Chapter Scotland's Scourge to Scriptores Tres of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Scotus. There were two schoolmen of this name: (I) John Scotus Erigena, a native of Ireland, who died 886, in the reign of king Alfred; and (2) John Duns Scotus, a Scotchman, who died 1308. Longfellow confounds these two in his Golden Legendwhen he attributes the Latin version of St. Dionysius the Areopagite to the latter schoolman.

And done into Latin by that Scottish beast,
Erigena Johannes.
   —Longfellow: The Golden Legend(1851).

Scourers, a class of dissolute young men, often of the better, class, who infested the streets of London in the seventeenth century, and thought it capital fun to break windows, upset sedan-chairs, beat quiet citizens, and molest young women. These young blades called themselves at different times, Muns, Hectors, Scourers, Nickers, Hawcubites, and Mohawks or Mohocks.

Scourge of Christians (The), Noureddin-Mahmûd of Damascus (1116–1174).

Scourge of God (The), Attila king of the Huns, called Flagellum Dei (*434-453). Genseric king of the Vandals was called Virga Dei (*, reigned 429-477).

Scourge of Princes (The), Pietro Aretino of Arezzo, a merciless satirist of kings and princes, but very obscene and licentious. He called himself, “Aretino the Divine” (1492–1557).

Thus Aretin of late got reputation
By scourging kings, as Lucian did of old
By scorning gods.
   —Brooke: Inquisition upon Fame (1554–1628).

Suidas called Lucian “The Blasphemer; and he added that he was torn to pieces by dogs for his impiety. Some of his works attack the heathen philosophy and religion. His Jupiter Convictedshows Jupiter to be powerless, and Jupiter the Tragedianshows Jupiter and the other gods to be myths (120-200).

Scourge of Scotland, Edward I. Scotorum Malleus (1239, 1272–1307).

Scrape-All, a soapy, psalm-singing hypocrite, who combines with Cheatly to supply young heirs with cash at most exorbitant usury. (See CHEATLY, p.199.)—Shadwell: Squire of Alsatia (1688).

Scrape on, Gentlemen. Hadrian went once to the public baths, and, seeing an old soldier scraping himself with a potsherd for want of a flesh-brush, sent him a sum of money. Next day, the bath was crowded with potsherd scrapers; but the emperor said when he saw them, “Scrape on, gentlemen, but you will not scrape an acquaintance with me.”

Scribble, an attorney’s clerk, who tries to get married to Polly Honeycombe a silly, novel-struck girl, but well off. He is happily foiled in his scheme, and Polly is saved from the consequences of a most unsuitable match.—Colman the Elder: Polly Honeycombe (1760).

Scriblerus (Cornelius), father of Martinus. He was noted for his pedantry, and his odd whims about the education of his son.

Martinus Scriblerus, a man of capacity, who had read everything; but his judgment was worthless, and his taste perverted.—(?) Arbuthnot: Memoirs of the Extraordinary Life, Works, and Discoveries of Martinus Scriblerus.

N.B.—These “memories” were intended to be the first instalment of a general satire on the false taste in literature prevalent in the time of Pope. The only parts of any moment that were written of this intended series were Pope’s Treatise of the Bathos or Art of Sinking in Poetry, and his Memoirs of P.P., Clerk of this Parish(1727), in ridicule of Dr. Burnet’s History of His Own Time. The Dunciad is, however, preceded by a Prolegomena, ascribed to Martinus Scriblerus, and contains his notes and illustrations on the poem, thus connecting this merciless satire with the original design.