Chapter Norris to Nouman of N by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Norris to Nouman

Norris, a family to whom Martin Chuzzlewit was introduced while he was in America. They were friends of Mr. Bevan, rabid abolitionists, and yet hankering after titles as the gilt of the ginger-bread of life.—Dickens: Martin Chuzzlewit (1844).

Norris (Black), a dark, surly man and a wrecker. He wanted to marry Marian, “the daughter” of Robert (also a wrecker); but Marian was betrothed to Edward, a young sailor. Robert, being taken up for murder, was condemned to death; but Norris told Marian he would save his life if she would promise to marry him. Marian consented, but was saved by the arrest of Black Norris for murder.—Knowles: The Daughter (1836).

North (Christopher), pseudonym of John Wilson, professor of moral philosophy, Edinburgh. He contributed to Blackwood’s Magazine thirty-nine of the “Noctes Ambrosianæ.” (1785–1854.)

North (Lord), one of the judges in the State trial of Geoffrey Peveril, Julian, and the dwarf, for being concerned in the popish plot.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

North Britain, Scotland.

The North Britain, a radical periodical, conducted by John Wilkes. The celebrated number of this serial was No. 45, published April 23, 1763, in which the ministers are charged “with putting a lie in the king’s mouth.”

Northampton, a contraction of North-Avon-town (Northavonton), the town on the north of the Avon (Nen). As Drayton says, “Nen was Avon called.”—Polyolbion, xxiii. (1622).

Northamptonshire Poet (The), John Clare (1793–1864).

Northern Farmer (The), two poems in Yorkshire dialect by Tennyson. One is called “Old Style,” and the other “New Style.” In the latter the tramp of the horse sounds like “property, property, property!’

Northern Harlot (The), Elizabeth Petrowna, empress of Russia; also called “The Infamous” (1709–1761).

Northern Waggoner, Ursa Major or Charles’s waggon, a corruption of the churl’s waggon. It contains seven large stars, designated by the Greek letters, a, b, g, d, e, z, h The first four form the waggon and the rest the pole or shaft. The driver of the team is Boötês.

By this the northern wagoner has set
His sevenfold team behind the steadfast star [the polestar]
That was in ocean waves yet never wet,
But firm is fixed, and sendeth light from far
To all that on the wide deep wandering are.
   —Spenser: Faërie Queene, I. ii. 1 (1590).

Norumbega, a province of North America.

Now from the north
Of Norumbega and the Samoed shore…
Boreas and Cæcias, and Argestês loud,
And Thrascias rend the woods, and seas upturn.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, x. 695 (1665).

(“Samoed shore,” the shore contiguous to the frozen ocean; “Boreas,” north wind; “Cæcias,” north-west wind; “Argestês,” north-east wind; “Thrascias,” wind from Thrace.)

Norval (Old), a shepherd, who brings up lady Randolph’s son (Douglas) as his own. He was hidden and exposed at birth in a basket, because sir Malcolm hated the child, which was the offspring of Douglas and his daughter, who afterwards married lord Randolph. The child, being found by old Norval, was brought up as his own; but the old man discovered that the foundling was “sir Malcolm’s heir and Douglas’s son.” When 18 years old, the foster-son saved the life of lord Randolph. Lady Randolph took great interest in the young man, and when old Norval told her his tale, she instantly perceived that the young hero was in fact her own son.