Chapter Pizarro to Platonic Bodies of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Herrick, who had no occasion to steal, has taken this image from Suckling, and spoilt it in the theft. Like sir Fretful Plagiary, Herrick had not skill to steal with taste.—R. Chambers : English Literature, i. 134.

William Parsons [1736–1795] was the original “sir Fretful Plagiary,” and from his delineation most of our modern actors have borrowed their idea.—Life of Sheridan.

Plague of London (1665). 68,586 persons died thereof. Defoe wrote a Fournal of the Plague of London (1722). As this was fifty-seven years after the plague, and Defoe was born in 1661, of course he can scarcely be considered an eye-witness, but his description is most vivid and Lifelike.

Plaids et Gieux sous l’Ormel, a society formed by the troubadours of Picardy in the latter half of the twelfth century. It consisted of knights and ladies of the highest rank, exercised and approved in courtesy. The society assumed an absolute judicial power in matters of the most delicate nature; trying, with the most consummate ceremony, all causes in love brought before their tribunals.

This was similar to the “Court of Love,” established about the same time by the troubadours of Provence.—Universal Magazine (1792).

Plain (The), the level floor of the National Convention of France, occupied by the Girondists or moderate republicans. The red republicans occupied the higher seats, called “the mountain.”

Plain and Perspicuous Doctor (The), Walter Burleigh (1275–1357).

Plain Dealer (The), a comedy by William Wycherly (1677).

The countess of Drogheda… inquired for the plain Dealers. “Madam,” said Mr. Fairbeard,…“there he is,” pushing Mr. Wycherly towards her.—Cibber : Lives of the Poets, iii. 252.

(Wycherly married the countess in 1680. She died soon afterwards, leaving him the whole of her fortune.)

Plain Speaker (The), Hazlitt’s opinion on certain “books, men, and things” (1826).

Planet of Love. Venus is so called by Tennyson, in his Maud, I. (xxii. 2 (1826).

Plantagenet (Lady Edith), a kinswoman of Richard I. She marries the prince royal of Scotland (called sir Kenneth knight of the Leopard or David earl of Huntingdon).—Sir W. Scott: The Talisman (time, Richard I.).

Plantain or Plantago, the favourite food of asses. It is very astringent, and excellent for cuts and open sores. Plantain leaves bruised, and rubbed on the part affected, will instantly relieve the pain and reduce the swelling occasioned by the bite or sting of insects. The Highlanders ascribe great virtues to the plantain, which they call slan-lus (“the healing plant”).—Lightfoot.

The hermit gathers…plantane for a sore.
   —Drayton : Polyolbion, xiii. (1613).

Plato. The mistress of this philosopher was Archianassa; of Aristotle, Hepyllis; and of Epicurus, Leontium. (See Lovers, p. 633.)
The English Plato, the Rev. John Norris (1657–1711).
The German Plato, Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi (1743–1819).
The Fewish Plato, Philo Judæus (fl. A.D. 20-40).
The Puritan Plato John Howe (1630–1706).

Plato and the Bees. It is said that when Plato was an infant, bees settled on his lips while he was asleep, indicating that he would become famous for his “honeyed words.” The same story is told of Sophoclês,