Chapter Marguerite Gautier to MARIANA of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Marguerite Gautier to MARIANA

Marguerite Gautier, called “La Dame aux Camélias”—a celebrated courtezan, the heroine of a novel and play by Dumas fils.

Margutte , a low-minded, vulgar giant, ten feet high, with enormous appetite and of the grossest sensuality. He died of laughter on seeing a monkey pulling on his boots.—Puloi: Morgantê Maggiorê (1488).

Chalchas, the Homeric soothsayer, died of laughter. (See Laughter, p. 594.)

Marhaus (Sir), a knight of the Round Table, a king’s son, and brother of the queen of Ireland. When sir Mark king of Cornwall refused to pay truage to Anguish king of Ireland, sir Marhaus was sent to defy sir Mark and all his knights to single combat. No one durst go against him; but Tristram said, if Mark would knight him, he would defend his cause. In the combat, sir Tristram was victorious. With his sword he cut through his adversary’s helmet and brain-pan, and his sword stuck so fast in the bone that he had to pull thrice before he could extricate it. Sir Marhaus contrived to get back to Ireland, but soon died.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, ii. 7, 8 (1470).

Sir Marhaus carried a white shield; but as he hated women, twelve damsels spat thereon, to show how they dishonoured him.—Ditto, pt. i. 75.

MARIA, a lady in attendance on the princess of France. Longaville, a young lord in the suite of Ferdinand king of Navarre, asks her to marry him, but she defers her answer for twelve months. To this Longaville replies, “I’ll stay with patience, but the time is long;” and Maria makes answer, “The liker you; few taller are so young.”—Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594).

Maria, the waiting-woman of the countess Olivia.—Shakespeare: Twelfth Night (1614).

Maria, wife of Frederick the unnatural and licentious brother of Alphonso king of Naples. She is a virtuous lady, and appears in strong contrast to her infamous husband.—Fletcher: A Wife for a Month (1624).

Maria, daughter and only child of Thorowgood a wealthy London merchant. She is in love with George Barnwell, her father’s apprentice; but George is executed for robbery and murder.—Lillo: George Barnwell (1732).

A dying man sent for David Ross the actor [1728–1790], and addressed him thus: “Some forty years ago, like ‘George Barnwell,’ I wronged my master to supply the unbounded extravagance of a ‘Millwood.’ I took her to see your performance, which so shocked me that I vowed to break the connection and return to the path of virtue. I kept my resolution, replaced the money I had stolen, and found a ‘Maria’ in my master’s daughter.… I have now left £1000 affixed to your name in my will and testament.”—Pelham: Chronicles of Crime.

Maria, the ward of sir Peter Teazle. She is in love with Charles Surface, whom she ultimately marries.—Sheridan: School for Scandal (1777).

Maria, “the maid of the Oaks,” brought up as the ward of Oldworth of Oldworth Oaks, but is in reality his daughter and heiress. Maria is engaged to sir Harry Groveby, and Hurry says, “She is the most charmingest, sweetest, delightfulest, mildest, beautifulest, modestest, genteelest young creature in the world.”—Burgoyne: The Maid of the Oaks (1779).

Maria, a maiden whose banns were forbidden “by the curate of the parish who published them;” in consequence of which, Maria lost her wits, and used to sit on the roadside near Moulines , playing on a pipe vesper hymns to the Virgin. She led by a ribbon a little dog named Silvio, of which she was very jealous, for at one time she had a favourite goat, that forsook her.—Sterne: Sentimental Journey (1768).

Maria, a foundling, discovered by Sulpizio a sergeant of the 11th regiment of Napoleon’s Grand Army, and adopted by the regiment as their daughter. Tonio, a Tyrolese, saved her life and fell in love with her,