Chapter Gibson to Gilla Dacker and his Horse of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Gibson to Gilla Dacker and his Horse

Gibson (Janet), a young dependent on Mrs. Margaret Bertram of Singleside. Sir W. Scott: Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Gideon’s Stratagem (Judg. vii. 16–20).

A parallel case is recorded in Venetian his tory. When Ancona was besieged by the Venetians, in 1174, Aldruda count of Bertinoro sent a small army to their aid. When it reached the summit of Falcognesa, in sight of Ancona, Marcheselli ordered every man to bind to the head of his lance several lighted torches, and to spread themselves out as wide as possible. It was night-time, and the men marched slowly down the mountain. Christian was dismayed, thought the relief party ten times more numerous than it really was, decamped, and the siege was raised.

Gifford (John). This pseudonym has been adopted by three authors: (1) John Richards Green, Blackstone’s Commentaries Abridged (1823); (2) Edward Foss, An Abridgment of Blackstone’s Commentaries (1821); (3) Alexander Whellier, The English Lawyer.

Gifford (William), author of The Baviad, a poetical satire, which annihilated the Della Crusea school of poets (1794). In 1796 Gifford published The Mœviad, to expose the low state of dramatic authorship.

He was a man with whom I had no literary sympathies. … He had, however, a heart full of kindness for all living creatures except authors; them he regarded as a fishmonger regards eels, or as Izaak Walton did worms.—Southey.

Giggleswick Fountain ebbs and flows eight times a day. The tale is that Giggleswick was once a nymph living with the Oreads on mount Craven. A satyr chanced to see her, and resolved to win her; but Giggleswick fled to escape her pursuer, and praying to the “topic gods” (the local genii), was converted into a fountain, which still pants with fear. The tale is told by Drayton, in his Polyolbion, xxviii. (1622).

Gil Blas, son of Blas of Santillanêe ’squire or “escudero” to a lady, and brought up by his uncle, canon Gil Perêes. Gil Blas went to Dr. Godinez’s school, of Oviedo [Ov-e-a-do], and obtained the reputation of being a great scholar. He had fair abilities, a kind heart, and good inclinations, but was easily led astray by his vanity. Full of wit and humour, but lax in his morals. Duped by others at first, he afterwards played the same devices on those less experienced. As he grew in years, however, his conduct improved, and when his fortune was made he became an honest, steady man.—Lesage: Gil Blas (1715).

Gil Blas, by Lesage, bks. i.–iii., published in French in 1715; bks. iv.–vi., in 1724; bks. vii.–xii. in 1735. English versions: by Smollett (1761); by Procter (1774); by Smart (1861); etc.

Lesage borrowed largely from the romance of Espinel, called Vida del Escudero Marcos de Obregon (1618), from which he has taken his prologue, the adventure of the parasite (bk. i. 2), the dispersion of the company of Cacabelos by the muleteer (bk. i. 3), the incident of the robber’s cave (bk. i. 4, 5), the surprise by the corsairs, the contributions levied by don Raphael and Ambrose (bk. i. 15, 16), the service with the duke of Lerma, the character of Sangrado (called by Espinel Sagredo), and even the reply of don Matthias de Silva when asked to fight a duel early in the morning, “As I never rise before one, even for a party of pleasure, it is unreasonable to expect that I should rise at six to have my throat cut” (bk. iii. 8).

Gil Morrice. “Gil” is a variant of childe = don. (See Morrice.)

Gilbert, butler to sir Patrick Charteris, provost of Perth.—Sir W. Scott: Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Gilbert (Sir), noted for the sanative virtue of his sword and cere-cloth. Sir Launcelot touched the wounds of sir Meliot with sir Gilbert’s sword and wiped them with the cere-cloth, and “anon a wholer man was he never in all his life.”—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, i. 116 (1470).