Chapter Panyer's Alley to Paradise Lost of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Panyer's Alley to Paradise Lost

Panyer’s Alley (London). So called from a stone built into the wall of one of the houses. The stone, on which is rudely chiselled a pannier surmounted by a boy, contains this distich—

When you have sought the city round,
Yet still this is the highest ground.

Panza (Sancho), of Adzpetia, the squire of don Quixote de la Mancha; “a little squat fellow, with a tun belly and spindle shanks” (pt. I. ii. 1). He rides an ass named Dapple. His sound common sense is an excellent foil to the knight’s craze. Sancho is very fond of eating and drinking; and is perpetually asking the knight when he is to be put in possession of the promised island. He salts his speech with most pertinent proverbs, and even with wit of a racy, though sometimes of a somewhat vulgar savour.—Cervantes: Don Quixote (1605).

The wife of Sancho is called “Joan Panza” in pt. I., and “Teresa Panza” in pt. II. “My father’s name,” she says to Sancho, “was Cascajo, and I, by being your wife, am now called Teresa Panza, though by right I should be called Teresa Cascajo” (pt. II. i. 5).

Paolo , the brother of count Guido Franceschini. Paolo advised him to marry an heiress, in order to repair his fortune.

…a shrewd younger poorer brother yet,
The Abate Paolo, a regular priest.
   —R. Browning: The Ring and the Book, ii. 290.

Paper King (The), John Law, projector of the South Sea bubble (1671–1729).

The basis of Law’s project was the idea that paper money may be multiplied to any extent, provided there be security in fixed stock.—Rich.

Paphian Mimp, a certain plie of the lips, considered needful for “the highly genteel.” Lady Emily told Miss Alscrip “the heiress” that it was acquired by placing one’s self before a looking-glass, and repeating continually the words “nimini pimini;” “when the lips cannot fail to take the right plie.”—Burgoyne: The Heiress, iii. 2 (1781).

(C. Dickens has made Mrs. General tell Amy Dorrit that the pretty plie is given to the lips by pronouncing the words, “papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes, and prism.”)

Papillon, a broken-down critic, who earned four shillings a week for reviews of translations. “without knowing one syllable of the original,” and of “books which he had never read.” He then turned French valet, and got well paid. He then fell into the service of Jack Wilding, and was valey, French marquis, or anything else to suit the whims of that young scapegrace.—Foote: The Liar (1761).

Papimany, the kingdom of the Papimans. Any priest-ridden country, as Spain. Papiman is compounded of two Greek words, papa mania (“popemadness”).—Rabelais: Pantagruel, iv. 45 (1545).

Papyra, goddess of printing and literature; so called from papyrus, a substance once used for books, before the invention of paper.

Till to astonished realms Papyra taught
To paint in mystic colours sound and thought,
With Wisdom’s voice to print the page sublime,
And mark in adamant the steps of Time.

Darwin: Loves of the Plants, ii. (1781).

Paquin, Pekin, a royal city of China. Milton says, “Paquin [the throne] of Sinæan kings.”—Paradise Lost, xi. 390 (1665).