Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama Part 144

=Scottish Terriers= (_The_), Sir David Wilkie (1785-1841).

=Scottish Theoc'ritos= (_The_), Allan Ramsay (1685-1758).

=Scotus.= There were two schoolmen of this name: (1) John Scotus _Erigena_, a native of Ireland, who died 886, in the reign of King Alfred; (2) John Duns Scotus, a Scotchman, who died 1308. Longfellow confounds these two in his _Golden Legend_ when he attributes the Latin version of _St. Dionysius_, _the Areopagite_, to the latter schoolman.

And done into Latin by that Scottish beast, Erigena Johannes.

Longfellow, _The Golden Legend_ (1851).

=Scourers=, a cla.s.s of dissolute young men, often of the better cla.s.s, who infested the streets of London, in the seventeenth century, and thought it capital fun to break windows, upset sedan-chairs, beat quiet citizens, and molest young women. These young blades called themselves at different times, Muns, Hectors, Scourers, Nickers, Hawcabites, and Mohawks or Mohocks.

=Scourge of Christians= (_The_), Noureddin-Mahmud, of Damascus (1116-1174).

=Scourge of G.o.d= (_The_), Attila, king of the Huns, called _Flagellum Dei_ (died A.D. 453). Genseric, king of the Vandals, called _Virga Dei_ (*, reigned 429-477).

=Scourge of Princes= (_The_), Pietro Aretino, of Arezzo, a merciless satirist of kings and princes, but very obscene and licentious. He called himself "Aretino the Divine" (1492-1557).

Thus Aretin of late got reputation By scourging kings, as Lucian did of old By scorning G.o.ds.

Lord Brooke, _Inquisition Upon Fame_ (1554-1628).

Suidas called Lucian "The Blasphemer;" and he added that he was torn to pieces by dogs for his impiety. Some of his works attack the heathen philosophy and religion. His _Jupiter Convicted_ shows Jupiter to be powerless, and _Jupiter, the Tragedian_, shows Jupiter and the other G.o.ds to be myths (120-200).

=Scourge of Scotland=, Edward I., _Scotorum Malleus_ (1239, 1272-1307).

=Sc.r.a.pe-All=, a soapy, psalm-singing hypocrite, who combines with Cheatly to supply young heirs with cash at most exorbitant usury. (See CHEATLY.)--Shadwell, _Squire of Alsatia_ (1688).

=Sc.r.a.pe on, Gentlemen.= Hadrian went once to the public baths, and, seeing an old soldier sc.r.a.ping himself with a potsherd, for want of a flesh-brush, sent him a sum of money. Next day the bath was crowded with potsherd sc.r.a.pers; but the emperor said when he saw them, "Sc.r.a.pe on, gentlemen, but you will not sc.r.a.pe an acquaintance with me."

=Scribble=, an attorney's clerk, who tries to get married to Polly Honeycombe, a silly, novel-struck girl, but well off. He is happily foiled in his scheme, and Polly is saved from the consequences of a most unsuitable match.--G. Colman, the elder, _Polly Honeycombe_ (1760).

=Scrible'rus= (_Cornelius_), father of Martinus. He was noted for his pedantry, and his odd whims about the education of his son.

_Martinus Scriblerus_, a man of capacity, who had read everything; but his judgment was worthless, and his taste perverted.--(?) Arbuthnot, _Memoirs of the Extraordinary Life, Works, and Discoveries of Martin Scriblerus_.

? These "memoirs" were intended to be the first instalment[TN-162] of a general satire on the false taste in literature prevalent in the time of Pope. The only parts of any moment that were written of this intended series, were Pope's _Treatise of the Bathos, or Art of Sinking in Poetry_, and his _Memoirs of P. P., Clerk of this Parish_ (1727), in ridicule of Dr. Burnett's _History of His Own Time_. The _Dunciad_ is, however, preceded by a _Prolegomena_, ascribed to Martinus Scriblerus, and contains his notes and ill.u.s.trations on the poem, thus connecting this merciless satire with the original design.

=Scriever= (_Jock_), the apprentice of Duncan Macwheeble (bailie at Tully Veolan to Mr. Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine, baron of Bradwardine and Tully Veolan).--Sir W. Scott, _Waverley_ (time George II.).

=Scriptores Decem=, a collection of ten ancient chronicles on English history, in one vol., folio, London, 1652, edited by Roger Twysden and John Selden. The volume contains: (1) Simeon Dunelmensis [Simeon of Durham], _Historia_; (2) Johannes Hagustaldensis [John of Hexham], _Historia Continuata_; (3) Richardus Hagustaldensis [Richard of Hexham], _De Gestis Regis Stephani_; (4) Ailredus Rievallensis [Ailred of Rieval], _Historia_ (genealogy of the kings); (5) Radulphus de Diceto [Ralph of Diceto], _Abbreviationes Chronicorum_ and _Ymagines Historiarum_; (6) Johannes Brompton, _Chronicon_; (7) Gervasius Dorobornensis [Gervais of Dover], _Chronica, etc._ (burning and repair of Dover Church; contentions between the monks of Canterbury and Archbishop Baldwin; and lives of the archbishops of Canterbury); (8) Thomas Stubbs (a Dominican), _Chronica Pontific.u.m ecc. Eboraci_ [_i.e._ York]; (9) Guilielmus Thorn Cantuariensis [of Canterbury], _Chronica_; and (10) Henricus Knighton Leicestrensis [of Leicester], _Chronica_.

(The last three are chronicles of "pontiffs" or archbishops.)

=Scriptores Quinque=, better known as _Scriptores Post Bedam_, published at Frankfurt, 1601, in one vol., folio, and containing: (1) Willielm Malmesburiensis, _De Gestis Regum Anglorum_, _Historiae Novellae_, and _De Gestis Pontific.u.m Anglorum_; (2) Henry Huntindoniensis, _Historia_; (3) Roger Hovedeni [Hoveden], _Annales_; (4) Ethelwerd, _Chronica_; and (5) Ingulphus Croylandensis [of Croyland], _Historia_.

=Scriptores Tres=, three "hypothetical" writers on ancient history, which Dr. Bertram professed to have discovered between the years 1747 and 1757. They are called Richardus Corinensis [of Cirencester], _De Situ Britanniae_; Gildas Badonicus; and Nennius Banch.o.r.ensis [of Bangor].--J. E. Mayor, in his preface to _Ricardi de Cirencestria Speculum Historiale_, has laid bare this literary forgery.

=Scripture.= Parson Adams's wife said to her husband that in her opinion "it was blasphemous to talk of Scriptures out of church."--Fielding, _Joseph Andrews_.

A great impression in my youth Was made by Mrs. Adams, where she cries, "That Scriptures out of church are blasphemous."

Byron, _Don Juan_, xiii. 96 (1824).

=Scroggen=, a poor hack author, celebrated by Goldsmith in his _Description of an Author's Bedchamber_.

=Scroggens=, (_Giles_), a peasant, who courted Molly Bawn, but died just before the wedding day. Molly cried and cried for him, till she cried herself fast asleep. Fancying that she saw Giles Scroggens's ghost standing at her bedside, she exclaimed in terror, "What do you want?"

"You for to come for to go along with me," replied the ghost. "I ben't dead, you fool!" said Molly; but the ghost rejoined, "Why, that's no rule." Then, clasping her round the waist, he exclaimed, "Come, come with me, ere morning beam." "I won't!" shrieked Molly, and woke to find "'twas nothing but a dream."--_A Comic Ballad._

=Scroggs= (_Sir William_), one of the judges.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

=Scrooge= (_Ebenezer_), partner, executor, and heir of old Jacob Marley, stock-broker. When first introduced, he is "a squeezing, grasping, covetous old hunks, sharp and hard as a flint;" without one particle of sympathy, loving no one, and by none beloved. One Christmas Day Ebenezer Scrooge sees three ghosts; The Ghost of Christmas Past; Ghost of Christmas Present; and the Ghost of Christmas To-come. The first takes him back to his young life, shows him what Christmas was to him when a schoolboy, and when he was an apprentice; reminds him of his courting a young girl, whom he forsook as he grew rich; and shows him that sweetheart of his young days married to another, and the mother of a happy family. The second ghost shows him the joyous home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, who has nine people to keep on 15_s._ a week, and yet could find wherewithal to make merry on this day; it also shows him the family of his nephew, and of others. The third ghost shows him what would be his lot if he died as he then was, the prey of harpies, the jest of his friends on 'Change, the world's uncared-for waif. These visions wholly changed his nature, and he becomes benevolent, charitable, and cheerful, loving all, and by all beloved.--C. d.i.c.kens, _A Christmas Carol_ (in five staves, 1843).

=Scrow=, the clerk of Lawyer Glossin.--Sir W. Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time George II.).

=Scrub=, a man-of-all-work to Lady Bountiful. He describes his duties thus;

Of a Monday I drive the coach, of a Tuesday I drive the plough, on Wednesday I follow the hounds, on Thursday I dun the tenants, on Friday I go to market, on Sat.u.r.day I draw warrants, and on Sunday I draw beer.--Geo. Farquhar, _The Beaux' Stratagem_, iii. 4 (1707).

=Scrubin'da=, the lady who "lived by the scouring of pots in Dyot Street, Bloomsbury Square."

Oh, was I a quart, pint, or gill, To be scrubbed by her delicate hands!...

My parlor that's next to the sky I'd quit, her blest mansion to share; So happy to live and to die In Dyot Street, Bloomsbury Square.

W. B. Rhodes, _Bombastes Furioso_ (1790).

=Scruple=, the friend of Random. He is too honest for a rogue, and too conscientious for a rake. At Calais he met Harriet, the elder daughter of Sir David Dunder, of Dunder Hall, near Dover, and fell in love with her. Scruple subsequently got invited to Dunder Hall, and was told that his Harriet was to be married next day to Lord Snolt, a stumpy, "gummy"