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Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

E. Cobham Brewer From The Edition Of 1894

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P This letter is a rude outline of a man's mouth, the upright being the neck. In Hebrew it is called pe (the mouth).

P The five P's. William Oxberry was so called, because he was Printer, Poet, Publisher, Publican, and Player. (1784—1824.)

P

[alliterative]. In 1548, Placentius, a Dominican monk, wrote a poem of 253 hexameter verses (called Pugna Porcorum), every word of which begins with the letter p. It opens thus:—

“Praise Paul's prize pig's prolific progeny.”

In English heroics the letter A or T would be far more easy, as they would give us articles.

P.C

(patres conscripti). The Roman senate. The hundred senators appointed by Romulus were called simply patres; a second hundred added by Tatius, upon the union of the Sabines with the Romans, were called patres minorum gentium; a third hundred subsequently added by Tarquinius Priscus were termed patres conscripti, an expression applied to a fourth and fifth hundred conscribed to the original patres or senators. Latterly the term was applied to the whole body.

P., P.P., P.P.P

(in music). P = piano, pp = pianissimo, and ppp = pianississimo. Sometimes pp means più piano (more softly).

So f = forte, ff = fortissimo, and fff = fortississimo.

P.P.C

(pour prendre congé). For leave—taking; sometimes written on the address cards of persons about to leave a locality when they pay their farewell visits. In English, paid parting call.

P.S

(post—scriptum). Written afterwards— i.e. after the letter or book was finished. (Latin.)

P's and Q's

Mind your P's and Q's. Be very circumspect in your behaviour. Several explanations have been suggested, but none seems to be wholly satisfactory. The following comes nearest to the point of the caution:— In the reign of Louis XIV., when wigs of unwieldy size were worn, and bows were made with very great formality; two things were specially required, a “step” with the feet, and a low bend of the body. In the latter the wig would be very apt to get deranged, and even to fall off. The caution, therefore, of the French dancing—master to his pupils was, “Mind your P's [i.e. pieds, feet] and Q's

[i.e. queues, wigs].”

Pabana

(The) or Peacock Dance. A grave and stately Spanish dance, so called from the manner in which the lady held up her skirt during the performance.

Pacific Ocean

(The). So called by Magellan, because he enjoyed calm weather and a placid sea when he sailed across it. All the more striking after the stormy and tempestuous passage of the adjoining straits.

The Pacific.

Amadeus VIII., Count of Savoy. (1383, 1391—1439; died 1451.) Frederick III., Emperor of Germany. (1415, 1440—1493.)

Olaus III. of Norway. (*, 1030—1093.)

Packing a Jury

Selecting persons on a jury whose verdict may be relied on from proclivity, far more than on evidence.

Pacolet

A dwarf in the service of Lady Clerimond. He had a winged horse, which carried off Valentine, Orson, and Clerimond from the dungeon of Ferragus to the palace of King Pepin, and afterwards carried Valentine to the palace of Alexander, Emperor of Constantinople, his father. (Valentine and Orson.)

It is a horse of Pacolet. (French.) A very swift one, that will carry the rider anywhere; in allusion to the enchanted flying horse of wood, belonging to the dwarf Pacolet. (See above.

“I fear neither shot nor arrow, nor any horse how swift soever he may be, not though he could outstrip the Pegasus of Perseus or of Pacolet, being assured that I can make good my escape.” — Rabelais: Gargantua, bk. ii. 24.

Pactolus

The golden sands of the Pactolus. The gold found in the Pactolian sands was from the mines of Mount Tmolus; but the supply ceased at the commencement of the Christian era. (See Midas. ) Now called Bagouly.

Padding

The filling—up stuff of serials. The padding of coats and gowns is the wool, etc., put in to make the figure of the wearer more shapely. Figuratively, stuff in books or speeches to spin them out.

Paddington Fair

A public execution. Tyburn, where executions formerly took place, is in the parish of Paddington. Public executions were abolished in 1868.

Paddle Your Own Canoe

Mind your own business. The caution was given by President Lincoln, of North America.

Paddock

Cold as a paddock. A paddock is a toad or frog; and we have the corresponding phrases “cold as a toad,” and “cold as a frog.” Both are cold—blooded. “Paddock calls.” (Macbeth, i. 1.)

Paddi—whack

means an Irish wag, wag being from the Saxon wág—ian.

Paddy

An Irishman. A corruption of St. Patrick, Irish Padhrig.

Padua

was long supposed by the Scotch to be the chief school of necromancy; hence Sir Walter Scott says of the Earl of Gowrie —

“He learned the art that none may name

In Padua, far beyond the sea.”

Lay of the Last Minstrel.

Paduasoy

or Padësoy. A silk stuff originally made at Padua.

Paean

The physician of the celestial gods; the deliverer from any evil or calamity. (Greek, pauo, to make to cease.)

Paean

A hymn to Apollo, and applied to the god himself. We are told in Dr. Smith's Classical Dictionary, that this word is from Paean, the physician of the Olympian gods; but surely it could be no honour to the Sun—god to be called by the name of his own vassal. Hermsterhuis suggests pauo, to make to cease, meaning to make diseases to cease; but why supply diseases rather than any other noun? The more likely derivation, me judice, is the Greek verb paio, to dart; Apollo being called the “far—darter.” The hymn began with “Io Paean.” Homer applies it to a triumphal song in general.

Pagan

properly means “belonging to a village” (Latin, pagus). The Christian Church fixed itself first in cities, the centres of intelligence. Long after it had been established in towns, idolatrous practices continued to be observed in rural districts and villages, so pagan and villager came to mean the same thing. (See Heathen. )

Pagan Works of Art

In Rome there are numerous works of art intended for Pagan deities and Roman emperors perverted into Christian notabilities.

ANGELS, in St. Peter's of Rome, are old Pagan statues of Cupids and winged genii. GABRIEL in St. Peter's of Rome, is an old Pagan statue of the god Mercury.

JOHN THE BAPTIST, in St. Peter's of Rome, is made out of a statue of Hercules. ST. CATHERINE, in St. Peter's of Rome, is made out of a statue of the goddess Fortuna. ST. GILES (or EGIDIUS), in St. Peter's of Rome, is a statue of Vulcan.

ST. PAUL. Sixtus V. perverted the original statue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus into that of St. Paul. This beautiful marble column, 170 feet in height, contains a spiral of bas—reliefs of the wars of the Roman emperor, wholly out of character with the statue which surmounts it.

ST. PETER. The same Pope (Sixtus V.) converted the original statue of Trajan, on Trajan's column, into a statue of St. Peter. This exquisite column, like that of Antoninus, contains a spiral of bas—reliefs, representing the wars of Trajan. Surmounted by St. Peter, the perversion is absolutely, ludicrous. In St. Peter's of Rome the statue of St. Peter was meant for the old Roman god Jupiter.

VIRGIN MARY. This statue, in St. Peter's of Rome, is in reality a statue of Isis, standing on the crescent Moon. See Twentieth Century, 1892: Rome.

Page

A boy attendant. (Russian, paj, a boy; Greek, pais; Italian, paggio; Spanish, page; Welsh, bachgen. But page, the leaf of a book, is the Latin pagina.)

Page

(Mr. and Mrs.). Inhabitants of Windsor. The lady joins with Mrs. Ford to trick Sir John Falstaff.

Anne Page. Daughter of the above in love with Fenton. Slender, the son of a country squire, shy, awkward, and a booby, greatly admires the lady, but has too faint a heart to urge his suit further than to sigh in audible whispers, “Sweet Anne Page!”

William Page. A school—boy, the brother of Anne. (Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Pagoda

A temple in China, Hindustan, etc. (Hindustanee, boot—khuda, abode of God; Persian, put—gada, idol—house; Spanish, pagoda.)

Paint

The North American Indians paint their faces only when they go to war; hostilities over, they wash it off.

Paint the Lion

(To), on board ship, means to strip a person naked and then smear the body all over with tar. (See Notes and Queries, 6th August, 1892.)

Painter

The rope which binds a ship's boat to the ship. (Latin, panthera; French, pantière, a drag—net; panteur, a stretcher.)

I'll cut your painter for you. I'll send you to the right about in double quick time. If the painter is cut, of course the boat drifts away.

Painter of the Graces

Andrea Appiani is so called. (1754—1817.)

Painter of Nature

Remi Belleau, author of Loves and Transformations of the Precious Stones. One of the Pleiad poets is so called, and well deserves the compliment. The Shepherd's Calendar of Spenser is largely borrowed from Belleau's Song on April. (1528—1577.)

Painters and Artists

Characteristics of great artists. The brilliant truth of a Watteau, the dead reality of a Poussin, the touching grace of a Reynolds.

“The colouring of Titian, the expression of Rubens, the grace of Raphael, the purity of Domenichino, the correggioscity of Correggio, the learning of Poussin, the airs of Guido, the taste of the Caracci, the grand contour of Angelo.” Sterne.

“The April freshness of Giotto, the piety of Fra Angelo, the virginal purity of the young Raphael, the sweet gravity of John Bellini, the philosophic depth of Da Vinci, the sublime clevation of Michael Angelo, the suavity of Fra Bartolommco, the delicacy of the Della

Robbia the restrained powers of Roscellini.”

Defects of great artists.

In MICHAEL ANGELO the ankles are too narrow. In TITIAN the palm of the thumb is too prominent. In RAPHAEL the ears are badly drawn.

IN PINTURICCHIO both ears and hands are badly drawn.

Prince of painters. Parrhasios, the Greek painter, so called himself. (Fifth century B.C.) Apelles of Cos. (Fourth century B.C.)

Painting

It is said that Apelles, being at a loss to delineate the foam of Alexander's horse, dashed his brush at the picture in despair, and did by accident what he could not accomplish by art.

Pair Off

When two members of Parliament, or two opposing electors, agree to absent themselves, and not to vote, so that one neutralises the vote of the other. The Whips generally find the pairs for members.

Paishdadian Dynasty

The Kai—Omurs dynasty of Persia was so called from the third of the line (Houshung), who was surnamed Paishdad, or the just lawgiver (B.C. 910—870). (See Kai Omurs .)

Paix

La Paix des Dames. The treaty concluded at Cambray, in 1529 between Franois I. and Charles V. of Germany; so called because it was brought about by Louise of Savoy (mother of the French king) and Margaret, the emperor's aunt.

Pal

(A). A gipsy—word, meaning a brother, or companion.

Palace

originally meant a dwelling on the Palatine Hill of Rome. This hill was so called from Pales, a pastoral deity, whose festival was celebrated on April 21st, the “birthday of Rome,” to commemorate the day when Romulus,

the wolf—child, drew the first furrow at the foot of the hill, and thus laid the foundation of the “Roma Quadrata,” the most ancient part of the city. On this hill Augustus built his mansion, and his example was followed by Tiberius and Nero. Under the last—named emperor, all private houses on the hill had to be pulled down to make room for “The Golden House,” called the Palatium, the palace of palaces. It continued to be the residence of the Roman emperors to the time of Alexander Severus. (See Pallace.)

Paladin

An officer of the Palatium or Byzantine palace, a high dignitary.

Paladins. The knights of King Charlemagne. The most noted are Allory de l'Estoc; Astolfo; Basin de Genevois; Fierambras or Ferumbras; Florismart; Ganelon, the traitor; Geoffroy, Seigneur de Bordelois, and Geoffroy de Frises; Guerin, Duc de Lorraine; Guillaume de l'Estoc, brother of Allory; Guy de Bourgogne; Hoë, Comte de Nantes; Lambert, Prince de Bruxelles; Malagigi; Nami or Nayme de Bavièe; Ogier or Oger the Dane; Olivier, son of Regnier, Comte de Gennes, Orlando (see Roland); Otuë; Richard, Duc de Normandie; Rinaldo; Riol du Mans; Roland, Comte de Cenouta, son of Milon and Dame Berthe, Charlemagne's sister, Samson, Duc de Bourgogne; and Thiry or Thiery d'Ardaine. Of these, twelve at a time seemed to have formed the coterie of the king. (Latin, palatimus, one of the palace.)

“Who bear the bows were knights in Arthur's reign,

Twelve they, and twelve the peers of Charlemain.” Dryden: The Flower and the Leaf

Palaemon

originally called Melicertes. Son of Ino; called Palaemon after he was made a sea—god. The Roman Portunus, the protecting god of harbours, is the same. (See Palemon. )

Palais des Thermes Once the abode of the Roman government of Gaul, as well as of the kings of the first and second dynasties. Here Julius fixed his residence when he was Caesar of Gaul. It is in Paris, but the only part now extant is a vast hall, formerly the chamber of cold baths (frigidarium), restored by Napoleon III.

Palamedes of Lombardy

joined the squadron of adventurers with his two brothers, Achilles and Sforza, in the allied Christian army. He was shot by Clorinda with an arrow. (Tasso Jerusalem Delivered, book iii. c. ii. 4.)

He is a Palamedes. A clever, ingenious person. The allusion is to the son of Nauplios, who invented measures, scales, dice, etc. He also detected that the madness of Ulysses was only assumed.

Sir Palamedes. A Saracen knight overcome in single combat by Sir Tristram. Both loved Isolde, the wife of King Mark; and after the lady was given up by the Saracen, Sir Tristram converted him to the Christian faith, and stood his godfather at the font. (Thomas the Rhymer.

Palamon and Arcite

(2 syl.). Two young Theban knights who fell into the hands of “Duke Theseus,” and were shut up in a donjon at Athens. Both fell in love with Emily, the duke's sister—in—law. In time they obtained their liberty, and the duke appointed a tournament, promising Emily to the vietor. Arcite prayed to Mars to grant him victory, Palamon prayed to Venus to grant him Emily, and both obtained their petition. Arcite won the victory, but, being thrown from his horse, died, Palamon, therefore, though not the winner, won the prize for which he fought. The story is borrowed from Le Teseide of Boccaccio. The Black Horse, a drama by John Fletcher, is the same tale; so called because it was a black horse from which Arcite was thrown. (Chancer. The Knight's Tale.)

Palatinate

(4 syl.). The province of a palatine, as the Palatinate of the Rhine, in Germany A palatine is an officer whose court is held in the royal palace, also called a palace—greave or pfalzgraf. There were three palatine counties in England — viz. Chester, Durham, and Lancaster, in which the count exercised a royal authority, just as supreme as though he had been the regal tenant of the palace itself

Palaver

comes from the Portuguese palavra (talk), which is palaver, a council of African chiefs.

“Comparisons are odorous: palabras [words], neighbour Verges.” — Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing, iii. 4.

Pale

Within the pale of my observation— i.e. the scope thereof. The dominion of King John and his successors in Ireland was marked off, and the part belonging to the English crown was called the pale, or the part paled off.

Pale Faces

So Indians call the European settlers.

Palemon

“The pride of swains” in Thomson's Autumn; a poetical representation of Boaz, while the “lovely young Lavinia” is Ruth.

Palemon, in love with the captain's daughter, in Falconer's Shipwreck.

Palermo Razors

Razors of supreme excellence, made in Palermo.

“It is a rayser, and that's a very good one,

It came lately from Palermo.”

Damon and Pithias, i. 227.

Pales

The god of shepherds and their flocks. (Roman mythology. )

Palestine Soup

Soup made of Jerusalem artichokes. This is a good example of blunder begetting blunder. Jerusalem artichoke is a corruption of the Italian Girasole articiocco— i.e. the “sunflower artichoke.” From girasole we make Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem artichokes we make Palestine soup.

Palestra

(3 syl.). Either the act of wrestling, etc., or the place in which the Grecian youths practised athletic exercises. (Greek, pale, wrestling.)

Palestrina

or Pelestrina. An island nearly south of Venice, noted for its glass—houses.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, called “The Prince of Music.” (1529—1594.)

Paletot

[pal'—c—to ]. A corruption of palla—toque, a cloak with a hood. Called by Piers Plowman a paltock. The hood or toque has disappeared, but the word remains the same.

Palimpsest

A parchment on which the original writing has been effaced, and something else has been written. (Greek, palin, again; psao, I rub or efface.) When parchment was not supplied in sufficient quantities, the monks and others used to wash or rub out the writing in a parchment and use it again. As they did not wash or rub it out entirely, many works have been recovered by modern ingenuity. Thus Cicero's De Republica has been restored; it was partially erased to make room for a commentary of St. Augustine on the Psalms. Of course St. Augustine's commentary was first copied, then erased from the parchment, and the original MS. of Cicero made its appearance.

“Central Asia is a palimpsest; everywhere actual barbarism overlays a by gone civilisation”— The Times.

Palindrome

(3 syl.). A word or line which reads backwards and forwards alike, as Madam, also Roma tibi subito motibus ibit amor. (Greek, palin dromo, to run back again.) (See Sotadic. )

The following Greek palindrome is very celebrated:—

NI$si$ONANOMHMATAMHMONANO$si$IN (Wash my transgressions, not only my face). The legend round the font at St. Mary's, Nottingham. Also on the font in the basilica of St. Sophia, Constantinople; also on the font of St. Stephen d'Egres, Paris; at St. Menin's Abbey, Orléans; at Dulwich College; and at the following churches: Worlingsworth (Suffolk), Harlow

(Essex), Knapton (Norfolk), Melton Mowbray (it has been removed to a neighbouring hamlet), St. Martin's, Ludgate (London), and Hadleigh (Suffolk). (See Ingram: Churches of London, vol. ii.; Malcolm: Londinum Redivivum, vol. iv. p. 356; Allen: London, vol. iii. p. 530.)

It is said that when Napoleon was asked whether he could have invaded England, he answered “Able was I ere I saw Elba.”

Palinode

(3 syl.). A song or discourse recanting a previous one. A good specimen of the palinode is Horace, book i. ode 16, translated by Swift. Watts has a palinode in which he retracts the praise bestowed upon Queen Anne. In the first part of her reign he wrote a laudatory poem to the queen, but he says that the latter part deluded his hopes and proved him a false prophet. Samuel Butler has also a palinode to recant what he said in a previous poem to the Hon. Edward Howard, who wrote a poem called The British Princes. (Greek, palin ode, a song again.)

Palinurus

(in English, Palinure). Any pilot; so called from Palinurus, the steersman of AEneas.

“Oh! think how to this [Pitt's ] latest day,

When death, just hovering, claimed his prey,

With Palinure's unaltered mood,

Firm at his dangerous post he stood;

Each call for needful rest repelled,

With dying hand the rudder held,

Till in his fall with fateful sway

The steerage of the realm gave way.”

Palissy Ware

Dishes and other similar articles covered with models from nature of fish, reptiles, shells, flowers, and leaves, most carefully coloured and in high relief, like the wares of Della Robbia. Bernard Palissy was born at Saintes. (1510—1590.)

Pall

the covering thrown over a coffin, is the Latin pallium, a square piece of cloth used by the Romans to throw over their shoulders, or to cover them in bed; hence a coverlet.

Pall, the long sweeping robe, is the Roman palla, worn only by princes and women of honest fame. This differed greatly from the pallium, which was worn by freemen and slaves, soldiers, and philosophers.

“Sometimes let gorgeous Tragedy

In sceptred pall come sweeping by.”

Milton: Il Peuseroso

Pall—bearers

The custom of appointing men of mark for pall—bearers, has come to us from the Romans. Julius Caesar had magistrates for his pall—bearers, Augustus Caesar had senators; Germanicus had tribunes and centurions; AEmilis L. Paulus had the chief men of Macedonia who happened to be at Rome at the time; but the poor were carried on a plain bier on men's shoulders.

Pall Mall

A game in which a palle or iron ball is struck through an iron ring with a mall or mallet

Pallace

is by Phillips derived from pallicia, pales or paled fences. In Devonshire, a palace means a

“storehouse;” in Totness, “a landing—place enclosed but not roofed in.” (See Palace. )

“All that cellar and the chambers over the same, and the little pallace and landing—place adjoining the River Dart.”— Lease granted by the Corporation of Totness in 1703.

“Out of the ivory palaces” (Psalm xiv 8)— i.e. store—places or cabinets made of ivory. For “palaces” read pallaces.

Palladium

Something that affords effectual protection and safety. The Palladium was a colossal wooden statue of Pallas in the city of Troy, said to have fallen from heaven. It was believed that so long as this statue remained within the city, Troy would be safe, but if removed, the city would fall into the hands of the enemy. The statue was carried away by the Greeks, and the city burnt by them to the ground.

The Scotch had a similar tradition attached to the great stone of Scone, near Perth. Edward I. removed it to Westminster, and it is still framed in the Coronation Chair of England, (See Coronation, Scone.)

Palladium of Rome. Ancile (q.v.). Palladium of Megara. A golden hair of King Nisus. (See Scylla, Eden Hall.)

Pallas

A name of Minerva, sometimes called Pallas Minerva. According to fable, Pallas was one of the Titans, of giant size, killed by Minerva, who flayed him, and used his skin for armour; whence she was called Pallas Minerva. More likely the word Pallas is from pallo, to brandish; and the compound means Minerva who brandishes the spear.

Pallet

The painter in Smollett's Peregrine Pickle. A man without one jot of reverence for ancient customs or modern etiquette.

Palliate

(3 syl.) means simply to cloak. (Latin, pallium, a cloak.)

“That we should not dissemble nor cloke them [our sins]. but confess them with a humble, lowly, and obedient heart.”— Common Prauer Book.

Palm

An itching palm. A hand ready to receive bribes. The old superstition is that if your palm itches you are going to receive money.

“Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

Are much condemned to have an itching palm.” Shakespeare: Julius Caesar, iv. 3.

To bear the palm. To be the best. The allusion is to the Roman custom of giving the victorious gladiator a branch of the palm—tree.

Palm Off

(To) wares, tricks, etc., upon the unwary. The allusion is to jugglers, who conceal in the palm of their hand what they pretend to dispose of in some other way. These jugglers were sometimes called palmers.

“You may palm upon us new for old.”

Dryden

Palm Oil

Bribes, or rather money for bribes, fees, etc.

“In Ireland the machinery of a political movement will not work unless there is plenty of palm—oil to prevent friction.”— Irish Seditions from 1792 to 1880, p. 39.

“The rich may escape with whole skins, but those without `palm—oil' have scant mercy.”— Nineteenth Century, Aug., 1892, p. 312.

Palm Sunday The Sunday next before Easter. So called in memory of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the multitude strewed the way with palm branches and leaves. (John xii.)

Sad Palm Sunday. March 29, 1461, the day of the battle of Towton, the most fatal of all the battles in the domestic war between the White and Red Roses. Above 37,000 Englishmen were slain.

“Whose banks received the blood of many thousand men,

On `Sad Palm Sunday' slain, that Towton field we call ... The bloodiest field betwixt the White Rose and the Red.” Drayton: Polyolbion, xxviii

Palm Tree

is said to grow faster for being weighed down. Hence it is the symbol of resolution overcoming calamity. It is believed by Orientals to have sprung from the residue of the clay of which Adam was formed.

Palmer

A pilgrim privileged to carry a palm—staff: In Fosbroke's British Monachism we read that “certain prayers and psalms being said over the pilgrims, as they lay prostrate before the altar, they were sprinkled with holy water, and received a consecrated palm—staff. Palmers differed from pilgrims in this respect: a pilgrim made his pilgrimage and returned to public or private life; but a palmer spent all his days in visiting holy shrines, and lived on charity.

“His sandals were with travel tore,

Staff, budget, bottle, scrip he wore;

The faded palm—branch in his hand

Showed pilgrim from the Holy Land.”

Sir Walter Scott: Marmion, i. 27.

Palmerin of England

A romance of chivalry, in which Palmerin is the hero. There is another romance called Palmerin de Oliva. (See Southey's Palmerin.)

Palmy Days

Prosperous or happy days, as those were to a victorious gladiator when he went to receive the palm branch as the reward of his prowess.

Palsy

The gentlemen's palsy, ruin from gambling. (Elizabeth's reign.)

Paludamentum

A distinctive mantle worn by a Roman general in the time of war. This was the “scarlet robe” in which Christ was invested. (Matt. xxvii. 28.)

“They flung on him an old scarlet paludamentum— some cast—off war—cloak with its purple laticlave from the Praetorian wardrobe.”— Farrar: Life of Christ, chap. lx. p. 429.

Pam

The knave of clubs, short for Pamphile, the French word for the knave of clubs.

“Dr. Johnson's derivation of Pam from palm, because `Pam' triumphs over other cards, is extremely comic. Of course, Pam is short for Pamphile, the French name for the knave of clubs.”— Notes and Queries (W. W. Skeat, 1 May, 1886), p. 358.

Pamela

The title of the finest of Richardson's novels, which once enjoyed a popularity almost equal to that of the romances of Sir Walter Scott.

Pamela. Lady Edward Fitzgerald (died 1831).

Pampas

Treeless plains, some 2,000 miles long and from 300 to 500 broad, in South America. They cover an area of 750,000 square miles. It is an Indian word meaning flats or plains.

Pamper according to Junius, is from the Latin pampinus, French pampre (vine—tendril). Hence Milton—

“Where any row

Of fruit—trees, over—woody, reached too far

Their pampered boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces.”

Paradise Lost, v. 214.

The Italian pamberato (well—fed) is a compound of pane (bread) and bere (drink).

Pamphlet

said to be from Pamphila, a Greek lady, whose chief work is a commonplace book of anecdotes, epitomes, notes, etc. Dr. Johnson suggests par—un—filet (held “by a thread")— i.e. stitched, but not bound; another derivation is paginae filatae (pages tacked together). It was anciently written panfletus, pamflete, and by Caxton paunflet.

Pamphyle

(3 syl.). A sorceress who converted herself into an owl (Apuleius). There was another Pamphyle, the daughter of Apollo, who first taught women to embroider with silk.

“In one very remote village lives the sorceress Pamphyle, who turns her neighbours into various animals ... Lucius, peeping ... thro' a chink in the door [saw] the old witch transform herself into an owl.”— Pater: Marius the Epicurean, chap. v.

Pan

The personification of deity displayed in creation and pervading all things. As flocks and herds were the chief property of the pastoral age, Pan was called the god of flocks and herds. He is also called the god of hyle, not the “woods” only, but “all material substances.” The lower part was that of a goat, because of the asperity of the earth; the upper part was that of a man, because ether is the “hegemonic of the world;” the lustful nature of the god symbolised the spermatic principle of the world; the libbard's skin was to indicate the immense variety of created things; and the character of “blameless Pan” symbolised that wisdom which governs the world. (Greek, pan, everything.) (Phornutus: De Natura Deorum, xxvii. 203.)

“Universal Pan,

Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance,

Led on the eternal spring.”

Milton: Paradise Lost, iv. 265.

In the National Museum of Naples is the celebrated marble of “Pan teaching Apollo to play on the panpipe.”

The Great Pan. Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire, also called the Dictator of Letters. (1694—1778.)

Panace'a

A universal cure. Panacea was the daughter of Esculapios (god of medicine). The name is evidently composed of two Greek words panakeomai (all I cure). Of course the medicine that cures is the daughter or child of the healing art.

Panace'a. An Orkney proverb says the well of Kildinguie and the dulse (sea—weed) of Guiodin will cure every

malady save Black Death. (Sir Walter Scott: The Pirate, chap. xxix.) (See Azoth.)

Other famous panaceas.

Prince Ahmed's apple, or apple of Samarcand, cured all disorders. (See under Apple.) The balsam of Fierbras (q.v.).

The Promethean unguent rendered the body invulnerable.

Aladdin's ring (q.v.) was a preservative against all the ills which flesh is heir to. Sir Gilbert's sword. Sir T. Malory, in his History of Prince Arthur (i. 116), says:—

“Sir Launcelot touched the wounds of Sir Meliot with Sir Gilbert's sword, and wiped them with the cerecloth, and anon a wholler man was he never in all his life.”

(See also Achilles' Spear, Medea's Kettle, Reynard's Ring [see Ring], Panthera, etc.)

Panama

A word which, in 1892, became synonymous with government corruptions. M. de Lesseps undertook to cut a sea passage through the Isthmus of Panama, and in order to raise money from the general public, bribed French senators, deputies, and editors of journals to an enormous extent. An investigation was made into the matter in 1892, and the results were most damaging. In the beginning of 1893 Germany was charged with a similar misappropriation of money connected with the Guelph Fund, in which Prince Ludwig of Bavaria was involved.

“On the other side of the Vosges people will exult that Germany has also her Panama.”— Reuter's Telegram, Berlin, January 2nd, 1893.

Pancake

(2 syl.) is a pudding or “cake” made in a frying—pan. It was originally to be eaten after dinner, to stay the stomachs of those who went to be shriven. The Shrove—bell was called the Pancake Bell, and the day of shriving “Pancake Tuesday.”

Pancaste

(3 syl.). An Athenian hetaera, and her companion in sin, Phryne, were the models of Venus Rising from the Sea, by Apelles. (See Phryne. )

Pancras

(St.). Patron saint of children. He was a noble Roman youth, martyred by Diocletian at the age of fourteen (A.D. 304). (See Nicholas. )

St. Pancras, in Christian art, is represented as treading on a Saracen and bearing either a stone and sword, or a book and palm—branch. The allusions are to his hatred of infidelity, and the implements of his martyrdom.

Pandarus

Leader of the Lycians in the Trojan war, but represented as a pimp in mediaeval romances. (See Pander. )

Pandects of Justinian

(The), found at Amalfi (1137), gave a spur to the study of civil law which changed the whole literary and legal aspect of Europe. The word means much the same as “cyclopaedia.” (Greek, pan, everything; dech'—omai, I receive.)

Pandemonium

(A). A perfect pandemonium. A bear—garden for disorder and licentiousness. In allusion to the parliament of hell in Milton's Paradise Lost, book i. (Greek, pan daimon, every demon.) (See Cordeliers. )

Pander

To pander to one's vices is to act as an agent to them, and such an agent is termed a pander, from Pandarus, who procures for Troilus the love and graces of Cressida. In Much Ado about Nothing it is said that Troilus was “the first employer of pandars” (v. 2). (Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida; Chaucer: Troilus and Cresseide.)

“Let all pitiful goers—between be called to the world's end after my name, call them all `Pandars.' Let all constant men be `Troiluses,' all false women be `Cressids,' and all brokers—between, `Pandars.' Say, Amen.”— Troilus and Cressida, iii. 2.

Pandora's Box

(A). A present which seems valuable, but which is in reality a curse; as when Midas was permitted, according to his request, to turn whatever he touched into gold, and found his very food became gold, and therefore uneatable. Prometheus made an image and stole fire from heaven to endow it with life. In revenge, Jupiter told Vulcan to make a female statue, and gave her a box which she was to present to the man who married her. Prometheus distrusted Jove and his gifts, but Epimetheus, his brother, married the beautiful

Pandora, and received the box. Immediately the bridegroom opened the box all the evils that flesh is heir to flew forth, and have ever since continued to afflict the world. The last thing that flew from the box was Hope.

Panel

(A), means simply a piece of rag or skin. (Latin, pannus; Greek, penos.) In law it means a piece of parchment containing the names of jurors. To empanel a jury is to enter their names on the panel or roll. The panels of a room are the framed wainscot which supplies the place of tapestry, and the panels of doors are the thin boards like wainscot.

Pangloss

(Dr.). A learned pedant, very poor and very conceited, pluming himself on the titles of LL.D. and

A.SS. (Greek, “All—tongue.”) (Colman: Heir—at—Law.)

Panic

On one occasion Bacchus, in his Indian expeditions, was encompassed with an army far superior to his own; one of his chief captains, named Pan, advised him to command all his men at the dead of night to raise a simultaneous shout. The shout was rolled from mountain to mountain by innumerable echoes, and the Indians, thinking they were surrounded on all sides, took to sudden flight. From this incident, all sudden fits of great terror have been termed panies. (See Judges vii. 18—21.)

Theon gives another derivation, and says that the god Pan struck terror into the hearts of the giants, when they warred against heaven, by blowing into a sea—shell.

Panjandrum

The Grand Panjandrum. A village boss, who imagines himself the “Magnus Apollo” of his neighbours. The word occurs in Foote's farrago of nonsense which he composed to test the memory of old Macklin, who said he had brought his memory to such perfection that he could remember anything by reading it over once.

I myself knew a man at college who could do the same. He would repeat accurately one hundred lines of Greek by reading them twice over, although he could not accurately translate them. His memory was marvellous, but its uselessness was still more so.

Pantables

To stand upon one's pantables. To stand upon one's dignity. Pantables are slippers, and the idea is se tenir sur le haut bout— i.e. to remit nothing.

“Hee standeth upon his pantables and regardeth greatly his reputation.”— Saker: Narbonus (1590).

Pantagruel'

So called because he was born during the drought which lasted thirty and six months, three weeks, four days, thirteen hours, and a little more, in that year of grace noted for having “three Thursdays in one week.” His father was Gargantua, the giant, who was four hundred fourscore and forty—four years old at the time; his mother, Badebec, died in giving him birth; his grandfather was Grangousier (q.v. ). He was so strong that he was chained in his cradle with four great iron chains, like those used in ships of the largest size; being angry at this, he stamped out the bottom of his bassanet, which was made of weavers' beams, and, when loosed by the servants, broke his bonds into five hundred thousand pieces with one blow of his infant fist. When he grew to manhood he knew all languages, all sciences, and all knowledge of every sort,

out—Solomoning Solomon in wisdom. Having defeated Anarchus, King of the Dipsodes, all submitted except the Almirods. Marching against these people, a heavy rain fell, and Pantagruel covered his whole army with his tongue. While so doing, Alcofribas crawled into his mouth, where he lived six months, taking toll of every morsel that his lord ate. His immortal achievement was his voyage from Utopia in quest of the “oracle of the Holy Bottle” (q.v.).

“Wouldst thou not issue forth ...

To see the third part in this earthy cell

Of the brave acts of good Pantagruel'.”

Rabelais: To the Spirit of the Queen of Navarre.

Pantagruel was the last of the race of giants.

“My thirst with Pantagruel's own would rank.”— Punch, June 15th, 1893, p. 17.

Pantagruel' (meant for Henri II., son of Francois I.), in the satirical romance of Rabelais, entitled History of Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Pantagruelion

The great Pantagruelion law case (Lord Busqueue v. Lord Suckfist). This case, having nonplussed all the judges in Paris, was referred to Lord Pantagruel for decision. The writs, etc., were as much as four asses could carry, but the arbiter determined to hear the plaintiff and defendant state their own cases. Lord Busqueue spoke first, and pleaded such a rigmarole that no one on earth could unravel its meaning; Lord Suckfist replied, and the bench declared “We have not understood one single circumstance of the defence.” Then Pantagruel gave sentence, but his judgment was as obscure and unintelligible as the case itself. So, as no one understood a single sentence of the whole affair, all were perfectly satisfied, a “thing unparalleled in the annals of the law.” (Rabelais: Pantagruel, book ii.)

Pantagruelion Herb

(The). Hemp; so called “because Pantagruel was the inventor of a certain use which it serves for, exceeding hateful to felons, unto whom it is more hurtful than strangle—weed to flax.”

“The figure and shape of the leaves are not much different from those of the ash—tree or the agrimony, the herb itself being so like the Eupatorio that many herbalists have called it the

`Domestic Eupatorio,' and the Eupatorio the `Wild Pantagruelion.”'— Rabelais: Pantagruel,

iii. 49.

Pantaloon

A feeble—minded old man, the foil of the clown, whom he aids and abets in all his knavery. The word is derived from the dress he used to wear, a loose suit down to the heels.

“That Licentio that comes a—wooing is my man Tramo bearing my port, that we might beguile the old pantaloon.”— Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, iii. 1.

Pantaloon. Lord Byron says the Venetians were called the Planters of the Lion— i.e. the Lion of St. Mark, the standard of the republic; and further tells us that the character of “pantaloon,” being Venetian, was called Piantaleone (Planter of the Lion). (Childe Harold, bk. iv. stanza 14, note 9.)

Playing Pantaloon. Playing second fiddle, being the cat's—paw of another; servilely imitating.

Pantechnicon

A place where all sorts of manufactured articles are exposed for sale; a storehouse for furniture.

Panthe'a

wife of Abradatus, King of Susa. Abradatus joined the Assyrians against Cyrus, and his wife was taken captive. Cyrus refused to visit her, that he might not be tempted by her beauty to outstep the bounds of modesty. Abradatus was so charmed by this continence that he joined the party of Cyrus, and, being slain in battle, his wife put an end to her life, and fell on the body of her husband.

“Here stands Lady Rachel Russell— there the arch—virago old Bess of Hardwicke. The one is our English version of Panthea of Arria; the other of Xantippe in a coif and peaked stomacher.”— Mrs. Lynn Linton: Nineteenth Century, Oct., 1891, p. 606.

Panthe'a (Greek). Statues carrying symbols of several deities, as in the medal of Antoninus Pius, where Serapis is represented by a modius, Apollo by rays, Jupiter Ammon by ram's horns, Pluto by a large beard, and AEsculapius by a wand, around which a serpent is twined.

Pantheon

The finest is that erected in Rome by Agrippa (son—in—law of Augustus). It is circular, 150 feet in diameter, and the same in height. It is now a church, with statues of heathen gods, and is called the Rotunda. In Paris the Pantheon was the church of St. Geneviève, built by Louis XV., finished 1790. Next year the Convention called it the Pantheon, and set it apart as the shrine of those Frenchmen whom their country wished to honour (“aux grands hommes la patrie reconnaissante”). (Greek, pantes theory, all the gods.)

Panther

The Spotted Panther in Dryden's Hind and Panther means the Church of England full of the spots of error; whereas the Church of Rome is faultless as the milk—white hind

“The panther, sure the noblest next the hind,

And fairest creature of the spotted kind,

Ah, could her inborn stains be washed away,

She were too good to be a beast of prey.”

Part 1.

Panthera

A hypothetical beast which lived in the East. Reynard affirmed that he had sent her majesty the queen a comb made of panthera bone, “more lustrous than the rainbow, more odoriferous than any perfume, a charm against every ill, and a universal panacea.” (H. von Alkmar: Reynard the Fox.) (1498.)

She wears a comb made of panthera bone. She is all perfection. (See above.

Pantile Shop

A meeting—house, from the fact that dissenting chapels were often roofed with pantiles. Hence pantile was used in the sense of dissenting. Mrs. Centlivre, in the Gortiam Election, contrasts the pantile crew with a good churchman.

Pantomime

(3 syl.), according to etymology, should be all dumb show, but in modern practice it is partly dumb show and partly grotesque speaking. Harlequin and Columbine never speak, but Clown and Pantaloon keep up a constant fire of fun. Dr. Clarke says that Harlequin is the god Mercury, with his short sword called

“herpe;” he is supposed to be invisible, and to be able to transport himself to the ends of the earth as quick as thought. Columbine, he says, is Psyche (the soul); the old man is Charon; and the Clown Momus (the buffoon of heaven), whose large gaping mouth is an imitation of the ancient masks. (Travels, iv. 459.)

The best Roman pantomimists were Bathylus (a freedman of Maecenas), Pylades, and Hylas

Panton Gates

Old as Panton Gates. A corruption of Panton Gates at Newcastle—on—Tyne.

Pantry

(French, paneteric (2 syl.). Latin, panarium, from pams, bread.) An archiac form is “panary.” The keeper of a pantry was at one time called a “panterer.” (French, panterer.)

Panurge

(2 syl.). A companion of Pantagruel's, not unlike our Rochester and Buckingham in the reign of the mutton—eating king. Panurge was a desperate rake, was always in debt, had a dodge for every scheme, knew everything and something more, was a boon companion of the mirthfullest temper and most licentious bias; but was timid of danger, and a desperate coward. He enters upon ten thousand adventures for the solution of this knotty point. “Whether or not he ought to marry?” and although every response is in the negative, disputes the ostensible meaning, and stoutly maintains that no means yes. (Greek for factotum.) (Rabelais.)

Panurge, probably meant for Calvin, though some think it is Cardinal Lorraine. He is a licentious, intemperate libertine, a coward and knave. Of course, the satire points to the celibacy of the clergy.

“Sam Slick is the thoroughbred Yankee, bold, cunning, and, above all, a merchant. In short, he is a sort of Republican Panurge.”— Globe.

As Panurge asked if he should marry. Asking advice merely to contradict the giver of it. Panurge asked Pantagruel' whether he advised him to marry, “Yes,” said Pantagruel. When Panurge urged some strong objection, “Then don't marry,” said Pantagruel; to which the favourite replied, “His whole heart was bent on so doing.” “Marry then, by all means,” said the prince, but Panurge again found some insuperable barrier. And so they went on; every time Pantagruel said “Yea,” new reasons were found against this advice; and every time he said “Nay,” reasons no less cogent were discovered for the affirmative. (Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel, bk. iii. 9.)

Besides Pantagruel', Panurge consulted lots, dreams, a sibyl, a deaf and dumb man, the old poet Rominagrobis, the chiromancer Herr Trippa, the theologian Hippothadée, the physician Rondibilis, the philosopher Trouillogan, the court fool Triboulet, and, lastly, the Oracle of the Holy Bottle.

Panyer Stone

(The). A stone let into the wall of a house in Panyer Alley. It is a rude representation of a boy sitting on a pannier. (French, panier; Latin, panarium, a bread—basket.) The stone has the following inscription:—

“When you have sought the city round,

Yet still this is the highest ground.

August 27th, 1688.”

This is not correct, for there are higher spots both in Cornhill, and in Cannon Street.

Pap

He gives pap with a hatchet. He does or says a kind thing in a very brusque and ungracious manner. The Spartan children were fed by the point of a sword, and the Teuton children with hatchets, or instruments so called— probably of the doll type. “Ursus,” in Victor Hugo's novel of “L'Homme qui Rit, ” gives “pap with a hatchet.”

Papa

Father The former is Greek pappas (father); Chaldee, abba. For many centuries after the Conquest, the

“gentry” taught their children to use the word “papa,” but this custom is now almost gone out.

Papal Slippers

(The) are wrought with a cross of rubies over each instep.

Paper

So called from the papyrus or Egyptian reed used at one time for the manufacture of a writing material. Bryan Donkin, in 1803, perfected a machine for making a sheet of paper to any required length.

Paper a House

(To), in theatrical phraseology, means to fill a house with “deadheads,” or non—paying spectators, admitted by paper orders. The women admitted thus, not being dressed so smartly as the paying ones, used to cover their shoulders with a “scarlet opera cloak,” often lent or hired for the occasion.

Paper King

John Law, the projector of the Mississippi Scheme. (1671—1729.)

Paper Marriages

Weddings of dons, who pay their fees in bank—notes.

Paper—stainer

(A). An author of small repute.

Paphian

Relating to Venus, or rather to Paphos, a city of Cyprus, where Venus was worshipped; a Cyprian; a prostitute.

Papimany

The country of the Papimans; the country subject to the Pope, or any priest—ridden country, as Spain. (Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel, iv. 45.)

Papyra The goddess of printing; so called from papyrus, the Nile—reed, from which at one time paper was made, and from which it borrows its name.

“Till to astonished realms Papyra taught

To paint in mystic colours sound and thought, With Wisdom's voice to print the page sublime. And mark in adamant the steps of Time.”

Darwin: Loves of the Plants, canto ii

Papyri

Written scrolls made of the Papyrus, found in Egypt and Herculaneum.

Par

(A). A newspaper paragraph. (Press slang.)

Par

(At). Stock at par means that it is to be bought at the price it represents. Thus, 100 stock in the 2 1/2 per cent. quoted at par would mean that it would require 100 to invest in this stock; if quoted at 105, it would be 5 above par; if at 95, it would be 5 below par. (Latin, par, equal.)

Paracelsists

Disciples of Paracelsus in medicine, physics, and mystic sciences. A Swiss physician. (1493—1541.)

Paraclete

The advocate; one called to aid or support another. (The word paraclete is from the Greek para—kaleo, to call to; and advocate is from the Latin ad—voco, the same thing.)

Paradise

The Greeks used this word to denote the extensive parks and pleasure—grounds of the Persian kings.

“An old word, `paradise,' which the Hebrews had borrowed from the Persians, and which at first designated the `parks of the Achaemenidae,' summed up the general dream.”— Renan: Life of Jesus, xi.

Upper and Lower Paradise. The rabbins say there is an earthly or lower paradise under the equator, divided into seven dwellings, and twelve times ten thousand miles square. A column reaches from this paradise to the upper or heavenly one, by which the souls mount upwards after a short sojourn on the earthly one.

The ten dumb animals admitted to the Moslem's paradise are:— (1) The dog Kratim, which accompanied the Seven Sleepers.

(2) Balaam's ass, which spoke with the voice of a man to reprove the disobedient prophet. (3) Solomon's ant, of which he said, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard ...”

(4) Jonah's whale.

(5) The ram caught in the thicket, and offered in sacrifice in lieu of Isaac.

(6) The calf of Abraham.

(7) The camel of Saleb.

(8) The cuckoo of Belkis.

(9) The ox of Moses.

(10) Mahomet's mare, called Borak.

Paradise Lost

Satan rouses the panic—stricken host of fallen angels to tell them about a rumour current in Heaven of a new world about to be created. He calls a council to deliberate what should be done, and they agree to send Satan to search out for the new world. Satan, passing the gulf between Hell and Heaven and the limbo of Vanity, enters the orb of the Sun (in the guise of an angel) to make inquiries as to the new planet's whereabouts; and, having obtained the necessary information, alights on Mount Niphates, and goes to Paradise in the form of a cormorant. Seating himself on the Tree of Life, he overhears Adam and Eve talking about the prohibition made by God, and at once resolves upon the nature of his attack. Gabriel sends two angels to watch over the bower of Paradise, and Satan flees. Raphael is sent to warn Adam of his danger, and

tells him the story of Satan's revolt and expulsion out of Heaven, and why and how this world was made. After a time Satan returns to Paradise in the form of a mist, and, entering the serpent, induces Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Adam eats “that he may perish with the woman whom he loved.” Satan returns to Hell to tell his triumph, and Michael is sent to lead the guilty pair out of the garden. (Milton. )

Paradise Regained

(in four books). The subject is the Temptation. Eve, being tempted, fell, and lost Paradise; Jesus, being tempted, resisted, and regained Paradise. (Milton.)

Paradise Shoots

The lign aloe; said to be the only plant descended to us from the Garden of Eden. When Adam left Paradise, it is said, he took with him a shoot of this tree, which he planted in the land where he settled, and from which all other lign aloes have been propagated.

Paradise of Fools

The Hindus, Mahometans, Scandinavians, and Roman Catholics have devised a place between Paradise and “Purgatory” to get rid of a theological difficulty. If there is no sin without intention, then infants and idiots cannot commit sin, and if they die cannot be consigned to the purgatory of evil—doers; but, not being believers or good—doers, they cannot be placed with the saints. The Roman Catholics place them in the Paradise of Infants and the Paradise of Fools.

Paradise and the Peri

The second tale in Moore's poetical romance of Lalla Rookh. The Peri laments her expulsion from Heaven, and is told she will be readmitted if she will bring to the Gate of Heaven the “gift most dear to the Almighty.” First she went to a battle—field, where the tyrant Mahmoud, having won a victory, promised life to a young warrior, but the warrior struck the tyrant with a dart. The wound, however, was not mortal, so “The tyrant lived, the hero fell.” The Peri took to Heaven's Gate the last drop of the patriot's blood as her offering, but the gates would not open to her. Next she flew to Egypt, where the plague was raging, and saw a young man dying; presently his betrothed bride sought him out, caught the disease, and both died. The Peri took to Heaven's Gate the last sigh of that self—sacrificed damsel, but the offering was not good enough to open the gates to her. Lastly, she flew to Syria, and there saw an innocent child and guilty old man. The vesper call sounded, and the child knelt down to prayer. The old man wept with repentance, and knelt to pray beside the child. The Peri offered the Repentant Tear, and the gates flew open to receive the gift.

Parallel

None but himself can be his parallel. Wholly without a peer; “Quaris Alcidae parem;” “nemo proximus nec secundus.” There are many similar sentences; for example:—

“Nemo est nisi ipse.”— Sencca: Hercules Furens, i. 81. (Seneca lived B.C. 53—32.)

“And but herself admits no parallel.”

Massinger: Duke of Millaine, iii. 4. (1662.)

“None but himself himself can parallel.”

Anagram on John Lilburn. (1658.)

“Is there a treachery like this in baseness ... None but itself can be its parallel.” Theobeld: Double Falsehood, iii. 1. (1721.)

Paramatta

A fabric of wool and cotton. So called from a town in New South Wales, where the wool was originally bought.

Parapet

Fortification, the shot—proof covering of a mass of earth on the exterior edge of the ramparts. The openings cut through the parapets to permit guns to fire in the required direction are called embrasures: about 18 feet is allowed from one embrasure to another, and the solid intervening part is called the merlon. An indented parapet is a battlement. (Italian, parapetto, breastwork.)

Paraphernalia

means all that a woman can claim at the death of her husband beyond her jointure. In the Roman law her paraphernalia included the furniture of her chamber, her wearing apparel, her jewels, etc. Hence personal attire, fittings generally, anything for show or decoration. (Greek, parapherne, beyond dower.)

Parasite

(Greek, para sitos, eating at another's cost). A plant or animal that lives on another; hence a hanger—on, who fawns and flatters for the sake of his food.

Parc aux Cerfs

[deer parks ]. A mansion fitted up in a remote corner of Versailles, whither girls were inveigled for the licentious pleasure, of Louis XV. The rank of the person who visited them was scrupulously kept concealed; but one girl, more bold than the rest, rifled the pockets of M. le Comte, and found that he was no other than the king. Madame de Pompadour did not shrink from superintending the labours of the royal valets to procure victims for this infamous establishment. The term is now used for an Alsatia, or haven of shipwrecked characters.

“Boulogne may be proud of being `parc aux cerfs' to those whom remorseless greed drives from their island home.”— Saturday Review.

Parcae The Fates. The three were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. (Latin mythology.) Parcae is from pars, a lot; and the corresponding Moirae is from meros, a lot. The Fates were so called because they decided the lot of every man.

Parchment

So called from Pergamon in Lesser Asia, where it was used for purposes of writing when Ptolemy prohibited the exportation of paper from Egypt.

Pardon Bell

The Angelus bell. So called because of the indulgence once given for reciting certain prayers forming the angelus.

Pardouneres Tale

in Chaucer, is Death and the Rioters. Three rioters in a tavern agreed to hunt down Death and kill him. As they went their way they met an old man, who told them that he had just left him sitting under a tree in the lane close by. Off posted the three rioters, but when they came to the tree they found a great treasure, which they agreed to divide equally. They cast lots which was to carry it home, and the lot fell to the youngest, who was sent to the village to buy food and wine. While he was gone the two who were left agreed to kill him, and so increase their share; but the third bought poison to put into the wine, in order to kill his two confrères. On his return with his stores, the two set upon him and slew him, then sat down to drink and be merry together; but, the wine being poisoned, all the three rioters found Death under the tree as the old man had said.

Pari Passu

At the same time; in equal degrees; two or more schemes carried on at once and driven forward with equal energy, are said to be carried on pari passu, which is Latin for equal strides or the equally measured pace of persons marching together.

“The cooling effects of surrounding matter go on nearly pari passu with the heating.”— Grove: Correlation of Physical Forces, p. 64.

Parian Chronicle

A chronological register of the chief events in the mythology and history of ancient Greece during a series of 1,318 years, beginning with the reign of Cecrops, and ending with the archonship of Diognetos. It is ongraved on Parian marble, and was found in the island of Paros. It is one of the Arundelian Marbles (q.v.).

Parian Verse

Ill—natured satire; so called from Archilochos, a native of Paros.

Parias

or Pariahs. The lowest class of the Hindu population, below the four castes. Literally drummers, from parai, a large drum.

“The lodgers overhead may perhaps be able to take a more comprehensive view of public questions; but they are political Helots, they are the Pariahs of our constitutional Brahminism.”— The Times, March 20, 1867.

Paridel

A young gentleman that travels about and seeks adventure, because he is young, rich, and at leisure. (See below.)

“Thee, too, my Paridel, she marked thee there,

Stretched on the rack of a too—easy chair,

And heard thy everlasting yawn confess

The pains and penalties of idleness.”

Pope: Dunciad, iv. 341.

Sir Paridel. A male coquette, whose delight was to win women's hearts, and then desert them. The model was the Earl of Westmoreland. (Spenser: Faërie Queene, bk. iii. cant. 10; bk. iv. c. 1.)

Paris

or Alexander. Son of Priam, and cause of the siege of Troy. He was hospitably entertained by Menelaos, King of Sparta; and eloped with Helen, his host's wife. This brought about the siege. Post Homeric tradition says that Paris slew Achilles, and was himself slain either by Pyrrhos or Philoctetes. (Homer: Iliad.)

Paris. Kinsman to the Prince of Verona, the unsuccessful suitor of Juliet. (Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. Paris. Rabelais says that Gargantua played on the Parisians who came to stare at him a practical joke, and the men said it was a sport “par ris” (to be laughed at); wherefore the city was called Par—'is. It was called before Leucotia, from the “white skin of the ladies.” (Greek, leukotes, whiteness.) ( Gargantua and Pantagruel, bk. i. 17.)

Paris, called by the Romans “Lutetia Parisiorum” (the mud—city of the Parisii) The Parisii were the Gallic tribe which dwelt in the “Ile du Palais” when the Romans invaded Gaul. (See Isis.)

Mons. de Paris. The public executioner of Paris. Little Paris.

The “Galleria Vittorio Emanuele” of Milan is so called on account of its brilliant shops, its numerous cafés, and its general gay appearance.

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, situate on the Senne, is also called “Little Paris.”

Paris—Garden

A bear—garden; a noisy, disorderly place. In allusion to the bear—garden so called on the Thames bank—side, kept by Robert de Paris in the reign of Richard II.

“Do you take the court for a Paris—garden?”— Shakespeare: Henry VIII., v. 3.

Parish Registers

Bills of mortality. George Crabbe, author of The Borough, has a poem in three parts, in ten—syllable verse with rhymes, entitled The Parish Register.

Parisian

Made at Paris; after the mode of Paris; a native of Paris; like a native of Paris.

Parisian Wedding

(The). The massacre of St. Bartholomew, part of the wedding festivity at the marriage of Henri of Navarre and Margaret of France.

“Charles IX., although it was not possible for him to recall to life the countless victims of the Parisian Wedding, was ready to explain those murders to every unprejudiced mind.”— Motley: Dutch Republic, iii. 9.

Parisienne

(La). A celebrated song by Casimir Delavigne, called the Marseillaise of 1830.

“Paris n'a plus qu'un cri de gloire;

En avant marchons,

Contre leurs canons.

A travers le feu des battaillons,

Courons a la victoire!”

Parisina

the beautiful young wife of Azo. She falls in love with Hugo, her stepson, and betrays herself to her husband in a dream. Azo condemns his son to be executed, but the fate of Parisina, says Byron, is unknown. (Parisina.)

Frizzi, in his History of Ferrara, tells us that Parisina Malatesta was the second wife of Niccolo, Marquis of Este; that she fell in love with Ogo, her stepson, and that the infidelity of Parisina was revealed by a servant named Zoese. He says that both Ogo and Parisina were beheaded, and that the marquis commanded all the faithless wives he knew to be beheaded to the Moloch of his passion.

Parizade (4 syl.). A lady whose adventures in search of the Talking Bird, Singing Tree, and Yellow Water, are related in the Story of the Sisters who Envied their Younger Sister, in the Arabian Nights. This tale has been closely imitated in Chery and Fairstar (q.v.).

Parkership

The office of poundkeeper; from parcus (a pound).

Parks

There are in England 334 parks stocked with deer; red deer are kept in 31 of them. The oldest is Eridge Park, in Sussex, called in Domesday Book Reredfelle (Rotherfield). The largest private deer park is Lord Egerton's, Tatton, in Cheshire, which contains 2,500 acres. Blenheim Park contains 2,800 acres, but only

1,150 acres of it are open to deer. Almost as extensive as Tatton Park are Richmond Park, in Surrey; Eastwell Park, in Kent; Grimsthrope Park, in Lincolnshire; Thoresby Park, in Notts; and Knowesley Park, in Lancashire. (E. P. Shirley: English Deer Parks.) Woburn Park is 3,500 acres.

Parlance

In common parlance. In the usual or vulgar phraseology. An English—French word; the French have parler, parlant, parlage, etc.— to speak, speaking, talk— but not parlance.

Parlement

(French). A crown court, where, in the old régime, councillors were allowed to plead, and where justice was administered in the king's name. The Paris Parlement received appeals from all inferior tribunals, but its own judgments were final. It took cognisance of all offences against the crown, the peers, the bishops, the corporations, and all high officers of state; and, though it had no legislative power, had to register the royal edicts before they could become law. Abolished by the Constituent Assembly in 1790.

Parliament

“My Lord Coke tells us Parliament is derived from `parler le ment' (to speak one's mind). He might as honestly have taught us that firmament is `firma mentis' (a farm for the mind) or

`fundament' the bottom of the mind.”— Rymer: On Parliaments.

The Addled Parliament (between April 5th, 1614, and June 7th, 1615); so called because it remonstrated with the king on his levying “benevolences,” but passed no acts.

The Barebone Parliament. The Parliament convened July 4th, 1653; overridden by Praise—God Barebone. The Black Parliament. Held by Henry VIII. in Bridewell.

The Club Parliament. (See Parliament Of Bats.)

The Convention Parliament. Two Parliaments were so called; one in 1660, because it was not held by the order of the king, but was convened by General Monk; the second was convened January 22nd, 1689, to confer the crown on William and Mary.

The Devil's Parliament. The Parliament convened at Coventry by Henry VI., in 1459, which passed attainders on the Duke of York and his supporters.

The Drunken Parliament. The Parliament assembled at Edinburgh, January 1st, 1661, of which Burnet says

the members “were almost perpetually drunk.”

The Good Parliament (1376, in the reign of Edward III., while the Black Prince was still alive). So called from the severity with which it pursued the unpopular party of the Duke of Lancaster.

Grattan's Parliament (1782—1801). In 1782 Grattan moved the “Declaration of Rights,” repudiating the right of the British Parliament to interfere in the government of Ireland. Pitt pronounced the Parliament unworkable.

The Illiterate or Lack—learning Parliament. (See Unlearned Parliament.) The Little Parliament. Same as “the Barebone Parliament” (q.v.).

The Long Parliament sat 12 years and 5 months, from November 2nd, 1640, to April 20th, 1653, when it was dissolved by Cromwell; but a fragment of it, called “The Rump,” continued till the Restoration, in 1660.

Historian of the Long Parliament. Thomas May, buried in Westminster Abbey. (1595—1650.) The Med Parliament, in the reign of Henry III. (1258), was so called from its opposition to the king. It insisted on his confirming the Magna Charta, and even appointed twenty—four of its own members, with Simon de Montfort as president, to administer the government.

The Merciless (or Unmerciful) Parliament (from February 3rd to June 3rd, 1388). A junto of fourteen tools of Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, which assumed royal prerogatives, and attempted to depose Richard II.

The Mongrel Parliament (1681), held at Oxford, consisting of Whigs and Tories, by whom the Exclusion Bill was passed.

The Pacific Parliament. A triennial Parliament, dissolved August 8th, 1713. It signed the treaty of peace at Utrecht, after a war of eleven years.

The Pensioner (or Pensionary) Parliament (from May 8th, 1661, to January 24th, 1678 [i.e. 16 years and 260 days]). It was convened by Charles II., and was called “Pensionary” from the many pensions it granted to the adherents of the king.

The Rump Parliament, in the Protectorate; so called because it contained the rump or fag—end of the Long Parliament (1659). It was this Parliament that voted the trial of Charles I.

The Running Parliament. A Scotch Parliament; so called from its constantly being shifted from place to place.

The Unlearned or Lawless Parliament (Parliamentum Indoctum) (1404). So called by Sir E. Coke, because it contained no lawyer.

The Unmerciful Parliament, in the reign of Richard II.; so called by the people from its tyrannical proceedings.

The Useless Parliament. The Parliament convened by Charles I., on June 18th, 1625; adjourned to Oxford, August 1st; and dissolved August 12th; having done nothing but offend the king.

The Wondermaking Parliament. The same as “The Unmerciful Parliament;” convened February 3rd, 1388. By playing into the hands of the Duke of Gloucester it checkmated the king.

Parliament Soldiers

The soldiers of General Monk, who restored Charles II. to the throne.

“Ring a ding—ding; ring a ding—ding!

The Parliament soldiers are gone for the king. Some they did laugh, and some they did cry

To see the Parliament soldiers go by,

[To fetch back the king.]”

Parliament of Bats

(The), 1426, during the regency in the reign of Henry VI. So called because the members, being forbidden by the Duke of Gloucester to wear swords, armed themselves with clubs or bats.

Parliament of Dunces

Convened by Henry IV. at Coventry, in 1404, and so called because all lawyers were excluded from it.

Parliamentarian

(A). One who favoured the Parliament in opposition to Charles I.

Parlour (A). The reception room in a religious house where the religious see their friends. (French, parlour.)

Parlous

A corrupt form of perilous, in slang = our modern use of “awful,” amazing, wondrous.

“Oh! 'tis a parlous lad.”

Shakespeare: As You Like It, iii. 2.

Parmenianists

A name given to the Donatists; so called from Parmenianus, Bishop of Carthage, the great antagonist of Augustine.

Parmesan'

A cheese made at Parma, in Italy.

Parnassos

(Greek), Parnassus (Latin). A mountain near Delphi, in Greece. It has two summits, one of which was consecrated to Apollo and the Muses, the other to Bacchus. It was anciently called Larnassos, from larnax, an ark, because Deucalion's ark stranded there after the flood. After the oracle of Delphi was built at its foot it received the name of Parnassos, which Peucerus says is a corruption of Har Nahas (hill of divination). The Turks call it Liakura.

Parnassus. The region of poetry. Properly a mountain of Phocis, in Greece, sacred to Apollo and the Muses.

“Where lies your vein? Are you inclined to soar to the higher regions of Parnassus or to flutter round the base of the hill?” (The Antiquary)— i.e. Are you going to attempt the higher walks of poetry, such as epic and dramatic, or some more modest kind, as simple song?

To climb Parnassus. To write poetry.

Parochial

Relating to a parish. Hence, petty, narrow. (See Little Englanders .)

Parody

Father of Parody. Hippomax of Ephesus, The word parody means an ode which perverts the meaning of another ode. (Greek, para ode. )

Parole

(French). A verbal promise given by a soldier or prisoner of war, that he will not abuse his leave of absence; the watchword of the day.

Parolles

(3 syl.). A man of vain words, who dubs himself “captain,” pretends to knowledge which he has not, and to sentiments he never feels. (French, paroles, a creature of empty words.) (Shakespeare: All's Well that Ends Well.)

“I know him a notorious liar,

Think him a great way fool, solely a coward;

Yet these fixed evils sit so fit on him

That they take place ...”

Act i. 1.

He was a mere Parolles in a pedagogue's wig. A pretender, a man of words, and a pedant. The allusion is to the bragging, faithless, slandering villain mentioned above.

“Rust, sword; cool, blushes; and, Parolles, live Safest in shame; being fooled, by fooling thrive;

There's place and means for every man alive.”

Shakespeare: All's Well that Ends Well, iv. 3.

Parr

Old Parr. Thomas Parr lived in the reigns of ten sovereigns; married a second wife when he was 120 years old, and had a child by her. He was a husbandman, born at Salop in 1483, and died 1635, aged 152 years. Mr. Thoms, in his Records of Longevity, denies the truth of Parr's great age.

Parricide

(3 syl.). La Belle Parricide. Beatrice Cenci (—1599.)

Parrot—coal

A name given to anthracite because of the crackling or chattering noise it makes when burnt.

Parsees

or Ghebers. Fire—worshippers. We use the word for Persian refugees driven out of their country by the persecutions of the Mussulmans. They now inhabit various parts of India. (The word means People of Pars or Fars— i.e. Persia.)

Parsley

He has need now of nothing but a little parsley— i.e. he is dead. The Greeks decked tombs with parsley, because it keeps green a long time.

he needs parsley; that is, he is dead, and should be strewed with parsley.

Parson

says Blackstone, is “persona ecclesiae, one that hath full rights of the parochial church.” (See Clerical Titles.)

“Among wyves and wodewes ich am ywoned sute [wont to set],

Yparroked [impaled] in puwes. The person hit knoweth.” Robert Langland: Piers Plowmes Vision.

“God give you good morrow, master, person” (i.e. Sir Nathaniel, a parson).— Shakespeare: Love's Labour's Lost, iv. 2.

Parson Adams

A simple—minded country clergyman of the eighteenth century, in Fielding's Joseph Andrews. Fielding says that Parson Adams at the age of fifty was provided with a handsome income of 30 a year.

(Sussex Archoeological Collections, vol. iii. p. 172.) (See Passing Rich.)

Parson Bate

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

“When Sir Henry Bate Dudley was appointed an Irish dean, a young lady of Dublin said,

“Oh, how I long to see our dane. They say he is a very handsome man, and that he fights like an angel.”— Cassell's Magazine: London Legends, iii.

Parson Trulliber

in Fielding's Joseph Andrews. A slothful, ignorant, and self—willed bigot. Other parsons famous in story are the Rev. Micah Balwidder, the vicar of Bray, Brocklehurst. Dr. Primrose,

the parson in Goldsmith's Deserted Village, the parson in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and some others.

Parsons

(Walter), the giant porter of King James, died in 1622. (Fuller's Worthies.)

Part

The character assigned to an actor in a play.

Part

A portion, piece, or fragment.

For my part. As far as concerns me. For the most part. Generally, as a rule. In good part. Favourably.

Part and parcel. An essential part, portion, or element.

Partant pour la Syrie

The national air of the French Empire. The words were composed by M. de Laborde in 1809; the music by Queen Hortense, mother of Napoleon III. It is a ballad, the subject of which is as follows:— Young Dunois followed the count, his lord, to Syria, and prayed the Virgin “that he might prove the bravest warrior, and love the fairest maiden.” After the battle, the count said to Dunois, “To thee we owe the victory, and my daughter I give to thee.” Moral: “Amour à la plus belle; honneur au plus vaillant.”

Parthenia

Mistress of Argalus, in the Arcadia, of Sir Philip Sydney.

Parthenope

(4 syl.). Naples; so called from Parthenope, the siren, who threw herself into the sea out of love for Ulysses, and was cast up on the bay of Naples.

Parthenopean Republic

That of Naples, from January 22, 1799, to the June following.

Parti

(A). An eligible person for a big marriage.

“Prince Frederick Leopold is a parti, as he has inherited the bulk of his father's immense fortune [twenty—four millions sterling].”— Newspaper Paragraph, 1885.

Particular Baptists

That branch of the Baptist Dissenters who limit the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to those who have been recipients of adult baptism. Open Baptists admit any baptised person to receive it.

Particularists

Those who hold the doctrine of particular election and reprobation.

Parting

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,

That I shall say `Good Night' till it be morrow.” Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, ii. 2.

Parting Cup

(A), was, by the ancient Romans, drunk in honour of Mercury to insure sound sleep. (See Ovid, Fasti, ii. 635.) (See Stirrup Cup .)

Partington

A Mrs. Malaprop, or Tabitha Bramble, famous for her misuse of hard words. (B. P. Shillaber; an American author.)

Dame Partington and her mop. A taunt against those who try to withstand progress. The newspapers say that a Mrs. Partington had a cottage at Sidmouth, in Devonshire. In November, 1824, a heavy gale drove the seawaves into her house, and the old lady laboured with a mop to sop the wet up, till she was obliged to take refuge in the upper part of the house. The Rev. Sydney Smith, speaking on the Lords rejection of the Reform Bill, October, 1831, compares them to Dame Partington with her mop, trying to push back the Atlantic. “She

was excellent,” he says, “at a slop or puddle, but should never have meddled with a tempest.”

Partlet

The hen in Chaucer's Nun's Priest's Tale, and in the tale of Reynard the Fox (fourteenth century). So called from the partlet or loose collar of “the doublet,” referring to the frill—like feathers round the neck of certain hens. (A partlet was a ruff worn in the 16th century by women.)

“In the barn the tenant cock

Close to partlet perched on high.”

Cuningham.

Sister Partlet with her hooded head, allegorises the cloistered community of nuns in Dryden's Hind and Panther, where the Roman Catholic clergy are likened to barnyard fowls.

Partridge

The attendant of Jones, half — barber and half — schoolmaster; shrewd, but simple as a child. His simplicity, and his strong excitement at the play—house, when he went to see Garrick in Hamlet, are admirably portrayed. (Fielding: Tom Jones.)

Partridge's Day

(St.), September 1, the first day of partridge shooting.

Partula

according to Tertullian, was the goddess of pregnancy, who determined the time of gestation. (Aulus Gellius, iii. c. 16.)

Parturiunt Montes

“Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.” The Egyptian king Tachos sustained a long war against Artaxerxes Ochus, and sent to the Lacedemonians for aid. King Agesilaos went with a contingent, but when the Egyptians saw a little, ill—dressed lame man, they said: “Parturiebat mons; formidabat Jupiter; ille vero murem peperit.” (“The mountain laboured, Jupiter stood aghast, and a mouse ran out.”) Agesilaos replied, “You call me a mouse, but I will soon show you I am a lion.”

Party

Person or persons under consideration. “This is the next party, your worship”— i.e. the next case to be examined. “This is the party that stole the things”— the person or persons accused. (French, partie, a person.)

“If an evil spirit trouble any, one must make a smoke ... and the party shall be no more vexed.”— Tobit vi. 7.

Party Spirit

The animus or feeling of a party man.

Parvenu'

(French). An upstart; one who has risen from the ranks.

Parvis

(London). The “place” or court before the main entrance of a cathedral. In the parvis of St. Paul's lawyers used to meet for consultation, as brokers do in exchange. The word is now applied to the room above the church porch. (Paravisus, a Low Latin corruption of paradisus, a church close.)

“A sergeant of lawe, war and wvs,

That often haddé ben atté parvys.”

Chaucer: Canterbury Tales (Introduction)

Parviz'

[Victorious ]. Surname of Khosru or Chosroes II., the grandson of Khosru the Magnificent. The reigns of Khosru I. and II. were the golden period of Persian history. Parviz' kept 15,000 female musicians, 6,000 household officers, 20,500 saddle—mules, 960 elephants, 200 slaves to scatter perfumes when he went abroad, 1,000 sekabers to water the roads before him, and sat on a pillared throne of almost inconceivable splendour.

The horse of Chosroes Parviz. Shibdiz, the Persian Bucephalos. (See Horse.)

Parysatis Wife of Darius Nothos. (A corruption of Peri 'Zadcher [fairy bird—of—Paradise], sometimes called Azadcher [bird—of—Paradise].)

Pascal's Thoughts

Pensées sur la Religion (1670). Fugitive reflections and short sentences chiefly of a religious character, by Blaise Pascal (1623—1662).

Pasch Eggs

(pron. Pask). Easter eggs, given as an emblem of the resurrection. They are generally coloured. Not, unfrequently a name written with grease, which does not absorb the colouring matter, causes a pasch egg to appear with a name on it.

The day before Easter Sunday is called Egg Saturday.

Donner un oeuf, pour avoir un boeuf. Giving a sprat to catch a mackerel. To give an egg at Easter under the expeetation of receiving a more substantial present later on.

Pasha of Three Tails

(A). There are three grades of pashas distinguished by the number of horse—tails on their standard. In war the horse—tail standard is carried before the pasha, and planted in front of his tent. The highest rank of pashas are those of three tails; the grand vizier is always ex officio such a pasha. Pashas of two tails are governors of provinces; it is one of these officers that we mean when we speak of a pasha in a general way. A pasha of one tail is a sanjak or lowest of provincial governors. (The word pasha is the Persian pa, support of Shah, the ruler.)

Pasque Eggs

(See Pasch Eggs .)

Pasquinade

(3 syl.). A lampoon or political squib, having ridicule for its object; so called from Pasquino, an Italian tailor of the fifteenth century, noted for his caustic wit. Some time after his death a mutilated statue was dug up, representing either Ajax supporting Menelaos, or Menelaos carrying the dead body of Patroclos, or else a gladiator, and was placed at the end of the Braschi Palace near the Piazza Navoni. As it was not clear what the statute represented, and as it stood opposite Pasquin's house, the Italians called it “Pasquin.” The Romans made this torso the depository of their political, religious, and personal satires, which were therefore called Pasquin—songs or Pasquinades. In the Capitol is a rival statue called Marforio, to which are affixed replies to the Pasquinades.

Pass

A pass or A common pass. An ordinary degree, without honours. Where a person is allowed to pass up the senate—house to his degree without being “plucked.” (See Pluck. )

Well to pass. Well to do. Here “pass” is the synonym of fare (Saxon, faran, to go or pass). Shakespeare has the expression, “How goes it?”— i.e. How fares it, how passes it?

Passe Brewell

Sir Tristram's horse. Sir Tristram was one of the round—table knights. (History of Prince Arthur, ii. 68.)

Passe—partout

A sort of picture—frame. The middle is cut out to the size of the picture, and the border or edge is embossed, so as to present a raised margin. The passe—partout and picture, being backed and faced with a glass, are held together by an edging of paper which shows on the glass face. The word means

something to “pass over all.”

A master—key is also called a passe—partout (a pass through all the rooms).

Passelourdin

(3 syl.). A great rock near Poitiers, where there is a very narrow hole on the edge of a precipice, through which the university freshmen are made to pass, to “matriculate” them. The same is done at Mantua, where the freshmen are made to pass under the arch of St. Longinus. Passe—lourdan means “lubber—pass.”

Passelyon

A young foundling brought up by Morgane la Fée. He was detected in an intrigue with Morgane's daughter, and the adventures of this amorous youth are related ìn the romance called Perceforest, vol. iii.

Passing Bell

(The). It now means the bell tolled to announce the death of one who has died in the parish; but originally it meant the bell which announced that the person was in extremis, or passing from time into eternity.

“When a person lies in agony, the bells of the parish he belongs to are touched with the clappers until either he dies or recovers again. As soon as this sign is given, everybody in the street, as well as in the houses, falls on his knees, offering prayer for the sick person.” (See

lxvii. of the Canon Law.)— Diary of the Duke of Stettin's Journey.

Passing Fair

Admirably fair. (Dutch, passen, to admire.)

Passing Rich

Goldsmith tells us in his Deserted Village, that the clergyman was “passing rich with 350.

“A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year.” Goldsmith: Deserted Village.

In Norway and Sweden the clergy are paid from 40 a year is the usual stipend of the working clergy. Of St. Yves it was said (1251—1303):—

“Il distribuait, avec une sainte profusion aux pauvres, les revenus de son benefice et ceux de fon patrimoine, qui étaient de 60 de rente, alors une sonime très notable, particulierement en Basse Bretagne.”— Dom Lobineau: Lives of the Saints of Great Britain.

Passion Flower

The leaf symbolises the spear.

The five anthers, the five wounds.

The tendrils, the cords or whips.

The column of the ovary, the pillar of the cross. The stamens, the hammers.

The three styles, the three nails.

The fleshy threads within the flowers, the crown of thorns. The calyx, the glory or nimbus.

The white tint, purity.

The blue tint, heaven.

It keeps open three days; symbolising the three years' ministry. (Matt. xii. 40.) (See Pike's Head.)

Passionists

Certain priests of the Roman Catholic Church, who mutually agreed to preach “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” The founder of this “congregation” was Paul Francis, surnamed Paul of the Cross. (1694—1775.)

Passover A Jewish festival to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites, when the angel of death (that slew the first—born of the Egyptians) passed over their houses, and spared all who did as Moses commanded them.

Passy—measure

or Passing—measure. A slow, stately dance; a corruption of the Italian passamezzo (a middle pace or step). It is called a cinque measure, because it consists of five measures— “two singles and a double forward, with two singles side.” (Collier.)

Passy—measure Pavin

A pavin is a stately dance (see Pavan) ; a passy—measure pavin is a reeling dance or motion, like that of a drunken man, from side to side. Sir Toby Belch says of Dick Surgeon—

“He's a rogue and a passy—measure pavin. I hate a drunken rogue.”— Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, v. 1.

Pasteboard

A visiting card; so called from the material of which it is made.

Paston Letters

The first two volumes appeared in 1787, entitled Original Letters written during the Reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III. by various Persons of Rank; edited by Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Fenn. They are called Paston because chiefly written by or to members of the Paston family in Norfolk. They passed from the Earl of Yarmouth to Peter le Neve, antiquary; then to Mr. Martin, of Palgrave, Suffolk; were then bought by Mr. Worth, of Diss; then passed to the editor. Charles Knight calls them “an invaluable record of the social customs of the fifteenth century” (the time of the Wars of the Roses), but of late some doubt has been raised respecting their authenticity. Three extra volumes were subsequently added.

Pastorale of Pope Gregory

by Alfred the Great.

Patavinity

A provincial idiom in speech or writing; so called from Patavium (Padua), the birthplace of Livy. (See Patois. )

Patch

A fool; so called from the motley or patched dress worn by licensed fools.

“What a pied ninny's this! thou scurvy patch!”

Shakespeare: The Tempest, iii. 2.

Cross—patch. An ill—tempered person. (See above. Not a patch upon. Not to be compared with; as, “His horse is not a patch upon mine,” “My patch is better than his garment.”

Patch

(To). To express certain political views. The allusion is to the custom, in Queen Anne's reign, of wearing on the face little black patches. If the patch was on the right cheek, it indicated that the wearer was a Whig; if on the left cheek, that she was a Tory; if on the forehead between the eyes, or on both cheeks, that she was of no political bias. (See Court Plaster .)

“Whatever might be her husband's politics, she was at liberty to patch as she pleased.”— Nineteenth Century, February, 1890, p. 58.

Patelin

The artful dodger. The French say, Savoir son Patelin (to know how to bamboozle you). Patelin is the name of an artful cheat in a farce of the fifteenth century so called. On one occasion he wanted William Josseaume to sell him cloth on credit, and artfully fell on praising the father of the merchant, winding up his laudation with this ne plus ultra: “He did sell on credit, or even lend to those who wished to borrow.” This farce was reproduced in 1706 by Brueys, under the name of L'Avocat Patelin.

“Consider, sir, I pray you, how the noble Patelin, having a mind to extol to the third heaven the father of William Josseaume, said no more than this: `And he did lend to those who were desirous to borrow of him.' ”— Rabelais: Pantagruel, iii. 4.

Patelinage

Foolery, buffoonery; acting like Patelin in the French farce.

“I never in my life laughed so much as at the acting of that Patelinage.”— Rabelais: Pantagruel, iii. 34.

Patent Rolls

Letters patent collected together on parchment rolls. Each roll is a year, though in some cases the roll is subdivided into two or more parts. Each sheet of parchment is numbered, and called a membrane: for example, the 8th or any other sheet, say of the 10th year of Henry III., is cited thus: “Pat. 10, Hen. III., m.

8.” If the document is on the back of the roll it is called dorso, and “d” is added to the citation.

Pater Noster

The Lord's Prayer; so called from the first two words in the Latin version. Every tenth bead of a rosary is so called, because at that bead the Lord's Prayer is repeated. Formerly applied to the Rosary beads.

Pater Patrum

St. Gregory of Nyssa was so entitled by the Nicaean Council. (332—395.)

Paternoster Row

(London) was so named from the rosary or paternoster makers. We read of “one Robert Nikke, a paternoster maker and citizen, in the reign of Henry IV.” Some say it was so called because funeral processions on their way to St. Paul's began their pater noster at the beginning of the Row, and went on repeating it till they reached the church—gate.

Pathfinder

Major—General John Charles Fremont, who conducted four expeditions across the Rocky Mountains. (1842).

Pathfinder, in Fenimore Cooper's five novels, is Natty Bumppo, called the Pathfinder, the Deerslayer, the Hawkeye, and the Trapper. (See Natty Bumppo.)

Patience cry the Lepers

A punning proverbial phrase. Lepers seek diligently the herb patience (lapathum) relieve them from their suffering.

Patient

(The). Albert IV., Duke of Austria. (1377—1404.) (See Helena. )

Patient Grisel

Grisildes, Grisild, Grisilde, or Grisildis, according to Chaucer, was the wife of Wautier, Marquis of Saluces (Clerkes Tale ). According to Boccaccio, Griselda, a poor country lass, became the wife of Gualtiere, Marquis of Saluzzo (Tenth Day, novel x.). She is put upon by her husband in the most wanton and gratuitous manner, but bears it all, not only without a murmur, but even without loss of temper. She is the model of patience under injuries. The allegory means that God takes away our children and goods, afflicts us in sundry ways, and tries us “so as with fire;” but we should always say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Patin

Brother of the Emperor of Rome, who fought with Amadis of Gaul, and had his horse killed under him.

Patina

A beautiful surface deposit or fine rust, with which, in time, buried coins and bronzes become covered. It is at once preservative and ornamental, and may be seen to advantage in the ancient bronzes of Pompeii. (Greek, patane, a paten.)

Patmos (My). My solitude, my place of banishment from society, my out—of—the—way home. As

“Good—b'ye, I must go to my Patmos.” The allusion, of course, is to the banishment of St. John to the island of Patmos, in the reign of Domitian.

Patois

(2 syl.). Dialectic peculiarity, provincialism. Asinius Pollio noticed something of the kind in Livy, which he called patavinitas, from Patavium, Livy's birth—town.

Patri—Passians

One of the most ancient sectaries of the Christian Church, who maintained the oneness of the

God—head. The founder was Praxeas, of Phrygia, in the second century. The appellation was given to them by their opponents, who affirmed that, according to their theory, the Father must have suffered on the cross.

Patrician

properly speaking, is one of the patres or fathers of Rome. These patres were the senators, and their descendants were the patricians. As they held for many years all the honours of the state, the word came to signify the magnates or nobility of a nation.

N.B. In Rome the patrician class was twice augmented: first by Tatius, after the Sabine war, who added a whole “century;” and again by Tarquinius Priscus, who added another. The Sabine century went by the name of patricians of the senior races (majorum gentium), and the Tarquinian patricians were termed of the junior creation (minorum gentium).

Patrick

Chambers says, “We can trace the footsteps of St. Patrick almost from his cradle to his grave by the names of places called after him.” Thus, assuming the Scottish origin, he was born at Kil—patrick (the cell of Patrick), in Dumbartonshire; he resided for some time at Dal—patrick (the district of Patrick), in Lanarkshire; and visited Cragphadrig (the rock of Patrick), near Inverness. He founded two churches, Kirk—patrick in Kirkcudbright, and Kirk—patrick in Dumfries; and ultimately sailed from Port—patrick, leaving behind him such an odour of sanctity that among the most distinguished families of the Scottish aristocracy Patrick has been a favourite name down to the present day.

Arriving in England, he preached at Patter—dale (Patrick's valley), in Westmoreland; and founded the church of Kirk—patrick, in Durham. Visiting Wales, he walked over Sarn—badrig (causeway of Patrick), which now forms a dangerous shoal in Carnarvon Bay; and, departing for the Continent, sailed from Llan—badrig (church of Patrick), in the isle of Anglesea. Undertaking his mission to convert the Irish, he first landed at Innis—patrick (island of Patrick), and next at Holm—patrick, on the opposite shore of the mainland, in the county of Dublin. Sailing northwards, he touched at the Isle of Man, called Innis—patrick, where he founded another church of Kirk—patrick, near the town of Peel. Again landing on the coast of Ireland, in the county of Down, he converted and baptised the chieftain Dichu on his own threshing—floor, an event perpetuated in the word Saul— i.e. Sabbal—patrick (barn of Patrick). He then proceeded to Temple—patrick, in Antrim; and from thence to a lofty mountain in Mayo, ever since called Croagh—patrick. In East Meath he founded the abbey of Domnach—Padraig (house of Patrick) and built a church in Dublin on the spot where St. Patrick's Cathedral now stands. In an island of Lough Derg, in Donegal, there is St. Patrick's Purgatory; in Leinster, St. Patrick's Wood; at Cashel, St. Patrick's Rock. There are scores of St. Patrick's Wells from which he drank; and he died at Saul, March 17th, 493. (Book of Days.)

St. Patrick's real name was Succat, changed first into Cothraige, then to Magonus, and afterwards (on his ordination) to Patricius. (See Dr. Todd, in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. vi.)

Patrick's Cave

(St.), through which was a descent to purgatory, for the behoof of the living who wished to expiate their evil deeds before death.

Patrick's Cross

(St.). The same shape as St. Andrew's Cross (X), only different in colour, viz. red on a white field. (See Andrew. )

Patrick's Grave

(St.), in the yard of Downpatrick cathedral. The visitor is shown a spot where some of the mould has been removed, and is told that pilgrims take away a few grains as a charm, under the belief that the

relic will insure good health, and help to atone for sin.

Patrick's Monument

(St.), in the cemetery of Downpatrick cathedral. Visitors are shown the spot where the

“saint” was buried, but, on asking why there is no memorial, is informed that both Protestants and Catholics agreed to erect a suitable one, but could not agree upon the inscription. Whatever the Protestants erected in the day the Catholics pulled down at night, and vice versâ. Tired of this toil of Penelope, the idea was abandoned, and the grave was left unmarked by monumental stone.

Patrick's Purgatory

(St.), Ireland, described in the Italian romance called Guerino Meschino. Here gourmands are tantalised with delicious banquets which elude their grasp, and are at the same time troubled with colic. (See Tantalus. )

Patrick and the Serpent

(St.). According to tradition, St. Patrick cleared Ireland of its vermin; one old serpent resisted him; but St. Patrick overcame it by cunning. He made a box, and invited the serpent to enter it. The serpent objected, saying it was too small; but St. Patrick insisted it was quite large enough to be comfortable. After a long contention, the serpent got in to prove it was too small, when St. Patrick slammed down the lid, and threw the box into the sea. To complete this wonderful tale, the legend says the waves of the sea are made by the writhings of this serpent, and the noise of the sea is that of the serpent imploring the saint to release it.

Patrico

or Pater—cove. Hedge priests who for a fee married people under a hedge, as Abraham—men (q.v.).

Patroclos

The gentle and amiable friend of Achilles, in Homer's Iliad. When Achilles refused to fight in order to annoy Agamemnon, he sent his friend Patroclos to battle, and he was slain by Euphorbos.

Patten

Martha or Patty, says Gay, was the daughter of a Lincolnshire farmer, with whom the village blacksmith fell in love. To save her from wet feet when she went to milk the cows, the village Mulciber invented a clog, mounted on iron, which he called patty, after his mistress. This pretty fable is of no literary value, as the word is the French patin (a high—heeled shoe or skate), from the Greek patein (to walk).

`The patten now supports each frugal dame, Which from the blue—eyed Patty takes its name.” Gay: Trivia, i.

Pattens—Money

(Chapins de la Reina). A subsidy levied in Spain on all crown tenants at the time of a royal marriage.

Patter

To chatter, to clack. Dr. Pusey thinks it is derived from Paternoster (the Lord's Prayer). The priest recited it in a low, mumbling voice till he came to the words, “and lead us not into temptation,” which he spoke aloud, and the choir responded, “but deliver us from evil.” In our reformed Prayer Book, the priest is directed to say the whole prayer “with a loud voice.” Probably the “pattering of rain”— i.e. the rain coming with its pit—pat, is after all the better derivation.

Gipsy talk is so called from the French patois. (See Patavinity.)

Pattern

A corruption of patron. As a patron is a guide, and ought to be an example, so the word has come to signify an artistic model. (French, patron Latin, Patronus.)

Pattieson

(Mr. Peter). Introduced by Sir Walter Scott in the Introductions of the Heart of Midlothian and Bride of Lammermoor. He is represented as “assistant” at Gandercleugh, and author of the Tales of My Landlord, published posthumously by Jedidiah Cleishbotham.

Paul

(St.). Patron saint of preachers and tentmakers. Originally called Saul. The name was changed in honour of Serigus Paulus, whom he converted.

His symbol are a sword and open book, the former the instrument of his martyrdom, and the latter indicative of the new law propagated by him as the apostle of the Gentiles. He is represented of short stature, with bald head and grey, bushy beard.

Born at Giscalis, a town of Judaea, from which he removed, with his parents, to Tarsus, of Cilicia. Tribe, that of Benjamin.

Taught by Gamaliel.

Beheaded by a sword in the fourteenth year of Nero. On the same day as Peter was crucified. Buried in the Ostian Way.

(See Eusebius: Hicronymus.)

Paul Pry

An idle, meddlesome fellow, who has no occupation of his own, and is always interfering with other folk's business. (John Poole: Paul Pry, a comedy.) The original was Thomas Hill.

Paul and Virginia A tale by Bernardin de St. Pierre. At one time this little romance was as popular as Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Paul the Hermit

(St.) is represented as an old man, clothed with palm—leaves, and seated under a palm—tree, near which are a river and loaf of bread.

Paul of the Cross

Paul Francis, founder of the Passionists. (1694—1775.)

Paul's Man

(A). A braggart; a captain out of service, with a long rapier; so called because St. Paul's Walk was at one time the haunt of stale knights. Jonson called Bobadil (q.v.) a Paul's man.

Paul's Pigeons

The boys of St. Paul's School, London.

Paul's Walkers

Loungers who frequented the middle of St. Paul's, which was the Bond Street of London up to the time of the Commonwealth. (See Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, where are a variety of scenes given in the interior of St. Paul's. Harrison Ainsworth describes these “walkers” in his novel entitled Old St. Paul's.)

“The young gallants ... used to meet at the central point, St. Paul's: and from this circumstance obtained the appellation of Paul's Walkers, as we now say Bond Street Lungers.”— Moser: European Magazine, July, 1807.

Paulianists

A sect of heretics so called from Paulianus Samosatanus (Paul of Samosata), elected Bishop of Antioch in 262. He may be considered the father of the Socinians.

Paulicians

A religious sect of the Eastern Empire, an offshoot of the Manichaeans. It originated in an Armenian named Paul, who lived under Justinian II. Neander says they were the followers of Constantine of Mananalis, and were called Paulicians because the apostle Paul was their guide. He says they rejected the worship of the Virgin and of saints, denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, and maintained the right of everyone to read the Scriptures freely.

Paulina

wife of Antigonus, a Sicilian nobleman, takes charge of Queen Hermione, when unjustly sent to prison by her jealous husband, and after a time presents her again to Leontes as a statue “by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano.” (Shakespeare: Winter's Tale.)

Paulo

The cardinal, brother of Count Guido Franceschini, who advised his scapegrace bankrupt brother to marry an heiress, in order to repair his fortune. (Robert Browning: The Ring and the Book.)

Pavan

or Pavin. Every pavan has its galliard (Spanish). Every sage has his moments of folly. Every white must have its black, and every sweet its sour. The pavan was a stately Spanish dance, in which the ladies and gentlemen stalked like peacocks (Latin, pavones ), the gentlemen with their long robes of office, and the ladies with trains like peacocks' tails. The pavan, like the minuet, ended with a quick movement called the galliard, a sort of gavotte.

Pavilion of Prince Ahmed

(The). This pavilion was so small it could be covered with the hand, and yet would expand so largely as to encamp a whole army. (Arabian Nights: Ahmed and Pari—Banon.) (See Solomon's Carpet .)

Pawnbroker

The three golden balls. The Lombards were the first money—lenders in England, and those who borrowed money of them deposited some security or pawn. The Medici family, whose arms were three gilded pills, in allusion to their profession of medicine, were the richest merchants of Florence, and greatest

money—lenders. (See Balls. )

Roscoe, in his Life of Lorenzo de Medici, gives a different solution. He says that Averardo de' Medici, a commander under Charlemagne, slew the giant Mugello, whose club he bore as a trophy. This club or mace had three iron balls, which the family adopted as their device.

Pawn is the Latin pign[us] (a pawn or pledge).

Pawnee

Brandy pawnee. Brandy grog. (Hindu, pani, water.)

Pax

The “kiss of peace.” Also a sacred utensil used when mass is celebrated by a high dignitary. It is sometimes a crucifix, sometimes a tablet, and sometimes a reliquary. The pax is omitted on Maundy Thursday, from horror at the kiss of Judas.

Pay

(sea term). To cover with pitch. (Latin, picare, to cover with pitch.)

Here's the devil to pay, and no pitch hot. (See under Devil.)

Pay

(To). To discharge a debt. (French, payer.)

Who's to pay the piper? Who is to stand Sam? who is to pay the score? The phrase comes from the tradition about the Pied Piper of Hameln, who agreed to cure the town of rats and mice; when he had done so, the people of Hameln refused to pay him, whereupon he piped again, and led all the children to Koppelberg Hill, which closed over them.

From the corresponding French phrase, “payer les violons,” it would seem to mean who is to pay the fiddler or piper if we have a dance [on the green]; who is going to stand Sam?

Pay

(To). To slacken a cable; as, “Pay away” [more cable]; that is, “discharge” more cable. (French, payer.)

Pay

(To). To requite, to punish.

I'll pay him out. I'll be a match for him, I'll punish him.

“They with a foxe—tale him soundly did paye.”

The King and Northerne Man (1640).

Pay off old Scores

(To). To pay off a debt, whether of money or revenge.

Pay with the Roll of the Drum

(To). Not to pay at all. No soldier can be arrested for debt when on the march.

“How happy the soldier who lives on his pay,

And spends half—a—crown out of sixpence a day; He cares not for justices, beadles, or bum,

But pays all his debts with the roll of the drum.” O'Keefe.

Paynising

A process of preserving and hardening wood invented by Mr. Payne. (See Kyanise. )

Pea—jacket

(A). Dutch, pig or pije, a coarse thick cloth or felt. A “pije jacket.”

Peace

The Perpetual Peace. The peace concluded January 24th, 1502, between England and Scotland. But a few years afterwards the battle of Flodden Field was fought.

Peace—makers

(The). The nickname of the Bedfordshire regiment. So called from having no battles on the colours.

Peace of Antalcidas (The), between Artaxerxes and the states of Greece. It was brought about by Antalcidas, the Spartan (B.C. 387).

Peace of God

In 1035 the clergy interfered to prevent the constant feuds between baron and baron; they commanded all men to lay down their arms on pain of excommunication. The command and malediction were read daily from the pulpits by the officiating priests after the proper gospel:— “May they who refuse to obey be accursed, and have their portion with Cain, the first murderer; with Judas, the arch—traitor; and with Dathan and Abiram, who went down alive into the pit. May they be accursed in the life that now is; and in that which is to come may their light be put out as a candle.” So saying, all the candles were instantly extinguished, and the congregation had to make its way in the dark out of church as it best could.

Peace with Honour

The rallying cry of the late Lord Beaconsfield; it originated with his speech after the Berlin Conference (1878), when he stated that he had brought back Peace with Honour.

Peaceful

(The). Kang—wâng, third of the Thow dynasty of China, in whose reign no one was either put to death or imprisoned. (1098—1152.)

Peach

To inform, to “split;” a contraction of impeach.

Peacock

Let him keep peacock to himself. Let him keep to himself his eccentricities. When George III. had partly recovered from one of his attacks, his Ministers got him to read the King's Speech, but he ended every sentence with the word “peacock.” The Minister who drilled him said that peacock was an excellent word for ending a sentence, only kings should not let subjects hear it, but should whisper it softly. The result was a perfect success: the pause at the close of each sentence had an excellent effect.

By the peacock! A common oath which at one time was thought sacred. The fabled incorruptibility of the peacock's flesh caused the bird to be adopted as a type of the resurrection.

Peacock's Feather Unlucky

(A). The peacock's tail is emblem of an Evil Eye, or an ever—vigilant traitor. The tale is this: Argus was the chief Minister of Osiris, King of Egypt. When the king started on his Indian expedition, he left his queen, Isis, regent, and Argus was to be her chief adviser. Argus, with one hundred spies (called eyes), soon made himself so powerful and formidable that he shut up the queen—regent in a strong castle, and proclaimed himself king. Mercury marched against him, took him prisoner, and cut off his head; whereupon Juno metamorphosed Argus into a peacock, and set his eyes in its tale.

Peak

(The), Derbyshire. “The Queen of Scots' Pillar” is a column in the cave of the peak as clear as alabaster, and so called because Mary Queen of Scots proceeded thus far, and then returned.

Peal

To ring a peal is to ring 5,040 changes; any number of changes less than that is technically called a touch or flourish. Bells are first raised, and then pealed. (Qy. Latin pello, to strike?)

“This society rung ... a true and complete peal of 5,040 grandsire triples in three hours and fourteen minutes.”— Inscription in Windsor Curfew Tower.

Pearl

(The). Dioscorides and Pliny mention the belief that pearls are formed by drops of rain falling into the

oyster—shells while open; the rain—drops thus received being hardened into pearls by some secretions of the animal.

According to Richardson, the Persians say when drops of spring—rain fall into the pearl—oyster they produce pearls.

“Precious the tear as that rain from the sky

Which turns into pearls as it falls on the sea.”

Thomas Moore.

“Pearls ... are believed to be the result of an abnormal secretory process caused by an irritation of the mollusk consequent on the intrusion into the shell of some foreign body, as a grain of sand, an egg of the mollusk itself, or perhaps some cercarian parasite.”— G. F. King: Gems, etc., chap. xii. p. 211.

Cardan says that pearls are polished by being pecked and played with by doves. (De Revum Varietate, vii.

34.)

Pearl

For Cleopatra melting her pearl in honour of Antony, see Cleopatra. A similar act of vanity and folly is told by Horace (2 Satire, iii. verse 239). Clodius, son of AEsop the tragedian, drew a pearl from his ear of great value, melted it in a strong acid, and drank to the health of Cecilia Metella. This story is referred to by Valerius Maximus, Macrobius, and Pliny. Horace says,

“Qui sanior, ac si

Illud idem in rapidum flumen jaceretve cloacam!