anything.--C. Dickens, _A Tale of Two Cities_, i. 5 (1859).
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, the title first given to Henry VIII, by Pope
Leo X., for a volume against Luther, in defence of pardons, the
papacy, and the seven sacraments. The original volume is in the
Vatican, and contains this inscription in the king's handwriting;
_Anglorum rex Henricus, Leoni X. mittit hoc opus et fidei testem et
amicitiæ_; whereupon the pope (in the twelfth year of his reign)
conferred upon Henry, by bull, the title "Fidei Defensor," and
commanded all Christians so to address him. The original bull was
preserved by Sir Robert Cotton, and is signed by the pope,
four bishop-cardinals, fifteen priest-cardinals, and eight
deacon-cardinals. A complete copy of the bull, with its seals and
signatures, may be seen in Selden's _Titles of Honor_, v. 53-57
(1672).
DEFOE writes _The History of the Plague of London_ as if he had been
a personal spectator, but he was only three years old at the the time
(1663-1731).
DEGGIAL, antichrist. The Mohammedan writers say he has but one eye and
one eyebrow, and on his forehead is written CAFER ("infidel")
Chilled with terror, we concluded that the Deggial, with his
exterminating angels, had sent forth their plagues on the earth.--W.
Beckford, _Vathek_ (1784).
DEIRD'RI, an ancient Irish story similar to the _Dar-Thula_ of Ossian.
Conor, king of Ulster, puts to death by treachery the three sons
of Usnach. This leads to the desolating war against Ulster, which
terminates in the total destruction of Eman. This is one of the three
tragic stories of the Irish, which are: (1) The death of the children
of Touran (regarding Tuatha de Danans); (2) the death of the children
of Lear or Lir, turned into swans by Aoife; (3) the death of the
children of Usnach (a "Milesian" story).
DEK'ABRIST, a Decembrist, from _Dekaber_, the Russian for December.
It denotes those persons who suffered death or captivity for the part
they took in the military conspiracy which broke out in St. Petersburg
in December, 1825, on the accession of Czar Nicholas to the throne.
DELA'DA, the tooth of Buddah, preserved in the Malegawa temple at
Kandy. The natives guard it with the greatest jealousy, from a belief
that whoever possesses it acquires the right to govern Ceylon. When
the English (in 1815) obtained possession of this palladium, the
natives submitted without resistance.
DELASERRE (_Captain Philip_), a friend of Harry Bertram.--Sir W.
Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).
DE'LIA, Diana; so called from the island Delos, where she was born.
Similarly, Apollo was called _Delius_. Milton says that Eve, e'en
Delia's self,
In gait surpassed and goddess-like deport,
Though not as she with bow and quiver armed.
_Paradise Lost_, ix. 338, etc. (1665).
_Delia_, any female sweetheart. She is one of the shepherdesses in
Virgil's _Eclogues_. Tibullus, the Roman poet, calls his lady-love
"Delia," but what her real name was is not certain.
_Delia_, the lady-love of James Hammond's elegies, was Miss Dashwood,
who died in 1779. She rejected his suit, and died unmarried. In one of
the elegies the poet imagines himself married to her, and that they
were living happily together till death, when pitying maids would tell
of their wondrous loves.
DELIAN KING (_The_). Apollo or the sun is so called in the Orphic
hymn,
Oft as the Delian king with Sirius holds
The central heavens.
Akenside, _Hymn to the Naiads_ (1767).
DELIGHT OF MANKIND (_The_), Titus the Roman emperor, A.D.40, (79-81).
Titus indeed gave one short evening gleam,
More cordial felt, as in the midst it spread
Of storm and horror: "The Delight of Men."
Thomson, _Liberty_, in. (1725).
DELLA CRUSCA SCHOOL, originally applied in 1582 to a society in
Florence, established to purify the national language and sift from it
all its impurities; but applied in England to a brotherhood of poets
(at the close of the last century) under the leadership of Mrs.
Piozzi. This school was conspicuous for affectation and high-flown
panegyrics on each other. It was stamped out by Gifford, in _The
Baviad_, in 1794, and _The Moeviad_, in 1796. Robert Merry, who signed
himself _Della Crusca_, James Cobb, a farce-writer, James Boswell
(biographer of Dr. Johnson), O'Keefe, Morton, Reynolds, Holcroft,
Sheridan, Colman the younger, Mrs. H. Cowley, and Mrs. Robinson were
its best exponents.
DEL'PHINE, (2 _syl._), the heroine and title of a novel by Mde. de
Staël. Delphine is a charming character, who has a faithless lover,
and dies of a broken heart. This novel, like _Corinne_, was written
during her banishment from France by Napoleon I., when she travelled
in Switzerland and Italy. It is generally thought that "Delphine" was
meant for the authoress herself (1802).
DELPHINE CLASSICS (_The_), a set of Latin classics edited in France
for the use of the grand dauphin (son of Louis XIV.). Huet was chief
editor, assisted by Montausier and Bossuet. They had thirty-nine
scholars working under them. The indexes of these classics are very
valuable.
DELTA [Illustration] of _Blackwood_ is D.M.Moir (1798-1851).
DEL'VILLE (2 _syl_.), one of the guardians of Cecilia. He is a man
of wealth and great ostentation, with a haughty humility and
condescending pride, especially in his intercourse with his social
inferiors.--Miss Burney, _Cecilia_ (1782). DEME'TIA, South Wales; the
inhabitants are called Demetians.
Denevoir, the seat of the Demetian king.
Drayton, _Polyolbion_, v. (1612).
DEME'TRIUS, a young Athenian, to whom Egeus (3 _syl_.) promised his
daughter Hermia in marriage. As Hermia loved Lysander, she refused to
marry Demetrius, and fled from Athens with Lysander. Demetrius went in
quest of her, and was followed by Helena, who doted on him. All four
fell asleep, and "dreamed a dream" about the fairies. On waking,
Demetrius became more reasonable. He saw that Hermia disliked him, but
that Helena loved him sincerely, so he consented to forego the one and
take to wife the other. When Egeus, the father of Hermia, found out
how the case stood, he consented to the union of his daughter with
Lysander.--Shakespeare, _Midsummer Night's Dream_ (1592).
_Deme'trius_, in _The Poetaster_, by Ben Jonson, is meant for John
Marston (died 1633).
_Deme'trius_, (4 _syl_.), son of King Antig'onus, in love with Celia,
_alias_ Enan'thê.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Humorous Lieutenant_
(1647).
_Deme'trius_, a citizen of Greece during the reign of Alexius
Comnenus.--Sir W. Scott, _Count Robert of Paris_ (time, Rufus).
DEMIURGUS, that mysterious agent which, according to Plato, made the
world and all that it contains. The Logos or "Word" of St. John's
Gospel (ch. i. I) is the demiurgus of platonizing Christians.
DEMOC'RITOS (in Latin _Democritus_), the laughing or scoffing
philosopher, the Friar Bacon of his age. To "dine with Democ'ritos"
is to go without dinner, the same as "dining with Duke Humphrey," or
"dining with the cross-legged knights."
People think that we [_authors_] often dine with Democritos, but there
they are mistaken. There is not one of the fraternity who is not
welcome to some good table.--Lesage, _Gil Blas_, xii. 7 (1735).
DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR, Robert Burton, author of _The Anatomy of
Melancholy_ (1576-1640).
DEMOD'OCOS (in Latin _Demodocus_), bard of Alcin'ous (4 _syl_.) king
of the Phæa'cians.
Such as the wise Demodicos once told
In solemn songs at King Alcinous' feast,
While sad Ulysses' soul and all the rest
Are held, with his melodious harmony,
In willing chains and sweet captivity.
Milton, _Vacation Exercise_ (1627).
DEM'OGOR'GON, tyrant of the elves and fays, whose very name inspired
terror; hence Milton speaks of "the dreaded name of Demogorgon"
(_Paradise Lost_, ii. 965). Spenser says he "dwells in the deep abyss
where the three fatal sisters dwell" (_Faëry Queen_, iv. 2); but
Ariosto says he inhabited a splendid palace on the Himalaya Mountains.
Demogorgon is mentioned by Statius in the _Thebaid_, iv. 516.
He's the first-begotten of Beëlzebub, with a face as terrible as
Demogorgon.--Dryden, _The Spanish Fryar_, v. 2 (1680).
DEMON. Increase Mather tells a long and circumstantial story of _The
Demon at William Morse His House_, time of visitation being 1679.
"The true story of these strange disturbances is as yet not certainly
known," he says. "Some (as has been hinted), did suspect Morse's wife
to be guilty of witchcraft."--Increase Mather, _An Essay for the
Eecording of Illustrious Providences_ (1681). DEMOPH'OÔN (4 _syl._)
was brought up by Demêter, who anointed him with ambrosia and plunged
him every night into the fire. One day, his mother, out of curiosity,
watched the proceeding, and was horror-struck; whereupon Demêter told
her that her foolish curiosity had robbed her son of immortal youth.
[Illustration] This story is also told of Isis.--Plutarch, _De Isid.
et Osirid_., xvi. 357.
[Illustration] A similar story is told of Achillês. His mother Thet'is
was taking similar precautions to render him immortal, when his father
Pe'leus (2 _syl_.) interfered.--Apollonius Rhodius, _Argonautic Exp_.,
iv. 866.
DEMOS'THENES OF THE PULPIT. Dr. Thomas Rennell, dean of Westminster,
was so called by William Pitt (1753-1840).
DENDIN (_Peter_), an old man, who had settled more disputes than all
the magistrates of Poitiers, though he was no judge. His plan was to
wait till the litigants were thoroughly sick of their contention,
and longed to end their disputes; then he would interpose, and his
judgment could not fail to be acceptable.
_Tenot Dendin_, son of the above, but, unlike the father, he always
tried to crush quarrels in the bud; consequently, he never succeeded
in settling a single dispute submitted to his judgment.--Rabelais,
_Pantagruel_, in. 41 (1545).
(Racine has introduced the same name into his comedy called _Les
Plaideurs_ (1669), and Lafontaine in his _Fables_ 1668).
DENNET (_Father_), an old peasant at the Lists of St. George.--Sir W.
Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).
DENNIS the hangman, one of the ringleaders of the "No Popery Riots;"
the other two were Hugh, servant of the Maypole inn, and the
half-witted Barnaby Rudge. Dennis was cheerful enough when he "turned
off" others, but when he himself ascended the gibbet he showed a most
grovelling and craven spirit.--C. Dickens, _Barnaby Rudge_ (1841).
_Dennis (John)_, "the best abused man in English literature." Swift
lampooned him; Pope assailed him in the _Essay on Criticism_; and
finally he was "damned to everlasting fame" in the _Dunciad_. He is
called "Zo'ïlus" (1657-1733).
DENNISON _(Jenny)_, attendant on Miss Edith Bellenden. She marries
Cuddie Headrigg.--Sir W. Scott, _Old Mortality_ (time, Charles II.).
DERMER _(Mr.)_, a little bachelor lawyer, whose face has "a pinched,
wistful look" under the curls of his brown wig. He lives in a dreary
house, with a testy housekeeper, and a timid little nephew-ward, and
spends many of his lonely hours in trying to decide if he loves Miss
Deborah Woodhouse the utilitarian, or aesthetic Miss Ruth. On his
death-bed, he gives an old daguerreotype of himself to Miss Ruth.
"Not that I have--have changed my mind,
but it is not improper, I am sure that Miss Deborah's
sister should give me--if she will be
so good--her hand, that I may say 'goodbye'"--Margaret
Deland, _John Ward, Preacher_
(1888).
D'ÉON DE BEAUMONT (_Le Chevalier_), a person notorious for the
ambiguity of his sex; said to be the son of an advocate. His face was
pretty, without beard, moustache, or whiskers. Louis XV. sent him as a
woman to Russia on a secret mission, and he presented himself to the
czarina as a woman (1756). In the Seven Years' War he was appointed
captain of dragoons. In 1777 he assumed the dress of a woman again,
which he maintained till death (1728-1810).
DERBY (_Earl of_), third son of the Earl of Lancaster, and near
kinsman of Edward III. His name was Henry Plantagenet, and he died
1362. Henry Plantagenet, earl of Derby, was sent to protect Guienne,
and was noted for his humanity no less than for his bravery. He
defeated the Comte de l'Isle at Bergerac, reduced Perigord, took the
castle of Auberoche, in Gascony, overthrew 10,000 French with only
1000, taking prisoners nine earls and nearly all the barons, knights,
and squires (1345). Next year he took the fortresses of Monsegur,
Montpezat, Villefranche, Miraumont, Tonneins, Damazin, Aiguillon, and
Reole.
That most deserving Earl of Derby, we prefer Henry's third valiant
son, the Earl of Lancaster. That only Mars of men,
Dayton, _Polyolbion_, xviii. (1613).
_Derby (Countess of)_, Charlotte de la Tremouille, Countess of Derby
and Queen of Man.
_Philip (earl of Derby)_, King of Man, son of the countess.--Sir W.
Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).
DANIEL DERONDA, pure young fellow whose influence for good over men
and women is marvellous, and explicable only upon the principle that
virtue is mightier than vice. "You could not have seen his face
thoroughly meeting yours without believing that human creatures
had done nobly in times past and might do more nobly in time to
come."--George Eliot, _Daniel Deronda_.
DER'RICK, hangman in the first half of the seventeenth century. The
crane for hoisting goods is called a derrick, from this hangman.
_Derrick (Faith)._ The rural heroine of Susan Warner's novel _Say and
Seal_ (1860).
_Derrick (Tom)_, quarter-master of the pirate's vessel.--Sir W. Scott,
_The Pirate_ (time, William III.).
DERRY DOWN TRIANGLE _(The)_, Lord Castlereagh; afterwards marquis of
Londonderry; so called by William Hone. The first word is a pun on the
title, the second refers to his lordship's oratory, a triangle being
the most feeble, monotonous, and unmusical of all musical instruments.
Tom Moore compares the oratory of Lord Castlereagh to "water spouting
from a pump."
_Q_. Why is a pump like viscount Castlereigh?
_A_. Because it is a slender thing of wood,
That up and down its awkward arm doth sway,
And coolly spout, and spout, and spout away,
In one weak, washy, everlasting flood.
T. Moore.
DERVISH ("_a poor man_"), a sort of religious friar or mendicant among
the Mohammedans.
DESBOROUG-H _(Colonel)_, one of the parliamentary commissioners.--Sir
W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).
DESDEMO'NA, daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian senator, in love with
Othello the Moor (general of the Venetian army). The Moor loves her
intensely, and marries her; but Iago, by artful villainy, induces him
to believe that she loves Cassio too well. After a violent conflict
between love and jealousy, Othello smothers her with a bolster, and
then stabs himself.--Shakespeare, _Othello_ (1611.)
The soft simplicity of Desdemona, confident of merit and conscious of
innocence, her artless perseverance in her suit, and her slowness to
suspect that she can be suspected, are proofs of Shakespeare's skill
in human nature.--Dr. Johnson.
DESERT FAIRY _(The)_. This fairy was guarded by two lions, that
could be pacified only by a cake made of millet, sugar-candy, and
crocodiles' eggs. The Desert Fairy said to Allfair, "I swear by
my coif you shall marry the Yellow Dwarf, or I will burn my
crutch."--Comtesse D'Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ ("The Yellow Dwarf," 1682).
DESERTED DAUGHTER _(The)_, a comedy by Holcroft. Joanna was the
daughter of Mordent, but her mother died, and Mordent married Lady
Anne. In order to do so he ignored his daughter and had her brought
up by strangers, intending to apprentice her to some trade. Item, a
money-lender, acting on the advice of Mordent, lodges the girl with
Mrs. Enfield, a crimp, where Lennox is introduced to her, and obtains
Mordent's consent to run away with her. In the interim Cheveril sees
her, falls in love with her, and determines to marry her. Mordent
repents, takes the girl home, acknowledges her to be his daughter, and
she becomes the wife of the gallant young Cheveril (1784).
[Illustration] This comedy has been recast, and called _The Steward_.
DESERTER _(The)_, a musical drama by Dibdin (1770). Henry, a soldier,
is engaged to Louisa, but during his absence some rumors of gallantry
to his disadvantage reach the village, and to test his love, Louisa
in pretence goes with Simkin as if to be married. Henry sees the
procession, is told it is Louisa's wedding day, and in a fit of
desperation gives himself up as a deserter, and is condemned to death.
Lousia goes to the king, explains the whole affair, and returns with
his pardon as the muffled drums begin to beat.
DESMAS. The repentant thief is so called in _The Story of Joseph
of Arimathea_; but Dismas in the apocryphal _Gospel of Nicodemus._
Longfellow, in _The Golden Legend_, calls him Dumachus. The impenitent
thief is called Gestas, but Longfellow calls him Titus.
Imparibus meritis pendent tria corpora ramis:
_Dismas et Gesmas_, media est Divina Potestas;
Alta petit Dismas, infelix infima Gesmas;
Nos et res nostras conservet Summa Potestas.
Of differing merits from three trees incline
Dismas and Gesmas and the Power Divine;
Dismas repents, Gesmas no pardon craves,
The power Divine by death the sinner saves.
DESMONDS OF KILMALLOCK (Limerick). The legend is that the last
powerful head of this family, who perished in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, still keeps his state under the waters of Lough Gur, that
every seventh year he re-appears fully armed, rides round the lake
early in the morning, and will ultimately return in the flesh to claim
his own again. (See BARBAROSSA.)--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_.
DESPAIR (_Giant_), lived in Doubting Castle. He took Christian and
Hopeful captive for sleeping on his grounds, and locked them in a dark
dungeon from Wednesday to Saturday, without "one bit of bread, or drop
of drink, or ray of light." By the advice of his wife, Diffidence, the
giant beat them soundly "with a crab-tree cudgel." On Saturday night
Christian remembered he had a key in his bosom, called "Promise,"
which would open any lock in Doubting Castle. So he opened the dungeon
door, and they both made their escape with speed.--John Bunyan,
_Pilgrim's Progress_, i. (1678).
DEUCE IS IN HIM (_The_) a farce by George Colman, senior. The person
referred to is Colonel Tember, under which name the plot of the farce
is given (1762).
DEUGA'LA, says Ossian, "was covered with the light of beauty, but her
heart was the house of pride."
DEVE'TA, plu. Devetas, inferior or secondary deities in Hindû
mythology.
DEVIL (_The_). Olivier le Daim, the tool of Louis XL, and once the
king's barber, was called _Le Diable_, because he was as much feared,
was as fond of making mischief, and was far more disliked than the
prince of evil. Olivier was executed in 1484.
_Devil (The French)_, Jean Bart, an intrepid French sailor, born at
Dunkirk (1650-1702).
_Devil (The White)_. George Castriot, surnamed "Scanderbeg," was
called by the Turks "The White Devil of Wallachia" (1404-1467).
_Devil (The Printer's)_. Aldus Manutius, a printer in Venice to the
holy Church and the doge, employed a negro boy to help him in his
office. This little black boy was believed to be an imp of Satan, and
went by the name of the "printer's devil." In order to protect him
from persecution, and confute a foolish superstition, Manutius made a
public exhibition of the boy, and announced that "any one who doubted
him to be flesh and blood might come forward and pinch him."
_Devil (Robert the)_, of Normandy; so called because his father was
said to have been an incubus or fiend in the disguise of a knight
(1028-1035).
[Illustration] Robert Francois Damiens is also called _Robert le
Diable_, for his attempt to assassinate Louis XV. (1714-1757).
_Devil (Son of the)_, Ezzeli'no, chief of the Gibelins, governor of
Vicenza. He was so called for his infamous cruelties (1215-1259).
DEVIL DICK, Richard Porson, the critic, (1759-1808).
DEVIL ON TWO STICKS, (_The_), that is _Le Diable Boiteux_, by Lesage
(1707). The plot of this humorous satirical tale is borrowed from the
Spanish, _El Diabolo Cojuelo_, by Gueva'ra (1635). Asmode'us (_le
diable boiteux_) perches Don Cle'ofas on the steeple of St. Salvador,
and stretching out his hand, the roofs of all the houses open, and
expose to him what is being done privately in every dwelling.
_Devil on Two Sticks (The)_, a farce by S. Foote; a satire on the
medical profession.
DEVIL TO PAY, (_The_), a farce by C. Coffey. Sir John Loverule has
a termagant wife, and Zackel Jobson, a patient grissel. Two spirits
named Nadir and Ab'ishog transform these two wives for a time, so that
the termagant is given to Jobson, and the patient wife to Sir John.
When my lady tries her tricks on Jobson, he takes his strap to her and
soon reduces her to obedience. After she is well reformed, the two
are restored to their original husbands, and the shrew becomes an
obedient, modest wife (died, 1745).
DEVIL'S AGE (_The_). A wealthy man once promised to give a poor
gentleman and his wife a large sum of money if at a given time they
could tell him the devil's age. When the time came, the gentleman at
his wife's suggestion, plunged first into a barrel of honey and then
into a barrel of feathers, and walked on all fours. Presently up came
his Satanic majesty, and said, "_X and x_ years have I lived," naming
the exact number, "yet never saw I an animal like this." The gentlemen
had heard enough, and was able to answer the question without
difficulty.--Rev. W. Webster, _Basque Legends_, 58 (1877).
DEVIL'S CHALICE (_The_). A wealthy man gave a poor farmer a large sum
of money on this condition: at the end of a twelvemonth he was either
to say "of what the devil made his chalice," or else give his head to
the devil. The poor farmer as the time came round, hid himself in the
crossroads, and presently the witches assembled from all sides. Said
one witch to another, "You know that Farmer So-and-so has sold his
head to the devil, for he will never know of what the devil makes his
chalice. In fact I don't know myself." "Don't you?" said the other;
"why, of the parings of finger-nails trimmed on Sundays."--The farmer
was overjoyed, and when the time came round was quite ready with his
answer.--Rev. W. Webster, _Basque Legends_, 71 (1877).
DEVIL'S DYKE, BRIGHTON (_The_). One day, as St. Cuthman was walking
over the South Downs, and thinking to himself how completely he had
rescued the whole country from paganism, he was accosted by his sable
majesty in person. "Ha, ha!" said the prince of darkness; "so you
think by these churches and convents to put me and mine to your ban,
do you? Poor fool! why, this very night will I swamp the whole land
with the sea." "Forewarned is forearmed," thought St. Cuthman, and
hies him to sister Celia, superior of a convent which then stood on
the spot of the present Dyke House. "Sister," said the saint, "I love
you well. This night, for the grace of God, keep lights burning at the
convent windows from midnight to day-break, and let masses be said
by the holy sisterhood." At sundown came the devil with pickaxe and
spade, mattock: and shovel, and set to work in right good earnest to
dig a dyke which should let the waters of the seas into the downs.
"Fire and brim-stone!"--he exclaimed, as a sound of voices rose and
fell in sacred song--"Fire and brim-stone! What's the matter with
me?" Shoulders, feet, wrists, loins, all seemed paralyzed. Down went
mattock and spade, pickaxe and shovel, and just at that moment the
lights at the convent windows burst forth, and the cock, mistaking the
blaze for daybreak, began to crow most lustily. Off flew the devil,
and never again returned to complete his work. The small digging he
effected still remains in witness of the truth of this legend of the
"Devil's Dyke."
DEVIL'S PARLIAMENT (_The_), the parliament assembled by Henry VI. at
Conventry, 1459. So called because it passed attainders on the duke of
York and his chief supporters.
DEVIL SACRAMENT. This blasphemous rite whereby those who would
practice witchcraft were initiated into the diabolical mysteries is
described by Deodat Lawson in 1704.