Chapter Narren-Schiff to Negus of N by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Narren-Schiff to Negus

Narren-Schiff (“the ship of fools”), a satirical poem in German, by Brandt (1491), lashing the follies and vices of the period. Brandt makes knowledge of one’s self the beginning of wisdom; maintains the equality of man; and speaks of life as a brief passage only. The book at one time enjoyed unbounded popularity.

Narses, a Roman general against the Goths; the terror of children.

The name of Narses was the formidable sound with which the Assyrian mothers were accustomed to terrify their infants.—Gibbon: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, viii. 219 (1776–88).

Narses, a domestic slave of Alexius Comnenus emperor of Greece.—Sir W. Scott: Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Nasnâs, an ape which the Arabs maintain was once a human being. (See Man, p. 662.)

Naso, Ovid the Roman poet, whose full name was Publius Ovidus Naso. (Naso means “nose.”) Hence the pun of Holofernes—

And why Naso, but for smelling out the odoriferous flowers of fancy?—Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost, act iv. sc. 2 (1594).

Nathan the Wise, the title and chief character of a drama in verse by Lessing. The prototype of Nathan was Moses Mendelssohn.

Nathaniel (Sir), the grotesque curate of Holofernês. Though grotesque, he is sharp, witty, and sententious.—Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594).

Nathos, one of the three sons of Usnoth lord of Etha (in Argyllshire), made commander of the Irish army at the death of Cuthullin. For a time he propped up the fortune of the youthful Cormac, but the rebel Cairbar increased i n strength and found means to murder the young king. The army under Nathos then deserted to the usurper, and Nathos with his two brothers was obliged to quit Ireland. Dar-Thula, the daughter of Colla, went with them to avoid Cairbar, who persisted in offering her his love. The wind drove the vessel back to Ulster, where Cairbar lay encamped, and the three young men, being overpowered, were slain. As for Dar-Thula, she was pierced with an arrow, and died also.—Ossian: Dar-Thula.

Nation of Gentlemen (A). The Scotch were so called by George IV., when he visited Scotland in 1822.

Nation of Shopkeepers. The English were so called by Napoleon I.

National Airs. Four series, each containing twelve lyrics, or words adapted to national airs of divers nations. Thus: “A Temple to Friendship” (series i. 1) is adapted to a Spanish air; “Flow on, thou Shining River,” to a Portuguese air; “All that’s Bright must fade,” to an Indian air; “Oh, come to me when Daylight sets,” to a Venetian air; “Oft in the Stilly Night,” to a Scotch air. And so on through the forty-eight lyrics.

(These airs are among the best of Moore’s popular songs.)

National Assembly. (1) The French deputies which met in the year 1789. The states-general was convened, but the clergy and nobles refused to sit in the same chamber with the commons, so the commons or deputies of the tiers état withdrew, constituted themselves into a deliberative body, and assumed the name of the Assemblée Nationale. (2) The democratic French parliament of 1848, consisting of 900 members elected by manhood suffrage, was so called also.

National Convention, the French parliament of 1792. It consisted of 721 members, but was reduced first to 500, then to 300. It succeeded the National Assembly.