Chapter Rosa to Rose of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Rosana, daughter of the Armenian queen, who helped St. George to quench the seven lamps of the knight of the Black Castle.—R. Johnson: The Seven Champions of Christendom, ii. 8, 9 (1617).

Rosciad (The), a poetical satire in heroic rhymes, by Churchill (1761).

Roscius (Quintus), the greatest of Roman actors (died B.C. 62).

What scene of death hath Roscius now to act?

Shakespeare: 3 Henry VI. act. v. sc. 6 (1592).

The British Roscius, Thomas Betterton (1635–1710), and David Garrick (1716–1779).

The earl of Southampton says that Richard Burbage “is famous as our English Roscius” (1566–1619).

The Irish Roscius, Spranger Barry, “The Silver-Tongued” (1719–1777).

The Young Roscius, William Henry West Betty, who in 1803 made his début in London. He was about 12 years of age, and in fifty-six nights realized £34,000. He died, aged 84, in 1874.

The Roscius of France, Michel Boyron or Baron (1653–1729).

Roscrana, d aughter of Cormac king of Ireland (grandfather of that Cormac murdered by Cairbar). Roscrana is called “the blue-eyed and white-handed maid,” and was “like a spirit of heaven, half folded in the skirt of a cloud.” Subsequently she was the wife of Fingal king of Morven, and mother of Ossian “king of bards.”—Ossian: Temora, vi.

N.B.—Cormac, the father of Roscrana, was great-grandfather of that Cormac who was reigning when Swaran made his invasion. The line ran thus: (1) Cormac I., (2) Cairbre his son, (3) Artho his son, (4) Cormac II. father-in-law of Fingal.

Rose [Maylie], the adopted daughter of Mrs. Maylie of Chertsey mansion, which was broken into by Bill Sykes. Rose, at the time, was only 17 years of age. “Cast in so slight and exquisite a mould, so gentle and so mild, so pure and beautiful, that earth seemed not her element.” She was intensely loved by Mrs. Maylie’s son Henry; but she rejected his proposal till the mystery of her birth was cleared up. It turned out that her name was Rose Fleming, and she was Oliver Twist’s aunt. Henry Maylie took orders, retired to a country living, and Rose became his model wife.—Dickens: Oliver Twist (1838).

Rose, “the gardener’s daughter,” a story of happy first love, told in later years by an old man who had, in his younger days, trifled with the passion of love; but, like St. Augustin, was always “loving to love” (amans amare), and was at length heart-smitten with Rose, whom he married. (See Alice, p. 25.)—Tennyson: The Gardner’s Daughter.

Rose (Origin of the). (1) Sir John Mandeville says that a Jewish maid of Bethlehem (whom Southey names Zillah) was beloved by one Hamuel a brutish sot. Zillah rejected his suit, and Hamuel, in revenge, accused the maiden of offences for which she was condemned to burned alive. When brought to the stake, the flames burnt Hamuel to a cinder, but did no harm to Zillah. There she stood, in a garden of roses, for the brands which had been kindled became red roses, and those which had not caught fire became white ones. These are the first roses that ever bloomed on earth since the loss of paradise.

As the fyre began to brenne about hire, she made her preyeres to oure Lord…and anon was the fayer quenched and oute, and brondes that weren brennynge becomen white roseres…and theise werein the first roseres that ever ony man saughe.—Sir J. Maundeville: Voiage and Traivaile.