Chapter BEAR to Beauty of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Beatrice d’Este, canonized at Rome.

Beatrice Portinari, a child eight years old, to whom Dantê at the age of nine was ardentl y attached. She was the daughter of Folco Portinari, a rich citizen of Florence. Beatrice married Simoni de Bardi, and died before she was 24 years old (1266–1290). Dantê married Gemma Donati, and his marriage was a most unhappy one. His love for Beatrice remained after her decease. She was the fountain of his poetic inspiration, and in his Divina Commedia he makes her his guide through paradise.

Dantê’s Beatrice and Milton’s Eve
Were not drawn from their spouses you conceive.
   —Byron: Don Juan, iii. 10 (1820).

(Milton, whose first wife was Mary Powell, of Oxfordshire, was as unfortunate in his choice as Dantê.)

Beau Brummel, George Bryar. Brummel (1778–1840).

Beau Clark, a billiard-marker at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was called “The Beau,” assumed the name of Beauclerc, and paid his addresses to a protegée of lord Fife.

Beau Clincher, in Farquhar’s comedy called The Constant Couple (1700).

Beau Fielding, called “Handsome Fielding” by Charles II., by a play or his name, which was Hendrome Fielding. He died in Scotland Yard.

Beau Hewitt was the original of sit George Etherege’s “sir Fopling Flutter,” in the comedy called The Man of Mode, or Sir Fopling Flutter (1676).

Beau Nash, Richard Nash, called also “King of Bath;” a Welsh gentleman, who for many years managed the bathrooms of Bath, and conducted the balls with unparalleled splendour and decorum. In his old age he sank into poverty (1674–1761). Appointed master of the ceremonies in 1704.

Beau d’Orsay (Le), father of count dOrsay, whom Byron calls “Jeune Cupidon.”

Beau Seant, the Templars’ banner, half white and half black; the white signified that the Templars were good to Christians, the black that they were evil to infidels.

Beau Tibbs, in Goldsmith’s Citizen of the World, a dandy noted for his finery, vanity, and poverty (1760).

Beauclerk, Henry I. King of England (1068, 1100–1135).

Beaufort, the lover of Maria Wilding, whom he ultimately married.—A. Murphy: The Citizen (a farce, 1761).

Beaufort (Cardinal), bishop of Winchester, great-uncle to Henry VI. His death-raving is quite harrowing; and Warwick says—

So bad a death argues a monstrous life.
   —Shakespeare: 2 Henry VI. act iii. sc. 2.

Beaufort (Robert), in lord Lytton’s Night and Morning, a novel (1841).

Beaujeu (Mons. le chevalier de), keeper of a gambling-house to which Dalgarno took Nigel.—Sir W. Scott: Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Beaujeu (Mons. le comte de), a French officer in the army of the Chevalier Charles Edward, the Pretender.—Sir W. Scott: Waverley (time, George II.).

Beaumains [“big hands”], a nickname which sir Kay (Arthur ’s steward) gave to Gareth when he was kitchen drudge in the palace. “He had the largest hands that ever man saw.” Gareth was the son of