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

Ramorny (Sir John), a voluptuary, master of the horse to prince Robert of Scotland.—Sir W. Scott: Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Ramsay (David), the old watchmaker near Temple Bar.

Margaret Ramsay, David’s daughter. She marries lord Nigel.—Sir W. Scott: Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

Ramsbottom (Mrs.), a vile speller of the language. Theodore Hook’s pseudonym in the John Bull newspaper (1829).

(Winifred Jenkins, the maid of Miss Tabitha Bramble (in Smollett’s Humphrey Clinker, 1770), rivals Mrs. Ramsbottom in bad spelling.)

Randal, the boatman at Lochleven Castle.—Sir W. Scott: The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Randolph (Lord), a Scotch nobleman, whose life was saved by young Norval. For this service his lordship gave the youth a commission; but Glenalvon the heir-presumptive hated the new favourite, and persuaded lord Randolph that Norval was too familiar with his lady. Accordingly, Glenalvon and lord Randolph waylaid the lad, who being attacked slew Glenalvon in self-defence, but was himself slain by lord Randolph. When the lad was killed, lord Randolph learned that “Norval” was the son of lady Randolph by lord Douglas her former husband. He was greatly vexed, and went to the war then raging between Scotland and Denmark, to drown his sorrow by activity and danger.

Lady Randolph, daughter of sir Malcolm, was privately married to lord Douglas, and when her first boy was born she hid him in a basket, because there was a family feud between Malcolm and Douglas. Soon after this, Douglas was slain in battle, and the widow married lord Randolph. The babe was found by old Norval a shepherd, who brought him up as his own son. When 18 years old, the lad saved the life of lord Randolph, and was given a commission in the army. Lady Randolph, hearing of the incident, discovered that young Norval was her own son Douglas. When lord Randolph, who had slain Norval, went to the wars to drive away care, lady Randolph, in her distraction, cast herself headlong from a steep precipice.—Home: Douglas (1757).

The voice of Mrs. Crawford [1734–1801], when thrown out by the vehemence of strong feeling, seemed to wither up the hearer; it was a flaming arrow, a lighting of passion. Such was the effect of her almost shriek to old Norval, “Was he alive?” It was like an electric shock, which drove the blood back to the heart, and produced a shudder of terror through the crowded theatre.—Boaden: Life of Kemble.