Chapter H.B. to Hamet of H by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Halcro (Claud), the old bard of Magnus Troil the udaller of Zetland.— Sir W. Scott: The Pirate (time, William III.).

(A udaller is one who holds his land by allodial tenure.)

Halcyon a Weathercock. It is said that if the kingfisher or halcyon is hung, it will show which way the wind blows by veering about.

How now stands the wind!
Into what corner peers my halcyon’s bill!
   —Marlowe: Few of Malta (1586).

Or as a halcyon with her turning brest,
Demonstrates wind from wind and cast from west
   —Stover: Life and Death of Thom. Wolsey, Card. (1599).

Halden or Halfdene, a Danish king, who with Basrig or Bagsecg, another Scandinavian king, made (in 871) a descent upon Wessex, and in that one year nine pitched battles were fought with the islanders. The first was Englefield, in Berkshire, in which the Danes were beaten; the second was Reading, in which the Danes were victorious; the third was the famous battle of Æscesdun or Ashdune, in which the Danes were defeated with great loss, and king Bagsecg was slain. In 999 Halfdene was slain in the battle of Wodnesfield (Staffordshire).

Reading ye regained…
Where Basrig ye outbraved, and Halden sword to sword.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xii. (1613).

Haldimund (Sir Ewes), a friend of lord Dalgarno.—Sir W. Scott: Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Halifax is halig-fax, i.e. “holy-hair.” It was previously called Horton. The tradition is that a certain clerk of Horton, having been jilted, murdered his quondam sweetheart and cut off her head, which he hung on a tree. The head was looked on with reverence, and came to be regarded as a holy relic. In time it rotted away, leaving little filaments spread out between the bark and body of the tree, like fine threads, and regarded as the fax or hair of the holy relic.

Halkit (Mr.), a young lawyer in the introduction of sir W. Scott’s Heart of Midlothian (1818).

Hall (Sir Christopher), an officer in the army of Montrose.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).

Hallam’s Greek. Henry Hallam reviewed, in The Edinburgh, Payne Knight’s book entitled An Analytical Inquiry into the Principles of Taste, and lashed most unmercifully some Greek verses therein. It was not discovered that the lines were Pindar’s till it was too late to cancel the critique.—Crabb Robinson: Diary, i. 277.

Classic Hallam, much renowned for Greek. Byron: English Bards and Scotch Reviewers (1809).

Hallelujah Lass (A), a young woman member of the “Salvation Army” organized by “General” Booth.

One of the best of these short feuilletons is called La Petite Lieutenante. It is an account of a young girl, a “Hallelujah Lass” of the Swiss Salvation Army. —Notes and Queries, September 1, 1896, p.181,col.2.

Hallelujah Psalms , the last five psalms, each of which begins with the words, “Praise ye the Lord.”

Haller (Mrs.) At the age of 16 Adelaide [Mrs.Haller] married the count Waldbourg, from whom she eloped. The count then led a roving life, and was known as “the stranger.” The countess, repenting of her folly, assumed (for three years) the name of Mrs. Haller, and took service under the countess of Wintersen, whose affection she won by her amiability and sweetness of temper. Baron Steinfort fell in love with her, but, hearing her tale, interested himself in bringing about a reconciliation between Mrs. Haller and “the stranger,” who happened, at the time, to be living in the same neighbourhood. They met and bade