Chapter Noureddin to Number Nip of N by Brewer's Readers Handbook

could nowhere be found (the fairy Pari-Banou had conveyed it beyond recovery). So the award was given to Ali.—Arabian Nights (“Ahmed and Pari-Banou”).

Novel (Father of the English). Henry Fielding is so called by sir W. Scott (1707–1754).

Novels by Eminent Hands, a series of parodies by Thackeray. Amongst the parodies are those on Fenimore Cooper, Disraeli (Beacons-field), Mrs. Gore, James, Lever, lord Lytton, etc.

November or Blot-monath, i.e. “blood month,” meaning the month in which oxen, sheep, and swine were slaughtered, and afterwards salted down for winter use. Some idea may be formed of the enormous stores provided, from the fact that the elder Spencer, in 1327, when the season was over, had a surplus, in May, of “80 salted beeves, 500 bacons, and 600 muttons.” In Chichester the October fair is called “Slo-fair,” i.e. the fair when beasts were sold for the slaughter of Blot-monath (Old English, sléan slóh, “to slaughter”).

Novendial Ashes, the ashes of the dead just consigned, or about to be consigned, to the grave. The Romans kept the body seven days, burnt it on the eighth, and buried the ashes on the ninth.

A Novendial holiday, nine days set apart by the Romans, in expiation of a shower of stones.

Novensiles , the nine Sabine gods: viz. Herculês, Romulus, Esculapius, Bacchus, Æneas, Vesta, Santa, Fortuna, and Fidês or Faith. (See Nine Gods of the Etruscans.)

Novit (Mr. Nichil), the lawyer of the old laird of Dumbiedikes.—Sir W. Scott: Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).

Novius, the usurer, famous for the loudness of his voice.

… at hic si plaustra ducenta
Concurrantque foro tria funera magna sonabit
Cornua quod vincatque tubas.
   —Horace: Satires, I. vi.

These people seem to be of the race of Novius, that Roman banker, whose voice exceeded the noise of carmen.—Lesage: Gil Blas, vii. 13 (1735).

Now-now (Old Anthony), an itinerant fiddler. The character is a skit on Anthony Munday, the dramatist.—Chettle: Kindheart’s Dream (1592).

Nuath, father of Lathmon and Oithona (q.v.).—Ossian: Oithona.

Nubbles(Mrs.), a poor widow woman, who was much given to going to Little Bethel.

Christopher or Kit Nubbles, her son, the servant in attendance on little Nell, whom he adored. After the death of little Nell, Kit married Barbara, a fellow-servant.—Dickens: The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).

Nudiosi, small stones, which prevent th e sight of those who carry them about their person from waxing dim. They will even restore the sight after it is lost or impaired. The more these stones are gazed on, the keener will be the gazer’s vision. Prester John, in his letter to Manuel Comnenus emperor of Constantinople, says they are found in his country.

Nugget. The largest ever found—

1. The Sarah Sands nugget, found at Ballarat. It weighed 130 lbs. troy or 1560 ozs. This, at £4 per ounce, would be worth £6240.

2. The Blanche Barkly nugget, dug up at Kingower. It weighed 145 lbs., and was worth £6960.