Chapter Roads to Robespierre's Weavers of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Roads to Robespierre's Weavers

Roads (The king of), John Loudon Macadam, the improver of roads (1756–1836).

(Of course, the wit consists in the pun Rhodes and Roads.)

Roan Barbary, the charger of Richard II., which would eat from his master’s hand.

Oh, how it yearned my heart, when I beheld
In London streets that coronation day,
When Bolingbroke rode on Roan Barbary!
That horse that thou so often hast bestrid;
That horse that I so carefully have dressed!
   —Shakespeare: Richard II. act v. sc. 5 (1597).

Roast Pig, one of the best essays of C. Lamb in his Essays of Elia.

Rob Roy, published in 1818, excellent for its bold sketches of Highland scenery. The character of Bailie Nicol Jarvie is one of Scott’s happiest conception; and the carrying of him to the wild mountains among outlaws and desperadoes is exquisitely comic. The hero, Frank Osbaldistone, is no hero at all. Dramatized by I. Pocock.

None of Scott’s novels was more popular than Rob Roy, yet, as a story, it is the most ill-concocted and defective of the whole series.—Chambers: English Literature, ii. 587.

Rob Roy M‘Gregor, i.e. “Robert the Red,” whose surname was MacGregor. He was an outlaw, who assumed the name of Campbell in 1662. He may be termed the Robin Hood of Scotland. The hero of the novel is Frank Osbaldistone, who gets into divers troubles, from which he is rescued by Rob Roy. The last service is to kill Rashleigh Osbaldistone, whereby Frank’s great enemy is removed; and Frank then marries Diana Vernon.—Sir W. Scott: Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Rather beneath the middle size than above it, his limbs were formed upon the very strongest model that is consistent with agility…Two points in his person interfered with the rules of symmetry: his shoulders were too broad…and his arms (though round, sinewy, and strong) were so very long as to be rather a deformity.—Ch xxiii.

Rob Tally-ho, Esq., cousin of the Hon. Tom Dashall, the two blades whose rambles and adventures through the metropolis are related by Pierce Egan (1821-2).

Rob the Rambler, the comrade of Willie Steenson the blind fiddler.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Robb (Duncan), the grocer near Ellangowan.—Sir W. Scott: Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

Robber (Alexander’s. The p irate who told Alexander he was the greater robber of the two, was Diomiidês. See Evenings at Home (“Alexander and the Robber”). The tale is from Cicero. (See Gesta Romanorum,cxlvi.)

Nam quum quæreretur ex eo, quo scelere impulsus mare haberet infestum uno myoparone: eodem, inquit, quo tu orbem terræ.—De Repub., iii. 14 sec. 24.

Robber (Edward the). Edward IV. was so called by the Scotch.

Robert, father of Marian. He had been a wrecker, and still hankered after the old occupation. One night, a storm arose, and Robert went to the coast to see what would fall into his hands. A body was washed ashore, and he rifled it. Marian followed, with the hope of restraining her father, and saw in the dusk some one strike a dagger into a prostrate body. She thought it was her father, and when Robert was on his trial, he was condemned to death on his daughter’s evidence. Black Norris, the real murderer, told her he would save her father if she would consent to be his wife; she consented, and Robert was acquitted. On the wedding day, her lover Edward returned to claim her hand, Black Norris was seized as a murderer, and Marian was saved.—Knowles: The Daughter (1836).