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Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

E. Cobham Brewer From The Edition Of 1894

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the eighteenth letter of the Latin alphabet.

The original Semitic letter was probably inspired by an Egyptian hieroglyph for "head", pronounced t-p in Egyptian, but it was used for R by Semites because in their language, the word for "head" was Rêš (also the name of the letter). It developed into Greek (Rhô) and Latin R. It is likely that some Etruscan forms of the letter added the extra stroke to distinguish it from a later form of the letter P, although the similarity of the proto-Semitic glyph to the modern form with the added stroke is striking.

R in prescriptions. The ornamental part of this letter is the symbol of Jupiter , under whose special protection all medicines were placed. The letter itself (Recipe, take) and its flourish may be thus paraphrased: “Under the good auspices of Jove, the patron of medicines, take the following drugs in the proportions set down.” It has been suggested that the symbol is for Responsum Raphaelis, from the assertion of Dr. Napier and other physicians of the seventeenth century, that the angel Raphael imparted them.

R

is called the dog—letter, because a dog in snarling utters the letter r—r—r—r, r—r, r—r—r—r—r, etc.— sometimes preceded by a g.

“Irritata canis quod RR quam plurima dicat.”

Lucillus.

“[R] that's the dog's name. R is for the dog.” — Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, ii. 4.

The three R's. Sir William Curtis being asked to give a toast, said, “I will give you the three R's— writing, reading, and arithmetic.”

“The House is aware that no payment is made except on the `three R's.' ”— Mr. Cory. M.P.: Address to the House of Commons, February 28th, 1867.

R.A.P

Rupees, annas, and pies, in India; corresponding to our s. d.

R.I.P

Requiescat in pace.

R.M.T

In the reign of William III. all child—stealers (comprachios ) apprehended were branded with red—hot iron: R (rogue) on the shoulders; M (manslayer) on the right—hand; and T (thief) on the left.

Rabagas A demagogue in the kingdom of the king of Monaco. He was won over to the court party by being invited to dine at the palace. (M. Sardou: Rabagas, 1872.)

Rabbi Abron of Trent

A fictitious sage and wonderful linguist, “who knew the nature of all manner of herbs, beasts, and minerals.” (Reynard the Fox, xii.)

Rabbi Bar—Cochba

in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, made the Jews believe that he was the Messiah, because he had the art of breathing fire. (Beckmann: History of Inventions.)

Rabbit

A Welsh rabbit. Toasted cheese, or rather bread and cheese toasted together. (Qy. “rare—bit.”)

Rabelais

The English Rabelais. Swift, Sterne, and Thomas Amory have been so called. Voltaire so calls Swift.

The modern Rabelais. William Maginn (1794—1842).

Rabelais' Dodge

Rabelais one day was at a country inn, and finding he had no money to pay his score, got himself arrested as a traitor who was forming a project to poison the princes. He was immediately sent to Paris and brought before the magistrates, but, as no tittle of evidence was found against him, was liberated forthwith. By this artifice he not only got out of his difficulty at the inn, but he also got back to Paris free of expense. Fathered on Tarleton also.

Rabelaisian Licence

The wild grotesque of Rabelais, whether in words or artistic illustrations.

Rabicano

or Rabican. The name of Astolpho's horse. Its sire was Wind, and its dam Fire. It fed on unearthly food. (Orlando Furioso. )

Argalia's steed in Orlando Innamorato is called by the same name. (See Horse.)

Raboin

or Rabuino (French). The devil; so called from the Spanish rubo (a tail). In the mediaeval ages it was vulgarly asserted that the Jews were born with tails; this arose from a confusion of the word rabbi or rabbins with raboin or rabuino.

Rabsheka

in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Sir Thomas Player. Rabshakeh was the officer sent by Sennacherib to summon the Jews to surrender, and he told them insolently that resistance was in vain. (2 Kings xviii.)

“Next him, let railing Rabsheka have place— So full of zeal, he has no need of grace.” (Pt. ii.)

Raby

(Aurora). The model of this exquisite sketch was Miss Millbank, as she appeared to Lord Byron when he first knew her. Miss Millpond (a little farther on in the same canto) is the same lady after marriage. In canto i., Donna Inez is an enlarged portrait of the same person. Lord Byron describes himself in the first instance under the character of Don Juan, and in the last as Don José.

Races

Goodwood Races. So called from Goodwood Park, in which they are held. They begin the last Tuesday of July, and continue four days, of which Thursday (the “cup—day") is the principal. These races are very select, and admirably conducted. Goodwood Park was purchased by Charles, first Duke of Richmond, of the Compton family, then resident in East Lavant, a village two miles north of Chichester.

The Newmarket Races. There are seven annual race meetings at Newmarket: (1) The Craven; (2) first spring; (3) second spring; (4) July; (5) first October; (6) second October; (7) the Houghton.

The Epsom. So called from Epsom Downs, where they are held. They last four days. The Derby. The second day (Wednesday) of the great May meeting at Epsom, in Surrey; so called from the

Earl of Derby, who instituted the stakes in 1780. This is the great “Classic Race” for colts and fillies three years old.

The Oaks. The fourth day (Friday) of the great Epsom races; so called from “Lambert's Oaks,” erected on lease by the “Hunter's Club.” The Oaks estate passed to the Derby family, and the twelfth earl established the stakes so called. This is the great “classic race” for fillies three years old.

The St. Leger. The great Doncaster race; so called from Colonel St. Leger, who founded the stakes in 1776. This is the great “classic race” for both colts and fillies of three years old. Horses that have competed in the Derby and Oaks may take part in the St. Leger.

Ascot Races, held on Ascot Heath, in Berks.

Races

(Lengths run). (i) Under a mile and a half:—

The Newmarket Stakes, 1 mile 2 furlongs.

The Prince of Wales's Stakes (at Leicester), rather less. The Eclipse Stakes, 1 1/4 mile.

The Kempton Park Stakes, 1 1/4 mile.

The Lancashire Plate (at the September Manchester meeting) is only 7 furlongs. In 1890 the Duke of Portland won all these five races; Ayrshire won two of them, and Donovan the other three.

(ii) Long distances (between 1 1/4 and 3 miles ):—

The Great Northampton Stakes, 1 1/4 mile.

Ascot (Gold Vase), 2 miles.

Ascot (Gold Cup), 2 1/2 miles.

Ascot (Alexander Plate), 3 miles.

The Chester Cup, 2 1/4 miles.

The Great Metropolitan Stakes (in the Epsom Spring Meeting), 2 1/4 miles. The Hardwicke Stakes, the Goodwood Cup, 2 1/2 miles (in July), and the Doncaster Cup, 2.634 miles (in September), are long races.

Rachaders

The second tribe of giants or evil genii, who had frequently, made the earth subject to their kings, but were ultimately punished by Shiva and Vishnoo. (Indian mythology.)

Rache

A “setter,” or rather a dog said to hunt wild beasts, birds, and even fishes by scent. The female was called a brache— i.e. bitch—rache. (Saxon, raecc; French, braque.)

“A leyshe of ratches to renne an hare.”— Skelton: Magnificence

Rack

A flying scud, drifting clouds. (Icelandic, rek, drift; verb, recka, to drive.)

“The cloud—capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,

The solemn temples, the great globe itself,

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve

And ... leave not a rack behind.”

Shakespeare: Tempest, iv. 1.

Rack. The instrument of torture so called was a frame in which a man was fastened, and his arms and legs were stretched till the body was lifted by the tension several inches from the floor. Not unfrequently the limbs were forced thereby out of their sockets. Coke says that the rack was first introduced into the Tower by the Duke of Exeter, constable of the Tower, in 1447, whence it was called the “Duke of Exeter's daughter.”

(Dutch, rak; verb, rakken, to stretch: Danish, rag; Anglo—Saxon, reac.

Rack—rent

The actual value or rent of a tenement, and not that modified form on which the rates and taxes are usually levied. (Saxon, raecan, to stretch; Dutch, racken.)

“A rent which is equivalent, or nearly equivalent in amount, to the full annual value of the land, is a rack—rent.”— Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. xx. p. 403.

Rack and Manger

Housekeeping.

To lie at rack and manger. To live at reckless expense.

“When Virtue was a country maide,

And had no skill to set up trade.

She came up with a carrier's jade,

And lay at rack and manger.”

Life of Robin Goodfellow. (1628.)

Rack and Ruin

Utter destitution. Here “rack” is a variety of wrack and wreck.

“The worst of all University snobs are those unfortunates who go to rack and ruin from their desire to ape their betters.”— Thackeray: Book of Snobs, chap. xv. p. 87.

Racket

Noise or confusion, like that of persons playing racket or tennis.

Racy

Having distinctive piquancy, as racy wine. It was first applied to wine, and, according to Cowley, comes to us from the Spanish and Portuguese raiz (root), meaning having a radical or distinct flavour; but probably it is a corruption of “relishy” (French, reléché, flavourous).

“Rich, racy verse, in which we see

The soil from which they come, taste, smell, and see” Cowley.

Racy Style

Piquant composition, the very opposite of mawkish.

Radcliffe Library

(Oxford). Founded by Dr. John Radcliffe, of Wakefield, Yorkshire. (1650—1714.)

“When King William [III] consulted [Radcliffe] on his swollen apkles and thin body, Radcliffe said, `I would not have your Majesty's two legs for your three kingdoms.' ”— Leigh Hunt: The Town, chap. vi.

Radegaste

A tutelary god of the Slavi. The head was that of a cow, the breast was covered with an aegis, the left hand held a spear, and a cock surmounted its helmet. (Slavonic mythology.)

Radegund

Queen of the Amazons, “half like a man.” Getting the better of Sir Artegal in a single combat, she compelled him to dress in “woman's weeds,” with a white apron before him, and to spin flax. Britomart, being informed by Talus of his captivity, went to the rescue, cut off the Amazon's head, and liberated her knight.

(Spencer: Faërie Queene, book v. 4—7.)

St. Radegonde or Radegund, wife of Clothaire, King of France.

St. Radegonde's lifted stone. A stone sixty feet in circumference, placed on five supporting stones, said by the historians of Poitou to have been so arranged in 1478, to commemorate a great fair held on the spot in the October of that year. The country people insist that Queen Radegonde brought the impost stone on her head,

and the five uprights in her apron, and arranged them all as they appear to this day.

Radevore

(3 syl.). Tapestry.

“This woful lady ylern'd had in youthe

So that she worken and embrowden kouthe,

And weven in stole [the loom] the radevore.

As hyt of wommen had be woved yore.”

Chaucer.

Radical

An ultra—Liberal, verging on republican opinions. The term was first applied as a party name in 1818 to Henry Hunt, Major Cartwright, and others of the same clique, who wished to introduce radical reform in the representative system, and not merely to disfranchise and enfranchise a borough or two. Lord Bolingbroke, in his Discourses on Parties, says, “Such a remedy might have wrought a radical cure of the evil that threatens our constitution.”

Radiometer

The name of an instrument invented by Crookes for measuring the mechanical effect of radiant energy. It is like a miniature anemometer, and is made to revolve by the action of light, the cups of the anemometer being replaced by discs coloured white on one side and black on the other, and the instrument is enclosed in a glass globe from which the air has been exhausted, so that no heat is transmitted.

Radit Usque ad Cutem

He fleeced him to the skin; he sucked him dry. He shaved off all his hair (instead of only trimming it).

Rag

A tatter, hence a remnant, hence a vagabond or ragamuffin.

“Lash hence these overweening rags of France.”

Shakespeare: Richard III., v. 3.

Rag. A cant term for a farthing. Paper money not easily convertible is called “rag—money.”

“Money by me? Heart and good—will you might,

But surely, master, not a rag of money.”

Shakespeare: Comedy of Errors, iv. 4.

Rag

(The). The Army and Navy Club. “The rag,” of course, is the flag.

“ `By the way come and dine to—night at the Rag, said the major.”— Truth, Queer Story, April 1, 1886.

Rag—water

Whisky. (Thieves? jargon.)

Rags of Antisthenes

Rank pride may be seen peering through the rags of Antisthenes' doublet. (See Antisthenes. )

Rags and Jags

Rags and tatters. A jagged edge is one that is toothed.

“Hark, hark! the dogs do bark,

The beggars are coming to town;

Some in rags and some in jags,

And some in silken gown.”

Nursery Rhyme.

Ragamuffin

(French, maroufle). A muff or muffin is a poor thing of a creature, a “regular muff;” so that a ragamuffin is a sorry creature in rags.

“I have led my ragamuffins where they are peppered.”— Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV., v. 3.

Ragged Robin

A wild—flower. The word is used by Tennyson to mean a pretty damsel in ragged clothes.

“The prince Hath picked a ragged robin from the hedge.”

Tennyson: Idylls of the King; Enid.

Raghu

A legendary king of Oude, belonging to the dynasty of the Sun. The poem called the Raghu—vansa, in nineteen cantos, gives the history of these mythic kings.

Ragman Roll

originally meant the “Statute of Rageman” (De Ragemannis ), a legate of Scotland, who compelled all the clergy to give a true account of their benefices, that they might be taxed at Rome accordingly. Subsequently it was applied to the four great rolls of parchment recording the acts of fealty and homage done by the Scotch nobility to Edward I. in 1296; these four rolls consisted of thirty—five pieces sewn together. The originals perished, but a record of them is preserved in the Rolls House, Chancery Lane.

Ragnarok

[twilight of the gods]. The day of doom, when the present world and all its inhabitants will be annihilated. Vidar of Vali will survive the conflagration, and reconstruct the universe on

an imperishable basis. (Scandinavian mythology.)

“And Frithiof, mayst thou sleep away

Till Ragnarok, if such thy will.”

Frithiof—Saga: Frithiof's Joy.

Ragout

is something “more—ish,” something you will be served twice to. (Latin, re—gustus, tasted again; French, re—goûte.)

Rahu

The demon that causes eclipses. One day Rahu stole into Valhalla to quaff some of the nectar of immortality. He was discovered by the Sun and Moon, who informed against him, and Vishnu cut off his head. As he had already taken some of the nectar into his mouth, the head was immortal, and he ever afterwards hunted the Sun and Moon, which he caught occasionally, causing eclipses. (Hindu mythology. )

Rail

To sit on the rail. To shuffle off a direct answer; to hedge or to fence; to reserve the decision of one's vote. Here rail means the fence, and “to sit on the rail” to sit on one side. A common American phrase.

“If he said `Yes,' there was an end to any church support at once; if `No,' he might as well go home at once. So he tried to sit on the rail again.”— T. Terrell: Lady Delmar, chap. i.

Railway Abbreviations

C. & D. Collected and delivered— i.e. the rate quoted includes the entire charge from sender to consignee. Such goods are collected by the railway company and delivered according to the address at the price stated. S. to S. From station to station. This does not include collecting and delivering.

O.R. Owner's risk.

C.R. Company's risk.

O.C.S. On company's service; such parcels go free. C. by B. Collection from the sender to the barge, both included. O/C. Overcharged.

O/S. Outstanding.

Railway King

George Hudson, of Yorkshire, chairman of the North Midland Company, and for a time the Dictator of the railway speculations. In a day he cleared the large sum of 100,000. It was the Rev. Sydney Smith who gave him this designation. (1800—1871.)

Railway Signals

“White is all right; Red is all wrong
Green is go cautiously bowling along.”

Railways

A. & B. R. Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway.

B. & L. J. R. Bourn and Lynn Joint Railway.

B. & M. R. Brecon and Merthyr Railway.

B. & N. C. R. Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. Cal. R. Caledonian Railway.

Cam. R. Cambrian Railway.

C. K. & P. R. Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith Railway.

C.L.C. Cheshire Lines Committee, embracing the G. N., M. S. & L., and Mid. Coys. C. V. R. Colne Valley and Halstead Railway.

C. W. & C. R. Central Wales and Carmarthen Railway.

C. & C. R. Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway.

D. R. & C. R. Denbigh, Ruthin, and Corwen Railway.

E. L. R. East London Railway.

E. & W. J. R. East and West Junction Railway.

Fur. R. Furness Railway.

G. & K. R. Garstang and Knotend Railway.

G. & S. W. R. Glasgow and South—Western Railway. G. E. R. Great Eastern Railway.

G. N. S. R. Great Northern of Scotland Railway.

G. N. R. Great Northern Railway.

G. N. I. R. Great Northern of Ireland Railway.

G. S. & W. R. Great Southern and Western Railway. G. W. R. Great Western Railway.

H. R. Highland Railway.

I. of M. R. Isle of Man Railway.

I. of W. R. Isle of Wight Railway.

L. & Y. R. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. L. B. & S. C. R. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. L. C. & D. R. London, Chatham, and Dover Railway.

L. D. & E. C. R. Lancashire, Derby, and East Coast Railway.

L. & N. W. R. London and North—Western Railway.

L. & S. W. R. London and South—Western Railway.

L. T. & S. R. London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway. M. & M. R. Manchester and Milford Railway.

M. S. & L. R. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway.

M. S. J. & A. R. Manchester, South Junction, and Altrincham Railway. M. & C. R. Maryport and Carlisle Railway.

Met. R. Metropolitan Railway.

Met. D. R. Metropolitan District Railway.

M. R. Midland Railway.

M. W. R. Mid—Wales Railway.

M. G. W. I. R. Midland Great—Western of Ireland Railway. N. & B. R. Neath and Brecon Railway.

N. & B. J. R. Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway.

N. B. R. North British Railway.

N. E. R. North—Eastern Railway.

N. L. R. North London Railway.

N. S. R. North Staffordshire Railway.

P. & T. R. Pembroke and Tenby Railway.

R. R. Rhymney Railway.

S. & W. & S. B. R. Severn and Wye and Severn Bridge Railway.

S. & D. J. R. Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.

S. E. R. South—Eastern Railway.

S. M. & A. R. Swindon, Marlborough, and Andover Railway. T. V. R. Taff Vale Railway.

W. & L. R. Waterford and Limerick Railway.

W. & P. R. R. Watlington and Princes Risboro' Railway. W. R. Wigtownshire Railway.

W. M. & C. Q. R. Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway.

Rain

To rain cats and dogs. In northern mythology the cat is supposed to have great influence on the weather, and English sailors still say, “The cat has a gale of wind in her tail,” when she is unusually frisky. Witches that rode upon the storms were said to assume the form of cats; and the stormy north—west wind is called the cat's—nose in the Harz even at the present day.

The dog is a signal of wind, like the wolf, both which animals were attendants of Odin, the storm—god. In old German pictures the wind is figured as the “head of a dog or wolf,” from which blasts issue.

The cat therefore symbolises the down—pouring rain, and the dog the strong gusts of wind which accompany a rainstorm; and a “rain of cats and dogs” is a heavy rain with wind. (See Cat and Dog.) The French catadoupe or catadupe means a waterfall.

Rain Gauge

An instrument or contrivance for measuring the amount of rain which falls on a given surface.

Rainbow

Circle of Ulloa A white rainbow or luminous ring sometimes seen in Alpine regions opposite the sun in foggy weather.

Rainbow Chasers

Problematical politicians and reformers, who chase rainbows, which cannot possibly be caught, to “find the pot of gold at the foot thereof.” This alludes to an old joke, that a pot of gold can be dug up where the rainbow touches the earth.

Raining Tree

(The). The Til, a linden—tree of the Canaries, mentioned by a host of persons. Mandelolo describes it minutely, and tells us that the water which falls from this tree suffices for a plentiful supply for men and beasts of the whole island of Fierro, which contains no river. Glas assures us that “the existence of such a tree is firmly believed in the Canaries” (History of the Canary Islands). Cordeyro (Historia Insulana, book ii. chap. v.) says it is an emblem of the Trinity, and that the rain is called Agua Santa. Without doubt a rain falls from some trees (as the lime) in hot weather.

Rainy Day

(A). Evil times.

Lay by something for a rainy day. Save something against evil times.

Raise the Wind

To obtain ready money by hook or crook. A sea phrase. What wind is to a ship, money is to commerce.

“Ive tried queer ways

The wind to raise,

But ne'er had such a blow.”

Judy (My Lost Dog), Mar. 27, 1889.

Rajah

(Sanskrit for king, cognate with the Latin reg' or rex.) Maharajah means the “great rajah.”

Rake

A libertine. A contraction of rakehell, used by Milton and others.

“And far away amid their rakehell bands

They speed a lady left all succourless.”

Francis Quarles.

Rakshas

Evil spirits who guard the treasures of Kuvera, the god of riches. They haunt cemeteries and devour human beings; assume any shape at will, and their strength increases as the day declines. Some are hideously ugly, but others, especially the female spirits, allure by their beauty. (Hindu mythology.)

Rakush

Rustem's horse in the Shah Nameh of Firdusi, the Homer of Korassan. (See Horse. )

Raleigh Sir Walter Scott introduces in Kenilworth the tradition of his laying down his cloak on a miry spot for the queen to step on.

“Hark ye, Master Raleigh, see thou fail not to wear thy muddy cloak, in token of peuitence, till our pleasure be further known,”— Sir Walter Scott: Kenilworth, chap. xv.

Rally

is re—alligo, to bind together again. (French rallier.) In Spenser it is spelt re—allie—

“Before they could new consels re—allie.”

Faërie Queene.

“Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys,

We'll rally once again.”

G. F. Root: Battle—cry of Freedom, stanza i.

Ralph

or Ralpho. The squire of Hudibras. The model was Isaac Robinson, a zealous butcher in Moorfields, always contriving some queer art of church government. He represents the Independent party, and Hudibras the Presbyterian. Ralph rhymes with half and safe.

“He was himself under the tyranny of scruples as unreasonable as those of ... Ralpho.”— Macaulay.

Ralph Roister Doister

The title of the earliest English comedy; so called from the chief character. Written by Nicholas Udall. (16th century.)

Ram

The usual prize at wrestling matches. Thus Chaucer says of his Mellere, “At wrastlynge he wolde bere away the ram.” (Canterbury Tales: Prologue 550.)

Ram Feast

(The). May morning is so called at Holne, near Dartmoor, because on that day a ram is run down in the “Ploy Field.” It is roasted whole, with its skin and fur, close by a granite pillar. At mid—day a scramble takes place for a slice, which is supposed to bring luck to those who get it. Said to be a relic of Baal worship in England.

Ram and Teazle

(The). A public—house sign, is in compliment to the Clothiers' Company. The ram with the golden fleece is emblematical of wool, and the teazle is used for raising the nap of wool spun and woven into cloth.

Ram of the Zodiac

(The). This is the famous Chrysomallon, whose golden fleece was stolen by Jason in his Argonautic expedition. It was transposed to the stars, and made the first sign of the Zodiac.

The Vernal signs the Ram begins; Then comes the Bull; in May the Twins: The Crab in June; next Leo shines; And Virgo ends the northern signs. E. C. B.

Ram's Horn

(A). A loud, vulgar, unpolished speaker. A smooth—tongued orator is called a “silver trumpet.”

Rama The seventh incarnation of Vishnu.

The first was the fish; the second, the tortoise; the third, the boar; the fourth, the man—lion; the fifth, the dwarf; the sixth, Parus'u—Rama, son of Jamadagni; the seventh, RAMA, son of Dasaratha. King of Ayodhyâ; the eighth, Krishna or Crishna; the ninth, Buddha; and the last (tenth) will be Kalki, and the consummation of all things— a kind of millennium.

Rama performed many wonderful exploits, such as killing giants, demons, and monsters. He won Sita to wife because he was able to bend the bow of Siva.

Rama—Yana

The history of Rama, the best great epic poem of ancient India, and worthy to be ranked with the Iliad of Homer.

Ramadan

The ninth month of the Mahometan year, and the Mussulman's Lent or Holy Month.

“November is the financial Ramadan of the Sublime Porte.”— The Times.

That is, when the Turkish Government promises all kinds of financial reforms and curtailments of national expenses.

Rambouillet

Hôtel de Rambouillet. The réunion of rank and literary genius on terms of equality; a coterie where sparkling wit with polished manners prevails. The Marquise de Rambouillet, in the seventeenth century, reformed the French soirées, and purged them of the gross morals and licentious conversation which at that time prevailed. The present good taste, freedom without licentiousness, wit without double entendre, equality without familiarity, was due to this illustrious Italian. The Précieuses Ridicules of Molière was a satire on those her imitators who had not her talent and good taste. Catherine, Marquise de Rambouillet

(1588—1665).

Ramee Samee

The conjurer who swallowed swords, and could twist himself into a knot as if he had neither bones nor joints.

Rameses

(3 syl.). The title of an ancient Egyptian dynasty; it means Offspring of the Sun. This title was first assumed towards the close of the Eighteenth Dynasty, and ran through the Nineteenth. Rameses III. is called Rhampsinitos by Herodotos. Sesostris is supposed to be identical with Rameses the Great. (Eses, i.e. Isis.)

Ramiel

(2 syl.). One of the fallen angels cast out of heaven. The word means one that exalts himself against God.

Raminagobris

A cat; a vile poet. La Fontaine in several of his fables gives this name to the cat. Rabelais under this name satirises Guillaume Crétin, an old French poet in the reigns of Charles VIII., Louis XII., and Francois I. (Rabelais: Pantagruel, iii. 21.)

Rampallian

A term of contempt; probably it means a rampant or wanton woman; hence in A New Trick to Cheat the Devil (1639) we have this line: “And bold rampallian—like, swear and drink drunk.”

“Away, you scullion! you rampallian! you fustilarian! I'll tickle your catastrophe.”— Shakespeare: 2 Henry IV., ii. 1.

Ramsay the Rich

Ramsay used to be called the Croesus of our English abbeys. It had only sixty monks of the Benedictine order to maintain, and its revenues allowed 1,000 a year to the abbot, and 100 a year for each of its monks.

David Ramsay. The old watchmaker near Temple Bar. Margaret Ramsay. His daughter, who became the bride of Lord Nigel. (Sir Walter Scott: Fortunes of Nigel.

Ramsbottom ( Mrs.). A vile speller of the Queen's English. It was the signature of Theodore Hook in his letters published in the John Bull newspaper, 1829.

Rana

Goddess of the sea, and wife of the sea—god Aeger. (Scandinavian mythology.)

“ `May Rama keep them in the deep,

As is her wont.

And no one save them from the grave,'

Cried Helgehont.”

Frithiof—Saga; The Banishment.

Randem—Tandem

A tandem of three horses. (University term.)

Random

(Roderick). A young Scotch scapegrace in quest of fortune; at one time basking in prosperity, at another in utter destitution. He is led into different countries, whose peculiarities are described; and into all sorts of society, as that of wits, sharpers, courtiers, courtesans, and so on. Though occasionally lavish, he is inherently mean; and though possessing a dash of humour, is contemptibly revengeful. His treatment of Strap is revolting to a generous mind. Strap lends him money in his necessity, but the heartless Roderick wastes the loan, treats Strap as a mere servant, fleeces him at dice, and cuffs him when the game is adverse. (Smollett: Roderick Random.)

Rank and File

Soldiers of any grade below that of lance—sergeant are so called, collectively, in military phraseology, and any two soldiers of such grade are spoken of as “a file;” thus, 100 rank and file would equal 50 file, that is, 50 men standing behind each other in a row. No soldier ever talks of files in the plural, or about “a file of fours.” As there are two in a “rank,” there is a left file and a right file; and men may move in “single

file” or in “double file.” A line of soldiers drawn up side by side or abreast is a rank.

Rank distinguished by Colour

In China the emperor, empress, and prince imperial wear yellow; the other wives of the emperor wear violet; high state officers wear blue; officials of lower rank wear red; and the general public wear black or some dark shade.

Ranks

Risen from the ranks. From mean origin; a self—made man. A military term applied to an officer who once served as a private soldier. Such an officer is now often called a “ranker.”

Rantipole

(3 syl.). A harum—scarum fellow, a madcap (Dutch, randten, to be in a state of idiotcy or insanity, and pole, a head or person). The late Emperor Napoleon III. was called Rantipole, for his escapdes at Strasbourg and Boulogne. In 1852 I myself saw a man commanded by the police to leave Paris within twenty—four hours for calling his dog Rantipole.

“Dick, be a little rantipolish.”— Colman: Heirat—Law.

Ranz des Vaches

Simple melodies played by the Swiss mountaineers on their Alp—horn when they drive their herds to pasture, or call them home (pour ranger des vaches, to bring the cows to their place).

Rap

Not worth a rap. The rap was a base halfpenny, intrinsically worth about half a farthing, issued for the nonce in Ireland in 1721, because small coin was so very scarce. There was also a coin in Switzerland called a rappe, worth the seventh of a penny.

“Many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps.”— Swift: Drapier's Letters.

Rape (1 syl.). The division of a county. Sussex is divided into six rapes, each of which has its river, forest, and castle. Herepp is Norwegian for a parish district, and rape in Doomsday Book is used for a district under military jurisdiction. (Icelandic hreppr, a district.)

Rape of the Lock

Lord Petre, in a thoughtless moment of frolic gallantry, cut off a lock of Arabella Fermor's hair; and this liberty gave rise to a bitter feud between the two families, which Alexander Pope has worked up into the best heroic—comic poem of the language. The first sketch was published in 1712 in two cantos. The machinery of sylphs and gnomes is most happily conceived. Pope, under the name of Esdras Barnevelt, apothecary, says the poem is a covert satire on Queen Anne and the Barrier Treaty. In the poem the lady is called Belinda, and the poet says she wore on her neck two curls, one of which the baron cut off with a pair of scissors borrowed of Clarissa. Belinda, in anger, demanded back the ringlet, but it had flown to the skies and become a meteor there. (See Coma Berenices .)

“Say what strange motive, goddess, could compel

A well—bred ford to assault a gentle belle;

O say, what stranger cause, yet unexplored,

Could make a gentle belle reject a lord.”

Introduction to the Poem.

Raphael

The sociable archangel who travelled with Tobias into Media and back again, instructing him on the way how to marry Sara and to drive away the wicked spirit. Milton introduces him as sent by God to advertise Adam of his danger. (See Seven Spirits .)

“Raphael, the sociable spirit, hath deigned

To travel with Tobias, and secured

His marriage with the seven—times—wedded maid.” Paradise Lost, v. 221—3.

Raphael, according to Longfellow, is the angel of the Sun, who brings to man the “gift of faith.”

“I am the angel of the Sun,

Whose flaming wheels began to run

When God Almighty's breath

Said to the darkness and the night,

`Let there be light,' and there was light,—

I bring the gift of faith.”

Golden Legend: The Miracle Play. iii.

St. Raphael, the archangel, is usually distinguished in Christian art by a pilgrim's staff, or carrying a fish, in allusion to his aiding Tobias to capture the fish which performed the miraculous cure of his father's eyesight.

The French Raphael. Eustace Lesueur (1617—1655).

Raphael of Cats

(The). Godefroi Mind, a Swiss painter, noted for his cats. (1768—1814.)

Rapparee

A wild Irish plunderer; so called from his being armed with a rapary or half—pike. (Irish rappire, a robber.)

Rappee

A coarse species of snuff, manufactured from dried tobacco by an instrument called in French a râpe, “instrument en metal percé de plusieurs trous, dont on se sert pour réduire les corps en pulpe ou en fragments. On se sert surtout de la râpe dans les ménages, pour le sucre, le chocolat, le poivre; et dans les usines, pour le tabac, les betteraves, les pommes de terre qu'on réduit en fécule, etc.” (Bouillet: Dictionnaire des Sciences.)

Rara A'vis

(Latin, a rare bird). A phenomenon; a prodigy; a something quite out of the common course. Black swans are now familiar to us; they are natives of Australia, and have given its name to the “Swan river.” At one time a black swan was emphatically a rara avis.

“Rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygne.”

Juvenal.

Rare Ben

So Shakespeare called Ben Jonson, the dramatist. (1574—1637.) Aubrey says that this inscription on his tablet in the “Poets' Corner,' Westminster Abbey, “was done at the charge of Jack Young (afterwards knighted), who, walking there when the grave was covering, gave the fellow eighteenpence to cut it.” At the late relaying of the pavement, this stone was unhappily removed. When Sir William Davenant was interred in Westminster Abbey, the inscription on his covering—stone was, “O rare Sir William Davenant”— showing how nearly the sublime and the ridiculous often meet.

Raree Show

A peep—show; a show carried about in a box.

Rascal

Originally applied in the chase to a lean, worthless deer, then a collective term for the commonalty, the mob; and popularly to a base fellow. Shakespeare says, “Horns! the noblest deer hath them as huge as the

rascal” [deer]. Palsgrave calls a starveling animal, like the lean kine of Pharaoh, “a rascall refus beest” (1530). The French have racaille (riff—raff).

“Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal.”— Shakespeare: 2 Henry IV., v. 4.

Rascal Counters

Pitiful or paltry s. d. Brutus calls money paltry compared with friendship, etc.

“When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,

To lock such rascal counters from his friend

Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,

Dash him to pieces.”

Shakespeare. Julius Caesar. iv. 5.

Rasher

A slice, as a rasher of bacon.

Rashleigh Osbaldistone

An accomplished but deceitful villain, called “the scholar.” He is the youngest of the six hopeful sons of Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone. The six brothers were nicknamed “the sot,” “the bully,” “the gamekeeper,” “the horse—jockey,” “the fool,” and the crafty “scholar.” (Sir Walter Scott: Rob Roy.)

Rasiel

The angel who was the tutor of Adam. (Talmud.)

Raspberry

Rhyming slang for “heart,” as “it made my raspberry beat.” (See Chivy. )

Rasselas

Prince of Abyssinia, in Dr. Johnson's romance so called.

“`Rasselas' is a mass of sense, and its moral precepts are certainly conveyed in striking and happy language. The made astronomer who imagined that he possessed the regulation of the weather and the distribution of the seasons, is an original character in romance; and the happy valley in which Rasselas resides is sketched with poetical feeling.”— Young.

Rat

The Egyptians and Phrygians deified rats. The people of Bassora and Cambay to the present time forbid their destruction. In Egypt the rat symbolised “utter destruction;” it also symbolised “judgment,” because rats always choose the best bread for their repast.

Rat. Pliny tells us (bk. viii. ch. lvii.) that the Romans drew presages from these animals, and to see a white rat foreboded good fortune. The bucklers at Lanuvium being gnawed by rats presaged ill—fortune, and the battle of the Marses, fought soon after, confirmed this superstition. Prosperine's veil was embroidered with rats.

Irish rats rhymed to death. It was once a prevalent opinion that rats in pasturages could be extirpated by anathematising them in rhyming verse or by metrical charms. This notion is frequently alluded to by ancient authors. Thus, Ben Jonson says: “Rhyme them to death, as they do Irish rats” (Poctaster): Sir Philip Sidney

says: “Though I will not wish unto you ... to be rimed to death, as is said to be done in Ireland” (Defence of Poesie); and Shakespeare makes Rosalind say: “I was never so berhymed since ... I was an Irish rat,” alluding to the Pythagorean doctrine of the transmigration of souls (As You Like It, iii. 2). (See Charm.)

I smell a rat. I perceive there is something concealed which is mischievous. The allusion is to a cat smelling a rat.

Rat

(To). To forsake a losing side for the stronger party. It is said that rats forsake ships not weatherproof. A rat is one who rats or deserts his party. Hence workmen who work during a strike are called “rats.”

“Averting ...

The cup of sorrow from their lips.

And fly like rats from sinking ships.”

Swift: Epistle to Mr. Nugent.

Rat

(Un). A purse. Hence, a young boy thief is called a Raton. A sort of pun on the word rapt from the Latin rapto, to carry off forcibly. Courir le rat, to rob or break into a house at night—time.

To take a rat by the tail, or Prendre un rat par la queue, is to cut a purse. A phrase dating back to the age of Louis XIII., and inserted in Cotgrave's Dictionary. Of course, a cutpurse would cut the purse at the string or else he would spill the contents.

Rat, Cat, and Dog

“The Rat, the Cat, and Lovell the Dog,

Rule all England under the hog.”

The Rat, i.e. Rat—cliff; the Cat, i.e. Cat—esby; and Lovel the dog, is Francis, Viscount Lovel, the king's “spaniel.” The hog or boar was the crest of Richard III. William Collingham, the author of this rhyme (1413), was put to death for his pregnant wit.

Rat—killer

Apollo received this aristocratic soubriquet from the following incident:— Crinis, one of his priests, having neglected his official duties, Apollo sent against him a swarm of rats: but the priest, seeing the invaders coming, repented and obtained forgiveness of the god, who annihilated the swarms which he had sent with his fardarting arrows. For this redoubtable exploit the sun—god received the appellation of Apollo the Rat—killer. (Classic mythology.)

Ratatosk

The squirrel that runs up and down the mythological tree Yggdrasil'. (Scandinavian mythology.).

Ratten

(To). To annoy for refusing to join a trade union, or for not submitting to its demands. This is done by destroying or taking away a workman's tools, or otherwise incapacitating him from doing work. “To rat” is to desert one's party; to work for less than the price fixed by a trade union; and “ratten” is to act the part of a rat. (See Rat. )

Rattlin

(Jack). A famous naval character in Smollett's Roderick Random. Tom Bowling is another naval character in the same novel.

Raul

Sir Raul di Nangis, the Huguenot, in love with Valentina, daughter of the Comte de St. Bris, governor of the Louvre. Being sent for by Marguerite, he is offered the hand of Valentina in marriage, but rejects it, because he fancies she is betrothed to the Comte de Nevers. Nevers is slain in the Bartholomew massacre, and Valentina confesses her love for Raul. They are united by Marcello, an old Puritan servant, but scarcely is the ceremony ended when both are shot by the musketeers under the command of St. Bris. (Meyerbeer: Gli Ugonotti, an opera. )

Ravana according to Indian mythology, was fastened down between heaven and earth for 10,000 years by Siva's leg, for attempting to move the hill of heaven to Ceylon. He is described as a demon giant with ten faces. (Hindu mythology.)

Ravelin

(The or demi—lune, in fortification. A work with two faces, forming a salient angle, placed beyond the main ditch, opposite the curtain (q.v.), and separated from the covered way (q.v.) by a ditch which runs into the main ditch.

Raven

A bird of ill omen. They are said to forebode death and bring infection. The former notion arises from their following an army under the expectation of finding dead bodies to raven on; the latter notion is a mere offshoot of the former, seeing pestilence kills as fast as the sword.

“The boding raven on her cottage sat,

And with hoarse croakings warned us of our fate.” Gay: Pastorals: The Dirge.

“Like the sad—presaging raven that tolls

The sick man's passport in her hollow beak,

And, in the shadow of the silent night,

Does shake contagion from her sable wing.”

Marlowe: Jew of Malta (1638).

Raven. Jovianus Pontanus relates two skirmishes between ravens and kites near Beneventum, which prognosticated a great battle. Nicetas speaks of a skirmish between crows and ravens as presaging the irruption of the Scythians into Thrace. He also tells us that his friend Mr. Draper, in the flower of his age and robust health, knew he was at the point of death because two ravens flew into his chamber. Cicero was forewarned of his death by the fluttering of ravens, and Macaulay relates the legend that a raven entered the chamber of the great orator the very day of his murder, and pulled the clothes off his bed. Like many other birds, ravens indicate by their cries the approach of foul weather, but “it is ful unleful to beleve that God sheweth His prevy counsayle to crowes, as Isidore sayth.”

He has the foresight of a raven. A raven was accounted at one time a prephetic bird. (See above.

“Of inspired birds ravens are accounted the most prophetical. Accordingly, in the language of that district, `to have the foresight of a raven' is to this day a proverbial expression.”— Macanlay: History of St. Kilda, p. 174.

Ravens bode famine. When a flock of ravens forsake the woods we may look for famine and mortality, because “ravens bear the characters of Saturn, the author of these calamities, and have a very early perception of the bad disposition of that planet.” (See Athenian Oracle, Supplement, p. 476.)

“As if the great god Jupiter had nothing else to doe but to dryve about jacke—dawes and ravens.”— Carneades.

Ravens were once as white as swans, and not inferior in size; but one day a raven told Apollo that Coronis, a Thessalian nymph whom he passionately loved, was faithless. The god shot the nymph with his dart; but, hating the tell—tale bird—

“He blacked the raven o'er,

And bid him prate in his white plumes no more.” Addison: Translation of Ovid, bk. ii.

Ravens in Christian art. Emblems of God's Providence, in allusion to the ravens which fed Elijah. St. Oswald holds in his hand a raven with a ring in its mouth; St. Benedict has a raven at his feet; St. Paul the Hermit is drawn with a raven bringing him a loaf of bread, etc.

The fatal raven, consecrated to Odin, the Danish war—god, was the emblem on the Danish standard. This raven was said to be possessed of necromantic power. The standard was termed Landeyda (the desolation of the country), and miraculous powers were attributed to it. The fatal raven was the device of Odin, god of war, and was said to have been woven and embroidered in one noontide by the daughters of Regner Lodbrok, son of Sigurd, that dauntless warrior who chanted his death—song (the Krakamal) while being stung to death in a horrible pit filled with deadly serpents. If the Danish arms were destined to defeat, the raven hung his wings; if victory was to attend them, he stood erect and soaring, as if inviting the warriors to follow.

“The Danish raven, lured by annual prey

Hung o'er the land incessant.”

Thomson: Liberty, pt. iv.

The two ravens that sit on the shoulders of Odin are called Hugin and Munnin (Mind and Memory). One raven will not pluck another's cyes out (German, “Keine krähe hackt der anderen die augen ques“). Friends will not “peach” friends; you are not to take for granted all that a friend says of a friend.

Ravenglass

(Cumberland). A corruption of Afon—glass (Blue river).

Ravenstone

The stone gibbet of Germany; so called from the ravens which are wont to perch on it. (German rabenstein.)

“Do you think

I'll honour you so much as save your throat

From the Ravenstone, by choking you myself?” Byron: Werner, ii. 2.

Ravenswood

(Allan, Lord of). A decayed Scotch nobleman of the Royalist party.

Master Edgar Ravenswood. His son, who falls in love with Lucy Ashton, daughter of Sir William Ashton,

Lord—Keeper of Scotland. The lovers plight their troth at the Mermaid's Fountain, but Lucy is compelled to marry Frank Hayston, laird of Bucklaw. The bride, in a fit of insanity, attempts to murder the bridegroom and dies in convulsions. Bucklaw recovers, and goes abroad. Colonel Ashton, seeing Edgar at the funeral of Lucy, appoints a hostile meeting; and Edgar, on his way to the place appointed, is lost in the quicksands of Kelpies—flow. (Sir Walter Scott: Bride of Lammermoor.

In Donizetti's opera of Lucia di Lammermoor, Bucklaw dies of the wound inflicted by the bride, and Edgar,

heart—broken, comes on the stage and kills himself, that “his marriage with Lucy, forbidden on earth, may be consummated in heaven.”

Raw To touch one on the raw. To mention something that makes a person wince, like touching a horse on a raw place in cleaning him.

Raw Lobster

(A). A policeman. Lobsters before they are boiled are a dark blue. A soldier dressed in scarlet is a lobster; a policeman, or sort of soldier, dressed in dark blue is a raw lobster. The name was given to the new force by the Weekly Dispatch newspaper, which tried to write it down.

Rawhead and Bloody—Bones

A bogie at one time the terror of children.

“Servants awe children and keep them in subjection by telling them of Rawhead and Bloody—bones.”— Locke.

Raymond

(in Jerusalem Delivered). Master of 4,000 infantry, Count of Toulouse, equal to Godfrey in the

“wisdom of cool debate” (bk. iii.). This Nestor of the Crusaders slew Aladine, the king of Jerusalem, and planted the Christian standard upon the tower of David (bk. xx.).

Rayne

(or Raine (Essex). Go and say your prayers at Raine. The old church of Raine, built in the time of Henry II., famous for its altar to the Virgin, and much frequented at one time by pregnant women, who went to implore the Virgin to give them safe deliverance.

Razed Shoes

referred to in Hamlet, are slashed shoes.

“Would not this, sir ... with two Proveneal roses on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir?”— Act iii. 2.

Razee

(raz—za). A ship of war cut down to a smaller size, as a seventy—four reduced to a frigate. (French, raser.)

Razor

Hewmg blocks with a razor. Livy relates how Tarquinius Priscus, defying the power of Attus Navius, the augur, said to him, “Tell me, if you are so wise, whether I can do what I am now thinking about.” “Yes,” said Navius. “Ha! ha!” cried the king; “I was thinking whether I could cut in twain that whetstone with a razor.” “Cut boldly!” answered the augur, and the king cleft it in twain at one blow.

Razzia

An incursion made by the military into an enemy's country, for the purpose of carrying off cattle or slaves, or for enforcing tribute. It is an Arabic word much employed in connection with Algerine affairs.

“War is a razzia rather than an art to the ... merciless Pelissier.”— The Standard.

Re

(Latin). Respecting; in reference to; as, “re Brown,” in reference to the case of Brown.

Reach

of a river. The part which lies between two points or bends; so called because it reaches from point to point.

“When he drew near them he would turn from each,

And loudly whistle till he passed the Reach.”

Crabbe: Borough.

Read between the Lines

(See under Lines .)

Read

or Read (Simon), alluded to by Ben Jonson in the Alchemist, i. 2, was Simon Read, of St. George's, Southwark, professor of physic. Rymer, in his Foedera, vol. xvi., says, “he was indicted for invoking evil

spirits in order to find out the name of a person who, in 1608, stole 37 10s. from Tobias Mathews, of St. Mary Steynings, London.

Reader

In the University of Oxford, one who reads lectures on scientific subjects. In the Inns of Court, one who reads lectures in law. In printing, one who reads and corrects the proof—sheets of any work before publication; a corrector of the press.

Ready

(The). An elliptical expression for ready—money. Goldsmith says, “AEs in presenti perfectum format“ (“Ready—money makes a man perfect"). (Eton Latin Grammar.)

“Lord Strut was not very flush in the `ready.”'— Dr. Arbuthnot.

Ready—to—Halt

A pilgrim that journeyed to the Celestial city on crutches. He joined the party under the charge of Mr. Greatheart, but “when he was sent for” he threw away his crutches, and, lo! a chariot bore him into Paradise. (Bunyan: Pilgrim's Progress, part ii.)

Real Jam

Prime stuff, a real treat, something delightful. Of course, the allusion is to jam given to children for a treat.

“There must have been a charming climate in Paradise, and [the] connubial bliss [there] ... was real jam.”— Sam Slick: Human Nature.

Real Presence

The doctrine that Christ Himself is really and substantially present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist after consecration.

Rear—mouse

or Rere—mouse. The bat. (Anglo—Saxon hrere—mus, the fluttering—mouse; verb. hrere—an, to flutter.) Of course, the “bat” is not a winged mouse.

Reason

The Goddess of Reason, November 10th, 1793. Mlle. Candeille, of the Opéra, was one of the earliest of these goddesses, but Mme. Momoro, wife of the printer, the Goddess of Liberty, was the most celebrated. On November 10th a festival was held in Notre Dame de Paris in honour of Reason and Liberty, when women represented these “goddesses.” Mlle. Candeille wore a red Phrygian cap, a white frock, a blue mantle, and tricolour ribbons. Her head was filleted with oak—leaves, and in her hand she carried the pike of

Jupiter—Peuple. In the cathedral a sort of temple was erected on a mound, and in this “Temple of Philosophy” Mlle. Candeille was installed. Young girls crowned with oak—leaves were her attendants, and sang hymns in her honour. Similar installations were repeated at Lyons and other places. (See Liberty , Goddess of.)

Mlle. Maillard, the actress, is mentioned by Lamartine as one of these goddesses, but played the part much against her will.

Mlle. Aubray was another Goddess of Reason.

Rebecca

Daughter of Isaac the Jew, in love with Ivanhoe. Rebecca, with her father and Ivanhoe, being taken prisoners, are confined in Front de Boeuf's castle. Rebecca is taken to the turret chamber and left with the old sibyl there; but when Brian de Bois Guilbert comes and offers her insult she spurns him with heroic disdain, and, rushing to the verge of the battlements, threatens to throw herself over if he touches her. Ivanhoe, who was suffering from wounds received in a tournament, is nursed by Rebecca. Being again taken prisoner, the Grand Master commands the Jewish maiden to be tried for sorcery, and she demands a trial by combat. The

demand is granted, when Brian de Bois Guilbert is appointed as the champion against her; and Ivanhoe undertakes her defence, slays Brian and Rebecca is set free. To the general disappointment of novel—readers, after all this excitement Ivanhoe tamely marries the lady Rowen'a, a “vapid piece of still life.” Rebecca pays the newly—married pair a wedding visit, and then goes abroad with her father to get out of the way. (Sir Walter Scott: Ivanhoe.)

Rebeccaites

(4 syl.). Certain Welsh rioters in 1843, whose object was to demolish turnpike gates. The name was taken from Rabekah, the bride of Isaac. When she left her father's house, Laban and his family “blessed her,” and said, “Let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate them" (Gen. xxiv. 60).

Rebellion

(The). The revolts in behalf of the House of Stuart in 1715 and 1745; the former in behalf of the Chevalier de St. George, son of James II., called the Old Pretender, and the latter in favour of Charles Edward, usually termed the Young Pretender.

The Great Rebellion. The revolt of the Long Parliament against Charles I. (1642—1646.) The Great Irish Rebellion, 1789. It was caused by the creation of numerous Irish societies hostile to England, especially that called “The United Irishmen.” There have been eight or nine other rebellions. In 1365 the Irish applied to France for soldiers; in 1597 they offered the crown of Ireland to Spain; in 1796 they concluded a treaty with the French Directory.

Rebus

(Latin, with things). A hieroglyphic riddle, “non verbis sed rebus.” The origin of the word and custom is this: The basochiens of Paris, during the carnival, used to satirise the current follies of the day in squibs called De rebus quae geruntur (on the current events). That these squibs might not be accounted libellous, they employed hieroglyphics either wholly or in part.

Reception

(To get a), in theatrical language means to be welcomed with applause from the front, when you make your first appearance for the night. This signifies that the audience recognises your established reputation.

Rechabites

(3 syl.). A religious sect founded by Jonadab, son of Rechab, who enjoined his family to abstain from wine and to dwell in tents. (Jer. xxxv. 6, 7.)

Receipt

is a direction for compounding or mixing together certain ingredients to make something required. It also means a written discharge to a debtor for the payment of a debt.

Recipe

(3 syl.), Receipt. Recipe is Latin for take, and contracted into R is used in doctor's prescriptions. The dash through the R is an abbreviated form of, the symbol of Jupiter, and R means Recipe, deo volente.

Reck his own Rede

(To). Give heed to his own counsel. (Old English, Rec[an], to heed; Raed, counsel, advice.)

Reckon

(I). A peculiar phraseology common in the Southern States of America. Those in New England say, “I guess.” (See Calculate .)

Reckoning without your Host

To guess what your expenses at an hotel will be before the bill has been delivered; to enter upon an enterprise without knowing the cost.

“We thought that now our troubles were over; ... but we reckoned without our host.”— Macmillan's Magazine, 1887.

Reclaim

(2 syl.). To turn from evil ways. This is a term in falconry, and means to call back the hawk to the wrist. This was done when it was unruly, that it might be smoothed and tamed. (Latin, re—clamno.)

Recorded Death recorded means that the sentence of death is recorded or written by the recorder against the criminal, but not verbally pronounced by the judge. This is done when capital punishment is likely to be remitted. It is the verbal sentence of the judge that is the only sufficient warrant of an execution. The sovereign is now not consulted about any capital punishment.

Recreant

is one who cries out (French, récrier); alluding to the judicial combats, when the person who wished to give in cried for mercy, and was held a coward and infamous. (See Craven .)

Rector

Clerical Titles

(1) CLERK. As in ancient times the clergyman was about the only person who could write and read, the word clerical, as used in “clerical error,” came to signify an orthographical error. As the respondent in church was able to read, he received the name of clerk, and the assistants in writing, etc., are so termed in business. (Latin, clericus, a clergyman.)

(2) CURATE. One who has the cure of souls. As the cure of the parish used to be virtually entrusted to the clerical stipendiary, the word curate was appropriated to this assistant.

(3) RECTOR. One who has the parsonage and great tithes. The man who rules or guides the parish. (Latin, “a ruler.”)

(4) VICAR. One who does the “duty” of a parish for the person who receives the tithes. (Latin, vicarius, a deputy.)

(5) INCUMBENT and PERPETUAL CURATE are now termed Vicars. (See Parsons)

The French curé equals our vicar, and their vicaire our curate.

Reculer pour Mieux Sauter

To run back in order to give a better jump forwards; to give way a little in order to take up a stronger position.

“Where the empire sets its foot, it cannot withdraw without much loss of credit, whereas reouler pour mieux sauter must often be the most effective action in that tide of European civilisation, which is slowly, but surely, advancing into the heart of the Dark Continent.”— Nineteenth Century, December, 1892, p. 990.

Reculver

The antiquities of this place are fully described in Antiquitates Rutupinae, by Dr. Battley (1711). It was a Roman fort in the time of Claudius.

Red

The colour of magic.

“Red is the colour of magic in every country, and has been so from the very earliest times. The caps of fairies and musicians are well—nigh always red.”— Yeates: Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, p. 61.

Red

applied to gold. Hence a gold watch is a “red kettle.”

“Thou shewst an honest nature; weepst for thy master;

There's a red rogue to buy the handkerchief.”

Beaumont and Fletcher: Mad Lover, v. 4.

Red Basque Cap

The cognisance of Don Carlos, pretender to the Spanish throne.

Red Book

The book which gave account of the court expenditure in France before the Revolution was so called because its covers were red. We have also a “Red Book” in manuscript, containing the names of all those who held lands per baroniam in the reign of Henry II., with other matters pertaining to the nation before the Conquest. (Ryley, 667.)

Red Book of the Exchequer

(The). Liber Rubens Scaccarii in the Record Office. It was compiled in the reign of Henry III. (1246), and contains the returns of the tenants in capitc in 1166, who certify how many knights' fees they hold, and the names of those who hold or held them, also much other matter from the Pipe Rolls and other sources. It has not yet (1895) been printed, but is described in Sims' Manual (p. 41), Thomas's Handbook (p. 255), and in the Record Report of 1837 (pp. 166—177). A separate account of it was printed by Hunter in 1837. It contains the only known fragment of the Pipe Roll of Henry II., and copies of the important Inquisition returned into the exchequer in 13 John. It is not written in red ink. (Communicated by A. Oldham.)

Red Boots

A pair of red boots. A Tartar phrase, referring to a custom of cutting the skin of a victim round the upper part of the ankles, and then stripping it off at the feet. A Tartar will say, “When you come my way again, I will give you a pair of red boots to go home in.”

Red—breasts Bow Street runners, who wore a scarlet waistcoat.

“The Bow Street runners ceased out of the land soon after the introduction of the new police. I remember them very well as standing about the door of the office in Bow Street. They had no other uniform than a blue dress—coat, brass buttons ... and a bright red cloth waistcoat ... The slang name for them was `Red—breasts.”'— Dickens: Letters, vol. ii. p. 178.

Red Button

(A). A mandarin of the first class, whose badge of honour is a red button in his cap.

“An interview was granted to the admiral [Elliot] by Kishen, the imperial commissioner, the third man in the empire, a mandarin of first class and red button.”— Howitt: History of England, 1841, p. 471.

Red Cap

(Mother). An old nurse “at the Hungerford Stairs.” Dame Ursley or Ursula, another nurse, says of her rival—

“She may do very well for skipper's wives, chandlers' daughters, and such like, but nobody shall wait on pretty Mistress Margaret ... excepting and saving myself.”— Sir Walter Scott: Fortunes of Nigel.

Red Coats

in fox—hunting (or scarlet) is a badge of royal livery, fox—hunting being ordained by Henry II. a royal sport.

Red Cock

The red cock will crow in his house. His house will be set on fire.

“`We'll see if the red cock craw not in his bonnie barn—yard ae morning.' `What does she mean?' said Mannering ... `Fire—raising,' answered the ... domine.”— Sir Walter Scott: Guy Mannering, chap. iii.

Red Comyn

Sir John Comyn of Badenoch, son of Marjory, sister of King John Balliol; so called from his ruddy complexion and red hair, to distinguish him from his kinsman “Black Comyn,” whose complexion was swarthy and hair black. He was stabbed by Sir Robert Bruce in the church of the Minorites at Dumfries, and afterwards dispatched by Lindesay and Kirkpatrick.

Red Cross

(The). The badge of the royal banner of England till those of St. Patrick and St. Andrew were added.

“The fall of Rouen (1419) was the fall of the whole province ... and the red cross of England waved on all the towers of Normandy.”— Howitt: History of England, vol. i. p. 545.

Red Cross Knight in Spenser's Faërie Queene, is the impersonation of holiness, or rather the spirit of Christianity. Politically he typifies the Church of England. The knight is sent forth by the queen to slay a dragon which ravaged the kingdom of Una's father. Having achieved this feat, he marries Una (q.v.). (Book i.)

Red Feathers

(The). The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. They cut to pieces General Wayne's brigade in the American War, and the Americans vowed to give them no quarter. So they mounted red feathers that no others might be subjected to this threat. They still wear red puggarees on Indian service. (See Lacedaemonians)

Red Flag

(A). (i) In the Roman empire it signified war and a call to arms. (ii) Hoisted by British seamen, it indicates that no concession will be made. As a railway signal, it intimates danger, and warns the engine—driver to stop. (iii) In France, since 1791, it has been the symbol of insurrection and terrorism. (iv) It is a synonym of Radicalism and Anarchy.

“Mr. Chamberlain sticks to the red flag, and apparently believes in its ultimate success.”— Newspaper paragraph, January, 1886.

Red Hand of Ulster

In an ancient expedition to Ireland, it was given out that whoever first touched the shore should possess the territory which he touched; O'Neill, seeing another boat likely to outstrip his own, cut off his left hand and threw it on the coast. From this O'Neill the princes of Ulster were descended, and the motto of the O'Neills is to this day “Lamh dearg Eirin” (red hand of Erin). (See Hand .)

Red—handed

In the very act; with red blood still on his hand.

“I had some trouble to save him from the fury of those who had caught him red—handed.”— The Times (a correspondent).

Red Hat

(The). The cardinalate.

“David Beatoun was born of good family ... and was raised to a red hat by Pope Paul III.”— Prince: Parallel History, vol. ii. p. 81.

Red Heads

Shiites the second largest branch of Islam, Shiites currently account for 10%–15% of all Muslims. Shiite Islam originated as a political movement supporting Ali (cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam) as the rightful leader of the Islamic state.

Red Herring

(The) of a novel is a hint or statement in the early part of the story to put the reader on the wrong scent. In all detective stories a red herring is trailed across the scent. The allusion is to trailing a red herring on the ground to destroy the scent and set the dogs at fault. A “red herring” is a herring dried and smoked.

Red Herring

Drawing a red herring across the path. Trying to divert attention from the main question by some side—issue. A red herring drawn across a fox's path destroys the scent and sets the dogs at fault.

Neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring. Something insipid and not good eating. Neither one thing nor another.

Red Indians

(of Newfoundland). So called because they daub their skin, garments, canoes, weapons, and almost everything with red ochre.

“Whether it is merely a custom, or whether they daub their skin with red ochre to protect it from the attacks of mosquitos and black—flies, which swarm by myriads in the woods and wilds during the summer, it is not possible to say.”— Lady Blake: Nineteenth Century, Dec. 1888, p. 905.

Red Kettle

(A). Properly a gold watch, but applied, in thieves' slang, to any watch. Gold is often called red, hence “red ruddocks" (gold coin).

Red—laced Jacket

Giving a man a red—laced jacket. Military slang for giving a soldier a flogging.

Red Land

(The). The jurisdiction over which the Vehmgericht of Westphalia extended.

Red—lattice Phrases

Pot—house talk. Red—lattice at the doors and windows was formerly the sign that an alehouse was duly licensed; hence our chequers. In some cases “lattice” has been converted into lettuce, and the colour of the alternate checks changed to green: such a sign used to be in Brownlow Street, Holborn. Sometimes, without doubt, the sign had another meaning, and announced that “tables” were played within; hence Gayton, in his Notes on Don Quixote (p. 340), in speaking of our public—house signs, refers to our notices of “billiards, kettle—noddy—boards, tables, truncks, shovel—boards, fox—and—geese, and the like.” It is quite certain that shops with the sign of the chequers were not uncommon among the Romans. (See a view of the left—hand street of Pompeii, presented by Sir William Hamilton to the Society of Antiquaries.) (See Lattice .)

“I, I, I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, ... am fain to shuffle, to hedge and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will ensconce your rags ... your red—lattice phrases ... under the shelter of your honour.”— Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, ii. 2.

Red Laws

(The). The civil code of ancient Rome. Juvenal says, “Per lege rubras majoram leges” (Satires, xiv. 193). The civil laws, being written in vermillion, were called rubrica, and rubrica vetavit means, It is forbidden by the civil laws.

The praetor's laws were inscribed in white letters as Quintilian informs us (xii. 3 “proetores edicta sua in albo proponebant"), and imperial rescripts were written in purple.

Red—letter Day

A lucky day; a day to be recalled with delight. In almanacks, saints' days and holidays are printed in red ink, other days in black.

“That day, ... writes the doctor, was truly a red—letter day to me.”— Wauters: Stanley's Emin Expedition, chap. vi. p. 111.

Red Man

The French say that a red man commands the elements, and wrecks off the coast of Brittany those whom he dooms to death. The legend affirms that he appeared to Napoleon and foretold his downfall.

Red Men

W. Hepworth Dixon tells us that the Mormons regard the Red Indians as a branch of the Hebrew race, who lost their priesthood, and with it their colour, intelligence, and physiognomy, through disobedience. In time the wild—olive branch will be restored, become white in colour, and will act as a nation of priests.

(New America, i. 15.)

Red Rag

(The). The tongue. In French, Le chiffon rouge; and balancer le chiffon rouge means to prate.

“Discovering in his mouth a tongue,

He must not his palaver balk;

So keeps it running all day long

And fancies his red rag can talk.”

Peter Pindar: Lord B. and his Motions.

Red Republicans Those extreme republicans of France who scruple not to dye their hands in blood in order to accomplish their political object. They used to wear a red cap. (See Carmagnole .)

Red Rose

(The). One of several badges of the House of Lancaster, but not necessarily the most prominent. It was used by Edmund, Earl of Lancaster (1245—96), called Crouchback, second son of Henry III, and it was one of the badges of Henry IV and Henry V, but it does not appear to have been used by Henry VI. The rose—plucking scene in Shakespeare's Henry VI, PT. I II, iv (1590) ie essentially a fiction.

Red Rose Knight

(The) Tom Thumb or Tom—a—lin. Richard Johnson, in 1597, published a “history of this ever—renowned soldier, the Red Rose Knight, surnamed the Boast of England. ...”

Red Rot

(The). The Sun—dew (q.v.); so called because it occasions the rot in sheep.

Red Sea

The sea of the Red Man— i.e. Edom. Also called the “sedgy sea,” because of the sea—weed which collects there.

Red—shanks

A Highlander; so called from a buskin formerly worn by them; it was made of undressed deer's hide, with the red hair outside.

Red Snow

and Gory Dew. The latter is a slimy damp—like blood which appears on walls. Both are due to the presence of the algae called by botanists Palmella cruenta and Haematococcus sanguineus, which are of the lowest forms of vegetable life.

Red Tape

Official formality; so called because lawyers and government officials tie their papers together with red tape. Charles Dickens introduced the phrase.

“There is a good deal of red tape at Scotland Yard, as anyone may find to his cost who has any business to transact there.”— W. Terrell: Lady Delmar, bk. iii. 2.

Red Tape

Dressing Edward VI.

“First a shirt was taken up by the Chief Equerry—in—Waiting. who passed it to the First Lord of the Buck—hounds.

who passed it to the Second Gentleman of the Bedchamper. who passed it to the Head Ranger of Windsor Forest.

who passed it to the Third Groom of the Stole,

who passed it to the Chancellor Royal of the Duchy of Landcashire, who passed it to the Master of the Wardrobe,

who passed it to Norroy King—of—Arms.

who passed it to the Constable of the Tower,

who passed it to the Chief Steward of the Household,

who passed it to the Hereditary Grand Diaperer,

who passed it to the Lord High Admiral of England.

who passed it to the Archbishop of Canterbury,

who passed it to the First Lord of the Bedchamber,

who put it on the young king.”

Mark Twain: The Prince and the Pauper, p. 143.

Red Tapism

The following is from Truth, Feb. 10th, 1887, p. 207:— There was an escape of gas at Cambridge Barracks, and this is the way of proceeding: The escape was discovered by a private, who reported it to his corporal; the corporal reported it to the colour—sergeant, and the colour—sergeant to the

quartermaster—sergeant. The quartermaster—sergeant had to report it to the quartermaster, and the quartermaster to the colonel commanding the regiment. The colonel had to report it to the commissariat officer in charge of the barracks, and the commissariat officer to the barrack—sergeant, who had to report it to the divisional officer of engineers. This officer had to report it to the district officer of engineers, and he to the clerk of works, Royal Engineers, who sends for a gasman to see if there is an escape, and report back again. While the reporting is going on the barracks are burnt down.

Red Tincture

That preparation which the alchemists thought would convert any baser metal into gold. It is sometimes called the Philosopher's Stone, the Great Elixir, and the Great Magisterium. (See White Tincture .)

Redan' The simplest of fieldworks, and very quickly constructed. It consists simply of two faces and an angle formed thus A, the angle being towards the object of attack. A corruption of redens. (Latin.)

Redder

(The). The adviser, the person who redes or interferes. Thus the proverb, “The redder gets aye the warst lick of the fray.”

“Those that in quarrels interpose

Must wipe themselves a bloody nose.”

Redding—straik

(A). A blow received by a peacemaker, who interferes between two combatants to red or separate them; proverbially, the severest blow a man can receive.

“Said I not to ye, `Make not, meddle not;' beware of the redding—straik?”— Sir W. Scott: Guy Mannering, chap. xxvii.

Redgauntlet

The sobriquet of Fitz—Aldin, given him from the great slaughter which he made of the Southron, and his reluctance to admit them to quarter. The sobriquet was adopted by him as a surname, and transmitted to his posterity. A novel by Sir W. Scott. (See chap. viii.)

Redgauntlet

A novel told in a series of letters by Sir Walter Scott. Sir Edward Hugh Redgauntlet, a Jacobite conspirator in favour of the Young Pretender, Charles Edward, is the hero. When George III. was crowned he persuaded his niece, Lilias Redgauntlet, to pick up the glove thrown down by the king's champion. The plot ripened, but when the prince positively refused to dismiss his mistress, Miss Walkinshaw— a sine quâ non with the conspirators— the whole enterprise was given up. General Campbell arrived with the military, the prince left Scotland, Redgauntlet, who embarked with him, became a prior abroad, and Lilias, his niece, married her brother's friend, Allan Fairford, a young advocate.

Redgauntlet (Sir Aberick). An ancestor of the family so called. Sir Edward. Son of Sir Aberick, killed by his father's horse. Sir Robert. An old Tory in Wandering Willie's Tale. He has a favourite monkey called “Major Weir.” Sir John, son and successor of Sir Robert. Sir Redwald, son of Sir John.

Sir Henry Darsic. Son of Sir Redwald. Lady Henry Darsie, wife of Sir Henry Darsie. Sir Arthur Darsie alias Darsie Latimer, son of Sir Henry and the above lady. Miss Lilias alias Greenmantle, sister of Sir Arthur; she marries Allan Fairford.

Sir Edward Hugh. A political enthusiast and Jacobite conspirator, uncle of Sir Arthur Darsie. He appears as “Laird of the Lochs,” “Mr. Herries, of Birrenswork,” and “Mr. Ingoldsby.” “When he frowned, the puckers of his brow formed a horseshoe, the special mark of his race.” (Sir Walter Scott: Redgauntlet.)

Redlaw

(Mr). The haunted man, professor of chemistry in an ancient college. Being haunted, he bargained with his spectre to leave him, and the condition imposed was that Redlaw (go where he would) should give again “the gift of forgetfulness” bestowed by the spectre. From this moment the chemist carried in his touch the infection of sullenness, selfishness, discontent, and ingratitude. On Christmas Day the infection ceased, and all those who had suffered by it were restored to love and gratitude. (Dickens: The Haunted Man.)

Redmain

Magnus, Earl of Northumberland, was so called not from his red or bloody hand, but on account of his long red beard or mane. He was slain in the battle of Sark (1449).

“He was remarkable for his long red beard, and was therefore called by the English Magnus

Red—beard; but the Scotch in derision called him `Magnus with the Red Mane.”'— Godscroft, fol. 178.

Redmond O'Neale Rokeby's page, who is beloved by Rokeby's daughter Matilda. Redmond turns out to be Mortham's son and heir, and marries Matilda. (Sir Walter Scott: Rokeby.)

Reductio ad Absurdum

A proof of inference arising from the demonstration that every other hypothesis involves an absurdity. Thus, suppose I want to prove that the direct road from two given places is the shortest, I should say, “It must either be the shortest or not the shortest. If not the shortest, then some other road is the direct road; but there cannot be two shortest roads, therefore the direct road must be the shortest.”

Reduplicated

or Ricochet Words, of intensifying force. Chit—chat, click—clack, clitter—clatter, dilly—dally,

ding—dong, drip—drop, fal—lal, flim—flam, fiddle—faddle, flip—flop, fliffy—fluffy, flippity—floppity,

handy—pandy, harum—scarum, helter—skelter, heyve—keyve (Hallinvell), hibbledy—hobbledy,

higgledy—piggledy, hob—nob, hodge—podge, hoity—toity, hurly—burly, mish—mash, mixy—maxy (Brockett),

namby—pamby, niddy—noddy, niminy—piminy, nosy—posy, pell—mell, pit—pat, pitter—patter, randem—tandem,

randy—dandy, ribble—rabble, riff—raff, roly—poly, rusty—fusty—crusty, see—saw, shilly—shally, slip—slop,

slish—slosh, snick—snack, spitter—spatter, splitter—splutter, squish—squash, teeny—tiny, tick—tack, tilly—valley, tiny—totty, tip—top, tittle—tattle, toe—toes, wee—wee, wiggle—waggle, widdy—waddy (Halliwell),

widdle—waddle, wibble—wobble, wish—wash, wishy—washy; besides a host of rhyming synonyms, as bawling—squawling, mewling—pewling, whisky—frisky, musty—fusty, gawky—pawky, slippy—sloppy,

rosy—posy, right and tight, wear and tear, high and mighty, etc.; and many more with the Anglo—Saxon letter—rhyme, as safe and sound, jo g—tro t, etc.

Ree

Right. Thus teamers say to a leading horse, “Ree!” when they want it to turn to the right, and “Hey!” for the contrary direction. (Saxon, reht; German, recht; Latin, rectus; various English dialects, reet, whence reetle, “to put to rights.”)

“Who with a hey and res the beasts command.”

Micro—Cynicon (1599).

Riddle me, riddle me ree. Expound my riddle rightly.

Reed

A broken reed. Something not to be trusted for support. Egypt is called a broken reed, to which Hezekiah could not trust if the Assyrians made war on Jerusalem, “which broken reed if a man leans on, it will go into his hand and pierce it.” Reed walking sticks are referred to.

A bruised reed, in Bible language, means a believer weak in grace. A bruised reed [God] will not break.

Reed Shaken by the Wind

(A), in Bible language, means a person blown about by every wind of doctrine. John the Baptist (said Christ) was not a “reed shaken by the wind,” but from the very first had a firm belief in the Messiahship of the Son of Mary, and this conviction was not shaken by fear or favour.

Reef

He must take in a reef or so. He must reduce his expenses; he must retrench. A reef is that part of a sail which is between two rows of eyelet—holes. The object of these eyelet—holes is to reduce the sail reef by reef as it is required.

Reekie

(Auld). Chambers says: “An old patriarchal laird (Durham of Largo) was in the habit of regulating the time of evening worship by the appearance of the smoke of Edinburgh. ... When it increased in density, in consequence of the good folk preparing supper, he would ... say, `It is time noo, bairns, to tak the buiks and gang to our beds, for yonder's auld Reekie, I see, putting on her night—cap.”'

“Yonder is auld Reekie. You may see the smoke hover over her at twenty miles' distance.”— Sir W. Scott: The Abbot, xvii.

Reel Right off the reel. Without intermission. A reel is a device for winding rope. A reel of cotton is a certain quantity wound on a bobbin. (Anglo—Saxon reol.)

Reel

A Scotch dance. (Gaelic, righil.)

“We've been travelling best part of twenty—four hours right off the reel.”— Boldrewood: Robbery under Arms, chap. xxxi.

Reeves Tale

Thomas Wright says that this tale occurs frequently in the jest and story—books of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Boccaccio has given it in the Decameron, evidently from a fabilau, which has been printed in Barbazan under the title of De Gombert et des Deux Clers. Chaucer took the story from another fabliau, which Wrights has given in his Anecdota Literaria, p. 15.

Refresher

A fee paid to a barrister daily in addition to his retaining fee, to remind him of the case intrusted to his charge.

Refreshments

of public men, etc.

BRAHAM'S favourite refreshment was bottled porter. BYRON almost lived on uncanny foods, such as garlic pottage, raw artichokes and vinegar, broths of bitter herbs, saffron biscuits, eggs and lemons.

CATALANI'S favourite refreshment was sweetbreads.

CONTRALTO SINGERS can indulge even in pork and pease—pudding. COOK (G. F.) indulged in everything drinkable.

DISRAELI (Lord Beaconsfield), champagne.

EMERY, cold brandy and water.

GLADSTONE, an egg beaten up in sherry.

HENDERSON, gum arabic and sherry.

INCLEDON (Mrs.), Madeira.

JORDAN (Mrs.), Calves'—foot jelly dissolved in warm sherry. KEAN (Edmund), beef—tea for breakfast; brandy neat.

KEMBLE (both John and Charles), rump—steaks and kidneys. John indulged in opium. LEWIS, oysters and mulled wine.

MALIBRAN, a dozen native oysters and a pint of half—and—half.

SIDDONS (Mrs.), mutton—chops, either neck or chump, and porter. SMITH (William), coffee.

SOPRANOS eschew much butcher's meat, which baritones may indulge in. TENORS rarely indulge in beef—steaks and sirloins.

WOOD (Mrs.), draught porter.

Regale (2 syl.). To entertain like a king. (Latin, regalis, like a king, kingly.)

Regan and Goneril

Two of the daughters of King Lear, and types of unfilial daughters. (Shakespeare: King Lear.)

Regatta

(Italian). Originally applied to the contests of the gondoliers at Venice.

Regent

(The). (See Ships .)

Regent's Park

(London). This park was originally attached to a palace of Queen Elizabeth, but at the beginning of the seventeenth century much of the land was let on long leases, which fell in early in the nineteenth century. The present park was formed under the direction of Mr. Nash, and received its name in compliment to George IV., then Prince Regent.

Regime de la Calotte

Administration of government by ecclesiastics. The calotte is the small skull—cap worn over the tonsure.

Regiment de la Calotte

A society of witty and satirical men in the reign of Louis XIV. When any public character made himself ridiculous, a calotte was sent to him to “cover the bald or brainless part of his noddle.” (See above.)

Regina

(St.), the virgin martyr, is depicted with lighted torches held to her sides, as she stands fast bound to the cross on which she suffered martyrdom.

Regiomontanus

The Latin equivalent of Künigsberger. The name adopted by Johann Müller, the mathematician. (1436—1476.)

Regium Donum

(Latin). An annual grant of public money to the Presbyterian, Independent, and Baptist ministers of Ireland. It began in 1672, and was commuted in 1869.

Regius Professor

One who holds in an English university a professorship founded by Henry VIII. Each of the five Regius Professors of Cambridge receives a royally—endowed stipend of about 40. In the universities of Scotland they are appointed by the Crown. The present stipend is about 400 or 500.

Regulars

(The). All the British troops except the militia, the yeomanry, and the volunteers. There are no irregulars in the British army, but such a force exists among the black troops.

Rehoboam

(A). A clerical hat.

“He [Mr. Helstone] was short of stature [and wore] a rehoboam, or shovel hat, which he did not ... remove.”— “Currer Bell”: Shirley, chap. i.

Rehoboam

A rehoboam of claret or rum is a double jeroboam. (2 Chr. xiii. 3.) 1 rehoboam = 2 jeroboams or 32 pints. 1 jeroboam = 2 tappet—hens or 16 pints. 1 tappet—hen = 2 magnums or 8 pints. 1 magnum = 2 quarts or 4 pints.

Reign of Terror

The period in the French Revolution between the fall of the Girondists and overthrow of Robespierre. It lasted 420 days, from May 31st, 1793, to July 27th, 1794.

Reimkennar

(A). A sorceress, a pythoness; one skilled in numbers. Sorcery and Chaldean numbers are synonymous terms. The Anglo—Saxon rimstafas means charms or conjuration, and the Norse reim—kennar

means one skilled in numbers or charms. Norna of the Fitful Head was a Reimkennar, “a controller of the elements.”

Reins

To give the reins. To let go unrestrained; to give licence.

To take the reins. To assume the guidance or direction.

Reins

(The). The kidneys, supposed by the Hebrews and others to be the seat of knowledge, pleasure, and pain. The Psalmist says (xvi. 7), “My reins instruct me in the night season,” i.e. my kidneys, the seat of knowledge, instruct me how to trust in God. Solomon says (Prov. xxiii. 16), “My reins shall rejoice when [men] speak right things,” i.e. truth excites joy from my kidneys; and Jeremiah says (Lam. iii. 13), God “caused His arrows to enter into my reins,” i.e. sent pain into my kidneys. (Latin, ren, a kidney.)

Reldresal

Principal secretary for private affairs in the court of Lilliput, and great friend of Gulliver. When it was proposed to put the Man—Mountain to death for high treason, Reldresal moved as an amendment, that the “traitor should have both his eyes put out, and be suffered to live that he might serve the nation.” (Swift: Gulliver's Travels; Voyage to Lilliput.)

Relics

A writer in the Twentieth Century (1892, article ROME) says: “Some of the most astounding relics are officially shown in Rome, and publicly adored by the highest dignitaries of the Christian Church, with all the magnificence of ecclesiastical pomp and ritual.” The following are mentioned:—

A BOTTLE OF THE VIRGIN'S MILK.

THE CRADLE AND SWADDLING CLOTHES of the infant Jesus. THE CROSS OF THE PENITENT THIEF.

THE CROWN OF THORNS.

THEFINGEROF THOMAS, with which he touched the wound in the side of Jesus. HAIROFTHE VIRGIN MARY.

THE HANDKERCHIEF OF ST. VERON'ICA, on which the face of Jesus was miraculously pictured. HAY OF THE MANGER in which the infant Jesus was laid.

HEADS OF PETER, PAUL, AND MATTHEW.

THE INSCRIPTION set over the cross by the order of Pilate. NAILS used at the crucifixion.

PIECE OF THE CHEMISE of the Virgin Mary.

THE SILVER MONEY given to Judas by the Jewish priests, which he flung into the Temple, and was expended in buying the potters' field as a cemetery for strangers.

THE TABLE on which the soldiers cast lots for the coat of Jesus.

Brady mentions many others, some of which are actually impossibilities, as, for example, a rib of the Verbum caro factum, a vial of the sweat of St. Michael when he contended with Satan, some of the rays of the star which guided the wise men. (See Clavis Calendara, p. 240.)

Relief

(The). In fortification, the general height to which the defensive masses of earth are raised. The directions in which the masses are laid out are called the tracings.

Rem Acu

You have hit the mark; you have hit the nail on the head. Rem acu tetigisti (Plautus). A phrase in archery, meaning, You have hit the white, or the bull's—eye.

“`Rem acu once again,' said Sir Piercie.”— The Monastery, chap. xvi.

Remember

The last injunction of Charles I., on the scaffold, to Bishop Juxon. A probable solution of this mysterious word is given in Notes and Queries (February 24th, 1894, p. 144). The substance is this: Charles, who was really at heart a Catholic, felt persuaded that his misfortunes were a divine visitation on him for retaining the church property confiscated by Henry VIII., and made a vow that if God would restore him to

the throne, he would restore this property to the Church. This vow may be seen in the British Museum. His injunction to the bishop was to remember this vow, and enjoin his son Charles to carry it out. Charles II., however, wanted all the money he could get, and therefore the church lands were never restored.

Remigius

(St.). Rémy, bishop and confessor, is represented as carrying a vessel of holy oil, or in the act of anointing therewith Clovis, who kneels before him. When Clovis presented himself for baptism, Rémy said to him, “Sigambrian, henceforward burn what thou hast worshipped, and worship what thou hast burned.”

(438—533.)

Remis atque Velis

(Latin). With oars and sails. Tooth and nail; with all despatch.

“We were going remis atque velis into the interests of the Pretender, since a Scot had presented a Jacobite at court.”— Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (conclusion).

Renaissance

(French). A term applied in the arts to that peculiar style of decoration revived by Raphael, and which resulted from ancient paintings exhumed in the pontificate of Leo X. (16th century). The French Renaissance is a Gothic skeleton with classic details.

Renaissance Period

(The). That period in French history which began with the Italian wars in the reign of Charles VIII. and closed with the reign of Henri II. It was the intercourse with Italy, brought about by the Italian war (1494—1557), which “regenerated” the arts and sciences in France; but as everything was

Italianised— the language, dress, architecture, poetry, prose, food, manners, etc.— it was a period of great false taste and national deformity.

Renard

Une queue de renard. A mockery. At one time a common practical joke was to fasten a fox's tail behind a person against whom a laugh was designed. “Panurge never refrained from attaching a fox's tail or the ears of a leveret, behind a Master of Arts or Doctor of Divinity, whenever he encountered them.”— Rabelais: Gargantua, ii. 16. (See Reynard .)

“Cest une petite vipére

Qui n'epargneroit pas son père,

Et qui par nature ou par art

Scait couper la queue au renard.”

Beaucaire: L'Embarras de la Foire.

Renarder

(French). To vomit, especially after too freely indulging intoxicating drinks. Our word fox means also to be tipsy.

“Il luy visite la machoire,

Quand l'autre luy renarde aux yeux.

Le baume qu'ils venoient de boire

Pour se le rendre a qui mieux mieux.”

Sicur de St. Amant: Chambre de Desbauche.

Renata Renée, daughter of Louis XII. and Anne of Bretagne, married Hercules, second son of Lucretia Borgia and Alphonso.

Renaud

French form of Rinaldo (q.v.).

Renault of Montauban

In the last chapter of the romance of Aymon's Four Sons, Renault, as an act of penance, carries the hods of mortar for the building of St. Peter's, at Cologne.

“Since I cannot improve our architecture, ... I am resolved to do like Renault of Montauhan, and I will wait on the masons. ... As it was not in my good luck to be cut out for one of them. I will live and die the admirer of their divine writings.”— Rabelais: Prologue to Book V. of Pantagruel.

Rendezvous

The place to which you are to repair, a meeting, a place of muster or call. Also used as a verb. (French, rendez, betake; vous, yourself.)

His house is a grand rendezvous of the élite of Paris. The Imperial Guard was ordered to rendezvous in the Champs de Mars.

Rene

(2 syl.). Le bon Roi René. Son of Louis II., Duc d'Anjou, Comte de Provence, father of Margaret of Anjou. The last minstrel monarch, just, joyous, and debonair; a friend to chase and tilt, but still more so to poetry and music. He gave in largesses to knights—errant and mistrels (so says Thiebault) more than he received in revenue. (1408—1480.)

“Studying to promote, as far as possible, the immediate mirth and good humour of his subjects ... he was never mentioned by them excepting as Le bon Roi René, a distinction ... due to him certainly by the qualities of his heart, if not by those of his head.”— Sir Walter Scott: Anne of Geierstein, chap. xxix.

Rene Leblanc

Notary—public of Grand Pré (Nova Scotia), the father of twenty children and 159 grandchildren. (Longfellow: Evangeline.)

Repartee'

properly means a smart return blow in fencing. (French, repartir, to return a blow.)

Repenter Curls

The long ringlets of a lady's hair. Repentir is the French for a penitentiary, and les repentirs are the girls sent there for reformation. Repentir, therefore, is a Lock Hospital or Magdalen. Now, Mary Magdalen is represented to have had such long hair that she wiped off her tears therewith from the feet of Jesus. Hence, Magdalen curls would mean the long hair of a Mary Magdalen made into ringlets.

Reply Churlish

(The). Sir, you are no judge; your opinion has no weight with me. Or, to use Touchstone's illustration: “If a courtier tell me my beard is not well cut, and I disable his judgment, I give him the reply churlish, which is the fifth remove from the lie direct, or rather, the lie direct in the fifth degree.”

Reproof Valiant

(The). Sir, allow me to tell you that is not the truth. To use Touchstone's illustration: “If a courtier tells me my beard is not well cut, and I answer, `That is not true,' I give him the reply valiant, which is the fourth remove from the lie direct, or rather, the lie direct in the fourth degree.”

The reproof valiant, the countercheck quarrelsome, the lie circumstantial, and the lie direct, are not clearly defined by Touchstone. The following, perhaps, will give the distinction required: That is not true; How dare you utter such a falsehood; If you said so, you are a liar; You are a liar, or you lie.

Republican Queen

Sophie Charlotte, wife of Frederick I. of Prussia.

Republicans (See Black .)

Resolute

(The). John Florio, the philologist, tutor to Prince Henry; the Holofernes of Shakespeare. (1545—1625.)

The resolute doctor. John Baconthorp (—1346). The most resolute doctor. Guillaume Durandus de St. Pourcain (—1332).

Rest

(The). A contraction of residue— thus, resid', resit, res't.

Rest on One's Oars

(See Oars .)

Restive

(2 syl.) means inclined to resist, resistive, obstinate or self—willed. It has nothing to do with rest (quiet).

Restorationists

The followers of Origen's opinion that all persons, after a purgation proportioned to their demerits, will be restored to Divine favour and taken to Paradise. Mr. Ballow, of America, has introduced an extension of the term, and maintains that all retribution is limited to this life, and at the resurrection all will be restored to life, joy, and immortality.

Resurrection Men

Grave robbers. First applied to Burke and Hare, in 1829, who rifled graves to sell the bodies for dissection, and sometimes even murdered people for the same purpose.

Resurrection Pie

is made of broken cooked meat. Meat réchauffé is sometimes called “resurrection meat.”

Retiarius

A gladiator who made use of a net, which he threw over his adversary.

“As in thronged amphitheatre of old

The wary Retiarius trapped his foe.”

Thomson: Castle of Indolence, canto ii.

Retort Courteous

(The). Sir, I am not of your opinion: I beg to differ from you: or, to use Touchstone's illustration, “If I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was.” The lie seven times removed; or rather, the lie direct in the seventh degree.

Reuben Dixon

A village school—master “of ragged lads.”

“Mid noise, and dirt, and stench, and play, and prate,

He calmly cuts the pen or views the slate.”

Crabbe: Borough, letter xxiv.

Reveille

[re—vay'—ya]. The beat of drum at daybreak to warn the sentries that they may forbear from challenging, as the troops are awake. (French, réveiller, to awake.)

Revenons a nos Moutons

Return we to our subject. The phrase is taken from an old French play, called L' Avocat, by Patelin, in which a woolendraper charges a shepherd with stealing sheep. In telling his grievance he kept for ever running away from his subject; and to throw discredit on the defendant's attorney, accused him of stealing a piece of cloth. The judge had to pull him up every moment with, “Mais, mon ami, revenons à nos moutons ” (What about the sheep, tell me about the sheep, now return to the story of the sheep).

Reverend

An archbishop is the Most Reverend [Father in God]; a bishop, the Right Reverend; a dean, the Very Reverend; an archdeacon, the Venerable; all the rest of the clergy, the Reverend.

Revetments

in fortifications. In “permanent fortification” the sides of ditches supported by walls of masonry are so called. (See Counterforts .)

Review The British Review was nicknamed “My Grandmother.” In Don Juan, Lord Byron says, he bribed “My Grandmother's Review, the British.” The editor took this in dudgeon and gave Byron the lie, but the poet turned the laugh against the reviewer.

“Am I flat, I tip `My Grandmother' a bit of prose.”— Noctes Ambrosiance.

Revise

(2 syl.). The second proof—sheet submitted to an author or “reader.”

“I at length reached a vaulted room, ... and beheld, seated by a lamp and employed in reading a blotted revise ... the author of Waverley.”— Sir Walter Scott: Fortunes of Nigel

(Introduction).

Revival of Letters in England

dates from the commencement of the eleventh century.

Revival of Painting and Sculpture

began with Niccola Pisano, Giunta, Cimabue, and Giotto (2 syl.).

Revoke

(2 syl.). When a player at cards can follow suit, but plays some other card, he makes a revoke, and by the laws of whist the adversaries are entitled to score three points.

“Good heaven! Revoke? Remember, if the set

Be lost, in honour you should pay the debt.”

Crabbe: Borough.

Revulsion

(in philosophy). Part of a substance set off and formed into a distinct existence; as when a slip is cut from a tree and planted to form a distinct plant of itself. Tertullian the Montanist taught that the second person of the Trinity was a revulsion of the Father. (Latin, revulsio, re—vello, to pull back.)

Rewe

A roll or slip; as Ragman's Rewe. (See Ragman .)

“There is a whole world of curious history contained in the phrase `ragman's rewe,' meaning a list, roll, catalogue, ... charter, scroll of any kind. In Piers Piowman's Vision it is used for the pope's bull.”— Edinburgh Review, July, 1870.

“In Fescenium was first invented the joylitee of mynstrelsie and syngyng merrie songs for makyng laughter, hence called `Fescennia Carmina,' which I translate a `Ragman's Rewe' or Bible.”— Ud. ill.

Reynard the Fox

The hero in the beast—epic of the fourteenth century. This prose poem is a satire on the state of Germany in the Middle Ages. Reynard typifies the church; his uncle, Isengrin the wolf, typifies the baronial element; and Nodel the lion, the regal. The word means deep counsel or wit. (Gothic, raginohart, cunning in counsel; Old Norse, hreinn and ard; German, reincke.) Reynard is commonly used as a synonym of fox.

(Heinrich von Alkmaar.)

“Where prowling Reynard trod his nightly round.”

Bloomfield: Farmer's Boy.

Reynard the Fox. Professedly by Hinreck van Alckmer, tutor of the Duke of Lorraine. This name is generally supposed to be a pseudonym of Hermann Barkhusen, town clerk and book printer in Rostock. (1498.)

False Reynard. So Dryden describes the Unitarians in his Hind and Panther. (See Renard.)

“With greater guile

False Reynard fed on consecrated spoil;

The graceless beast by Athanasius first

Was chased from Nice, then by Socinus nursed.” Part i. 51—54.

Reynardine

(3 syl.). The eldest son of Reynard the Fox, who assumed the names of Dr. Pedanto and Crabron. (Reynard the Fox.)

Reynold of Montalbon

One of Charlemagne's knights and paladins.

Rezio

Dr. Rezio or Pedro Rezio of Aguero. The doctor of Barataria, who forbade Sancho Panza to taste any of the meats set before him. Roasted partridge was forbidden by Hippocrates; podrida was the most pernicious food in the world; rabbits are a sharp—haired diet; veal is prejudicial to health; but the governor might eat a “few wafers, and a thin slice or two of quince.” (Don Quixote, part ii. book iii. chap. 10.)

Rhadamanthos

One of the three judges of hell; Minos and AEacos being the other two. (Greek mythology.)

Rhampsinitos The Greek form of Rameses Ill., the richest of the Egyptian king, who amassed seventy—seven millions sterling, which he secured in a treasury of stone, but by an artifice of the builder he was robbed every night.

Herodotos (bk. ii. chap. 121) tells us that two brothers were the architects of the treasury, and that they placed in the wall a removable stone, through which they crept every night to purloin the store. The king, after a time, noticed the diminution, and set a trap to catch the thieves. One of the brothers was caught in the trap, but the other brother, to prevent detection, cut off his head and made good his escape.

This tale is almost identical with that of Trophonios, told by Pausanias. Hyrieus (3 syl.) a Boeotian king employed Trophonios and his brother to build him a treasury. In so doing they also contrived to place in the wall a removable stone, through which they crept nightly to purloin the king's stores. Hyrieus also set a trap to catch the thief, and one of the brothers was caught; but Trophonios cut off his head to prevent detection, and made good his escape. There cannot be a doubt that the two tales are in reality one and the same.

Rhapsody

means songs strung together. The term was originally applied to the books of the Iliad and Odyssey, which at one time were in fragments. Certain bards collected together a number of the fragments, enough to make a connected “ballad,” and sang them as our minstrels sang the deeds of famous heroes. Those bards who sang the Iliad wore a red robe, and those who sang the Odyssey a blue one. Pìsistratos of Athens had all these fragments carefully compiled into their present form (Greek rapto, to sew or string together; ode, a song.)

Rhene

(1 syl.). The Rhine. (Latin, Rhenus.)

“To pass

Rhene or the Danaw [Danube].”

Milton: Paradise Lost, bk. i. 353.

Rhine

or Rhineland. The country of Gunther, King of Burgundy, is so called in the Nibelungen—Lied.

“Not a lord of Rhineland could follow where he flew.”

Lettsom's Nibelungen—Lied, st. 210.

Rhino

Ready money. (See Nose .) May not this explain the phrase “paying through the nose” (par le nez), that is, paying ready rhino. Rhino = money is very old.

“Some, as I know,

Have parted with their ready rhino.”

The Seaman's Adieu (1670).

Rhodalind

A princess famous for her “knightly” deads; she would have been the wife of Gondibert, but he wisely preferred Birtha, a country girl, the daughter of the sage Astragon.

Rhodian Bully

(The). The colossus of Rhodes.

“Yet fain wouldst thou the crouching world bestride

Just like the Rhodian bully o'er the tide.”

Peter Pindar: The Lusiad, canto 2.

Rhodian Law

The earliest system of marine law known to history; compiled by the Rhodians about 900 B.C.

Rhone

The Rhone of Christian cloquence. St. Hillary; so called from the vehemence of his style. (300—368.)

Rhopalic Verse (wedge—verse). A line in which each successive word has more syllables than the one preceding it (Greek, rhopalon, a club, which from the handle to the top grows bigger.)

Rem tibi confeci, doctissime, dulcisonorum.

Spes deus aeternae—est stationis conciliator.

Hope ever solaces miserable individuals.

Rhyme

Neither rhyme nor reason. Fit neither for amusement nor instruction. An author took his book to Sir Thomas More, chancellor in the reign of Henry VIII, and asked his opinion. Sir Thomas told the author to turn it into rhyme. He did so, and submitted it again to the lord chancellor. “Ay! ay!” said the witty satirist, “that will do, that will do. 'Tis rhyme now, but before it was neither rhyme nor reason.”

Rhymer

Thomas the Rhymer. Thomas Learmount, of Ercildoune, who lived in the thirteenth century. This was quite a different person to Thomas Rymer, the historiographer royal to William III. (who flourished 1283). (See True Thomas .)

Rhyming to Death

The Irish at one time believed that their children and cattle could be “eybitten,” that is, bewitched by an evil eye, and that the “eybitter,” or witch could “rime” them to death. (R. Scott: Discovery of Witch—craft.) (See Rats .)

Ribaldry

is the language of a ribald. (French, ribaud; Old French, ribaudie; Italian, ribalderia, the language of a vagabond or rogue.)

Ribbon Dodge

(The). Plying a person secretly with threatening letters in order to drive him out of the neighbourhood, or to compel him to do something he objects to. The Irish Ribbon men sent threatening letters or letters containing coffins, cross—bones, or daggers, to obnoxious neighbours.

Ribbonism

A Catholic association organised in Ireland about 1808. Its two main objects were (1) to secure

“fixity of tenure,” called the tenant—right; and (2) to deter anyone from taking land from which a tenant has been ejected. The name arises from a ribbon worn as a badge in the button—hole.

Ribston Pippin

So called from Ribston, in Yorkshire, where Sir Henry Goodricke planted three pips, sent to him from Rouen, in Normandy. Two pips died, but from the third came all the Ribston apple—trees in England.

Ricardo

in the opera of I Puritani, is Sir Richard Forth, a Puritan, commander of Plymouth fortress. Lord Walton promised to give him his daughter Elvira in marriage, but Elvira had engaged her affections to Lord Arthur Talbot, a Cavalier, to whom ultimately she was married.

Ricciardetto

Son of Agmon and brother of Bradamante. (Ariosto: Orlando Furioso.)

Rice Christians

Converts to Christianity for worldly benefits, such as a supply of rice to Indians. Profession of Christianity born of lucre, not faith.

Rice thrown after a Bride

It was an Indian custom, rice being, with the Hindus, an emblem of fecundity. The bridegroom throws three handfuls over the bride, and the bride does the same over the bridegroom. With us the rice is thrown by neighbours and friends. (See Marriage Knot .)

Rich as Croesus

Croesus, King of Lydia, was so rich and powerful that all the wise men of Greece were drawn to his court, and his name became proverbial for wealth. (B.C. 560—546.)

Rich as a Jew This expression arose in the Middle Ages, when Jews were almost the only merchants, and were certainly the most wealthy of the people. There are still the Rothschilds among them, and others of great wealth.

Richard Coeur de Lion

The bogie with which nurses in Languedoc terrify unruly children.

“His tremendous name was employed by the Syrian mothers to silence their infants; and if a horse suddenly started from the way, his rider was wont to exclaim, `Dost thou think King Richard is in the bush?”'— Gibbon: Decline and Fall, etc., xi. 146.

Richard II.'s Horse

Roan Barbary. (See Horse .)

“Oh, how it yearned my heart when I beheld

In London streets, that coronation day,

When Bolingbroke rode on roan Barbary,

That horse that hou so often hast bestrid,

That horse that I so carefully have dressed.”

Shakespeare: Richard II., v. 5.

Richard III.'s Horse

White Surrey (See Horse .)

“Saddle White Surrey for the field to—morrow.”

Shakespeare: Richard III., v. 8.

Richard Roe

(1 syl.). John Doe and Richard Roe. Any plaintiff and defendant in an action of ejectment. They were sham names used at one time to save certain “niceties of law;” but the clumsy device was abolished in 1852. Any mere imaginary persons, or men of straw. John Doe, Richard Roe, John o' Noakes, and Tom Styles are the four' sons of “Mrs. Harris,” all bound apprentices to the legal profession.

Richard is Himself again

These words are not in Shakespeare's Richard III., but were interpolated from Colley Cibber by John Kemble.

Richard of Cirencester

Sometimes called “The Monk of Westminster,” an early English chronicler. His chronicle On the Ancient State of Britain was first brought to light by Dr. Charles Julius Bertram, professor of English at Copenhagen in 1747; but the original (like the original of Macpherson's Ossian and of