Chapter Bradbourne to Brandan of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Bradbourne to Brandan

Bradbourne (Mistress Lilias), waiting-woman of lady Avenel, at Avenel Castle.—Sir W. Scott: The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Bradwardine (Como Cosmyne), baron of Bradwardine and of Tully Veolan. He is very pedantic, but brave and gallant.

Rose Bradwardine, his daughter, the heroine of the novel, which concludes with her marriage with Waverley, and the restoration of the manor-house of Tully Veolan.

Malcolm Bradwardine of Inchgrabbit, a relation of the old baron.—Sir W. Scott: Waverley (time, George II.).

Brady (Martha), a young “Irish widow,” 23 years of age, and in love with William Whittle. She was the daughter of sir Patrick O’Neale. Old Thomas Whittle, the uncle, a man of 63, wanted to oust his nephew in her affections, for he thought her “so modest, so mild, so tender-hearted, so reserved, so domestic. Her voice was so sweet, with just a soupcon of the brogue to make it enchanting.” In order to break off this detestable passion of the old man, the widow assumed the airs and manners of a boisterous, loud, flaunting, extravagant, low Irish-woman, deeply in debt, and abandoned to pleasure. Old Whittle, thoroughly frightened, induced his nephew to take the widow off his hands, and gave him £5000 as a douceur for so doing.—Garrick: The Irish Widow (1757).

Braes of Yarrow (The), an old Scotch ballad. W. Hamilton wrote an imitation of it in 1760. Scott and Hogg have celebrated this stream and its legends; and Wordsworth wrote a poem called Yarrow Revisited, in 1835.

Brag (Jack), a vulgar boaster, who gets into good society, where his vulgarity stands out in strong relief.—Theodore Hook: Jack Brag (a novel).

Brag (Sir Jack), general John Burgoyne (died 1792). A ballad.

Braganza (The), the largest diamond in existence, its weight being 1680 carats. It is uncut, and its value is £58,350,000. It is now among the crown jewels of Portugal.

It is thought that this diamond, which is the size of a hen’s egg, is in reality a white topaz.

Braganza (Juan duke of). In 1580 Philip II. of Spain claimed the crown of Portugal, and governed it by a regent. In 1640 Margaret was regent, and Velasquez her chief minister, a man exceedingly obnoxious to the Portuguese. Don Juan and his wife Louisa of Braganza being very popular, a conspiracy was formed to shake off the Spanish yoke. Velasquez was torn to death by the populace, and don Juan of Braganza was proclaimed king.

Louisa duchess of Braganza. Her character is thus described—

Bright Louisa,
To all the softness of her tender sex,
Unites the noblest qualities of man:
A genius to embrace the amplest schemes…
Judgment most sound, persuasive eloquence…
Pure piety without religious dross,
And fortitude that shrinks at no disaster.
   —Jephson: Braganza, i. (1775).

Mrs. Bellamy took her leave of the stage May 24, 1785. On this occasion Mrs. Yates sustained the part of the “duchess of Braganza,” and Miss Farren spoke the address.—F. Reynolds

Bragela, daughter of Sorglan, and wife of Cuthullin (general of the Irish army, and regent during the minority of king Cormac).—Ossian: Fingal.

Braggadochio, personification of the intemperance of the tongue. For a time his boasting serves him with some profit, but being found out he is stripped of his borrowed plumes. His shield is claimed by