Chapter Plornish to Pocket of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

in was sumptuously furnished and quite magnificent. Every calamity he smoothed over, every unkind remark of their snarling employer he called a merry jest; so that the poor blind girl lived in a castle of the air, “air, “a bright little world of her own.” When merry or puzzled, Caleb used to sing something about “a sparkling bowl.”

It would have gladdened the heart of that inimitable creation of Charles Dickens, “Caleb Plummer.”—Lord W. Lennox: Celebrities, ii.

Bertha Plummer, the blind daughter of the toy-maker, who fancied her poor old father was a young fop, that the sack he threw across his shoulders was a handsome blue great-coat, and that their wooden house was a palace. She was in love with Tackleton, the toy merchant, whom she thought to be a handsome young prince; and when she heard that he was about to marry May Fielding, she drooped and was like to die. She was then disillusioned, heard the real facts, and said at first, “Why, oh, why did you deceive me thus? Why did you fill my heart so full, and then come like death, and tear away the objects of my love?” However her love for her father was not lessened, and she declared after a time that the knowledge of the truth was “sight restored.” “It is my sight,” she cried. “Hitherto I have been blind, but now my eyes are open. I never knew my father before, and might have died without ever having known him truly.”

Edward Plummer, son of the toymaker, and brother of the blind girl. He was engaged from boyhood to May Fielding, went to South America, and returned to marry her; but, hearing of her engagement to Tackleton the toy merchant, he assumed the disguise of a deaf old man, to ascertain whether she loved Tackleton or not. Being satisfied that her heart was still his own, he married her, and Tackleton made them a present of the wedding-cake which he had ordered for himself.—Dickens: The Cricket on the Hearth (1845).

Plurality of Worlds (The, an essay by Dr. Whewell (1853). Dr. Whewell maintains that our world is the only one inhabited by sentient beings like ourselves. Dr. Brewster, in his treatise More Worlds than One (1854), took the other side.

(The arguments on both sides are briefly stated in my Theology in Science.)

Plush (John), any gorgeous footman conspicuous for his plush breeches and rainbow colours.

Plutarch (The Modern), Vayer, born at Paris. His name in full was Francis Vayer de la Mothe (1586–1672).

Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, in Greek prose (about A.D. 110-113), have been translated into English prose by North, 1579; Langhorn, 1771, etc. Shakespeare used North’s translation.

Pluto, the god of hadês.

Brothers, be of good cheer, for this night we shall sup with Pluto.—Leonidas: To the Three Hundreà at Thermopylæ.

Plutus, the god of wealth.—Classic Mythology.

Within a heart, dearer than Plutus mine.
   —Shakespeare: Julius Cæsar, act iv. sc. 3 (1607).

Plymouth Cloak (A), a cane, a cudgel. So called, says Ray, “because we use a staff in cuerpo, but not when we wear a cloak.”

Wellborn. How, dog? (Raising his cudgel.)
Tapwell. Advance your Plymouth cloak.
There dwells, and within call, if it please your worship,
A potent monarch, called the constable,
That doth command a citadel, called the stocks.

Massinger: A New Way to Pay Old Debts, i. 1(1628).