Chapter Marner to Marseilles' Good Bishop of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Marprelate (Martin), the pseudonym adopted by the author or authors of a series of powerful but scurrilous tracts published in England during the reign of Elizabeth, and designed to prove the unscriptural character of the prelacy.

Marquis de Basqueville, being one night at the opera, was told by a messenger that his mansion was on fire. “Eh bien,” he said to the messenger, “adressez-vous à Mme. la marquise qui est en face dans cette loge; car c’est affaire de ménage.”—Chapus: Dieppe et ses Environs (1853).

Marquis d’Evrémonde (Le), an aristocratic French gentleman, cold-hearted, handsome, and selfish. There were two dints at the top of his nostrils which changed colour on any emotion. He was the uncle of Charles Darnay.—Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities (1859).

Marrall (Jack), a mean-spirited, revengeful time-server. He is the clerk and tool of sir Giles Overreach. When Marrall thinks Wellborn penniless, he treats him like a dog; but immediately he fancies he is about to marry the wealthy dowager lady Allworth, he is most servile, and offers to lend him money. Marrall now plays the traitor to his master, sir Giles, and reveals to Wellborn the scurvy tricks by which he has been cheated of his estates. When, however, he asks Wellborn to take him into his service, Wellborn replies, “He who is false to one master will betray another;” and will have nothing to say to him.—Massinger: A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1628).

Married Clergymen. The first who took to himself a wife in Saxony was Bartholomew Bernard, curé of Kemberg, in 1521.

Married Men of Genius. The number of men of genius unhappy in their wives is very large. The following are notorious examples:—

(1) ADDISON and the countess dowager of Warwick.

(2) BACON (Lord) and Miss Barnham.

(3) BYRON and Miss Milbanke.

(4) DANTE and Gemma Donati.

(5) DICKENS and Miss Hogarth.

(6) DRYDEN and lady Elizabeth Howard.

(7) DURER (Albert) and Agnes Frey.

(8) FELLTHAM (Owen), 1610–1678.

(9) GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS and the flighty Eleonora of Brandenburg.

(10) HAYDN and the daughter of a wig-maker who gave him employment.

(11) HOOKER and Miss Churchill.

(12) JONSON (Ben).

(13) LILY (William) and his second wife.

(14) LYTTON BULWER LYTTON (Lord) and Miss Wheeler.

(15) MARLBOROUGH and Sarah Jennings.

(16) MILTON and two of his wives.