Miss Edgworth's novels stepping from their covers,

Or Mrs. Trimmer's books on education.

Or "Coelebs' wife" set out in quest of lovers.

Byron,
Don Juan
, i. 16 (1819).

Coeur de Lion, Surname of Richard of England (1157-1199.) Also conferred upon Louis VIII. of France.

Coffin (Long Tom), the best sailor character ever drawn. He is introduced in The Pilot, a novel by J. Fenimore Cooper. Cooper's novel has been dramatized by E. Fitzball, under the same name, and Long Tom Coffin preserves in the burletta his reckless daring, his unswerving fidelity, his simple-minded affection, and his love for the sea.

Cogia Houssain, the captain of forty thieves, outwitted by Morgiana, the slave. When, in the guise of a merchant, he was entertained by Ali Baba, and refused to eat any salt, the suspicions of Morgiana was aroused, and she soon detected him to be the captain of the forty thieves. After supper she amused her master and his guest with dancing; then playing with Cogia's dagger for a time, she plunged it suddenly into his heart and killed him.—Arabian Nights ("Ali Baba or the Forty Thieves").

Col'ax. Flattery personified in The Purple Island (1633), by Phineas Fletcher. Colax "all his words with sugar spices ... lets his tongue to sin, and takes rent of shame ... His art [was] to hide and not to heal a sore." Fully described in canto viii. (Greek, kolax, "a flatterer or fawner.")

Colbrand or Colebrond (2 syl.), the Danish giant, slain in the presence of King Athelstan, by Sir Guy of Warwick, just returned from a pilgrimage, still "in homely russet clad," and in his hand a "hermit's staff." The combat is described at length by Drayton, in his Polyolbion, xii.

One could scarcely bear his axe ...

Whose squares were laid with plates, and riveted with steel,

And armed down along with pikes, whose hardened points

... had power to tear the joints

Of cuirass or of mail.

Drayton, Polyolbion, xii. (1613).

Coldstream (Sir Charles), the chief character in Charles Mathew's play called Used up. He is wholly ennuyé, sees nothing to admire in anything; but is a living personification of mental inanity and physical imbecility.

Cole (1 syl.), a legendary British king, described as "a merry old soul," fond of his pipe, fond of his glass, and fond of his "fiddlers three." There were two kings so called—Cole (or Coïl I.) was the predecessor of Porrex; but Coïl II. was succeeded by Lucius, "the first British king who embraced the Christian religion." Which of these two mythical kings the song refers to is not evident.

Cole (Mrs.). This character is designed for Mother Douglas, who kept a "gentlemen's magazine of frail beauties" in a superbly furnished house at the north-east corner of Covent Garden. She died 1761.—S. Foote, The Minor (1760).

Colein (2 syl.), the great dragon slain by Sir Bevis of Southampton.—Drayton, Polyolbion, ii. (1612).

Colemi'ra (3 syl.), a poetical name for a cook. The word is compounded of coal and mire.

"Could I," he cried "express how bright a grace

Adorns thy morning hands and well-washed face,

Thou wouldst, Colemira, grant what I implore,

And yield me love, or wash thy face no more."


Shenstone,
Colemira
(an eclogue).

Cole'pepper (Captain) or CAPTAIN PEPPERCULL, the Alsatian bully.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Colin, or in Scotch Cailen, Green Colin, the laird of Dunstaffnage, so called from the green colour which prevailed in his tartan.

Colin and Rosalinde. In The Shephearde's Calendar (1579), by Edm. Spenser, Rosalinde is the maiden vainly beloved by Colin Clout, as her choice was already fixed on the shepherd Menalcas. Rosalinde is an anagram of "Rose Danil," a lady beloved by Spenser (Colin Clout), but Rose Danil had already fixed her affections on John Florio the Resolute, whom she subsequently married.

And I to thee will be as kind

As Colin was to Rosalinde,

Of courtesie the flower.


M. Drayton,
Dowsabel
(1593)

Colin Clout, the pastoral name assumed by the poet Spenser, in The Shephearde's Calendar, The Ruins of Time, Daphnaida, and in the pastoral poem called Colin Clout's come home again (from his visit to Sir Walter Raleigh). Ecl. i. and xii. are soliloquies of Colin, being lamentations that Rosalinde will not return his love. Ecl. vi. is a dialogue between Hobbinol and Colin, in which the former tries to comfort the disappointed lover. Ecl. xi. is a dialogue between Thenot and Colin, Thenot begs Colin to sing some joyous lay; but Colin pleads grief for the death of the sheperdess Dido, and then sings a monody on the great sheperdess deceased. In ecl. vi. we are told that Rosalinde has betrothed herself to the shepherd Menalcas (1579).

In the last book of the Faery Queen, we have a reference to "Colin and his lassie," (Spenser and his wife) supposed to be Elizabeth, and elsewhere called "Mirabella" See CLOUT, etc.

Colin Clout and his lassie, referred to in the last book of the Faery Queen, are Spenser and his wife Elizabeth, elsewhere called "Mirabella" (1596).

Colin Clout's Come Home Again. "Colin Clout" is Spenser, who had been to London on a visit to "the Shepherd of the Ocean" (Sir Walter Raleigh), in 1589; on his return to Kilcolman, in Ireland, he wrote this poem. "Hobbinol," his friend (Gabriel Harvey, L.L.D.), tells him how all the shepherds had missed him, and begs him to relate to him and them his adventures while abroad. The pastoral contains a eulogy of British contemporary poets, and of the court beauties of Queen Elizabeth (1591). (See COLYN.)

Colin Tampon, the nickname of a Swiss, as John Bull means an Englishman, etc.

Colkitto (Young), or "Vich Alister More," or "Alister M'Donnell," a Highland chief in the army of Montrose.—Sir W. Scott, Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).

Collean (May), the heroine of a Scotch ballad, which relates how "fause Sir John" carried her to a rock for the purpose of throwing her down into the sea; but May outwitted him, and subjected him to the same fate he had designed for her.

Colleen', i.e. "girl;" Colleen bawn ("the blond girl"); Colleen rhue ("the red-haired girl"), etc.

therefore.jpg Dion Boucicault has a drama entitled The Colleen Bawn, founded upon Gerald Griffin's novel The Collegians.

Collier (Jem), a smuggler.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.)

Collingwood and the Acorns. Collingwood never saw a vacant place in his estate, but he took an acorn out of his pocket and popped it in.—Thackeray, Vanity Fair (1848).

Colmal, daughter of Dunthalmo, Lord of Teutha (the Tweed). Her father, having murdered Rathmor in his halls, brought up the two young sons of the latter, Calthon and Colmar, in his own house; but when grown to manhood he thought he detected a suspicious look about them, and he shut them up in two separate caves on the banks of the Tweed, intending to kill them. Colmal, who was in love with Calthon, set him free, and the two made good their escape to the court of Fingal. Fingal sent Ossian with 300 men to liberate Colmar; but when Dunthalmo heard thereof, he murdered the prisoner. Calthon, being taken captive, was bound to an oak, but was liberated by Ossian, and joined in marriage to Colmal, with whom he lived lovingly in the halls of Teutha.—Ossian, Calthon and Colmal.

Colmar, brother of Calthon. When quite young their father was murdered by Dunthalmo, who came against him by night, and killed him in his banquet hall; but moved by pity, he brought up the two boys in his own house. When grown to manhood, he thought he observed mischief in their looks, and therefore shut them up in two separate cells on the banks of the Tweed. Colmal the daughter of Dunthalmo, who was in love with Calthon, liberated him from his bonds, and they fled to Fingal to crave aid on behalf of Colmar; but before succor could arrive, Dunthalmo had Colmar brought before him, "bound with a thousand thongs," and slew him with his spear.—Ossian, Calthon and Colmal.

Colna-Dona ("love of heroes"), daughter of King Car'ul. Fingal sent Ossian and Toscar to raise a memorial on the banks of the Crona, to perpetuate the memory of a victory he had obtained there. Carul invited the two young men to his hall, and Toscar fell in love with Colna-Dona. The passion being mutual, the father consented to their espousals.—Ossian, Colna-Dona.

Cologne (The three kings of), the three Magi, called Gaspar, Melchior, and Baltha'zar. Gaspar means "the white one." Melchior, "king of light;" Balthazar, "lord of treasures." Klop-stock, in The Messiah, says there were six Magi, whom he calls Hadad, Sel'ima, Zimri, Mirja, Beled, and Sunith.

therefore.jpg The "three" Magi are variously named; thus one tradition gives them as Apellius, Amerus, and Damascus; another calls them Magalath, Galgalath, and Sarasin; a third says they were Ator, Sator, and Perat'oras. They are furthermore said to be descendants of Balaam the Mesopotamian prophet.

Colon, one of the rabble leaders in Hudibras, is meant for Noel Perryan or Ned Perry, an ostler. He was a rigid puritan "of low morals," and very fond of bear-baiting.

Colonna (The Marquis of), a high-minded, incorruptible noble of Naples. He tells the young king bluntly that his oily courtiers are vipers who would suck his life's blood, and that Ludovico, his chief minister and favorite, is a traitor. Of course he is not believed, and Ludovico marks him out for vengeance. His scheme is to get Colonna, of his own free will, to murder his sister's lover and the king. With this view he artfully persuades Vicentio, the lover, that Evadnê (the sister of Colonna) is the king's wanton. Vicentio indignantly discards Evadnê, is challanged to fight by Colonna, and is supposed to be killed. Colonna, to revenge his wrongs on the king, invites him to a banquet with intent to murder him, when the whole scheme of villainy is exposed: Ludovico is slain, and Vicentio marries Evadnê.—Shiel, Evadne, or the Statue (1820).

Colossos (Latin, colossus), a gigantic brazen statue 126 feet high, executed by Charles for the Rhodians. Blaise de Vignenère says it was a striding figure, but Comte de Caylus proves that it was not so, and did not even stand at the mouth of the Rhodian port. Philo tells us that it stood on a block of white marble, and Lucius Ampellius asserts that it stood in a car. Tiekell makes out the statue to be so enormous in size, that—

While at one foot the thronging galleys ride,

A whole hour's sail scarce reached the further side;

Betwixt the brazen thighs in loose array,

Ten thousand streamers on the billows play,

Tickell, On the Prospect of Peace.

Colossus. Negro servant in G.W. Cable's "Posson Jone." He vainly tries to dissuade his master from drinking, and, in the end, restores to him the money lost during the drunken bout.

"In thundering tones" the parson was confessing

himself a "plum fool from whom the conceit

had been jolted out, and who had been made

to see that even his nigger had the longest

head of the two."

Col'thred (Benjamin) or "Little Benjie," a spy employed by Nixon (Edward Redgauntlet's agent).—Sir. W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.)

Columb (St.) or St. Columba, was of the family of the kings of Ulster; and with twelve followers founded amongst the Picts and Scots 300 Christian establishments of presbyterian character; that in Iona was founded 563.

The Pictish men by St. Columb taught.

Campbell, Rewllura.

Columbus (Christopher), Genoese navigator who was fitted out by Ferdinand and Isabella for a voyage of discovery resulting in the sight of the New World (1492). His ships were the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina, all small.—Washington Irving, Life of Columbus.

Colyn Clout (The Boke of), a rhyming six-syllable tirade against the clergy, by John Skelton, poet-laureate (1460-1529).

Comal and Galbi'na. Comal was the son of Albion, "chief of a hundred hills." He loved Galbi'na (daughter of Conlech), who was beloved by Grumal also. One day; tired out by the chase, Comal and Galbina rested in the cave of Roman; but ere long a deer appeared, and Comal went forth to shoot it. During his absence, Galbina dressed herself in armor "to try his love," and "strode from the cave." Comal thought it was Grumal, let fly an arrow, and she fell. The chief too late discovered his mistake, rushed to battle, and was slain.—Ossian, Fingal, ii.

Com'ala, daughter of Sarno, king of Inistore (the Orkneys). She fell in love with Fingal at a feast to which Sarno had invited him after his return from Denmark or Lochlin (Fingal, iii.). Disguised as a youth, Comala followed him, and begged to be employed in his wars; but was detected by Hidallan, son of Lamor, whose love she had slighted. Fingal was about to marry her when he was called to oppose Caracul, who had invaded Caledonia. Comala witnessed the battle from a hill, thought she saw Fingal slain, and though he returned victorious, the shock on her nerves was so great that she died.—Ossian, Comala.

Coman'ches (3 syl.), an Indian tribe of the Texas. (See CAMANCHES.)

Comb (Reynard's Wonderful), said to be made of Pan'thera's bone, the perfume of which was so fragrant that no one could resist following it; and the wearer of the comb was always of a merry heart. This comb existed only in the brain of Master Fox.—Reynard the Fox, xii. (1498).

Co'me (St.), (see Cosme,) a physician, and patron saint of medical practitioners.

"By St. Come!" said the surgeon, "here's a pretty adventure."—Lesage, (Gil Blas, vii. 1 1735).

Come and Take Them. The reply of Leon'idas, king of Sparta, to the messengers of Xerxes, when commanded by the invader to deliver up his arms.

Com'edy (The Father of), Aristoph'anês the Athenian (B.C. 444-380).

Comedy (Prince of Ancient), Aristoph'anês (B.C. 444-380).

Comedy (Prince of New), Menander (B.C. 342-291).

Comedy of Errors, by Shakespeare (1593), Aemilia, wife of Ægeon, had two sons at a birth, and named both of them Antipholus. When grown to manhood, each of these sons had a slave named Dromio, also twin-brothers. The brothers Antipholus had been shipwrecked in infancy, and being picked up by different vessels, were carried one to Syracuse and the other to Ephesus. The play supposes that Antipholus of Syracuse goes in search of his brother, and coming to Ephesus with his slave, Dromio, a series of mistakes arises from the extraordinary likeness of the two brothers and their two slaves. Adriana, the wife of the Ephesian, mistakes the Syracusan for her husband; but he behaves so strangely that her jealousy is aroused, and when her true husband arrives he is arrested as a mad man. Soon after, the Syracusan brother being seen, the wife, supposing it to be her mad husband broken loose, sends to capture him; but he flees into a convent. Adriana now lays her complaint before the duke, and the lady abbess comes into court. So both brothers face each other, the mistakes are explained, and the abbess turns out to be Aemilia, the mother of the twin brothers. Now, it so happened that Ægeon, searching for his son, also came to Ephesus, and was condemned to pay a fine or suffer death, because he, a Syracusan, had set foot in Ephesus. The duke, however, hearing the story, pardoned him. Thus Ægeon found his wife in the abbess, the parents their twin sons, and each son his long-lost brother.

therefore.jpgThe plot of this comedy is copied from the Menaechmí of Plautus.

Comhal or Combal, son of Trathal, and father of Fingal. His queen was Morna, daughter of Thaddu. Comhal was slain in battle, fighting against the tribe of Morni, the very day that Fingal was born.—Ossian.

Fingal said to Aldo, "I was born in the battle."

Ossian, The Battle of Lora.

Comines [Cum'.in]. Philip des Comines, the favorite minister of Charles, "the Bold," Duke of Burgundy, is introduced by Sir W. Scott, in Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Commander of the Faithful (Emir al Mumenin), a title assumed by Omar I., and retained by his successors in the caliphate (581, 634-644).

Comminges (2 syl.) (Count de), the hero of a novel so-called by Mde. de Tencin (1681-1749).

Committee (The), a comedy by the Hon. Sir R. Howard. Mr. Day, a Cromwellite, is the head of a Committee of Sequestration, and is a dishonest, canting rascal, under the thumb of his wife. He gets into his hands the deeds of two heiresses, Anne and Arbella. The former he calls Ruth, and passes her off as his own daughter; the latter he wants to marry to his booby son Able. Ruth falls in love with Colonel Careless, and Arbella with colonel Blunt. Ruth contrives to get into her hands the deeds, which she delivers over to the two colonels, and when Mr. Day arrives, quiets him by reminding him that she knows of certain deeds which would prove his ruin if divulged (1670).

T. Knight reproduced this comedy as a farce under the title of The Honest Thieves.

Common (Dol), an ally of Subtle the alchemist.—Ben Jonson, The Alchemist (1610).

Commoner (The Great), Sir John Barnard, who in 1737 proposed to reduce the interest of the national debt from 4 per cent. to 3 per cent., any creditor being at liberty to receive his principal in full if he preferred it. William Pitt, the statesman, is so called also (1759-1806).

Comne'nus (Alexius), emperor of Greece, introduced by Sir. W. Scott in Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Anna Comne'na the historian, daughter of Alexius Comnenus, emperor of Greece.—Same novel.

Compeyson, a would-be gentleman and a forger. He duped Abel Magwitch and ruined him, keeping him completely under his influence. He also jilted Miss Havisham.—C. Dickens, Great Expectations (1860).

Com'rade (2 syl.), the horse given by a fairy to Fortunio.

He has many rare qualities ... first he eats

but once in eight days; and then he knows

what's past, present, and to come [and speaks

with the voice of a man].—Comtesse DAunoy,

Fairy Tales
("Fortunio." 1682).

Comus, the god of revelry. In Milton's "masque" so called, the "lady" is lady Alice Egerton, the younger brother is Mr. Thomas Egerton, and the elder brother is Lord Viscount Brackley (eldest son of John, earl of Bridgewater, president of Wales). The lady, weary with long walking, is left in a wood by her two brothers, while they go to gather "cooling fruit" for her. She sings to let them know her whereabouts, and Comus, coming up, promises to conduct her to a cottage till her brothers could be found. The brothers, hearing a noise of revelry, become alarmed about their sister, when her guardian spirit informs them that she has fallen into the hands of Comus. They run to her rescue, and arrive just as the god is offering his captive a potion; the brothers seize the cup and dash it on the ground, while the spirit invokes Sabri'na, who breaks the spell and releases the lady (1634).

Conach'ar, the Highland apprentice of Simon Glover, the old glover of Perth. Conachar is in love with his master's daughter, Catharine, called "the fair maid of Perth;" but Catharine loves and ultimately marries Henry Smith, the armorer. Conachar is at a later period Ian Eachin [Hector] M'Ian, chief of the clan Quhele.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Conar, son of Trenmor, and first "king of Ireland." When the Fir-bolg (or belgae from Britain settled in the south of Ireland) had reduced the Cael (or colony of Caledonians settled in the north of Ireland) to the last extremity by war, the Cael sent to Scotland for aid. Trathel (grandfather of Fingal) accordingly sent over Conar with an army to their aid; and Conar, having reduced the Fir-bolg to submission, assumed the title of "king of Ireland." Conar was succeeded by his son Cormac I.; Cormac I. by his son Cairbre; Cairbre by his son Artho; Artho by his son Cormac II. (a minor); and Cormac (after a slight interregnum) by Ferad-Artho (restored by Fingal).—Ossian.

Concord Hymn, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and beginning:

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world."

was sung on the Anniversary of the Battle of Concord, April 19, 1836.

Conkey Chickweed, the man who robbed himself of 327 guineas, in order to make his fortune by exciting the sympathy of his neighbors and others. The tale is told by detective Blathers.—C. Dickens, Oliver Twist (1837).

Con'lath, youngest son of Morni, and brother of the famous Gaul (a man's name). Coiilath was betrothed to Cutho'na, daughter of Ruma, but before the espousals Toscar came from Ireland to Mora, and was hospitably received by Morni. Seeing Cuthona out hunting, Toscar carried her off in his skiff by force, and being overtaken by Conlath they both fell in fight. Three days afterwards Cuthona died of grief.—Ossian, Conlath and Cuthona.

Connal, son of Colgar, petty king of Togorma, and intimate friend of Cuthullin, general of the Irish tribes. He is a kind of Ulysses, who counsels and comforts Cuthullin in his distress, and is the very opposite of the rash, presumptuous, though generous Calmar.—Ossian, Fingal.

Con'nel (Father), an aged Catholic priest full of gentle affectionate feelings. He is the patron of a poor vagrant boy called Neddy Fennel, whose adventures furnished the incidents of Banim's novel called Father Connell (1842).

Father Connell
is not unworthy of association

with the Protestant
Vicar of Wakefield
.—R.

Chambers,
English Literature
, ii. 612.

Coningsby, a novel by B. Disraeli. The characters are meant for portraits; thus: "Croker" represents Rigby; "Menmouth," Lord Hertford; "Eskdale," Lowther; "Ormsby," Irving; "Lucretia," Mde. Zichy; "Countess Colonna," Lady Strachan; "Sidonia," Baron A. de Rothschild; "Henry Sidney," Lord John Manners; "Belvoir," Duke of Rutland, second son of Beaumanoir. The hero is of noble birth, he loves Edith Millbank, the daughter of a wealthy manufacturer, is returned for Parliament and marries Edith.

Conqueror (The). Alexander the Great, The Conqueror of the World (B.C. 356, 336-323), Alfonso of Portugal (1094, 1137-1185). Aurungzebe the Great, called Alemgir (1618, 1659-4707), James of Aragon (1206, 1213-1276). Othman or Osman I., founder of the Turkish Empire (1259, 1299-1326). Francisco Pizarro, called Conquistador, because he conquered Peru (1475-1541). William, duke of Normandy, who obtained England by conquest (1027,1066-1137).

Con'rad (Lord), the corsair, afterwards called Lara. A proud, ascetic but successful pirate. Hearing that the Sultan, Seyd [Seed], was about to attack the pirates, he entered the palace in the disguise of a dervise, but being found out was seized and imprisoned. He was released by Gulnare (2 syl.), the sultan's favorite concubine, and fled with her to the Pirates' Isle, but finding Medo'ra dead, he left the island with Gulnare, returned to his native land, headed a rebellion, and was shot.—Lord Byron, The Corsair, continued in Lara (1814). Conrad Dryfoos, the son of a rich man, the backer and virtual proprietor of Every Other Week, in W. D. Howells's novel, A Hazard of New Fortunes.

"He's got a good head and he wanted to study

for the ministry when they were all living together

out on the farm ... You know they used

to think that any sort of stuff was good enough

to make a preacher out of; but they wanted the

good timber for business, and so the old man

wouldn't let him."

Foiled in this purpose, Conrad becomes a reformer and receives a mortal wound in the attempt to protect an old Socialist against the police, who are trying to quell a mob of strikers (1890).

Con'rade (2 syl.), a follower of Don John (bastard brother of Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon).—Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing (1600).

Conrade (2 syl.), Marquis of Montserrat, who, with the grand-master of the Templars, conspired against Richard Coeur de Lion. He was unhorsed in combat, and murdered in his tent by the Templar.—Sir W. Scott, The Talisman (time, Richard I.).

Constance, mother of Prince Arthur, and widow of Geoffrey Plantagenet.—Shakespeare, King John (1598).

Mrs. Bartley's "Lady Macbeth," "Constance,"

and "Queen Katherine" [
Henry VIII.
], were

powerful embodiments, and I question if they

have ever since been so finely portrayed (1785-1850).—J.

Adolphus,
Recollections
.

Constance, daughter of Sir William Fondlove, and courted by Wildrake, a country squire, fond of field sports. "Her beauty rich, richer her grace, her mind yet richer still, though richest all." She was "the mould express of woman, stature, feature, body, limb;" she danced well, sang well, harped well. Wildrake was her childhood's playmate, and became her husband.—S. Knowles, The Love Chase (1837).

Constance, daughter of Bertulphe, provost of Bruges, and bride of Bouchard, a knight of Flanders. She had "beauty to shame young love's most fervent dream, virtue to form a saint, with just enough of earth to keep her woman." By an absurd law of Charles "the Good," earl of Flanders, made in 1127, this young lady, brought up in the lap of luxury, was reduced to serfdom, because her grandfather was a serf; her aristocratic husband was also a serf because he married her (a serf). She went mad at the reverse of fortune, and died.—S. Knowles, The Provost of Bruges (1836).

Constance Varley. American girl traveling in the East with friends, and bearing with her everywhere the memory of a man she has loved for years in secret. She meets him at Damascus and after some days of pleasant companionship, he resolves to offer his hand to her. The words are upon his tongue, when an unfortunate misunderstanding divides them forever. A year later she marries another man who loves her sincerely without appreciating the finest part of her nature.

A woman quotes at sight of Constance's portrait:

"I discern

Infinite passion and the pain

Of finite hearts that yearn."


"There was a singular suggestion of sadness

about the grave sweet eyes, and on the small

close mouth."—Julia C. Fletcher,
Mirage

(1882).

Constans, a mythical king of Britain. He was the eldest of the three sons of Constantine, his two brothers being Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon. Constans was a monk, but at the death of his father he laid aside the cowl for the crown. Vortigern caused him to be assassinated, and usurped the crown. Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded Vortigern, and was himself succeeded by his younger brother, Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur. Hence it will appear that Constans was Arthur's uncle.

Constant (Ned), the former lover of Lady Brute, with whom she intrigued after her marriage with the surly knight.—Vanbrugh, The Provoked Wife (1697).

Constant (Sir Bashful), a younger brother of middle life, who tumbles into an estate and title by the death of his elder brother. He marries a woman of quality, but finding; it comme il faut not to let his love be known, treats her with indifference and politeness, and though he dotes on her, tries to make her believe he loves her not. He is very soft, carried away by the opinions of others, and is an example of the truth of what Dr. Young has said, "What is mere good nature but a fool?"

Lady Constant, wife of Sir Bashful, a woman of spirit, taste, sense, wit, and beauty. She loves her husband, and repels with scorn an attempt to shake her fidelity because he treats her with cold indifference.—A. Murphy, The Way to Keep Him (1760).

Constan'tia, sister of Petruccio, governor of Bologna, and mistress of the duke of Ferrara.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Chances (1620).

Constantia, a protégée of Lady McSycophant. An amiable girl, in love with Egerton McSycophant, by whom her love is amply returned.—C. Macklin, The Man of the World (1764).

Con'stantine (3 syl.), a king of Scotland, who (in 937) joined Anlaf (a Danish king) against Athelstan. The allied kings were defeated at Brunanburh, in Northumberland, and Constantine was made prisoner.

Our English Athelstan ...

Made all the Isle his own,

And Constantine, the king a prisoner hither brought.


Drayton,
Polyolbion
, xii. 3 (1613).

Constantinople (Little), Kertch was so called by the Genoese from its extent and its prosperity. Demosthenês calls it "the granary of Athens."

Consuelo (4 syl.), the impersonation of moral purity in the midst of temptations. Consuelo is the heroine of a novel so called by George Sand (i.e. Mde. Dudevant).

Contemporaneous Discoveries. Goethe and Vicq d'Azyrs discovered at the same time the intermaxillary bone. Goethe and Von Baer discovered at the same time Morphology. Goethe and Oken discovered at the same time the vertebral system. The Penny Cyclopaedia and Chambers's Journal were started nearly at the same time. The invention of printing is claimed by several contemporaries. The processes called Talbotype and Daguerreotype were nearly simultaneous discoveries. Leverrier and Adams discovered at the same time the planet Neptune.

therefore.jpgThis list may be extended to a very great length.

Contented Man (The). Subject of a poem by Rev. John Adams in 1745

No want contracts the largeness of his thoughts,

And nothing grieves him but his conscious faults,

He makes his GOD his everlasting tower

And in His firm munition stands secure.

Contest (Sir Adam). Having lost his first wife by shipwreck, he married again after the lapse of some twelve or fourteen years. His second wife was a girl of 18, to whom he held up his first wife as a pattern and the very paragon of women. On the wedding day this first wife made her appearance. She had been saved from the wreck; but Sir Adam wished her in heaven most sincerely.

Lady Contest, the bride of Sir Adam, "young, extremely lively, and prodigiously beautiful." She had been brought up in the country, and treated as a child, so her naïveté was quite captivating. When she quitted the bride-groom's house, she said, "Good-by, Sir Adam, good-by. I did love you a little, upon my word, and should be really unhappy if I did not know that your happiness will be infinitely greater with your first wife."

Mr. Contest, the grown-up son of Sir Adam, by his first wife.—Mrs. Inchbald, The Wedding Day (1790).

Continence.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT having gained the battle of Issus (B.C. 333), the family of King Darius fell into his hands; but he treated the ladies as queens, and observed the greatest decorum towards them. A eunuch, having escaped, told Darius that his wife remained unspotted, for Alexander had shown himself the most continent and generous of men.—Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander, iv. 20.

SCIPIO AFRICANUS, after the conquest of Spain, refused to touch a beautiful princess who had fallen into his hands, "lest he should be tempted to forget his principles." It is, moreover, said that he sent her back to her parents with presents, that she might marry the man to whom she was betrothed. A silver shield, on which this incident was depicted, was found in the river Rhone by some fishermen in the seventeenth century.

E'en Scipio, or a victor yet more cold,

Might have forgot his virtue at her sight.


N. Rowe,
Tamerlane
, iii. 3 (1702.)

ANSON, when he took the Senhora Theresa de Jesus, refused even to see the three Spanish ladies who formed part of the prize, because he was resolved to prevent private scandal. The three ladies consisted of a mother and her two daughters, the younger of whom was "of surpassing beauty."

Conven'tual Friars are those who live in convents, contrary to the rule of St. Francis, who enjoined absolute poverty, without land, books, chapel, or house. Those who conform to the rule of the founder are called "Observant Friars."

Conversation Sharp, Richard Sharp, the critic (1759-1835.)

Cook who Killed Himself (The). Vatel killed himself in 1671, because the lobster for his turbot sauce did not arrive in time to be served up at the banquet at Chantilly, given by the Prince de Condé to the king.

Cooks of Modern Times. Carême, called "The Regenerator of Cookery" (1784-1833). Charles Elmé Francatelli, cook at Crockford's, then in the Royal Household, and lastly at the Reform Club (1805-1876). Ude, Gouffé, and Alexis Soyer, the last of whom died in 1858.

Cookery (Regenerator of), Carême (1784-1833.)

(Ude, Gouffé, and Soyer were also regenerators of this art).

Cooper (Anthony Ashly,) earl of Shaftesbury, introduced by Sir W. Scott in Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.)

Cophet'ua or Copet'hua, a mythical king of Africa, of great wealth, who fell in love with a beggar-girl, and married her. Her name was Penel'ophon, but Shakespeare writes it Zenel'ophon in Love's Labour's Lost, act iv. sc. 1. Tennyson has versified the tale in The Beggar-Maid.—Percy, Reliques, I. ii. 6.

Copley (Sir Thomas), in attendance on the earl of Leicester at Woodstock.—Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).

Copper Captain (A), Michael Perez, a captain without money, but with a plentiful stock of pretence, who seeks to make a market of his person and commission by marrying an heiress. He is caught in his own trap, for he marries Estifania, a woman of intrigue, fancying her to be the heiress Margaritta. The captain gives the lady "pearls," but they are only whitings' eyes. His wife says to him: