Chapter Hamet to Handy of H by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Hamet to Handy

Hamet, one of the black slaves of sir Brian de Bois Guilbert preceptor of the Knights Templars.—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Hamet (The Cid) or The Cid Hamet BenengelI, the hypothetical Moorish chronicler who is fabled by Cervantêes to have written the adventures of “don Quixote.”

O Nature’s noblest gift, my gray goose quill!…
Our task complete, like Hamet’s, shall be free.
Byron: English Bards and Scotch Reviewers (1809).
The shrewd Cid Hamet, addressing himself to his pen, says, “And now, my slender quill, whether skilfully cut or otherwise, here from this rack, suspended by a wire, shalt thou peacefully live to distant times, unless the hand of some rash historian disturb thy repose by taking thee down and profaning thee.”
   —Cervantes: Don Quixote, last chap.(1615).

Hamet, the ox, in the beast-epic of Reynard the Fox, by Heinrich von Alkmann (1498).

Hamilton (Lady Emily), sister of lord Evandale,—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Hamiltrude (3syl), a poor French-woman, the first of Charlemagne’s nine wives. She bore him several children.

Her neck was tinged with a delicate rose… Her locks were bound about her temples with gold and purple bands. Her dress was looped up with ruby clasps. Her coronet and her purple robes gave her an air of surpassing; majesty.—L’Epine: Croquemitaine, iii..

Hamlet, prince of Denmark, a man of m ind but not of action; nephew of Claudius the reigning king, who had married the widowed queen. Hamlet lo ved Ophelia, daughter of Polonius the lord chamberlain; but feeling it to be his duty to revenge his father’s murder, he abandoned the idea of marriage, and treated Ophelia so strangely, that she went mad, and, gathering flowers from a brook, fell into the water and was drowned. While wasting his energy in speculation. Hamlet accepted a challenge from Laertês of a friendly contest with foils; but Laertês used a poisoned rapier, with which he stabbed the young prince. A scuffle ensued, in which the combatants changed weapons, and Laertês being stabbed, both died.—Shakespeare: Hamlet (1596).

“The whole play,” says Schlegel, “is intended to show that calculating consideration exhausts…the power of action.” Goethe is of the same opinion, and says that “Hamlet is a noble nature, without the strength of nerve which forms a hero. He sinks beneath a burden which he cannot bear, and cannot [make up his mind to] cast aside.”

The best actors of “Hamlet” have been Thomas Betterton (1635–1710), Robert Wilks (1670–1732), Garrick (1716–1779), John Henderson (1747–1785), J.P. Kemble (1757–1823), and W.H.Betty (1792–1874) Next to these, C. Kemble (1775–1854), C.M.Young (1777–1856), Edmund Kean (1787–1833), Henry Irving (1840– ), etc.

(In the History of Hamblet, Hamlet’s father is called “Horvendille.”)

Hammer (The), Judas Asamonæus, surnamed Maccabæus, “the hammer” (B.C. 166–136).

Charles Martel (689–741). (See Martel.)

On prétend qu’on lui donna le surnom de Martel parcequ’il avait écrasé comme avec un marteau les Sarrasins qui, sous la conduite d’Abdrame, avaient envahi la France.—Bouillet,.

“Asmodeus” (q.v.) is quite another person.

Hammer and Scourge of England, sir William Wallace (1270–1305).

Hammer of Heretics.