Chapter Orsino to O'Shanter of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(Rob Roy Macgregor was dramatized by Pocock.)

Osborne (Mr.), a hard, money-loving, purse-proud, wealthy London merchant, whose only gospel was that “according to Mammon.” He was a widower, and his heart of hearts was to see his son, captain George, marry a rich mulatto. While his neighbour Sedley was prosperous, old Osborne encouraged the love-making of George and Miss Sedley; but when old Sedley failed, and George dared to marry the bankrupt’s daughter, to whom he was engaged, the old merchant disinherited him. Captain George fell on the field of Waterloo, but the heart of old Osborne would not relent, and he allowed the widow to starve in abject poverty. He adopted, however, the widow’s son, George, and brought him up in absurd luxury and indulgence. A more detestable cad than old Osborne cannot be imagined.

Maria and Jane Osborne, daughters of the merchant, and of the same mould. Maria married Frederick Bullock, a banker’s son.

Captain George Osborne, son of the merchant; selfish, vain, extravagant, and self-indulgent. He was engaged to Amelia Sedley while her father was in prosperity, and captain Dobbin induced him to marry her after the father was made a bankrupt. Happily, George fell on the field of Waterloo, or one would never vouch for his conjugal fidelity.—Thackeray: Vanity Fair (1848).

Oscar, son of Ossian and grandson of Fingal. He was engaged to Malvina, daughter of Toscar, but before the day of marriage arrived, he was slain in Ulster, fighting against Cairbar, who had treacherously invited him to a banquet and then slew him, A.D. 296. Oscar is represented as most brave, warm-hearted, and impetuous, most submissive to his father, tender to Malvina, and a universal favourite.

“O Oscar,” said Fingal, “bend the strong in arm, but spare the feeble hand. Be thou a stream of many tides against the foes of thy people, but like the gale that moves the grass to those who ask thine aid.… Never search for battle, nor shun it when it comes.”—Ossian: Fingal, iii.

Cairbar shrinks before Oscar’s sword. He creeps in darkness behind a stone. He lifts the spear in secret; he pierces Oscar’s side. Oscar falls forward on his shield; his knee sustains the chief, but still the spear is in his hand. See! gloomy Cairbar falls. The steel pierced his forehead, and divided his red hair behind. He lay like a shattered rock… but never more shall Oscar arise.—Ossian: Temora, i.

Oscar Roused from Sleep. “Caolt took up a huge stone and hurled it on the hero’s head. The hill for three miles round shook with the reverberation of the blow, and the stone, rebounding, rolled out of sight. Whereon Oscar awoke, and told Caolt to reserve his blows for his enemies.”

Gun thog Caoilte a chlach, nach gàn,
Agus a n’ aighai’ chiean gun bhuail;
Tri mil an tulloch gun chri.
   —Gaelic Romances.

Oscar of Alva, the hero and title of a poem by lord Byron. Oscar and Allan were the sons of Angus a Scottish chieftain. Both equally brave, Oscar “owned a hero’s soul,” while Allan was self-contained and of smooth words. When grown to man’s estate, Mora, “Glenalvon’s blue-eyed daughter,” arrived as Oscar’s bride; but on the nuptial day Oscar could not be found. They searched everywhere, and for three years they waited, hoping his return, without avail. Arrangements were then made for the marriage of Mora and Allan. At the festivities appeared a stranger chief, in a dark robe and a “plume of gory red,” who invited the guests to drink to the memory of the departed Oscar. All present complied excepting Allan, who turned a ghastly hue, dashed the goblet to the ground, while a voice was heard proclaiming him the murderer of his brother; the feast broke up in the midst of a terrific thunderstorm, and Allan died.

The catastrophe of this tale was suggested by the story of “Jeronyme and Lorenzo” in vol.i. of Schiller’s Armenian, or the Ghost Seer. It also bears some resemblance to a scene in the third act of Macbeth.

Osewald , the reeve, of “the carpenteres craft,” an old man.—Chaucer: Canterbury Tales (1388).