Chapter Petella to Petulant of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Petella to Petulant

Petella, the waiting-woman of Rosalura and Lillia-Bianca, the two daughters of Nantolet.—Fletcher: The Wild-goose Chase (1652).

Peter, the stupid son of Solomon butler of the count Winterseh. He grotesquely parrots in an abridged form whatever his father says. Thus: Sol. “We are acquainted with the reverence due to exalted personages.” Pet. “Yes, we are acquainted with exalted personages.” Again: Sol. “Extremely sorry it is not in my power to entertain your lordship.” Pet. “Extremely sorry.” Sol. “Your lordship’s most obedient, humble, and devoted servant.” Pet. “Devoted servant.”—B. Thompson: The Stranger (1797).

Peter, the pseudonym of John Gibson Lockhart, in a work entitled Peter’s Letters to his Kinsfolk (1819).

Peter (Lord), the pope of Rome.—Swift: Tale of a Tub (1704); and Dr. Arbuthnot’s History of John Bull (1713).

Peter Boats, fishing-boats on the Thames and Medway. So named from St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen. The keys of St. Peter form a part of the armorial bearings of the Fishmongers’ Company.—Smyth: Sailor’s Word-book.

Peter Botte, a steep, almost perpendicular “mountain” in the Mauritius, more than 2800 feet in height. It is so called from Peter Botte, a Dutch sailor, who scaled it and fixed a flag on its summit, but lost his life in coming down.

Peter Paragraph. In Foote’s comedy The Orators. It is a caricature of George Faulkner, who (like Foote) was lame. Faulkner was proprietor of the Dublin Journal, and published Swift’s works. He lived in Parliament Street, Dublin.

The word is sometimes spelt Faulkener.

Peter Parley, the assumed name of Samuel G. Goodrich. (See Parley.)

Peter Peebles, a litigious, hard-hearted drunkard, noted for his lawsuit.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Peter Pindar, the pseudonym of Dr. John Wolcot, of Dodbroke, Devonshire (1738–1819).

Peter Plymley’s Letters, attributed to the Rev. Sydney Smith (1769–1845).

Peter Porcupine, William Cobbett, when he was a tory. He brought out Peter Porcupine’s Gazette, The Porcupine Papers, etc. (1762–1835).

Peter Simple, a sea-story, by captain Marryat (1834).

Peter Wilkins, the hero of a tale of adventures, by Robert Pultock, of Clifford’s Inn. His “flying women” (gawreys) suggested to Southey the “glendoveer” in The Curse of Kehama.

Peter of Provence and the Fair Magalona, the chief characters of a French romance so called. Peter comes into possession of Merlin’s wooden horse.

Peter the Great of Egypt, Mehemet Ali (1768–1848).

Peter the Hermit, a gentleman of Amiens, who renounced the military life for the religious. He preached up the first crusade, and put himself at the head of 100,000 men, all of whom, except a few stragglers, perished at Nicea.

(He is introduced by Tasso in Jerusalem Delivered (1575); and by sir W. Scott in Count Robert of Paris, a novel laid in the time of Rufus. A statue was erected to him at Amiens in 1854.)