Chapter Pietro of Abano to Pilot of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Pietro of Abano to Pilot

Pietro of Abano, the greatest Italian philosopher and physician of the thirteenth century. He was an astrologer, and was persecuted as a wizard. Abano is a village near Padua.

Browning has a poem called Pietro of Abano (1880).

Pig. Phædrus tells a tale of a popular actor who imitated the squeak of a pig. A peasant said to the audience that he would himself next night challenge and beat the actor. When the night arrived, the audience unanimously gave judgment in favour of the actor, saying that his squeak was by far the better imitation; but the peasant presented to them a real pig, and said, “Behold, what excellent judges are ye!”

This is similar to the judgment of the connoisseur who said, “Why, the fellow has actually attempted to paint a fly on that rosebud, but it is no more like a fly than I am like—;” but, as he approached his finger to the picture, the fly flew away.—Stevens: The Connoisseur (1754).

Pigal (Mons. de), the dancing-master who teaches Alice Bridgenorth.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Pigeon and Dove (The). Prince Constantio was changed into a pigeon and the princess Constantia into a dove, because they loved, but were always crossed in love. Constantio found that Constantia was sold by his mother for a slave, and in order to follow her he was converted into a pigeon. Constantia was seized by a giant, and in order to escape him was changed into a dove. Cupid then took them to Paphos, and they became “examples of a tender and sincere passion; and ever since have been the emblems of love and constancy.”—Comtesse DAulnoy: Fairy Tales (“The Pigeon and Dove,” 1682).

Pigmy, a dwarf. (See Pygmy.)

Pigott Diamond (The), brought from India by lord Pigott. It weighs 82¼ carats. In 1818 it came into the hands of Messrs. Rundell and Bridge.

Pigrogromitus, a name alluded to by sir Andrew Ague-cheek.

In sooth thou wast in very gracious fooling last night when thou spokest of Pigrogromitus, of the Vapian passing the equinoctial of Queubus. ‘Twas very good, i’ faith.—Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, act ii. sc. 3 (1614).

Pigwiggen, a fairy knight, whose amours with queen Mab, and furious combat with Oberon, form the subject of Drayton’s Nymphidia (1593).

Pike. The best pike in the world are obtained fr om the Wytham, in that division of Lincolnshire called Kesteven (in the west).

Yet for my dainty pike I [Wytham] am without compare.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xxv. (1622).

Pike (Gideon), valet to old major Bellenden.—Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).

Pilatus (Mount), in Switzerland. The legend is that Pontius Pilate, being banished to Gaul by the emperor Tiberius, wandered to this mount, and flung himself into a black lake at the summit of the hill, being unable to endure the torture of conscience for having given up the Lord to crucifixion.

Of course there is no historical value in this tradition. Pilatus means “capped” [with snow], but the similarity of the two words gave rise to the tradition.

Pilcrow, a mark in printing, to attract attention, made thus or

In husbandry matters, where pilcrow ye find,