Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 44

Scott says) from her dark complexion. Similarly, "The Black Sea,"

or Axinus, as the Greeks once called it, received its name from the inhospitable character of the Scythians.

BLACK'ACRE (_Widow_), a masculine, litigious, pettifogging, headstrong woman.--Wycherly, _The Plain Dealer_ (1677).

BLACKCHESTER (_The countess of_), sister of lord Dalgarno.--Sir W.

Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

BLACKGUARDS (Victor Hugo says), soldiers condemned for some offence in discipline to wear their red coats (which were lined with black) inside out. The French equivalent, he says, is _Blaqueurs.--L'Homme qui Rit_, II. in. 1.

It is quite impossible to believe this to be the true derivation of the word. Other suggestions will be found in the _Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_.

BLACKLESS (_Tomalin_), a soldier in the guard of Richard Coeur de Lion.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

BLACKMANTLE (_Bernard_), Charles Molloy Westmacott, author of _The English Spy_ (1826).

BLACK'POOL (_Stephen_), a power-loom weaver in Bounderby's mill at c.o.ketown. He had a knitted brow and pondering expression of face, was a man of the strictest integrity, refused to join the strike, and was turned out of the mill. When Tom Gradgrind robbed the bank of 150, he threw suspicion on Stephen Blackpool, and while Stephen was hastening to c.o.ketown to vindicate himself he fell into a shaft, known as "the h.e.l.l Shaft," and although rescued, died on a litter. Stephen Blackpool loved Rachael, one of the hands, but had already a drunken, worthless wife.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

BLACKSMITH (_The Flemish_), Quentin Matsys, the Dutch painter (1460-1529).

_Blacksmith_ (_The Learned_), Elihu Burritt, United States (1810-1879).

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. The vignette on the wrapper of this magazine is meant for George Buchanan, the Scotch historian and poet (1506-1582).

He is the representative of Scottish literature generally.

The magazine originated in 1817 with William Blackwood of Edinburgh, publisher.

BLAD'DERSKATE (_Lord_) and lord Kaimes, the two judges in Peter Peeble's lawsuit.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

BLADE O' GRa.s.s, child of the gutter, bright, saucy, and warm-hearted.

She is taken from her wretched environment by philanthropists, who would aid her to lead a different life. However great the outward change, she is ever Bohemian at heart.--B.L. Farjeon, _Blade o'

Gra.s.s_.

BLA'DUD, father of king Lear. Geoffrey of Monmouth says that "This Prince Bladud was a very ingenious man and taught necromancy in his kingdom; nor did he leave off pursuing his magic operations till he attempted to fly to the upper regions of the air with wings which he had prepared, and fell down upon the temple of Apollo in the city of Trinovantum, where he was dashed to pieces."

BLAIR (_Adam_), the hero of a novel by J.G. Lockhart, ent.i.tled _Adam Blair, a Story of Scottish Life_ (1794-1854).

_Blair_ (_Father Clement_), a Carthusian monk, confessor of Catherine Glover, "the fair maid of Perth."--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

_Blair_ (_Rev. David_), sir Richard Philips, author of _The Universal Preceptor_ (1816), _Mother's Question Book_, etc. He issued books under a legion of false names.

BLAISE, a hermit, who baptized Merlin the enchanter.

_Blaise_ (_St._), patron saint of wool-combers, because he was torn to pieces with iron combs.

BLAKE (_Franklin_), handsome, accomplished, and desperately in love with his cousin Rachel. Almost wild concerning the safety of the Moonstone which he has conveyed to her, he purloins it while under the influence of opium, taken to relieve insomnia, and gives it to the plausible villain of the book--G.o.dfrey Ablewhite. The latter p.a.w.ns it to pay his debts, and is murdered by East Indians, who believe that he still has the gem.--Wilkie Collins, _The Moonstone_.

BLANCHE (1 _syl._), one of the domestics of lady Eveline "the betrothed."--Sir W. Scott, _The Betrothed_ (time, Henry II.).

_Blanche_ (_La reine_), the queen of France during the first six weeks of her widowhood. During this period of mourning she spent her time in a closed room, lit only by a wax taper, and was dressed wholly in white. Mary, the widow of Louis XII., was called _La reine Blanche_ during her days of mourning, and is sometimes (but erroneously) so called afterwards.

_Blanche (Lady)_ makes a vow with lady Anne to die an old maid, and of course falls over head and ears in love with Thomas Blount, a jeweller's son, who enters the army, and becomes a colonel. She is very handsome, ardent, brilliant, and fearless.--S. Knowles, _Old Maids_ (1841).

BLANCHE LOMBARD, girl of the period, who solaces herself for the apparent defection of one lover by flirting with a new acquaintance; registered in his note-book as "Blonde; superb physique; fine animal spirits; giggles."--Robert Grant, _The Knave of Hearts_ (1886).

BLANCHE'FLEUR (2 _syl._), the heroine of Boccaccio's prose romance called _Il Filopoco_. Her lover Flores is Boccaccio himself, and Blanchefleur was the daughter of king Robert. The story of Blanchefleur and Flores is substantially the same as that of _Dor'igen and Aurelius_, by Chaucer, and that of "Diano'ra and Ansaldo," in the _Decameron_.

BLAND'MOUR (_Sir_), a man of "mickle might," who "bore great sway in arms and chivalry," but was both vainglorious and insolent. He attacked Brit'omart, but was discomfited by her enchanted spear; he next attacked sir Ferraugh, and having overcome him took him from the lady who accompanied him, "the False Florimel."--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 1 (1596).

BLANDE'VILLE (_Lady Emily_), a neighbor of the Waverley family, afterwards married to colonel Talbot.--Sir W. Scott, _Waverley_ (time, George II.).

BLAND'FORD, the father of Belin'da, who he promised sir William Bellmont should marry his son George. But Belinda was in love with Beverley, and George Bellmont with Clarissa (Beverley's sister).

Ultimately matters arranged themselves, so that the lovers married according to their inclinations.--A. Murphy, _All in the Wrong_ (1761).

BLAN'DIMAN, the faithful man-servant of the fair Bellisant, and her attendant after her divorce.--_Valentine and Orson_.

BLANDI'NA, wife of the churlish knight Turpin, who refused hospitality to sir Calepine and his lady Sere'na (canto 3). She had "the art of a suasive tongue," and most engaging manners, but "her words were only words, and all her tears were water" (canto 7).--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. (1596).

BLANDISH, a "practised parasite." His sister says to him, "May you find but half your own vanity in those you have to work on!" (act i.

1).

_Miss Let.i.tia Blandish_, sister of the above, a fawning timeserver, who sponges on the wealthy. She especially toadies to Miss Alscrip "the heiress," flattering her vanity, fostering her conceit, and encouraging her vulgar affectations.--General Burgoyne, _The Heiress_ (1781).

BLANE (_Niell_), town piper and publican.

_Jenny Blane_, his daughter.--Sir W, Scott, _Old Mortality_ (time, Charles II.).

BLA'NEY, a wealthy heir, ruined by dissipation.--Crabbe, _Borough_.

BLARNEY (_Lady_), one of the flash women introduced by squire Thornhill to the Primrose family.--Goldsmith, _Vicar of Wakefield_ (1765).

BLAS'PHEMOUS BALFOUR. Sir James Balfour, the Scottish judge, was so called from his apostacy (died 1583).

BLA'TANT BEAST (_The_), the personification of slander or public opinion. The beast had 100 tongues and a sting. Sir Artegal muzzled the monster, and dragged it to Faery-land, but it broke loose and regained its liberty. Subsequently sir Cal'idore (_3 syl._) went in quest of it.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, v. and vi. (1596).

[Ill.u.s.tration] "Mrs. Grundy" is the modern name of Spenser's "Blatant Beast."

BLATH'ERS AND DUFF, detectives who investigate the burglary in which Bill Sikes had a hand. Blathers relates the tale of Conkey Chickweed, who robbed himself of 327 guineas.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

BLAT'TERGROWL (_The Rev. Mr._), minister of Trotcosey, near Monkbarns.--Sir W. Scott, _The Antiquary_ (time, Elizabeth).

BLEEDING-HEART YARD (London). So called because it was the place where the devil cast the bleeding heart of lady Hatton (wife of the dancing chancellor), after he had torn it out of her body with his claws.--Dr.

Mackay, _Extraordinary Popular Delusions_.

BLEISE (1 _syl._) of Northumberland, historian of king Arthur's period.

BLEM'MYES (3 _syl._), a people of Africa, fabled to have no head, but having eyes and mouth in the breast. (See GAOKA.)

Blemmyis traduntur capita abesse, ore et oculis pectori affixis.--Pliny.