Chapter Mainote to Maleger of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Mainote to Maleger

Mainote , a pirate who infests the coast of Attica.

…boat
Of island-pirate or Mainote.
   —Byron: The Giaour (1813).

Mainy (Richard), out of whom the Jesuits cast the seven deadly sins, each in the form of some representative animal. As each devil came forth, Mainy indicated the special sin by some trick or gesture. Thus, for pride he pretended to curl his hair, for gluttony to vomit, for sloth to gape, and so on.—Harsnett: Declaration of Popish Impostures, 279, 280.

Maitland (Thomas), the pseudonym of Robert Buchanan in the Contemporary Review, October, 1871, when, in an article called “The Fleshly School,” he attacked Rossetti and his followers.

Malachi, the canting, preaching assistant of Thomas, Turnbull a smuggler and schoolmaster.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Malacoda, the fiend sent as an envoy to Virgil, when he conducted Dantè through hell.—Dante: Hell, xxi. (1300).

Malade Imaginaire (Le), Mons. Argan, who took seven mixtures and twelve lavements in one month instead of twelve mixtures and twenty lavements, as hitherto. (See Argan, p. 57.)—Molière: Le Malade Imaginaire (1673).

Malagigi, son of Buovo, brother of Aldîger and Vivian (of Clarmont’s race), one of Charlemagne’s paladins, and cousin of Rinaldo. Being brought up by the fairy Orianda, he became a great enchanter.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Malagrida (Gabriel), an Italian Jesuit and missionary to Brazil, who was accused of conspiring against the king of Portugal (1689–1761).

Lord Shelburne was nicknamed “Malagrida.” He was a zealous oppositionist during lord North’s administration (1737–1805).

“Do you know,” said Goldsmith to his lordship, “that I never could conceive why they call you ‘Malagrida,’ for Malagrida was a very good sort of a min.”…He meant to say, as Malagrida was a “good sort of a man,” he could not conceive how it became a word of reproach.—W. Irving.

Malagrowther (Sir Mungo), a crabbed old courtier, soured by misfortune, and peevish from infirmities. He tries to make every one as sour and discontented as himself.—Sir W. Scott: Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Malagrowther (Malachi), the pseudonym of sir Walter Scott, in his remonstrances with the British Government, which stopped the circulation of banknotes under £5 in value (1826).

Lockhart says that these “diatribes produced in Scotland a sensation not inferior to that of the Drapier’s letters in Ireland.” They came out in the Edinburgh Weekly Journal.

Malambruno, a giant, first cousin to queen Maguncia of Candaya. “Exclusive of his natural barbarity, Malambruno was also a wizard,” who enchanted don Clavijo and the princess Antonomasia—the former into a crocodile of some unknown metal, and the latter into a monkey of brass. The giant sent don Quixote the wooden horse, and was appeased “by the simple attempt of the knight to disenchant the victims of his displeasure.”—Cervantes: Don Quixote, II. iii. 4, 5 (1615).

Malaprop (Mrs.), aunt and guardian to Lydia Languish the heiress. Mrs. Malaprop sets her cap at sir Lucius O’Trigger, “a tall Irish baronet,” and corresponds with him under the name of Delia. Sir Lucius fancies it is the niece, and, when he discovers his mistake, declines the honour of marriage with the aunt. Mrs. Malaprop is a synonym for those who misapply words without mispronouncing them. Thus