Chapter DEMETRIUS to Derry-Down Triangle of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

The high-born Demosthenes electrified large assemblies by his indignant invectives against the Spanish Philip (1560).—Motley: The Dutch Republic, part iii. 2.

Demosthenes of the Pulpit. Dr. T. Rennell, dean of Westminster, was so called by William Pitt (1753–1840).

Dendin (Peter), an old man, who had settled more disputes than all the magistrates of Poitiers, though he was no judge. His plan was to wait till the litigants were thoroughly sick of their contention, and longed to end their disputes; then would he interpose, and his judgment could not fail to be acceptable.

Tenot Dendin, son of the above, but, unlike his father, he always tried to crush quarrels in the bud; consequently, he never succeeded in settling a single dispute submitted to his judgment.—Rabelais: Pantagruel, iii. 41 (1545).

(Racine has introduced the same name in his comedy called Les Plaideurs (1669), and Lafontaine in his Fables, 1668.)

Dennet (Father), an old peasant at the Lists of St. George.—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Dennis the hangman, one of the ringleaders of the “No Popery riots;” the other two were Hugh servant of the Maypole inn, and the half-witted Barnaby Rudge. Dennis was cheerful enough when he “turned off” others; but when he himself ascended the gibbet he showed a most grovelling and craven spirit.—Dickens: Barnaby Rudge (1841).

Dennis (John), “the best abused man in English literature.” Swift lampooned him; Pope assailed him in the Essay on Criticism; and finally, he was “damned to everlasting fame” in the Dunciad. He is called “Zoïlus” (1657–1735).

Dennison (Jenny), attendant on Miss Edith Bellenden. She marries Cuddie Headrigg.—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Dent de Lait (Une), a prejudice. After M. Béralde has been running down Dr. Purgon as a humbug, Argan replies, “C’est que vous avez, mon frère, une dent de lait contre lui.”—Molière: Le Malade Imaginaire, iii. 3 (1673).

D’Éon de Beaumont (Le chevalier), a person notorious for the ambiguity of his sex; said to be the son of an advocate. His face was pretty, without beard, moustache, or whiskers. Louis XV. sent him as a woman to Russia on a secret mission, and he presented himself to the czarina as a woman (1756). In the Seven Years’ War he was appointed captain of dragoons. In 1777 he assumed the dress of a woman again, which he maintained till death (1728–1810).

Derbend (The Iron Gates of), called the “Albanicæ Portæ,” or the “Caspian’s Gate.” Iron gates, which closed the defile of Derbend. There is still debris of a great wall, which once ran from the Black Sea to the Caspian. It is said that Alexander founded Derbend on the west coast of the Caspian, and that Khosru the Great fortified it. Haroun-al-Raschid often resided there. Its ancient name was Albana, and hence the province Schirvan was called Albania.

N.B.—The gates called Albaniœ Pylœ were not the “Caspian’s Gate,” but “Trajan’s Gate” or “Kopula Derbend.”

Derby (Earl of), third son of the earl of Lancaster, and near kinsman of Edward III. His name was Henry Plantagenet, and he died 1362. Henry Plantagenet, earl of Derby, was sent to protect Guienne, and was noted for his humanity no less than for his bravery. He defeated the comte de I’Isle at Bergerac, reduced Perigord, took the castle of Auberoche, in Gascony, overthrew 10,000 French with only 1000,