Chapter P to Pagan of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Pacchiarotto (Giacomo) was a painter of Siena. His story is to be found in the Commentary on the Life of Sodoma, by the editors of Vasari; Florence, 1855.

Browning has a poem called Pacchiarotto, and how he worked in Distemper.

Pache (J. Nicolas), a Swiss by birth. He was minister of war in 1792, and maire de Paris 1793. Pache hated the Girondists, and at the fall of Danton was imprisoned. After his liberation, he retired to Thym- le-Moutiers (in the Ardennes), and died in obscurity (1740–1823).

Swiss Pache sits sleek-headed, frugal, the wonder of his own ally for humility of mind.…Sit there, Tartuffe, till wanted.—Carlyle.

Pacific (The), Amadeus VIII. count of Savoy (1383, 1391–1439, abdicated and died 1451).

Frederick III. emperor of Germany (1415, 1440–1493).

Olaus III. of Norway (*, 1030–1093).

Pacolet, a dwarf, “full of great sense and subtle ingenuity.” He had an enchanted horse, made of wood, with which he carried off Valentine, Orson, and Clerimond from the dungeon of Ferragus. This horse is often alluded to. “To ride Pacolet’s horse” is a phrase for going very fast.—Valentine and Orson (fifteenth century).

Pacolet, a familiar spirit.—Steele: The Tatler (1709).

Pacolet or Nick Strumpfer, the dwarf servant of Norna “of the Fitful Head.”—Sir W. Scott: The Pirate (time, William III.).

Pacomo (St.), an Egyptian, who lived in the fourth century. It is said that he could walk among serpents unhurt; and when he had occasion to cross the Nile, he was carried on the back of a crocodile.

The hermit fell on his knees before an image of St. Pacomo, which was glued to the wall.—Lesage: Gil Blas, iv.9 (1724).

Pactolus (now called Bagouly), a river of Lydia, in Asia Minor, which was said to flow over golden sand.

Padalon, the Hindû hell, under the earth. It has eight gates, each of which is guarded by a gigantic deity. Described by Southey, in cantos xxii., xxiii. of The Curse of Kehama (1809).

Paddington (Harry), one of Macheath’s gang of thieves. Peachum describes him as a “poor, petty- larceny rascal, without the least genius. That fellow,” he says, “though he were to live for six months, would never come to the gallows with credit” (act i. 1).—Gay: The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

Paddington Fair, a public execution. Tyburn is in the parish of Paddington. Public executions were abolished in 1868.

Paddy, an Irishman. A corruption of Padhrig, Irish for Patrick.

Padlock (The), a comic opera by Bickerstaff. Don Diego , a wealthy lord of 60, saw a country maiden named Leonora, to whom he took a fancy, and arranged with the parents to take her home with him and place her under the charge of a duenna for three months, to see if her temper was as sweet as her face was pretty: and then either “to return her to them spotless, or make her his lawful wife.” At the expiration of the time, the don went to arrange with the parents for the wedding, and locked up his house, giving the keys to Ursula the duenna. To make surance doubly sure, he put a padlock on the outer door, and took the key with him. Leander, a young student smitten with the damsel, laughed at locksmiths and duennas; and, having gained admission into the house, was detected by don Diego, who returned unexpectedly.