Chapter DEVIL to Dhu'l Karnein of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

DEVIL to Dhu'l Karnein

DEVIL (The), Olivier Ledain, the tool of Louis XI., and once the king’s barber. He was called Le Diable because he was as much feared as the prince of evil, was as fond of making mischief, and was far more disliked. Olivier was executed in 1484.

Devil (The). The noted public-house so called was No. 2, Fleet Street. In 1788 it was purchased by the bank firm and formed part of “Child’s Place.” The original “Apollo” (of the Apollo Club, held here under the presidency of Ben Jonson) is still preserved in Child’s bank.

N. B.—When the lawyers in the neighbourhood went to dinner, they hung a notice on their doors, “Gone to the Devil,” that those who wanted them might know where to find them.

Dined to-day with Dr. Garth and Mr. Addison at the Devil tavern, near Temple Bar, and Garth treated.—Swift: Letter to Stella.

The Chief of the Devils in Dr. Faust, part i., are these nine: Lucifer, Beelzebub, Astaroth, Zathanas, Anubis, Dithgranus, Drachus, Belial, and Ketele.

According to Dantê, they are Scarmiglione (or hair-tugger), Alichino (the deceiver), Calcobrina (grace- scoffer), Caynazzo (the evil one), Barbarccia (choleric), Libicocco (unbridled desire), Dragnignazzo (dragon’s venom), Ciriato Sannuto (boar-armed), Grafficane (scratch-dog), Farfarello (prater), and Rubicante (furious).

Milton call s them Satan, Moloch, Belial, Mammon, Peor or Chemos, Baalim, Astoreth or Astarte, Thammuz, Dagon, Rimmon, Osiris, Iris, and Orus.—Paradise Lost, bk. i. 376–490.

The French Devil, Jean Bart, an intrepid French sailor, born at Dunkirk (1650–1702).

The White Devil. George Castriot, surnamed “Scanderbeg,” was called by the Turks “The White Devil of Wallachia” (1404–1467).

Devil (The Printer’s). Aldus Manutius, a printer in Venice to the holy Church and the doge, employed a negro boy to help him in his office. This little black boy was believed to be an imp of Satan, and went by the name of the “printer’s devil.” In order to protect him from persecution, and confute a foolish superstition, Manutius made a public exhibition of the boy; and announced that “any one who doubted him to be flesh and blood might come forward and pinch him.”

Devil (Robert the), of Normandy; so called because his father was said to have been an incubus or fiend in the disguise of a knight (1028–1035).

Robert François Damiens is also called Robert le Diable, for his attempt to assassinate Louis XV. (1714–1757).

Devil (Son of the), Ezzelino, chief of the Gibelins, governor of Vicenza. He was so called for his infamous cruelties (1215–1239).

Devil Dick, Richard Porson, the critic (1739–1808).

Devil Outwitted (The). (See Patrick and the Serpent.)

Devil upon Two Sticks (The), by W. Coombe (1790). An English version of Le Diable Boiteux, by Lesage (1707). The plot of this humorous satirical tale is borrowed from the Spanish El Diabolo Cojuelo by Guevara (1635). Asmodeus (le diable boiteux) perches don Cleofas on the steeple of St. Salvador, and, stretching out his hand, the roofs of all the houses open, and expose to him what is being done privately in every dwelling.

Devil on Two Sticks (The), a farce by S. Foote; a satire on the medical profession.