Chapter Rab and his Friends to Raine of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Rachael, a servant-girl at lady Peveril’s of the Peak.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Rachel , one of the “hands” in Bounderby’s mill at Coketown. She loved Stephen Blackpool, and was greatly beloved by him in return; but Stephen was married to a worthless drunkard. After the death of Stephen, Rachel watched over the good-for-nothing young widow, and befriended her.—Dickens: Hard Times (1854).

Racine of Italy (The), Metastasio (1698–1782).

Racine of Music (The), Antonio Gaspare Sacchini of Naples (1735–1786).

Racine’s Monkey, J. E. de Campestron, called Le Singe de Racine.

Racket (Sir Charles), a young man of fashion, who has married the daughter of a wealthy London merchant. In the third week of the honeymoon, sir Charles paid his father-in-law a visit, and quarrelled with his bride about a game of whist. The lady affirmed that sir Charles ought to have played a diamond instead of a club. Sir Charles grew furious, and resolved upon a divorce; but the quarrel was adjusted, and sir Charles ends by saying, “You may be as wrong as you please, but I’ll be cursed if I ever endeavour to set you right again.”

Lady Racket, wife of sir Charles, and elder daughter of Mr. Drugget.—Murphy: Three Weeks after Marriage (1776).

Racket (Widow), a sprightly, good-natured widow and woman of fashion.

A coquette, a wit, and a fine lady.—Mrs. Cowley: The Belle’s Stratagem, ii. I(1780).

The “Widow Racket” was one of Mrs. Pope’s best parts. Her usual manner of expressing piquant carelessness consisted in tossing her head from right to left, and striking the palm of one hand with the back of the other [1740–1797].—James Smith.

Rackrent (Sir Condy), in Miss Edgeworth’s novel of Castle Rackrent (1802).

Raddle (Mrs.), keeper of the lodgings occupied by Bob Sawyer. The young medical practitioner invited Mr. Pickwick and his three friends to a convivial meeting; but the termagant Mrs. Raddle brought the meeting to an untimely end.—Dickens: The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Radegonde (St.) or St. Radegund, queen of France (born 519, died 587). She was the daughter of Bertaire king of Thuringia, and brought up a pagan. King Clotaire I. taught her the Christian religion, and married her in 538; but six years later she entered a nunnery, and lived in the greatest austerity.

There thou must walk in greatest gravity,
And seem as saintlike as St. Radegund.
   —Spenser: Mother Hubberd’s Tale (1591).

Radigund or Radegone, the proud queen of the Amazons. Being rejected by Bellodant “the Bold,” she revenged herself by degrading every man who fell into her power, by dressing them like women, giving them women’s work to do, such as spinning, carding, sewing, etc., and feeding them on bread and water to effeminate them (canto 4). When she overthrew sir Artegal in single combat, she imposed on him the condition of dressing in “woman’s weeds,” with a white apron, and to spend his time in spinning flax, instead of in deeds of arms. Radigund fell in love with the captive knight, and sent Clarinda as a go-between; but Clarinda tried to win him for herself, and told the queen he was inexorable (canto 5). At length Britomart arrived, cut off Radigund’s head, and liberated the captive knight (canto 7).—Spenser: Faërie Queene, v. 4-7 (1596).