Chapter Donnerhugel to D'Ormeo of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Donnerhugel to D'Ormeo

Donnerhugel (Rudolph), one of the Swiss deputies to Charles “the Bold,” duke of Burgundy. He was cousin of the sons of Arnold Biederman the landamman of Unterwalden (alias count Arnold of Geierstein).

Theodore Donnerhugel, uncle of Rudolph. He was page to the former baron of Arnheim [Arn.hime].—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

Donnithorne (Arthur), in love with Hetty Sorrel. In George Eliot’s novel of Adam Bede (1859).

Donovan, lord Rosebery’s celebrated horse, was named from “Donovan,” the hero of Edna Lyall’s novel so called.

Dony, Florimel’s dwarf.—Spenser: Faërie Queene, iii. 5 and iv. 2 (1590, 1596).

Donzel del Febo (El), the Knight of the Sun, a Spanish romance in The Mirror of Knighthood. He was “most excellently fair,” and a “great wanderer;” hence he is alluded to as “that wandering knight so fair.”

Doolin of Mayence , the hero and title of an old French romance of chivalry. He was ancestor of Ogier the Dane. His sword was called Marveilleuse (“wonderful”).

Doomsday Sedgwick, William Sedgwick, a fanatical “prophet” during the Commonwealth. He pretended that the time of doomsday had been revealed to him in a vision. And, going into the garden of sir Francis Russell, he denounced a party of gentlemen playing at bowls; and bade them prepare for the day of doom, which was at hand.

Doorm, an earl who tried to make Enid his handmaid; and “smote her on the cheek” because she would not welcome him. Whereupon her husband, count Geraint, started up and slew the “russet-bearded earl.”—Tennyson: Idylls of the King (“Enid”).

Door-Opener (The), Cratês, the Theban; so called because he used to go round Athens early of a morning, and rebuke the people for their late rising.

Dora [Spenlow], a pretty, warm-hearted little doll of a woman, with no practical views of the duties of life or the value of money. She was the “child-wife” of David Copperfield; and loved to sit by him and hold his pens while he wrote. She died, and David then married Agnes Wickfield. Dora’s great pet was a dog called “Jip,” which died at the same time as its mistress.—Dickens: David Copperfield (1849).

(One of the Idylls of lord Tennyson, published in 1842, is called “Dora.”)

Dorado (El), a land of exhaustless wea lth; a g olden illusion. Orellana, lieutenant of Pizarro, asserted that he had discovered a “gold count ry” between the Orinoco and the Amazon, in South America. Sir Walter Raleigh twice visited Guiana as the spot indicated, and published highly coloured accounts of its enormous wealth. (See El Dorado, p. 318.)

Doralice , a lady beloved by Rodomont, but who married Mandricardo—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Doralis, the lady-love of Rodomont king of Sarza and Algiers. She eloped with Mandricardo king of Tartary.—Bojardo: Orlando Innamorato (1495); and Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Dorante , a name introduced into three of Molière’s comedies. In Les Fâcheux he is a courtier devoted to the chase (1661). In La Critique l’école des Femmes he is a chevalier (1662). In Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme he is a count in love with the marchioness Dorimène (1670).

Dorastus and Faunia, the hero and heroine of a popular romance by Robert Greene, published in 1588, under the title of Pandosto and the Triumph of Time. On this “history” Shakespeare founded his Winter’s Tale.