Chapter All Fools to Almansor of A by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Allegre , the faithful servant of Philip Chabot. When Chabot was accused of treason, Allegre was put to the rack to make him confess something to his master’s damage; but the brave fellow was true as steel, and it was afterwards shown that the accusation had no foundation but jealousy.—G. Chapman and J. Shirley: The Tragedy of Philip Chabot (1639).

Allegro (L’), one of two exquisite poems in seven-syllable verse, by Milton, The other is called Il Penseroso. L’Allegro or Mirth dwells on the innocent delights of the country, such as the lark, the barn-door cock, the hunting-horn, the ploughman, the mower, the milkmaid, and so on.

These delights if thou canst give,
Mirth, with thee I mean to live.
   —Milton.

Allelujah, wood-sorrel, so called by a corruption of its name, Juliola, whereby it is known in the south of Italy. Its official name is Luzula.

Allemayne , Germany, from the French Allemagne. Also written ALLEMAIN.

Thy faithful bosom swooned with pain,
O loveliest maiden of Allemayne.
   —Campbell: The Brave Roland.

Allen (Mr. Benjamin), a young surgeon in Dickens’s Pickwick Papers.

Allen (Ralph), the friend of Pope, and benefactor of Fielding.

Let humble Allen, with an awkward shame,
Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
   —Pope: Epilogue to the Satires, Dialogue i. 136.

Allen (Major), an officer in the duke of Monmouth’s army.—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Alley (The), i.e. the Stock Exchange Alley (London).

John Rive, after many active years in the Alley, retired to the Continent; and died at the age of 118.—Old and New London.

All-Fair, a princess, who was saved from the two lions (which guarded the Desert Fairy) by the Yellow Dwarf, on condition that she would become his wife. On her return home she hoped to evade this promise by marrying the brave king of the Gold Mines, but on the wedding day Yellow Dwarf carried her off on a Spanish cat, and confined her in Steel Castle. Here Gold Mine came to her rescue with a magic sword, but in his joy at finding her, he dropped his sword, and was stabbed to the heart with it by Yellow Dwarf. All-Fair, falling on the body of her lover, died of a broken heart. The syren changed the dead lovers into two palm trees.—Comtesse D’ Aulnoy, Fairy Tales (“The Yellow Dwarf,” 1682).

Allin-a-Dale or Allen-a-Dale, of Nottinghamshire, was to be married to a lady who returned his love, but her parents compelled her to forego young Allin for an old knight of wealth. Allin told his tale to Robin Hood, and the bold forester, in the disguise of a harper, went to the church where the wedding ceremony was to take place. When the wedding party stepped in, Robin Hood exclaimed, “This is no fit match; the bride shall be married only to the man of her choice.” Then sounding his horn, Allin-a-Dale with four and twenty bowmen entered the church. The bishop refused to marry the woman to Allin till the banns had been asked three times, whereupon Robin pulled off the bishop’s gown, and invested Little John in it, who asked the banns seven times, and performed the ceremony.—Robin Hood and Allin-a-Dale (a ballad).

Allnut (Noll), landlord of the Swan, Lambythe Ferry (1625).

Grace Allnut, his wife.

Oliver Allnut, the landlord’s son.—Sterling: John Felton (1852).