As when Hervey, the handsome, was wedded
To the beautiful Molly Lapel.
=S.P.Q.R.=, the Romans. The letters are the initials of _Senatus
Populus-Que Romanus_.
New blood must be pumped into the veins and arteries of the
S.P.Q.R.--G.A. Sala (_Belgravia_, April, 1871).
=Spotswood= (_Lady_). A singular letter to this lady (widow of Governor
Spotswood of Virginia) is preserved in the family. It was written by
Rev. John Thompson, rector of St. Mark’s Church, Culpepper County,
Virginia, and contains an elaborate and apparently dispassionate
argument for marrying a clergyman. The only outbreak of loverly feeling
is in the expressed hope that if he should convince her reason, she will
“keep him no longer in suspense and misery, but consummate his
happiness” (1742).
=Sprackling= (_Joseph_), a money-lender and a self-made man.
_Thomas Sprackling_, his brother and equal in roguery.--Wybert Reeve,
_Parted_.
=Spregner= (_Louis_), Annette Veilchen’s bachelor.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne
of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).
=Sprightly= (_Miss Kitty_), the ward of Sir Gilbert Pumpkin of
Strawberry Hall. Miss Kitty is a great heiress, but stage-struck, and
when Captain Charles Stanley is introduced she falls in love with him,
first as a “play-actor,” and then in reality.--I. Jackman, _All the
World’s a Stage_.
=Spring= (_A Sacred_). The ancient Sabines, in times of great national
danger, vowed to the gods “a sacred spring” (_ver sacrum_), if they
would remove the danger. That is, all the children born during the next
spring were “held sacred,” and at the age of twenty were compelled to
leave their country and seek for themselves a new home.
=Spring-Heel Jack.= The marquis of Waterford, in the early part of the
nineteenth century, used to amuse himself by springing on travellers
unawares, to terrify them; and from time to time others have followed
his silly example. Even so late as 1877-8, an officer in her majesty’s
service caused much excitement in the garrisons stationed at Aldershot,
Colchester, and elsewhere by his “spring-heel” pranks. In Colchester and
its neighborhood the tales told of this adventurer caused quite a little
panic, and many nervous people were afraid to venture out after sunset,
for fear of being “sprung” upon. I myself investigated some of the cases
reported to me, but found them for the most part Fakenham ghost tales.
=Springer= (_The_). Ludwig Margrave, of Thuringia, was so called,
because he escaped from Giebichenstein, in the eleventh century, by
leaping over the river Saale.
=Sprowles= (_The_). New England village _parvenus_.
_Hezekiah Sprowle_, esquire and colonel is “a retired India merchant,”
_i.e._, he used to deal in West India rum, molasses, etc. His wife was
an heiress, and helps him push their way up the social ladder.
_Miss Matilda Sprowle_, just out of school. “There’s one piece o’goods,”
said the colonel to his wife, “that we han’t disposed of, nor got a
customer for yet. That’s Matildy. I don’t mean to set _her_ up at
vaandoo, I guess she can have her pick of a dozen.”--Oliver Wendell
Holmes, _Elsie Venner_ (1861).
=Spruce, M.C.= (_Captain_), in _Lend Me Five Shillings_, by J. M. Morton
(1764-1838).
=Spruch-Sprecher= (_The_) or “sayer of sayings” to the archduke of
Austria.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).
=Spuma´dor=, Prince Arthur’s horse. So called from the foam of its
mouth, which indicated its fiery temper.--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, ii.
(1590).
⁂ In the _Mabinogion_, his favorite mare is called Llamrei (“the
curveter”).
=Spurs= (_The Battle of_), the battle of Guinnegate, in 1513, between
Henry VIII. and the duc de Longueville. So called because the French
used their spurs in flight more than their swords in fight. (See SPURS
OF GOLD, etc.)
=Squab= (_The Poet_). Dryden was so called by Lord Rochester.
=Square= (_Mr._), a “philosopher,” in Fielding’s novel called _The
History of Tom Jones, a Foundling_ (1749).
=Squeers= (_Mr. Wackford_), of Dotheboy’s Hall, Yorkshire, a vulgar,
conceited, ignorant schoolmaster, overbearing, grasping, and mean. He
steals the boys’ pocket money, clothes his son in their best suits, half
starves them, and teaches them next to nothing. Ultimately, he is
transported for purloining a deed.
_Mrs. Squeers_, wife of Mr. Wackford, a raw-boned, harsh, heartless
virago, without one spark of womanly feeling for the boys put under her
charge.
_Miss Fanny Squeers_, daughter of the schoolmaster, “not tall like her
mother, but short like her father. From the former she inherited a voice
of hoarse quality, and from the latter a remarkable expression of the
right eye.” Miss Fanny falls in love with Nicholas Nickleby, but hates
him and spites him because he is insensible of the soft impeachment.
_Master Wackford Squeers_, son of the schoolmaster, a spoilt boy, who
was dressed in the best clothes of the scholars. He was over-bearing,
self-willed, and passionate.--C. Dickens, _Nicholas Nickleby_ (1838).
The person who suggested the character of Squeers was a Mr. Shaw, of
Bowes. He married a Miss Laidman. The satire ruined the school, and
was the death both of Mr. and Mrs. Shaw.--_Notes and Queries_, October
25, 1873.
=Squeeze= (_Miss_), a pawnbroker’s daughter. Her father had early taught
her that money is the “one thing needful,” and at death left her a
moderate competence. She was so fully convinced of the value of money
that she would never part with a farthing without an equivalent, and
refused several offers, because she felt persuaded her suitors sought
her money and not herself. Now she is old and ill-natured, marked with
the small-pox, and neglected by every one.--Goldsmith, _A Citizen of the
World_, xxviii. (1759).
=Squint= (_Lawyer_), the great politician of society. He makes speeches
for members of parliament, writes addresses, gives the history of every
new play, and finds “seasonable thought” upon every possible
subject.--Goldsmith, _A Citizen of the World_, xxix. (1759).
=Squint-Eyed.= [Guercīno] Gian-Francesco Barbieri, the painter
(1590-1666).
=Squintum= (_Dr._), George Whitefield is so called by Foote in his farce
entitled _The Minor_ (1614-1770).
_Squintum_ (_Dr._). The Rev. Edward Irving, who had an obliquity of the
eyes, was so called by Theodore Hook (1792-1834).
=Squire of Dames= (_The_), a young knight, in love with Col´umbell, who
appointed him a year’s service before she would consent to become his
bride. The “squire” was to travel for twelve months, to rescue
distressed ladies, and bring pledges of his exploits to Columbell. At
the end of the year he placed 300 pledges in her hands, but instead of
rewarding him by becoming his bride, she set him another task, viz., to
travel about the world on foot, and not present himself again till he
could bring her pledges from 300 damsels that they would live in
chastity all their life. The squire told Columbell that in three years
he had found only three persons who would take the pledge, and only one
of these, he said (a rustic cottager) took it from a “principle of
virtue;” the other two (a nun and a courtezan) promised to do so, but
did not voluntarily join the “virgin martyrs.” This “Squire of Dames”
turned out to be Britomart.--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, iii. 7 (1590).
⁂ This story is imitated from “The Host’s Tale,” in _Orlando Furioso_,
xxviii.
=Squires= (_Milton_), servant in the Fairchild family, boorish,
vindictive hind who murders one brother and tries to fasten the deed
upon another.--Harold Frederic, _Seth’s Brother’s Wife_ (1886).
=Squirt=, the apothecary’s boy in Garth’s _Dispensary_; hence any
apprentice lad or errand boy.
Here sauntering ’prentices o’er Otway weep.
O’er Congreve smile, or over D’Urfey sleep,
Pleased sempstresses the Lock’s famed Rape unfold,
And Squirts read Garth till Apozems grow cold.
J. Gay, _Trivia_ (1712).
(Pope wrote _The Rape of the Lock_, 1712.)
=Squod= (_Phil_), a grotesque little fellow, faithfully attached to Mr.
George, the son of Mrs. Rouncewell (housekeeper at Chesney Wold). George
had rescued the little street arab from the gutter, and the boy lived at
George’s “Shooting Gallery” in Leicester Square (London). Phil was
remarkable for limping along sideways, as if “tacking.”--C. Dickens,
_Bleak House_ (1852).
=Stael= (_Madame de_), called by Heine [_Hi.ne_] “a whirlwind in
petticoats,” and a “sultana of mind.”
=Stagg= (_Benjamin_), the proprietor of the cellar in the Barbican where
the secret society of “Prentice Knights” used to convene. He was a blind
man, who fawned on Mr. Sim Tappertit, “the ’prentices glory” and captain
of the “’Prentice Knights.” But there was a disparity between his words
and sentiments, if we may judge from this specimen: “Good-night, most
noble captain! farewell, brave general! bye-bye illustrious commander! a
conceited, bragging, empty-headed, duck-legged idiot!” Benjamin Stagg
was shot by the soldiery in the Gordon riots.--C. Dickens, _Barnaby
Rudge_ (1841).
=Staggchase= (_Mrs. Frederick_), descendant of an old Boston family, and
one of the cleverest women in her set.--Arlo Bates, _The Philistines_
(1888).
=Stagirite= (3 _syl._). Aristotle is called the Stagirite, because he
was born at Stagīra, in Macedon. Almost all our English poets call the
word Stagĭrite: as Pope, Thomson, Swift, Byron, Wordsworth, B. Browning,
etc. The Greek would be Stag´īrite.
Thick like a glory round the Stagyrite,
Your rivals throng, the Sages.
R. Browning, _Paracelsus_, i.
All the wisdom of the Stagirite.
Wordsworth.
Plato, the Stagyrite, and Tully joined.
Thomson.
As if the Stagirite o’erlooked the line.
Pope.
Is rightly censured by the Stagirite,
Who says his numbers do not fadge aright.
Swift, _To Dr. Sheridan_ (1718).
=Stammerer= (_The_). Louis II. of France, _le Bégué_ (846, 877-879).
Michael II., Emperor of the East (*, 820-829).
Notker or Notger, of St. Gall (830-912).
=Stanchells=, head jailer at the Glasgow tolbooth.--Sir W. Scott, _Rob
Roy_ (time, George I.).
=Standard.= A substantial building for water supplies, as the Water
Standard of Cornhill, the Standard in Cheap, opposite Honey Lane, “which
John Wells, grocer, caused to be made [? _rebuilt_] in his mayoralty,
1430.”--Stow, _Survey_ (“Cheapside”).
_The Cheapside Standard._ This Standard was in existence in the reign of
Edward I. In the reign of Edward III. two fishmongers were beheaded at
the Cheapside Standard, for aiding in a riot. Henry IV. caused “the
blank charter of Richard II.” to be burnt at this place.
_The Standard, Cornhill._ This was a conduit with four spouts, made by
Peter Morris, a German, in 1582, and supplied with Thames water,
conveyed by leaden pipes over the steeple of St. Magnus’s Church. It
stood at the east end of Cornhill, at its junction with Gracechurch
Street, Bishopsgate Street, and Leadenhall Street. The water ceased to
run between 1598 and 1603, but the Standard itself remained long after.
Distances from London were measured from this spot.
In the year 1775, there stood upon the borders of Epping Forest, at a
distance of about twelve miles from London, measuring from the
Standard in Cornhill, or rather from the spot on which the Standard
used to be, a house of public entertainment, called the
Maypole.--Dickens, _Barnaby Rudge_, i. (1841).
_Standard_ (_The Battle of the_), the battle of Luton Moor, near
Northallerton, between the English and the Scotch, in 1138. So called
from the “standard,” which was raised on a wagon, and placed in the
centre of the English army. The pole displayed the standards of St.
Cuthbert of Durham, St. Peter of York, St. John of Beverley, and St.
Wilfred of Ripon, surmounted by a little silver casket, containing a
consecrated wafer.--Hailes, _Annals of Scotland_, i. 85 (1779).
The Battle of the Standard, was so called from the banner of St.
Cuthbert, which was thought always to secure success. It came forth at
the battle of Nevil’s Cross, and was again victorious. It was
preserved with great reverence till the Reformation, when, in 1549,
Catharine Whittingham (a French lady), wife of the dean of Durham,
burnt it out of zeal against popery.--Miss Yonge, _Cameos of English
History_, 126-8 (1868).
=Standing= (_To die_). Vespasian said, “An emperor of Rome ought to die
standing.” Louis XVIII. of France, said, “A king of France ought to die
standing.” This notion is not confined to crowned heads.
=Standish= (_Miles_), the puritan captain, was short of stature,
strongly built, broad in the shoulders, deep-chested, and with sinews
like iron. His wife, Rose, was the first to die “of all who came in the
_Mayflower_.” Being desirous to marry Priscilla, “the beautiful
puritan,” he sent young Alden to plead his cause; but the maiden
answered archly, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” Soon after
this, Standish was supposed to have been killed, and John Alden did
speak for himself, and prevailed.--Longfellow, _Courtship of Miles
Standish_ (1858).
_Standish_ (_Mrs. Justice_), a brother magistrate with Bailie
Trumbull.--Sir W. Scott, _Rob Roy_ (time, George I.).
=Stanley=, in the earl of Sussex’s train.--Sir W. Scott, _Kenilworth_
(time, Elizabeth).
_Stanley_ (_Captain Charles_), introduced by his friend, Captain
Stukely, to the family at Strawberry Hall. Here he meets Miss Kitty
Sprightly, an heiress, who has a theatrical twist. The captain makes
love to her under the mask of acting, induces her to run off with him
and get married, then, returning to the hall, introduces her as his
wife. All the family fancy he is only “acting,” but discover too late
that their “play” is a life-long reality.--I. Jackman, _All the World’s
a Stage_.
=Stanley Crest= (_The_). On a chapeau gu. an eagle feeding on an infant
in its nest. The legend is that Sir Thomas de Lathom, having no male
issue, was walking with his wife one day, and heard the cries of an
infant in an eagle’s nest. They looked on the child as a gift from God,
and adopted it, and it became the founder of the Stanley race (time,
Edward III.).
=Stannard= (_Major_). Sturdy, blunt, unaffected soldier, a terror to
evil-doers, and the strong-tower of persecuted innocence. His wife is a
lovely woman, worthy of the gallant warrior.--Charles King, _Marion’s
Faith_, and _The Colonel’s Daughter_ (1886), (1888).
=Stantons= (_The_), John Stanton, intelligent young carpenter, engaged
to Melissa Blake, once a teacher, now a copyist of legal papers.
_Orin Stanton_, half-brother to John. A sculptor; “one of the artists
who would never be able to separate his idea of the nurse from that of
the serving-maid. He viewed art from the strictly utilitarian standpoint
which considers it a means toward the payment of butcher and baker and
candlestick-maker.”--Arlo Bates, _The Philistines_ (1888).
=Staples= (_Lawrence_), head jailer at Kenilworth Castle.--Sir W. Scott,
_Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth).
=Starch= (_Dr._), the tutor of Blushington.--W. T. Moncrieff, _The
Bashful Man_.
=Starchat´erus=, of Sweden, a giant in stature and strength, whose life
was protracted to thrice the ordinary term. When he felt himself growing
old, he hung a bag of gold round his neck, and told Olo he might take
the bag of gold if he would cut off his head, and he did so. He hated
luxury in every form, and said a man was a fool who went and dined out
for the sake of better fare. One day, Helgo, king of Norway, asked him
to be his champion in a contest which was to be decided by himself alone
against nine adversaries. Starchaterus selected for the site of combat
the top of a mountain covered with snow, and, throwing off his clothes,
waited for the nine adversaries. When asked if he would fight with them
one by one or all together, he replied, “When dogs bark at me, I drive
them all off at once.”--Joannes Magnus, _Gothorum Suevorumque Historia_
(1554).
=Stareleigh= (_Justice_), a stout, pudgy little judge, very deaf, and
very irascible, who, in the absence of the chief justice, sat in
judgment on the trial of “Bardell v. Pickwick.”--C. Dickens, _The
Pickwick Papers_ (1836).
=Starno=, king of Lochlin. Having been conquered by Fingal and
generously set at liberty, he promised Fingal his daughter, Agandecca,
in marriage, but meant to deal treacherously by him and kill him. Fingal
accepted the invitation of Starno, and spent three days in boar-hunts.
He was then warned by Agandecca to beware of her father, who had set an
ambuscade to waylay him. Fingal, being forewarned, fell on the ambush
and slew every man. When Starno heard thereof, he slew his daughter,
whereupon Fingal and his followers took to arms, and Starno either “fled
or died.” Swaran succeeded his father, Starno.---Ossian, _Fingal_, iii.;
see also _Cath-Loda_.
=Starvation Dundas=, Henry Dundas, the first Lord Melville. So called
because he introduced the word _starvation_ into the language (1775).
=Starveling= (_Robin_), the tailor. He was cast for the part of
“Thisbe’s mother,” in the drama played before Duke Theseus (2 _syl._) on
“his wedding day at night.” Starveling has nothing to say in the
drama.--Shakespeare, _Midsummer Night’s Dream_ (1592).
=Stati´ra=, the heroine of La Calprenède’s romance of _Cassandra_.
Statīra is the daughter of Darīus, and is represented as the “most
perfect of the works of creation.” Oroondatês is in love with her, and
ultimately marries her.
_Statira_, daughter of Dari´us, and wife of Alexander. Young, beautiful,
womanly, of strong affection, noble bearing, mild yet haughty, yielding
yet brave. Her love for Alexander was unbounded. When her royal husband
took Roxāna into favor, the proud spirit of the princess was indignant,
but Alexander, by his love, won her back again. Statira was murdered by
Roxana, the Bactrian, called the “Rival Queen.”--N. Lee, _Alexander The
Great_ (1678).
=Staunton= (_The Rev. Mr._), rector of Willingham, and father of George
Staunton.
_George Staunton_, son of the Rev. Mr. Staunton. He appears first as
“Geordie Robertson,” a felon; and in the Porteous mob he assumes the
guise of “Madge Wildfire.” George Staunton is the seducer of Effie
Deans. Ultimately he comes to the title of baronet, marries Effie, and
is shot by a gypsy boy called “The Whistler,” who proves to be his own
natural son.
_Lady Staunton_, Effie Deans, after her marriage with Sir George. On the
death of her husband, she retires to a convent on the Continent.--Sir W.
Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).
=Steadfast=, a friend of the Duberly family.--Colman, _The Heir-at-Law_
(1797).
=Steel Castle=, a strong ward, belonging to the Yellow Dwarf. Here he
confined All-Fair when she refused to marry him according to her
promise.--Comtesse D’Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ (“The Yellow Dwarf,” 1682).
=Steenson= (_Willie_), or “Wandering Willie,” the blind fiddler.
_Steenie Steenson_, the piper, in Wandering Willie’s tale.
_Maggie Steenson_, or “Epps Anslie,” the wife of Wandering Willie.--Sir
W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).
=Steerforth=, the young man who led little Em’ly astray. When tired of
his toy, he proposed to her to marry his valet. Steerforth, being
shipwrecked off the coast of Yarmouth, Ham Peggotty tried to rescue him,
but both were drowned.--C. Dickens, _David Copperfield_ (1849).
=Steinbach= (_Erwin von_), designed Strasbourg Cathedral; begun 1015,
and finished 1439.
A great master of his craft,
Erwin von Steinbach.
Longfellow, _Golden Legend_ (1851).
=Steinernherz von Blutsacker= (_Francis_), the scharf-gerichter, or
executioner.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).
=Steinfeldt= (_The old baroness of_), introduced in Donnerhugel’s
narrative.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).
=Steinfort= (_The baron_), brother of the Countess Wintersen. He falls
in love with Mrs. Haller, but, being informed of the relationship
between Mrs. Haller and “the stranger,” exerts himself to bring about a
reconciliation.--Benj. Thompson, _The Stranger_ (1797).
=Stella.= The Lady Penelopê Devereux, the object of Sir Philip Sidney’s
affection. She married Lord Rich, and was a widow in Sidney’s life-time.
Spenser says, in his _Astrophel_, when Astrophel (_Sir Philip_) died,
Stella died of grief, and the “two lovers” were converted into one
flower, called “Starlight,” which is first red, and, as it fades, turns
blue. Some call it _penthea_, but henceforth (he says) it shall be
called “Astrophel.” It is a pure fiction that Stella died from grief at
the death of Sidney, for she afterwards married Charles Blount, created
by James I. earl of Devonshire. The poet himself must have forgotten his
own lines:
No less praiseworthy Stella do I read,
Tho’ nought my praises of her needed are,
Whom verse of noblest shepherd lately dead [1586]
Hath praised and raised above each other star.
Spenser, _Colin Clout’s Come Home Again_ (1591).
_Stella._ Miss Hester Johnson was so called by Swift, to whom she was
privately married in 1706. Hester is first changed into the Greek
_aster_, and “aster” in Latin, like _stella_, means “a star.” Stella
lived with Mrs. Dingley, on Ormond Quay, Dublin.
Poor Stella must pack off to town ...
To Liffy’s stinking tide at Dublin ...
To be directed there by Dingley ...
And now arrives the dismal day,
She must return to Ormond Quay.
Swift, _To Stella at Wood Park_ (1723).
=Steno= (_Michel_), one of the chiefs of the tribunal of Forty. Steno
insults some of the ladies assembled at a civic banquet given by Marino
Faliero, the doge of Venice, and is turned out of the house. In revenge,
he fastens on the doge’s chair some scurrilous lines against the young
dogaressa, whose extreme modesty and innocence ought to have protected
her from such insolence. The doge refers the matter to “the Forty,” who
sentence Steno to two month’s imprisonment. This punishment, in the
opinion of the doge, is wholly inadequate to the offence, and Marino
Faliero joins a conspiracy to abolish the council altogether.--Byron,
_Marino Faliero, the Doge of Venice_ (1819).
=Stentor=, a Grecian herald in the Trojan war. Homer says he was
“great-hearted, brazen-voiced, and could shout as loud as fifty men.”
He began to roar for help with the lungs of a Stentor.--Smollett.
=Steph´ano=, earl of Carnūti, the leader of 400 men in the allied
Christian army. He was noted for his military prowess and wise
counsel.--Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_, i. (1575).
_Stephano_, a drunken butler.--Shakespeare, _The Tempest_ (1609).
_Stephano_, servant to Portia.--Shakespeare, _Merchant of Venice_
(1598).
=Stephen=, one of the attendants of Sir Reginald Front de Bœuf (a
follower of Prince John).--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).
_Stephen_ (_Count_), nephew of the count of Crèvecœur.--Sir W. Scott,
_Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV.).
_Stephen_ (_Master_), a conceited puppy, who thinks all inferiors are to
be snubbed and bullied, and all those weaker and more cowardly than
himself are to be kicked and beaten. He is especially struck with
Captain Bobadil, and tries to imitate his “dainty oaths.” Master Stephen
has no notion of honesty and high-mindedness; thus he steals Downright’s
cloak, which had been accidently dropped, declares he bought it, and
then that he found it. Being convicted of falsehood, he resigns all
claim to it, saying, in a huff, “There, take your cloak; I’ll none
on’t.” This small-minded youth is young Kno’well’s cousin.--Ben Jonson,
_Every Man in his Humor_ (1598).
=Stephen Steelheart=, the nickname of Stephen Wetheral.--Sir W. Scott,
_Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).
=Stephen of Amboise=, leader of 5000 foot soldiers from Blois and Tours
in the allied Christian army of Godfrey of Bouillon. Impetuous in
attack, but deficient in steady resistance. He was shot by Clorinda with
an arrow (bk. xi.).--Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_ (1575).