Chapter Dryden of Germany to Duessa of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Du Croisy and his friend La Grange are desirous to marry two young ladies whose heads are turned by novels. The silly girls fancy the manners of these gentlemen too unaffected and easy to be aristocratic; so the gentlemen send to them their valets, as “the viscount de Jodelet,” and “the marquis of Mascarille.” The girls are delighted with their titled visitors; but when the game has gone far enough, the masters enter and unmask the trick. By this means the girls are taught a useful lesson, without being subjected to any fatal consequences.—Molière: Les Précieuses Ridicules (1659).

Dudley, a young artist; a disguise assumed by Harry Bertram.—Sir W. Scott: Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Dudley (Captain), a poor English officer, of strict honour, good family, and many accomplishments. He has served his country for thirty years, but can carcely provide bread for his family.

Charles Dudley, son of captain Dudley, High-minded, virtuous, generous, pcor, and proud. He falls in love with his cousin Charlotte Rusport, but forbears proposing to her, because he is poor and she is rich. His grandfather’s will is in time brought to light, by which he becomes the heir of a noble fortune, and he then marries his cousin.

Louisa Dudley, daughter of captain Dudley. Young, fair, tall, fresh, and lovely. She is courted by Belcour the rich West Indian, to whom ultimately she is married.—Cumberland: The West Indian (1771).

Dudley Diamond (The). In 1868 a black shepherd named Swartzboy brought to his master, Nie Kirk, this diamond, and received for it £400, with which he drank himself to death. Nie Kirk sold it for £12,000; and the earl of Dudley gave Messrs. Hunt and Roskell £30,000 for it. It weighed in the rough 88½ carats, but cut into a heart shape it weighs 44½ carats. It is triangular in shape, and of great brilliancy.

This magnificent diamond, that called the “Stewart” (q.v.), and the “Twin,” have all been discovered in Africa since 1868.

Dudu, one of the three beauties of the harem, into which Juan, by the sultana’s order, had been admitted in female attire. Next day, the sultana, out of jealousy, ordered that both Dudù and Juan should be stitched in a sack and cast into the sea; but, by the connivance of Baba, the chief eunuch, they effected their escape.—Byron: Don Juan.

A kind of sleeping Venus seemed Dudù…
But she was pensive more than melancholy…
The strangest thing was, beauteous, she was holy,
Unconscious, albeit turned of quick seventeen.
Don Juan: canto vi. 42–44 (1824).

Duenna (The), a comic opera by Sheridan (1773). Margaret, the duenna, is placed in charge of Louisa, the daughter of don Jerome. Louisa is in love with don Antonio, a poor nobleman of Seville; but her father resolves to give her in marriage to Isaac Mendoza, a rich Portuguese Jew. As Louisa will not consent to her father’s arrangement, he locks her up in her chamber and turns the duenna out of doors; but in his impetuous rage he in reality turns his daughter out, and locks up the duenna. Isaac arrives, is introduced to the lady, elopes with her, and is duly married. Louisa flees to the convent of St. Catharine, and writes to her father for his consent to her marriage to the man of her choice; and don Jerome, supposing she means the Jew, gives it freely, and she marries Antonio. When they meet at breakfast at the old man’s house, he finds that Isaac has married the duenna, Louisa has married Antonio, and his son has married Clara; but the old man is reconciled, and says, “I am an obstinate old fellow, when I’m in the wrong, but you shall all find me steady in the right.”

Duessa [false faith] is the personification of the papacy. She meets the Red Cross Knight in the society of Sansfoy [infidelity], and when the knight slays Sansfoy, she turns to flight. Being overtaken, she says her name is Fidessa (true faith), deceives the knight, and conducts him to the palace of Lucifera, where he encounters Sansjoy (canto 2). Duessa dresses the wound