Chapter Russian Byron to Rython of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Russian Byron to Rython

Russian Byron (The), Alexander Sergeivitch Pushkin (1799–1837).

Russian History (The Father of), Nestor, a monk of Kiev. His Chronicle includes the years between 862 and 1116 (twelfth century).

Russian Murat (The), Michael Miloradowitch (1770–1820).

Rust (Martin), an absurd old antiquary. “He likes no coins but those which have no head on them.” He took a fancy to Juliet, the niece of sir Thomas Lofty, but preferred his “Æneas, his precious relic of Troy,” to the living beauty; and Juliet preferred Richard Bever to Mr. Rust; so matters were soon amicably adjusted.—Foote: The Patron (1764).

Rustam, chief of the Persian mythic al heroes, son of Zâl “the Fair,” king of India, and regular descendant of Benjamin the beloved son of Ja cob the patriarch. He delivered king Caïcaus from prison, but afterwards fell into disgrace because he refused to embrace the religious system of Zoroaster. Caïcaus sent his son Asfendiar (or Isfendiar) to convert him, and, as persuasion availed nothing, the logic of single combat was resorted to. The fight lasted two days, and then Rustam discovered that Asfendiar bore a “charmed life,” proof against all wounds. The valour of these two heroes is proverbial, and the Persian romances are full of their deeds of fight.

Rustam’s Horse, Reksh.—Chardin: Travels (1686–1711).

(In Matthew Arnold’s poem Sohrab and Rustum, Rustum fights with Sohrab, overcomes him, and finds too late he has slain his own son.)

Rustam, son of Tamur king of Persia. He had a trial of strength with Rustam son of Zâl, which was to pull away from his adversary an iron ring. The combat was never decided, for Rustam could no more conquer Rustam than Roland could overcome Oliver.—Chardin: Travels (1686–1711).

Rusticus’s Pig, the pig on which Rusticus fed daily, but which never diminished. (See Schrimner.)

Two Christians, travelling in Poland,…came to the door of Rusticus, a heathen peasant, who had killed a fat hog to celebrate the birth of a son. The pilgrims, being invited to partake of the feast, pronounced a blessing on what was left, which never diminished in size or weight from that moment, though all the family fed on it freely every day.—Brady: Clavis Calendaria, 183.

This, of course, is a parallelism to Elijah’s miracle (1 Kings xvii. 11-16).

Rut (Doctor), in The Magnetic Lady, by Ben Jonson (1602).

Ruth (The Book of). Ruth was a Moabitish maiden, whose husband’s father was a Hebrew driven from his native land by a famine. She afterwards married Boaz a rich farmer of Bethlehem, and was the grandmother of king David, and so in the line of Christ’s ancestry.

Ruth, a poem, by Hood (1827); by sir W. S. Maxwell (1818–1875); by Wordsworth (1799).

Ruth, the friend of Arabella an heiress, and ward of justice Day. Ruth also is an orphan, the daughter of sir Basil Thoroughgood, who died when she was two years old, leaving justice Day trustee. Justice Day takes the estates, and brings up Ruth as his own daughter. Colonel Careless is her accepted amé de cœur.—T. Knight: The Honest Thieves.

Ruthven (Lord), one of the embassy from queen Elizabeth to Mary queen of Scots.—Sir W. Scott: The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Rutilio, a merry gentleman, brother of Arnoldo.—Fletcher: The Custom of the Country (1647).