Chapter Constans to Copley of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Constans to Copley

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 he 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 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.—Murphy: The Way to Keep Him (1760).

Constant Couple (The), a comedy by Farquhar (1700).

Constantia, sister of Petruccio governor of Bologna, and mistress of the duke of Ferrara.—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.—Macklin; The Man of the World (1764).

Constantine , 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 isle his own…And Constantine, the king, a prisoner hither brought. Drayton: Polyolbion, xii. 3 (1634).

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

Consuelo , 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).

Consul Bibulus (A), a cipher in office, one joined with others in office but without the slightest influence. Bibulus was joint consul with Julius Cæsar, but so insignificant that the wits of Rome called it the consulship of Julius and Cæsar, not of Bibulus and Cæsar (B.C. 59).

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

(This list may be extended to a very great length.)

Contemporary Review (The), a monthly review started in 1866.

Contes de Fées, by Claude Perrault (1697). Fairy tales in French prose. They have been translated into English.