Chapter Rainy-Day Smith to Randolph of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Rainy-Day Smith to Randolph

Rainy-Day Smith, John Thomas Smith, the antiquary (1766–1833).

Rajah of Mattan (Borneo) has a diamond which weighs 367 carats. The largest cut diamond in the world. It is considered to be a palladium. (See Diamonds, p. 277.)

Rake (Lord), a nobleman of the old school, fond of debauch, street rows, knocking down Charlies, and seeing his guests drunk. His chief boon companions are sir John Brute and colonel Bully.—Vanbrugh: The Provoked Wife (1697).

Rakeland (Lord), a libertine, who makes love to married women, but takes care to keep himself free from the bonds of matrimony.—Mrs. Inchbald: The Wedding Day (1790).

Rakshe , a monster, which lived on serpents and dragons. (See Ouranabad, p. 790.)

Raleigh (Sir Walter), introduced by sir W. Scott in Kenilworth. The tradition of sir Walter laying down his cloak on a miry spot for the queen to step on, and the queen commanding him to wear the “muddy cloak till her pleasure should be further known,” is mentioned in ch. xv. (1821).

The following is a parallel instance of instinctive politeness:—

A lady on her way to visit a sick man, came to a puddle. A little boy, who saw the difficulty she was in, stepped into the mud, and, throwing off his wooden shoes, jumped over the plash. The lady cried out, “Little boy, you have left your shoes behind you.” “Yes, ma’am,” he replied; “they are for you to walk on.”—Temple Bar, cxxxiii. (“Politeness,” a true story).

Raleigh (Sir Walter). Jealous of the earl of Essex, he plots with lord Burleigh to compass his death.—H. Fones: The Earl of Essex (1745).

RALPH, abbot of St. Augustine’s, expended £43,000 on the repast given at his installation.

It was no unusual thing for powerful barons to provide 30,000 dishes at a wedding breakfast. The coronation dinner of Edward III. cost £40,000, equal to half a million of money now. The duke of Clarence at his marriage entertained 1000 guests, and furnished his table with 36 courses. Archbishop Neville had 1000 egrettes served at one banquet, and the whole species seems to have been extirpated.

After this it will be by no means difficult to understand why Apicius despaired of being able to make two ends meet, when he had reduced his enormous fortune to £80,000, and therefore hanged himself.

N.B.—After the winter of 1327 was over, the elder Spencer had left of the stores laid in by him the preceding November and salted down, “80 salted beeves, 500 bacons, and 600 muttons.”

Ralph, son of Fairfield the miller. An outlandish, ignorant booby, jealous of his sister Patty, because she “could paint picturs and strum on the harpsicols.” He was in love with Fanny the gipsy, for which “feyther” was angry with him; but “what argufies feyther’s anger?” However, he treated Fanny like a brute, and she said of him, “He has a heart as hard as a parish officer. I don’t doubt but he would stand by and see me whipped.” When his sister married lord Aimworth, Ralph said—

Captain Ralph my lord will dub me,
Soon I’ll mount a huge cockade;
Mounseer shall powder, queue, and club me,—
’Gad! I’ll be a roaring blade.
If Fan should offer then to snub me,
When in scarlet I’m arrayed;
Or my feyther ’temp to drub me—
Let him frown, but who’s afraid?
   —Bickerstaff: The Maid of the Mill (1647).

Ralph, or Ralpho, the ’squire of Hudibras.—Fully described in bk. i. 457-644.—S. Butler: Hudibras (1663- 78).

(The prototype of “Ralph” was Isaac Robinson, a zealous butcher in Moorfields. Ralph represents the independent party, and Hudibras the presbyterian.)