Chapter Popish Plot to Posthumus of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Popish Plot to Posthumus

Popish Plot, a supposed Roman Catholic conspiracy to massacre the protestants, burn London, and murder the king (Charles II.). This fiction was concocted by one Titus Oates, who made a “good thing” by his schemes; but being at last found out, was pilloried, whipped, and imprisoned (1678-79).

Poppy (Ned), a prosy old anecdote-teller, with a marvellous tendency to digression. (See Aircastle, p. 17.)

Ned knew exactly what parties had for dinner, … in what ditch his bay horse had his sprain, … and how his man John—no, it was William—started a hare, … so that he never got to the end of his tale.—Steele.

Population (An Essay on the Principle of), by Malthus (1803). The object is to show that the increase of food cannot keep pace with the present increase of population, and therefore that every obstacle should be thrown in the way of matrimony, especially in the lower strata of society; but if they persist in marrying, leave them entirely alone without parish relief.

No doubt there is a limit to the production of food, but theoretically no limit to population; but we are as yet a long way off the fatal line. Canada alone might and room for all the inhabitants of the British Isles, and be the better for it.

Porch (The). The Stoics were so called, because their founder gave his lectures in the Athenian stoa or porch called “Pæcilê.”

The successors of Socratés formed … the Academy, the Porch, the Garden.—Seeley: Ecce Homo.

(George Herbert has a poem called The Church Porch (six-line stanzas). It may be considered introductory to his poem entitled The Church, in sapphic verse and sundry other metres.)

Porcius, son of Cato of Utica (in Africa), and brother of Marcus. Both brothers were in love with Lucia; but the hot-headed, impulsive Marcus, being slain in battle, the sage and temperate Porcius was without a rival.—Addison: Cato (1713).

When Sheridan reproduced Cato, Wignell, who acted “Porcius,” omitted the prologue, and began at once with the lines, “The dawn is overcast, the morning lowers …” “The prologue! the prologue!” shouted the audience; and Wignell went on in the same tone, as if continuing his speech—

Ladies and gentlemen, there has not been
A prologue spoken to this play for years—
And heavily in clouds brings on the day,
The great, the important day, big with the fate
Of Cato and of Rome.

History of the Stage.

Porcupine (Peter). William Cobbett, the politician, published The Rush-light under this pseudonym in 1800.

Porneius , Fornication personified; one of the four sons of Anagnus (inchastity), hi s brothers being Mæchus (adultery), Acatharus, and Aselgês (lasciviousness). He began the battle of Mansoul by encountering Parthenia (maidenly chastity), but “the martial maid” slew him with her spear. (Greek, porneia, “fornication.”)

In maids his joy; now by a maid defied,
His life he lost and all his former pride.
With women would he live, now by a woman died.
P. Fletcher: The Purple Island, xi. (1633).

Porphyrius, in Dryden’s drama of Tyrannic Love (1669).
Valeria, daughter of Maximin, having killed herself for the love of Porphyirus, was on one occasion being carried off by the bearers, when she started