lineally descended of Alexander and of Hector by right line. Duke Josuê and Machabaeus were of our lineage. I am right inheritor of Alexandria, and Affrike of all the out isles."

And Priamus took from his page a phial, full of four waters that came out of paradise; and with certain balm nointed he their wounds, and washed them with that water, and within an hour after they were both as whole as ever they were.—Sir T. Malory, History of Prince Arthur, i. 97 (1470).

Price (Matilda), a miller's daughter; a pretty, coquettish young woman, who marries John Browdie, a hearty Yorkshire corn-factor.—C. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby (1838).

Pride (Sir), first a drayman, then a colonel in the parliamentary army.—S. Butler, Hudibras (1663-78).

Pride of Humility. Antisthĕnês, the Cynic, affected a very ragged coat; but Socrătês said to him, "Antisthenês, I can see your vanity peering through the holes of your coat."

Pride's Purge, a violent invasion of parliamentary rights by Colonel Pride, in 1649. At the head of two regiments of soldiers he surrounded the House of Commons, seized forty-one of the members and shut out 160 others. None were allowed into the House but those most friendly to Cromwell. This fag-end went by the name of "the Rump."

Pridwin or PRIWEN, Prince Arthur's shield.

Arthur placed a golden helmet upon his head, on which was engraven the figure of a dragon; and on his shoulders his shield, called Priwen, upon which the picture of the blessed Mary, mother of God, was painted; then, girding on his Caliburn, which was an excellent sword, made in the isle of Avallon; he took in his right hand his lance, Ron, which was hard, broad, and fit for slaughter.—Geoffrey, British History, ix. 4 (1142).

Priest of Nature, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727).

Lo! Newton, priest of nature, shines afar, Scans the wide world, and numbers every star.

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

Prig, a knavish beggar.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Beggars' Bush (1622).

Prig (Betsey), an old monthly nurse, "the frequent pardner" of Mrs. Gamp; equally ignorant, equally vulgar, equally selfish, and brutal to her patients.

"Betsey," said Mrs. Gamp, filling her own glass, and passing the teapot [of gin], "I will now propoge a toast: 'My frequent pardner, Betsey Prig.'" "Which, altering the name to Sairah Gamp, I drink," said Mrs. Prig, "with love and tenderness."—C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, xlix. (1843).

Prim'er (Peter), a pedantic country schoolmaster, who believes himself to be the wisest of pedagogues.—Samuel Foote, The Mayor of Garratt (1763).

Primitive Fathers (The). The five apostolic fathers contemporary with the apostles (viz., Clement of Rome, Barnăbas, Hermas, Ignatius and Polycarp), and the nine following, who all lived in the first three centuries:—Justin, Theoph'ilus of Antioch, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian of Carthage, Orĭgen, Gregory "Thaumatur'gus," Dionysius of Alexandria and Tertullian.

[Asterism] For the "Fathers" of the fourth and fifth centuries see GREEK CHURCH, LATIN CHURCH.

Primrose (The Rev. Dr. Charles), a clergyman rich in heavenly wisdom, but poor indeed in all worldly knowledge. Amiable, charitable, devout, but not without his literary vanity, especially on the Whistonian theory about second marriages. One admires his virtuous indignation against the "washes," which he deliberately demolished with the poker. In his prosperity his chief "adventures were by the fireside, and all his migrations were from the blue bed to the brown."

Mrs. [Deborah] Primrose, the doctor's wife, full of motherly vanity, and desirous to appear genteel. She could read without much spelling, prided herself on her housewifery, especially on her gooseberry wine, and was really proud of her excellent husband.

(She was painted as "Venus," and the vicar, in gown and bands, was presenting to her his book on "second marriages," but when complete the picture was found to be too large for the house.)

George Primrose, son of the vicar. He went to Amsterdam to teach the Dutch English, but never once called to mind that he himself must know something of Dutch before this could be done. He becomes Captain Primrose, and marries Miss Wilmot, an heiress.

(Goldsmith himself went to teach the French English under the same circumstances.)

Moses Primrose, younger son of the vicar, noted for his greenness and pedantry. Being sent to sell a good horse at a fair, he bartered it for a gross of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases, of no more value than Hodge's razors (ch. xii.).

Olivia Primrose, the eldest daughter of the doctor. Pretty, enthusiastic, a sort of Hebê in beauty. "She wished for many lovers," and eloped with Squire Thornhill. Her father found her at a roadside inn called the Harrow, where she was on the point of being turned out of the house. Subsequently, she was found to be legally married to the squire.

Sophia Primrose, the second daughter of Dr. Primrose. She was "soft, modest, and alluring." Not like her sister, desirous of winning all, but fixing her whole heart upon one. Being thrown from her horse into a deep stream, she was rescued by Mr. Burchell (alias Sir William Thornhill), and being abducted, was again rescued by him. She married him at last.—Goldsmith, Vicar of Wakefield (1766).

Prince of Alchemy, Rudolph II., kaiser of Germany; also called "The German Trismegistus" (1552, 1576-1612).

Prince of Angels, Michael.

So spake the prince of angels. To whom thus The Adversary [i.e. Satan].

Milton, Paradise Lost, vi. 281 (1665).

Prince of Celestial Armies, Michael, the archangel.

Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince.

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

Prince of Darkness, Satan (Eph. vi 12).

Whom thus the prince of darkness answered glad: "Fair daughter, High proof ye now have given to be the race Of Satan (I glory in the name)."

Milton, Paradise Lost, x, 383 (1665).

Prince of Hell, Satan.

And with them comes a third of regal port, But faded splendor wan; who by his gait And fierce demeanor seems the prince of Hell.

Milton, Paradise Lost, iv. 868 (1665).

Prince of Life, a title given to Christ (Acts iii. 15).

Prince of Peace, a title given to the Messiah (Isaiah ix. 6).

Prince of Peace, Don Manuel Godoy, of Badajoz. So called because he concluded the "peace of Basle" in 1795, between France and Spain (1757-1851).

Prince of the Air, Satan.

... Jesus, son of Mary, second Eve, Saw Satan fall, like lightning, down from heaven, Prince of the air.

Milton, Paradise Lost, x. 185 (1665).

Prince of the Devils, Satan (Matt. xii. 24).

Prince of the Kings of the Earth, a title given to Christ (Rev. i. 5).

Prince of the Power of the Air, Satan (Eph. ii. 2).

Prince of this World, Satan (John xiv. 30).

Princes. It was Prince Bismarck, the German Chancellor, who said to a courtly attendant, "Let princes be princes, and mind your own business."

Prince's Peers, a term of contempt applied to peers of low birth. The phrase arose in the reign of Charles VII., of France, when his son Louis (afterwards Louis XI.) created a host of riff-raff peers, such as tradesmen, farmers, and mechanics, in order to degrade the aristocracy, and thus weaken its influence in the state.

Printed Books. The first book produced in England, was printed in England in 1477, by William Caxton, in the Almonry, at Westminster, and was entitled The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers.

The Rev. T. Wilson says: "The press at Oxford existed ten years before there was any press in Europe, except those of Haarlem and Mentz." The person who set up the Oxford press was Corsellis, and his first printed book bore the date of 1468. The colophon of it ran thus: "Explicit exposicio Sancti Jeronimi in simbolo apostolorum ad papam laurēcium. Impressa Oxonii Et finita Anno Domini Mcccclxviij., xvij. die Decembris." The book is a small quarto of forty-two leaves, and was first noticed in 1664 by Richard Atkins in his Origin and Growth of Printing. Dr. Conyers Middleton, in 1735, charged Atkins with forgery. In 1812, S. W. Singer defended the book. Dr. Cotton took the subject up in his Typographical Gazetteer (first and second series).

Prior (Matthew). The monument to this poet in Westminster Abbey was by Rysbrack; executed by order of Louis XIV.

Priory (Lord), an old-fashioned husband, who actually thinks that a wife should "love, honor, and obey" her husband; nay, more, that "forsaking all others, she should cleave to him so long as they both should live."

Lady Priory, an old-fashioned wife, but young and beautiful. She was, however, so very old-fashioned that she went to bed at ten and rose at six; dressed in a cap and gown of her own making; respected and loved her husband; discouraged flirtation; and when assailed by any improper advances, instead of showing temper or conceited airs, quietly and tranquilly seated herself to some modest household duty till the assailant felt the irresistible power of modesty and virtue.—Mrs. Inchbald, Wives as They Were and Maids as They Are (1797).

Priscian, a great grammarian of the fifth century. The Latin phrase, Diminuĕre Prisciani caput ("to break Priscian's head"), means to "violate the rules of grammar." (See PEGASUS.)

Some, free from rhyme or reason, rule or check, Break Priscian's head, and Pegasus's neck.

Pope, The Dunciad, iii. 161 (1728).

Quakers (that like to lanterns, bear Their light within them) will not swear And hold no sin so deeply red As that of breaking Priscian's head.

Butler, Hudibras, II. ii. 219, etc. (1664).

Priscilla, daughter of a noble lord. She fell in love with Sir Aladine, a poor knight.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, vi. 1 (1596).

Priscilla, the beautiful puritan in love with John Alden. When Miles Standish, a bluff old soldier, in the middle of life, wished to marry her, he asked John Alden to go and plead his cause; but the puritan maiden replied archly, "Why don't you speak for yourself, John?" Upon this hint, John did speak for himself, and Priscilla listened to his suit.—Longfellow, The Courtship of Miles Standish (1858).

Priscilla. Fragile, pretty, simple girl, whom Hollingsworth and Coverdale love, instead of falling victims to the superb Zenobia. She is thin-blooded and weak-limbed, and her very helplessness charms the strong men, who suppose themselves proof against love of the ordinary kind.—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance (1852).

Prison Life Endeared. The following are examples of prisoners who, from long habit, have grown attached to prison life:—

Comte de Lorge was confined for thirty years in the Bastile, and when liberated (July 14, 1789) declared that freedom had no joys for him. After imploring in vain to be allowed to return to his dungeon, he lingered for six weeks and pined to death.

Goldsmith says, when Chinvang the Chaste, ascended the throne of China, he commanded the prisons to be thrown open. Among the prisoners was a venerable man of 85 years of age, who implored that he might be suffered to return to his cell. For sixty-three years he had lived in its gloom and solitude, which he preferred to the glare of the sun and the bustle of a city.—A Citizen of the World lxxiii. (1759).

Mr. Cogan once visited a prisoner of state in the King's Bench prison, who told him he had grown to like the subdued light and extreme solitude of his cell; he even liked the spots and patches on the wall, the hardness of his bed, the regularity, and the freedom from all the cares and worries of active life. He did not wish to be released, and felt sure he should never be so happy in any other place.

A woman of Leyden, on the expiration of a long imprisonment, applied for permission to return to her cell, and added, if the request was refused as a favor, she would commit some offence which should give her a title to her old quarters.

A prisoner condemned to death had his sentence commuted to seven years' close confinement on a bed of nails. After the expiration of five years, he declared, if ever he were released, he should adopt from choice what habit had rendered so agreeable to him.

Prisoner of Chillon, Françoise de Bonnivard, a Frenchman, who resided at Geneva, and made himself obnoxious to Charles III., duc de Savoie, who incarcerated him for six years in a dungeon of the Château de Chillon, at the east end of the lake of Geneva. The prisoner was ultimately released by the Bernese, who were at war with Savoy.

Byron has founded on this incident his poem entitled The Prisoner of Chillon, but has added two brothers, whom he supposes to be imprisoned with Françoise, and who die of hunger, suffering, and confinement. In fact, the poet mixes up Dantê's tale about Count Ugolino with that of Françoise de Bonnivard, and has produced a powerful and affecting story, but it is not historic.

Prisoner of State (The), Ernest de Fridberg. E. Sterling has a drama so called. (For the plot, see ERNEST DE FRIDBERG.)

Pritchard (William), commander of H.M. sloop, the Shark.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Priu'li, a senator of Venice, of unbending pride. His daughter had been saved from the Adriatic by Jaffier, and gratitude led to love. As it was quite hopeless to expect Priuli to consent to the match, Belvidera eloped in the night, and married Jaffier. Priuli now discarded them both. Jaffier joined Pierre's conspiracy to murder the Venetian senators, but in order to save his father-in-law, revealed to him the plot under the promise of a general free pardon. The promise was broken, and all the conspirators except Jaffier were condemned to death by torture. Jaffier stabbed Pierre, to save him from the wheel, and then killed himself. Belvidera went mad and died. Priuli lived on, a broken-down old man, sick of life, and begging to be left alone in some "place that's fit for mourning." "There, all leave me:

Sparing no tears when you this tale relate, But bid all cruel fathers dread my fate."

T. Otway, Venice Preserved, v. the end (1682).

Privolvans, the antagonists of the Subvolvans.

These silly, ranting Privolvans Have every summer their campaigns, And muster like the warlike sons Of Rawhead and of Bloody-bones.

S. Butler, The Elephant in the Moon, v. 85 (1754).

Probe (1 syl.), a priggish surgeon, who magnifies mole-hill ailments into mountain maladies, in order to enhance his skill and increase his charges. Thus, when Lord Foppington received a small flesh-wound in the arm from a foil, Probe drew a long face, frightened his lordship greatly, and pretended the consequences might be serious; but when Lord Foppington promised him [pounds]500 for a cure, he set his patient on his legs the next day.—Sheridan, A Trip to Scarborough (1777).

Procida (John of), a tragedy by S. Knowles (1840). John of Procida was an Italian gentleman of the thirteenth century, a skillful physician, high in favor with King Fernando II., Conrad, Manfred, and Conrad'ine. The French invaded the island, put the last two monarchs to the sword, usurped the sovereignty, and made Charles d'Anjou king. The cruelty, licentiousness, and extortion of the French being quite unbearable, provoked a general rising of the Sicilians, and in one night (Sicilian Vespers, March 30, 1282), every Frenchman, Frenchwoman, and French child in the whole island was ruthlessly butchered. Procĭda lost his only son Fernando, who had just married Isoline (3 syl.), the daughter of the French governor of Messina. Isoline died broken-hearted, and her father, the governor, was amongst the slain. The crown was given to John of Procida.

Procris, the wife of Cephălos. Out of jealousy she crept into a wood to act as a spy upon her husband. Cephalos, hearing something move, discharged an arrow in the direction of the rustling, thinking it to be caused by some wild beast, and shot Procris. Jupiter, in pity, turned Procris into a star.—Greek and Latin Mythology.

The unerring dart of Procris. Diana gave Procris a dart which never missed its aim, and after being discharged returned back to the shooter.

Procrus'tes (3 syl.), a highwayman of Attica, who used to place travellers on a bed; if they were too short he stretched them out till they fitted it, if too long he lopped off the redundant part. Greek Mythology.

Critic, more cruel than Procrustes old, Who to his iron bed by torture fits Their nobler parts, the souls of suffering wits.

Mallet, Verbal Criticism (1734).

Proctor's Dogs or Bull-Dogs, the two "runners" or officials who accompany a university proctor in his rounds, to give chase to recalcitrant gownsmen.

And he had breathed the proctor's dogs [was a member of Oxford or Cambridge University].

Tennyson, prologue of The Princess (1830).

Prodigal (The), Albert VI. duke of Austria (1418, 1439-1463).

Prodigy of France (The). Guillaume Budé was so called by Erasmus (1467-1540).

Prodigy of Learning (The). Samuel Hahnemann, the German, was so called by J. P. Richter (1755-1843).

Professor (The). The most important member of the party gathered about the social board in O. W. Holmes's Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1858).

Profound (The), Richard Middleton, an English scholastic divine (*-1304).

Profound Doctor (The), Thomas Bradwardine, a schoolman. Also called "The Solid Docter"[TN-106] (*-1349).

AEgidius de Columna, a Sicilian schoolman, was called "The Most Profound Doctor" (*-1316).

Progne (2 syl.), daughter of Pandīon, and sister of Philomēla. Prognê was changed into a swallow, and Philomela into a nightingale.—Greek Mythology.

As Prognê or as Philomela mourns ... So Bradamant laments her absent knight.

Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, xxiii. (1516).

Prome'thean Unguent (The), made from the extract of a herb on which some of the blood of Promētheus (3 syl.), had fallen. Medea gave Jason some of this unguent, which rendered his body proof against fire and warlike instruments.

Prome'theus (3 syl.) taught man the use of fire, and instructed him in architecture, astronomy, mathematics, writing, rearing cattle, navigation, medicine, the art of prophecy, working metal, and, indeed, every art known to man. The word means "forethought," and forethought is the father of invention. The tale is that he made man of clay, and, in order to endow his clay with life, stole fire from heaven and brought it to earth in a hollow tube. Zeus, in punishment, chained him to a rock, and sent an eagle to consume his liver daily; during the night it grew again, and thus his torment was ceaseless, till Herculês shot the eagle, and unchained the captive.

Learn the while, in brief, That all arts come to mortals from Prometheus.

E. B. Browning, Prometheus Bound (1850).

Truth shall restore the light by Nature given, And, like Prometheus, bring the fire from heaven.

Campbell, Pleasures of Hope, i. (1700).

[Asterism] Percy B. Shelley has a classical drama entitled Prometheus Unbound (1819).

James Russell Lowell has a noble poem entitled Prometheus, beginning,—

"One after one the stars have risen and set, Sparkling upon the hoarfrost on my chain."

Prompt, the servant of Mr. and Miss Blandish. General Burgoyne, The Heiress (1781).

Pronando (Rast). The early lover of Anne Douglas. He is handsome, weak, and attractive in disposition, a favorite with all his friends. His pliant character and good-natured vanity make him a prey to the whimsical fascinations of Tita, Anne's "little sister," whom he marries instead of his first betrothed.—Constance Fenimore Woolson, Anne (1882).

Pronouns. It was of Henry Mossop, tragedian (1729-1773), that Churchill wrote the two lines:

In monosyllables his thunders roll— He, she, it, and we, ye, they, fright the soul;

because Mossop was fond of emphasizing his pronouns and little words.

Prophecy. Jourdain, the wizard, told the duke of Somerset, if he wished to live, to "avoid where castles mounted stand." The duke died in an ale-house called the Castle, in St. Alban's.

... underneath an ale-house' paltry sign, The Castle, in St. Alban's, Sumerset Hath made the wizard famous in his death.

Shakespeare, 2 Henry VI. act v. sc. 2 (1591).

Similar prophetic equivokes were told to Henry IV., Pope Sylvester II., and Cambysês (see JERUSALEM).

Aristomĕnês was told by the Delphic oracle to "flee for his life when he saw a goat drink from the river Neda." Consequently, all goats were driven from the banks of this river; but one day, Theŏclos observed that the branches of a fig tree bent into the stream, and it immediately flashed into his mind that the Messenian word for fig tree and goat was the same. The pun or equivoke will be better understood by an English reader if for goat we read ewe, and bear in mind that yew is to the ear the same word; thus:

When an ewe [yew] stops to drink of the "Severn," then fly, And look not behind, for destruction is nigh.

Prophetess (The), Ayē'shah, the second and beloved wife of Mahomet. It does not mean that she prophesied, but, like Sultana, it is simply a title of honor. He was the Prophet, she the Prophēta or Madam Prophet.

Prose (Father of English), Wycliffe (1324-1384).

Prose (Father of Greek), Herodotus (B.C. 484-408).

Prose (Father of Italian), Boccaccio (1313-1375).

Pros'erpine (3 syl.), called Proserpĭna in Latin, and "Proser'pin" by Milton, was daughter of Ce'rês. She went to the field of Enna to amuse herself by gathering asphodels, and being tired, fell asleep. Dis, the god of Hell, then carried her off, and made her queen of the infernal reions.[TN-107] Cerês wandered for nine days over the world disconsolate, looking for her daughter, when Hec'ate (2 syl.) told her she had heard the girl's cries, but knew not who had carried her off. Both now went to Olympus, when the sun-god told them the true state of the case.

N.B.—This is an allegory of seed-corn.

Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proser'pin, gathering flowers, Herself a fairer flower, by gloomy Dis Was gathered—which cost Cerês all that pain To seek her thro' the world.

Milton, Paradise Lost, iv. 268 (1665).

Prosperity Robinson, Frederick Robinson, afterwards Viscount Goderich and earl of Ripon, chancellor of the exchequer in 1823. So called by Cobbett, from his boasting about the prosperity of the country just a little before the great commercial crisis of 1825.

Pros'pero, the banished duke of Milan, and father of Miranda. He was deposed by his brother, Antonio, who sent him to sea with Miranda in a "rotten carcass of a boat," which was borne to a desert island. Here Prospero practised magic. He liberated Ariel from the rift of a pine tree, where the witch Syc'orax had confined him for twelve years, and was served by that bright spirit with true gratitude. The only other inhabitant of the island was Calĭban, the witch's "welp." After a residence in the island of sixteen years, Prospero raised a tempest by magic to cause the shipwreck of the usurping duke and of Ferdinand, his brother's son. Ferdinand fell in love with his cousin, Miranda, and eventually married her.—Shakespeare, The Tempest (1609).

Still they kept limping to and fro, Like Ariels round old Prospero, Saying, "Dear master, let us go." But still the old man answered, "No!"

T. Moore, A Vision.

Pross (Miss), a red-haired, ungainly creature, who lived with Lucie Manette, and dearly loved her. Miss Pross, although eccentric, was most faithful and unselfish.

Her character (dissociated from stature) was shortness.... It was characteristic of this lady that whenever her original proposition was questioned, she exaggerated it.—C. Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, ii. 6 (1859).

Proterius of Cappadōcia, father of Cyra. (See SINNER SAVED.)

Protesila'os, husband of Laodamīa. Being slain at the siege of Troy, the dead body was sent home to his wife, who prayed that she might talk with him again, if only for three hours. Her prayer was granted, but when Protesilāos returned to death, Laodamia died also.—Greek Mythology.

In Fénelon's Télémaque "Protésilaos" is meant for Louvois, the French minister of state.

Protestant Duke (The), James, duke of Monmouth, a love-child of Charles II. So called because he renounced the Roman faith, in which he had been brought up, and became a Protestant (1619-1685).

Protestant Pope (The), Gian Vincenzo Ganganelli, Pope Clement XIV. So called from his enlightened policy, and for his bull suppressing the Jesuits (1705, 1769-1774).

Proteus [Pro-tuce], a sea-god who resided in the Carpathian Sea. He had the power of changing his form at will. Being a prophet also, Milton calls him "the Carpathian wizard."—Greek Mythology.

By hoary Nereus' wrinkled look, And the Carpathian wizard's hook [or trident].

Milton, Comus (1634).

Periklym'enos, son of Neleus (2 syl.), had the power of changing his form into a bird, beast, reptile, or insect. As a bee he perched on the chariot of Heraklês (Hercules), and was killed.

Aristogīton, from being dipped in the Achelōus (4 syl.), received the power of changing his form at will.—Fénelon, Télémaque, xx. (1700).

The genii, both good and bad, of Eastern mythology, had the power of changing their form instantaneously. This is powerfully illustrated by the combat between the queen of Beauty and the son of Eblis. The genius first appeared as an enormous lion, but the queen of Beauty plucked out a hair which became a scythe, with which she cut the lion in pieces. The head of the lion now became a scorpion, and the princess changed herself into a serpent; but the scorpion instantly made itself an eagle, and went in pursuit of the serpent. The serpent, however, being vigilant, assumed the form of a white cat; the eagle in an instant changed to a wolf, and the cat, being hard pressed, changed into a worm; the wolf changed to a cock, and ran to pick up the worm, which, however, became a fish before the cock could pick it up. Not to be outwitted, the cock transformed itself into a pike to devour the fish, but the fish changed into a fire, and the son of Eblis was burnt to ashes before he could make another change.—Arabian Nights ("The Second Calender").

Proteus or Protheus, one of the two gentlemen of Verona. He is in love with Julia. His servant is Launce, and his father Anthonio or Antonio. The other gentleman is called Valentine, and his lady love is Silvia.—Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).

Shakespeare calls the word Pro-tĕ-us. Malone, Dr. Johnson, etc., retain the h in both names, but the Globe edition omits them.

Protevangelon ("first evangelist"), a gospel falsely attributed to St. James the Less, first bishop of Jerusalem, noted for its minute details of the Virgin and Jesus Christ. Said to be the production of L. Carīnus, of the second century.

First of all we shall rehearse ... The nativity of our Lord, As written in the old record Of the Protevangelon.

Longfellow, The Golden Legend (1851).

Protocol (Mr. Peter), the attorney in Edinburgh, employed by Mrs. Margaret Bertram, of Singleside.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Protosebastos (The), or SEBASTOCRATOR, the highest State officer in Greece.—Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Protospathaire (The), or general of Alexius Comnēnus, emperor of Greece. His name is Nicanor.—Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Proud (The). Tarquin II. of Rome, was called Superbus (reigned B.C. 535-510, died 496).

Otho IV., kaiser of Germany, was called "The Proud" (1175, 1209-1218).

Proud Duke (The), Charles Seymour, duke of Somerset. His children were not allowed to sit in his presence; and he spoke to his servants by signs only (*-1748).

Proudfute (Oliver), the boasting bonnet-maker at Perth.

Magdalen or Maudie Proudfute, Oliver's widow.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Proudie (Dr.), hen-pecked bishop of Barchester. A martinet in his diocese, a serf in his home.

Proudie (Mrs.), strong-willed, strong-voiced help-mate of the bishop. She lays down social, moral, religious and ecclesiastical laws with equal readiness and severity.—Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage and Barchester Towers.

Prout (Father), the pseudonym of Francis Mahoney, a humorous writer in Fraser's Magazine, etc. (1805-1866).

Provis, the name assumed by Abel Magwitch, Pip's benefactor. He was a convict, who had made a fortune, and whose chief desire was to make his protegé[TN-108] a gentleman.—C. Dickens, Great Expectations (1860).

Provoked Husband (The), a comedy by Cibber and Vanbrugh. The "provoked husband" is Lord Townly, justly annoyed at the conduct of his young wife, who wholly neglects her husband and her home duties for a life of gambling and dissipation. The husband seeing no hope of amendment, resolves on a separate maintenance; but then the lady's eyes are opened—she promises amendment, and is forgiven[TN-109]

[Asterism] This comedy was Vanbrugh's Journey to London, left unfinished at his death. Cibber took it, completed it, and brought it out under the title of The Provoked Husband (1728).

Provoked Wife (The), Lady Brute, the wife of Sir John Brute, is, by his ill manners, brutality, and neglect, "provoked" to intrigue with one Constant. The intrigue is not of a very serious nature, since it is always interrupted before it makes head. At the conclusion, Sir John says:

Surly, I may be stubborn, I am not, For I have both forgiven and forgot.

Sir J. Vanbrugh (1697).

Provost of Bruges (The), a tragedy based on "The Serf," in Leitch Ritchie's Romance of History. Published anonymously in 1836; the author is S. Knowles. The plot is this: Charles "the Good," earl of Flanders, made a law that a serf is always a serf till manumitted, and whoever marries a serf, becomes thereby a serf. Thus, if a prince married the daughter of a serf, the prince becomes a serf himself, and all his children were serfs. Bertulphe, the richest, wisest, and bravest man in Flanders, was provost of Bruges. His beautiful daughter, Constance, married Sir Bouchard, a knight of noble descent; but Bertulphe's father had been Thancmar's serf, and, according to the new law, Bertulphe, the provost, his daughter, Constance, and the knightly son-in-law were all the serfs of Thancmar. The provost killed the earl, and stabbed himself; Bouchard and Thancmar killed each other in fight; and Constance died demented.

Prowler (Hugh), any vagrant or highwayman.

For fear of Hugh Prowler, get home with the rest.

T. Tusser, Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, xxxiii. 25 (1557).

Prudence (Mistress), the lady attendant on Violet, ward of Lady Arundel. When Norman, "the sea-captain," made love to Violet, Mistress Prudence remonstrated, "What will the countess say if I allow myself to see a stranger speaking to her ward?" Norman clapped a guinea on her left eye, and asked, "What see you now?" "Why, nothing with my left eye," she answered, "but the right has still a morbid sensibility." "Poor thing!" said Norman; "this golden ointment soon will cure it. What see you now, my Prudence?" "Not a soul," she said.—Lord Lytton, The Sea-Captain (1839).

Prudhomme (Joseph), "pupil of Brard and Saint-Omer," caligraphist[TN-110] and sworn expert in the courts of law. Joseph Prudhomme is the synthesis of bourgeois imbecility; radiant, serene, and self-satisfied; letting fall from his fat lips "one weak, washy, everlasting flood" of puerile aphorisms and inane circumlocutions. He says, "The car of the state floats on a precipice." "This sword is the proudest day of my life."—Henri Monnier, Grandeur et Décadence de Joseph Prudhomme (1852).

Pruddoterie (Madame de la). Character in comedy of George Dandin, by Molière.

Prue (Miss), a schoolgirl still under the charge of a nurse, very precocious and very injudiciously brought up. Miss Prue is the daughter of Mr. Foresight, a mad astrologer, and Mrs. Foresight, a frail nonentity.—Congreve, Love for Love (1695).

Prue. Wife of "I"; a dreamer. "Prue makes everything think well, even to making the neighbors speak well of her."

Of himself Prue's husband says:

"How queer that a man who owns castles in Spain should be deputy book-keeper at $900 per annum!"—George William Curtis, Prue and I (1856).

Prunes and Prisms, the words which give the lips the right plie of the highly aristocratic mouth, as Mrs. General tells Amy Dorrit.

"'Papa' gives a pretty form to the lips. 'Papa,' 'potatoes,' 'poultry,' 'prunes and prisms.' You will find it serviceable if you say to yourself on entering a room, 'Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes and prisms.'"—C. Dickens, Little Dorrit (1855).

General Burgoyne, in The Heiress, makes Lady Emily tell Miss Alscrip that the magic words are "nimini pimini;" and that if she will stand before her mirror and pronounce these words repeatedly, she cannot fail to give her lips that happy plie which is known as the "Paphian mimp."—The Heiress, iii. 2 (1781).

Pru'sio, king of Alvarecchia, slain by Zerbi'no.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Pry (Paul), one of those idle, meddling fellows, who, having no employment of their own, are perpetually interfering in the affairs of other people.—John Poole, Paul Pry.

Prydwen or PRIDWIN (q.v.), called in the Mabinogion, the ship of King Arthur. It was also the name of his shield. Taliessin speaks of it as a ship, and Robert of Gloucester as a shield.

Hys sseld that het Prydwen. Myd ye suerd he was ygurd, that so strong was and kene; Calybourne yt was ycluped, nas nour no such ye wene. In ys right hond ys lance he nom, that ycluped was Ron.

I. 174.

Prynne (Hester). Handsome, haughty gentlewoman of English birth, married to a deformed scholar, whom she does not love. She comes alone to Boston, meets Arthur Dimmesdale, a young clergyman, and becomes his wife in all except in name. When her child is born she is condemned to stand in the pillory, holding it in her arms, to be reprimanded by officials, civic and clerical, and to wear, henceforward, upon her breast, the letter "A" in scarlet. Her fate is more enviable than that of her undiscovered lover, whose vacillations of dread and despair and determination to reveal all but move Hester to deeper pity and stronger love. She is beside him when he dies in the effort to bare his bosom and show the cancerous Scarlet Letter that has grown into his flesh while she wore hers outwardly.—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850).

Psalmist (The). King David is called "The Sweet Psalmist of Israel" (2 Sam. xxiii. 1). In the compilation called Psalms, in the Old Testament, seventy-three bear the name of David, twelve were composed by Asaph, eleven by the sons of Korah, and one (Psalm xc.) by Moses.

Psycarpax (i. e. "granary-thief"), son of Troxartas, king of the mice. The frog king offered to carry the young Psycarpax over a lake; but a water-hydra made its appearance, and the frog-king, to save himself, dived under water, whereby the mouse prince lost his life. This catastrophe brought about the fatal Battle of the Frogs and Mice. Translated from the Greek into English verse by Parnell (1679-1717).

Psyche [Si'.ke], a most beautiful maiden, with whom Cupid fell in love. The god told her she was never to seek to know who he was; but Psychê could not resist the curiosity of looking at him as he lay sleep. A drop of the hot oil from Psychê's lamp falling on the love-god, woke him, and he instantly took to flight. Psychê now wandered from place to place, persecuted by Venus; but after enduring ineffable troubles, Cupid came at last to her rescue, married her, and bestowed on her immortality.

This exquisite allegory is from the Golden Ass of Apulēios. Lafontaine has turned it into French verse. M. Laprade (born 1812) has rendered it into French most exquisitely. The English version, by Mrs. Tighe, in six cantos, is simply unreadable.

Pternog'lyphus ("bacon-scooper"), one of the mouse chieftains.—Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Pternoph'agus ("bacon-eater"), one of the mouse chieftains.

But dire Pternophagus divides his way Thro' breaking ranks, and leads the dreadful day. No nibbling prince excelled in fierceness more,— His parents fed him on the savage boar.

Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Pternotractas ("bacon-gnawer"), father of "the meal-licker," Lycomĭlê (wife of Troxartas, "the bread-eater"). Psycarpas, the king of the mice, was son of Lycomĭlê, and grandson of Pternotractas.—Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, i. (about 1712).

Public Good (The League of the), a league between the dukes of Burgundy, Brittany, and other French princes against Louis XI.

Public'ola, of the Despatch Newspaper, was the nom de plume of Mr. Williams, a vigorous political writer.

Publius, the surviving son of Horatius after the combat between the three Horatian brothers against the three Curiatii of Alba. He entertained the Roman notion that "a patriot's soul can feel no ties but duty, and know no voice of kindred" if it conflicts with his country's weal. His sister was engaged to Caius Curiatius, one of the three Alban champions; and when she reproved him for "murdering" her betrothed, he slew her, for he loved Rome more than he loved friend, sister, brother, or the sacred name of father.—Whitehead, The Roman Father (1714).

Pucel. La bel Pucel lived in the tower of "Musyke." Graunde Amoure, sent thither by Fame to be instructed by the seven ladies of science, fell in love with her, and ultimately married her. After his death, Remembrance wrote his "epitaphy on his graue."—S. Hawes, The Passe-tyme of Pleasure (1506, printed 1515).

Pucelle (La), a surname given to Joan of Arc, the "Maid of Orleans" (1410-1431).

Puck, generally called Hobgoblin. Same as Robin Goodfellow. Shakespeare, in Midsummer Night's Dream, represents him as "a very Shetlander among the gossamer-winged, dainty-limbed fairies, strong enough to knock all their heads together, a rough, knurly-limbed, fawn-faced, shock-pated, mischievous little urchin."

He [Oberon] meeteth Puck, which most men call Hobgoblin, and on him doth fall, With words from phrenzy spoken. "Hoh! hoh!" quoth Hob; "God save your grace...."

Drayton, Nymphidia (1593).

Pudding (Jack), a gormandizing clown. In French he is called Jean Potage; in Dutch, Pickle-Herringe; in Italian, Macarōni; in German, John Sausage (Hanswurst).

Puff, servant of Captain Loveit, and husband of Tag, of whom he stands in awe.—D. Garrick, Miss in Her Teens (1753).

Puff (Mr.), a man who had tried his hand on everything to get a living, and at last resorts to criticism. He says of himself, "I am a practitioner in panegyric, or to speak more plainly, a professor of the art of puffing."

"I open," says Puff, "with a clock striking, to beget an awful attention in the audience; it also marks the time, which is four o'clock in the morning, and saves a description of the rising sun, and a great deal about gilding the eastern hemisphere."—Sheridan, The Critic, i. 1 (1779).

"God forbid," says Mr. Puff, "that in a free country, all the fine words in the language should be engrossed by the highest characters of the piece."—Sir W. Scott, The Drama.

Puff, publisher. He says:

"Panegyric and praise! and what will that do with the public? Why, who will give money to be told that Mr. Such-a-one is a wiser and better man than himself? No, no! 'tis quite, and clean out of nature. A good, sousing satire, now, well powdered with personal pepper, and seasoned with the spirit of party, that demolishes a conspicuous character, and sinks him below our own level—there, there, we are pleased; there we chuckle and grin, and toss the half-crowns on the counter."—Foote, The Patron (1764).

Pug, a mischievous little goblin, called "Puck" by Shakespeare.—B. Jonson, The Devil is an Ass (1616).

Puggie-Orrock, a sheriff's officer at Fairport.—Sir W. Scott, The Antiquary (time, George III.).

Pul'ci (L.), poet of Florence (1432-1487), author of the heroï-comic poem called Morgantê Maggiorê, a mixture of the bizarre, the serious, and the comic, in ridicule of the romances of chivalry. This Don Juan class of poetry has since been called Bernesque, from Francesco Berni, of Tuscany, who greatly excelled in it.

Pulci was sire of the half-serious rhyme, Who sang when chivalry was more quixotic, And revelled in the fancies of the time, True knights, chaste dames, huge giants, kings despotic.

Byron, Don Juan, iv. 6 (1820).

Pulia'no, leader of the Nasamo'ni. He was slain by Rinaldo.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Pumblechook, uncle to Joe Gargery, the blacksmith. He was a well-to-do corn-chandler, and drove his own chaise-cart. A hard-breathing, middle-aged, slow man was uncle Pumblechook, with fishy eyes and sandy hair, inquisitively on end. He called Pip, in his facetious way, "six-pen'orth of h'pence;" but when Pip came into his fortune, Mr. Pumblechook was the most servile of the servile, and ended every sentence with, "May I, Mr. Pip?" i.e,[TN-111] have the honor of shaking hands with you again.—C. Dickens, Great Expectations (1860).

Pumpernickel (His Transparency), a nickname by which the Times satirized the minor German princes.

Some ninety men and ten drummers constitute their whole embattled host on the parade-ground before their palace; and their whole revenue is supplied by a percentage on the tax levied on strangers at the Pumpernickel kursaal.—Times, July 18, 1866.

Pumpkin (Sir Gilbert), a country gentleman plagued with a ward (Miss Kitty Sprightly) and a set of servants all stage mad. He entertains Captain Charles Stanley, and Captain Harry Stukely at Strawberry Hall, when the former, under cover of acting, makes love to Kitty (an heiress), elopes with her, and marries her.

Miss Bridget Pumpkin, sister of Sir Gilbert, of Strawberry Hall. A Mrs. Malaprop. She says, "The Greeks, the Romans, and the Irish are barbarian nations who had plays;" but Sir Gilbert says, "they were all Jacobites." She speaks of "taking a degree at our principal adversity;" asks "if the Muses are a family living at Oxford," if so, she tells Captain Stukely, she will be delighted to "see them at Strawberry Hall, with any other of his friends." Miss Pumpkin hates "play acting," but does not object to love-making.—Jackman, All the World's a Stage.

Punch, derived from the Latin Mimi, through the Italian Pullicenella. It was originally intended as a characteristic representation. The tale is this: Punch, in a fit of jealousy, strangles his infant child, when Judy flies to her revenge. With a bludgeon she belabors her husband, till he becomes so exasperated that he snatches the bludgeon from her, knocks her brains out, and flings the dead body into the street. Here it attracts the notice of a police officer, who enters the house, and Punch flies to save his life. He is, however, arrested by an officer of the Inquisition, and is shut up in prison, from which he escapes by a golden key. The rest of the allegory shows the triumph of Punch over slander, in the shape of a dog, disease in the guise of a doctor death, and the devil.

Pantalone was a Venetian merchant; Dottore a Bolognese physician; Spaviento a Neapolitan braggadocio; Pullicinella a wag of Apulia; Giangurgolo and Coviello two clowns of Calabria; Gelsomino a Roman beau; Beltrame a Milanese simpleton; Brighella a Ferrarese pimp; and Arlecchino a blundering servant of Bergamo. Each was clad in an appropriate dress, had a characteristic mask, and spoke the dialect of the place he represented.

Besides these there were Amorosos or Innamoratos, with their servettas, or waiting-maids, as Smeraldina, Columbina, Spilletta, etc., who spoke Tuscan.—Walker, On the Revival of the Drama in Italy, 249.

Punch, the periodical. The first cover was designed by A. S. Henning; the present one by R. Doyle.

Pure (Simon), a Pennsylvanian Quaker. Being about to visit London to attend the quarterly meeting of his sect he brings with him a letter of introduction to Obadiah Prim, a rigid, stern Quaker, and the guardian of Anne Lovely, an heiress worth [pounds]30,000. Colonel Feignwell, availing himself of this letter of introduction, passes himself off as Simon Pure, and gets established as the accepted suitor of the heiress. Presently the real Simon Pure makes his appearance, and is treated as an impostor and swindler. The colonel hastens on the marriage arrangements, and has no sooner completed them than Master Simon re-appears, with witnesses to prove his identity; but it is too late, and Colonel Feignwell freely acknowledges the "bold stroke he has made for a wife."—Mrs. Centlivre, A Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717).

Purefoy (Master), former tutor of Dr. Anthony Rochecliffe, the plotting royalist.—Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).

Purgatory, by Dantê, in thirty-three cantos (1308). Having emerged from Hell, Dantê saw in the southern hemisphere four stars, "ne'er seen before, save by our first parents." The stars were symbolical of the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance). Turning round, he observed old Cato, who said that a dame from Heaven had sent him to prepare the Tuscan poet for passing through Purgatory. Accordingly, with a slender reed, old Cato girded him, and from his face he washed "all sordid stain," restoring to his face "that hue which the dun shades of Hell had covered and concealed" (canto i.). Dantê then followed his guide, Virgil, to a huge mountain in mid-ocean antipodal to Judea, and began the ascent. A party of spirits were ferried over at the same time by an angel, amongst whom was Casella, a musician, one of Dantê's friends. The mountain, he tells us, is divided into terraces, and terminates in Earthly Paradise, which is separated from it by two rivers—Lethê and Eu'noe (3 syl.). The first eight cantos are occupied by the ascent, and then they come to the gate of Purgatory. This gate is approached by three stairs (faith, penitence and piety); the first stair is transparent white marble, as clear as crystal; the second is black and cracked; and the third is of blood-red porphyry (canto ix.). The porter marked on Dantê's forehead seven P's (peccata, "sins"), and told him he would lose one at every stage, till he reached the river which divided Purgatory from Paradise. Virgil continued his guide till they came to Lethê, when he left him during sleep (canto xxx.). Dantê was then dragged through the river Lethê, drank of the waters of Eunŏe, and met Beatrice, who conducted him till he arrived at the "sphere of unbodied light," when she resigned her office to St. Bernard.

Purgon, one of the doctors in Molière's comedy of Le Malade Imaginaire. When the patient's brother interfered, and sent the apothecary away with his clysters, Dr. Purgon got into a towering rage, and threatened to leave the house and never more visit it. He then said to the patient "Que vous tombiez dans la bradypepsie ... de la bradypepsie dans la dyspepsie ... de la dyspepsie dans l'apepsie ... de l'apepsie dans la lienterie ... de la lienterie dans la dyssenterie ... de la dyssenterie dans l'hydropisie ... et de l'hydropisie dans la privation de la vie."

Purita'ni (I), "the puritans," that is Elvi'ra, daughter of Lord Walton, also a puritan, affianced to Ar'turo (Lord Arthur Talbot) a cavalier. On the day of espousals, Arturo aids Enrichetta (Henrietta, widow of Charles I.), to escape; and Elvira, supposing that he is eloping, loses her reason. On his return, Arturo explains the facts to Elvira, and they vow nothing on earth shall part them more, when Arturo is arrested for treason, and led off to execution. At this crisis, a herald announces the defeat of the Stuarts, and Cromwell pardons all political offenders, whereupon Arturo is released, and marries Elvira.—Bellini's opera, I Puritani (1834).

Purley (Diversions of), a work on the analysis and etymology of English words, so called from Purley, where it was written by John Horne. In 1782 he assumed the name of Tooke, from Mr. Tooke, of Purley, in Surrey, with whom he often stayed, and who left him [pounds]8000 (vol. i, 1785; vol. ii., 1805).

Purple Island (The), the human body. It is the name of a poem in twelve cantos, by Phineas Fletcher (1633). Canto i. Introduction. Cantos ii.-v. An anatomical description of the human body, considered as an island kingdom. Cantos vi. The "intellectual" man. Cantos vii. The "natural man," with its affections and lusts. Canto viii. The world, the flesh, and the devil, as the enemies of man. Cantos ix., x. The friends of man who enable him to overcome these enemies. Cantos xi., xii. The battle of "Mansoul," the triumph, and the marriage of Eclecta. The whole is supposed to be sung to shepherds by Thirsil, a shepherd.

Pusil'lus, Feeble-mindedness personified in The Purple Island, by Phineas Fletcher (1633); "a weak, distrustful heart." Fully described in cantos viii. (Latin, pusillus, "pusillanimous.")

Puss-in-Boots, from Charles Perrault's tale Le Chat Botté (1697). Perrault borrowed the tale from the Nights of Straparola, an Italian. Straparola's Nights were translated into French in 1585, and Perrault's Contes de Fées were published in 1697. Ludwig Tieck, the German novelist, reproduced the same tale in his Volksmärchen (1795), called in German Der Gestiefelte Kater. The cat is marvellously accomplished, and by ready wit or ingenious tricks secures a fortune and royal wife for his master, a penniless young miller, who passes under the name of the marquis de Car'abas. In the Italian tale, puss is called "Constantine's cat."

Pwyll's Bag (Prince), a bag that it was impossible to fill.

Come thou in by thyself, clad in ragged garments, and holding a bag in thy hand, and ask nothing but a bagful of food, and I will cause that if all the meat and liquor that are in these seven cantreves were put into it, it would be no fuller than before.—The Mabinogion (Pwyll[TN-112] Prince of Dyved," twelfth century).

Pygma'lion, a sculptor of Cyprus. He resolved never to marry, but became enamored of his own ivory statue, which Venus endowed with life, and the sculptor married. Morris has a poem on the subject in his Earthly Paradise ("August"), and Gilbert a comedy.

Fell in loue with these, As did Pygmalion with his carvèd tree.

Lord Brooke, Treatie on Human Learning (1554-1628).

[Asterism] Lord Brooke calls the statue "a carved tree." There is a vegetable ivory, no doubt, one of the palm species, and there is the ebon tree, the wood of which is black as jet. The former could not be known to Pygmalion, but the latter might, as Virgil speaks of it in his Georgics, ii. 117, "India nigrum fert ebenum." Probably Lord Brooke blundered from the resemblance between ebor ("ivory") and ebon, in Latin "ebenum."

Pygmy, a dwarf. The pygmies were a nation of dwarfs always at war with the cranes of Scythia. They were not above a foot high, and lived somewhere at the "end of the earth"—either in Thrace, Ethiopia, India, or the Upper Nile. The pygmy women were mothers at the age of three, and old women at eight. Their houses were built of egg-shells. They cut down a blade of wheat with an axe and hatchet, as we fell huge forest trees.

One day, they resolved to attack Herculês in his sleep, and went to work as in a siege. An army attacked each hand, and the archers attacked the feet. Herculês awoke, and with the paw of his lion-skin overwhelmed the whole host, and carried them captive to King Eurystheus.