Chapter Man of Ross to Manette of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(This comedy is based on Voltaire’s Nanine (1749). Henry Mackenzie, in 1773, published a novel of the same title.)

Man without a Skin. Richard Cumberland the dramatist was so called by Garrick, because he was so extremely sensitive that he could not bear “to be touched” by the finger of criticism (1732–1811).

Managarm, the most gigantic and formidable of the race of hags. He dwells in the Iron-wood, Jamvid. Managarm will first fill himself with the blood of man, and then will he swallow up the moon. This hag symbolizes War, and the “Iron-wood” in which he dwells is the wood of spears.—Prose Edda.

Manchester, in Lancashire, noted for its cotton manufactures, textile fabrics, and general trade.

American Manchester, Lowell, Massachusetts. So called from its cotton-mills.

The Manchester of Belgium, Ghent.

The Manchester of Prussia, Elberfeld. The speciality of Prussian Manchester is its “Turkey red.” Krupp is the chief manufacturer there of steel.

The Manchester Poet, Charles Swain (1803–1874).

Manchester Massacre. (See Peterloo.)

Manciple’s Tale (The). Phœbus had a crow which he taught to speak; it was white as down, and as big as a swan. He had also a wife, whom he dearly loved. One day, when he came home, the crow cried, “Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo!” and Phœbus asked the bird what it meant; whereupon it told the god that his wife was unfaithful to him. Phœbus, in his wrath, seized his bow, and shot his wife through the heart; but to the bird he said, “Curse on thy tell-tale tongue! never more shall it brew mischief.” So he deprived it of the power of speech, and changed its plumage from white to black. Moral—Be no tale-bearer, but keep well thy tongue, and think upon the crow.

My sone, bewar, and be noon auctour newe,
Of tydyngs, whether they ben fals or trewe;
Wherso thou comest, amongst high or lowe,
Kep wel thy tonge, and think upon the crowe.
   —Chaucer: Canterbury Tales, 17, 291-4 (1388).

(This is Ovid’s tale of “Coronis” in the Metamorphoses, ii. 543, etc.)

A manciple (Latin, manus capio, “to take in the hand”) is an official who supplies a college or inns of court with provisions or “battels.”

Mandane, wife of Zamti the Chinese mandarin, and mother of Hamet. Hamet was sent to Corea to be br ought up by Morat, while Mandanê brought up Zaphimri (under the name of Etan), the orphan prince and only surviving representative of the royal race of China. Hamlet led a party of insurgents against Timurkan, was seized, and ordered to be put to death as the supposed prince. Mandanê tried to save him, confessed he was not the prince; and Etan came forward as the real “orphan of China.” Timurkan, unable to solve the mystery, ordered both to death, and Mandanê with her husband to the torture; but Mandanê stabbed herself.—Murphy: The Orphan of China (1759).

Mandane, the heroine of Mile. Scuderi’s romance called Cyrus the Great (1650).

Mandane and Statira, stock names of melodramatic romance. When a romance-writer hangs the world on the caprice of a woman, he chooses a Mandanê or Statira for his heroine. Mandanê of classic story was the daughter of king Astyagês, wife of Cambysês, and mother of Cyrus the Great. Statira was daughter of Darius the Persian, and wife of Alexander the Great.