Chapter Evangelist to Ew-bughts of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Evangelist to Ew-bughts

Evangelist, the personification of an effectual preacher in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (1678).

Evans (Sir Hugh), a pedantic Welsh parson and schoolmaster of extraordinary simplicity and native shrewdness.—Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor (1601).

The reader may cry out with honest sir Hugh Evans, “I like not when a ’ooman has a great peard.”—Macaulay.

Henderson says, “I have seen John Edwin, in ‘sir Hugh Evans,’ when preparing for the duel, keep the house in an ecstasy of merriment for many minutes together without speaking a word” (1750–1790).

Evans (William), the giant porter of Charles I. He carried sir Geoffrey Hudson about in his pocket. Evans was eight feet in height, and Hudson only eighteen inches. Fuller mentions this giant amongst his Worthies.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Evans (Marian), the maiden name of Mrs. J. W. Cross, who assumed the name of George Eliot, and was the writer of numerous novels (1820–1880).

Evanthe, sister of Sorano, the wicked instrument of Frederick duke of Naples, and the chaste wife of Valerio. The duke tried to seduce her, but failing in this scandalous attempt, he offered to give her to any one “for a month,” at the end of which time the libertine was to suffer death. No one would accept the offer, and ultimately Evanthê was restored to her husband.—Fletcher: A Wife for a Month (1624).

E.V.B., the Hon. Mrs. Boyle, an amateur artist of the nineteenth century.

Eve or Havah, the “mother of all living” (Gen. iii. 20). Before the expulsion from paradise her name was Ishah, because she was taken out of ish, i.e. “man” (Gen. ii. 23).

Eve was of such gigantic stature that when she laid her head on one hill near Mecca, her knees rested on two other hills in the plain, about two gun-shots asunder. Adam was as tall as a palm tree.—Moncony: Voyage, i. 372, etc.

Evelina , the heroine of a novel so called by Miss Burney (afterwards Mde. D’Arblay). Evelina marries lord Orville (1778). It gives a picture of the manners of the time.

Evelyn (Alfred), the secretary and relative of sir John Vesey. He made sir John’s sp eeches, wrote his pamphlets, got together his facts, mended his pens, and received no salary. Evely n loved Clara Douglas, a dependent of lady Franklins, but she was poor also, and declined to marry him. Scarcely had she refused him, when he was left an immense fortune and proposed to Georgina Vesey. What little heart Georgina had was given to sir Frederick Blount, but the great fortune of Evelyn made her waver; however, being told that Evelyn’s property was insecure, she married Frederick, and left Evelyn free to marry Clara.—Lord Lytton: Money (1840).

Evelyn (Sir George), a man of fortune, family, and character, in love with Dorrillon, whom he marries.—Mrs. Inchbald: Wives as they Were and Maids as they Are (1795).

Even Numbers are reckoned unlucky; but “there’s luck in odd numbers.”

The … crow … cried twice; this even, sir, is no good number.—S.S.: The Honest Lawyer (1616).

Among the Chinese, heaven is odd, and earth even. The numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, belong to yang or heaven; but 2, 4, 6, 8, ro, belong to yin or earth.—Edkins.

Shakespeare says “there is divinity in odd numbers” (Merry Wives of Windsor, act v. sc. 1, 1596). “There’s luck in odd numbers” is a common proverb.