Chapter Bane of the Land to Bard of Avon of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Barbarossa, a tragedy by John Bro wn. This is not Freder ick Barbarossa, the emperor of Germany (1121–1190), but Horuc Barbarossa, the cors air (1475–1519. He wa s a regenade Greek, of Mitylenê, who made himself master of Algeria, which was for a time subject to Turkey. He killed the Moorish king; tried to cut off Selim the son, but without success; and wanted to marry Zaphira, the king’s widow, who rejected his suit with scorn, and was kept in confinement for seven years. Selim returned unexpectedly to Algiers, and a general rising took place; Barbarossa was slain by the insurgents; Zaphira was restored to the throne; and Selim her son married Irenê the daughter of Barbarossa (1742).

Barbary (St.), the patron saint of arsenals. When her father was about to strike off her head, she was killed by a flash of lightning.

Barbary (Roan), the favourite horse of Richard II.

Bolingbroke rode on roan Barbary,
That horse that thou so often hast bestrid!
   —Shakespeare: Richard II. act v. sc. 5 (1597).

Barbason, the name of a demon mentioned in The Merry Wives of Windsor, act ii. sc. 2 (1596).

I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me.
   —Shakespeare: Henry V. act ii. sc. 1 (1599).

Barcochebah, an antichrist.

Shared the fall of the antichrist Barcochebah.
   —Professor Selwin: Ecce Homo.

Bard (The), a Pindaric ode by Gray (1757), founded on a tradition that Edward I., having conquered Wales, ordered all its bards to be put to death. A bard is supposed to denounce the king, and predict the evil which would befall his race, which would be superseded by the Tudors, “the genuine kings” of Britain; when Wales will give us Elizabeth, “the glory” of the world; and a future dazzling to “his aching sight.”

Bard of Avon, Shakespeare, born and buried at Stratford-upon-Avon (1564–1616). Also called the Bard of all Times.

N.B.—Beaumont also died in 1616.

Bard of Ayrshire, Robert Burns, a native of Ayrshire (1759–1796).

Bard of Hope, Thomas Campbell, author of The Pleasures of Hope (1777–1844).

Bard of the Imagination, Mark Akenside, author of The Pleasures of the Imagination (1721–1770).

Bard of Memory, S. Rogers, author of The Pleasures of Memory (1762–1855).

Bard of Olney, W. Cowper [Coo-pr], who lived for many years at Olney, in Bucks. (1731–1800).

Bard of Prose, Boccaccio (1313–1375).

He of the hundred tales of love.
   —Byron: Childe Harold, iv. 56 (1818).

Bard of Rydal Mount, William Wordsworth, who lived at Rydal Mount; also called the Poet of the Excursion, from his principal poem (1770–1850).

Bard of Twickenham, Alexander Pope, who lived at Twickenham (1688–1744).