Chapter Secret Tribunal to Serbonian Bog of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Sentinel and St. Paul’s Clock (The). The sentinel condemned to death by court-martial for falling asleep on his watch, but pardoned because he affirmed that he heard St. Paul’s clock strike thirteen instead of twelve, was John Hatfield, who died at the age of 102, June, 1770.

Sentry (Captain), one of the members of the club under whose auspices the Spectator was professedly issued.

September Massacre (The), the slaughter of loyalists confined in the Abbaye. This massacre took place in Paris between September 2 and 5, 1792 on receipt of the news of the capture of Verdun. The number of victims was not less than 1200, and some place it as high as 4000.

Un nomme Septembrisseurs ceux qui accomplirent les massacres.—Bouillet: Dictionnaire Historique, etc., p.1747.

September the Third was Cromwell’s day. On September 3, 1650, he won the battle of Dunbar. On September 3, 1651, he won the battle of Worcester. On September 3, 1658, he died.

Serab, the Arabic word for the Fata morgana. (See Quintus Curtius: De Rebus Alexandri, vii.)

The Arabic word serâb signifies that false appearance which, in Eastern countries, is often seen in sandy plains about noon, resembling at large lake of water in motion. It is occasioned by the reverberation of the sunbeams. It sometimes tempts thirsty travellers out of their way, but deceives them when they come near, either going forward or quite vanishing.—Sale: Al Korân, xxiv. notes.

The actions of unbelievers are like the serâb of the plain; he who is thirsty takes it for water, and finds it deceit.—Al Korân.

Seraphic Doctor (The), St. Bonaventura, placed by Dantê among the saints of his Paradiso (1221–1274).

Seraphic Saint (The), St. Francis d’Assisi (1182–1226).

Of all the saints, St. Francis was the most blameless and gentle.—Dean Milman.

Seraphim (The), a poem by Mrs. Browning (1838). A mystical Passionplay. The time is the Crucifixion, and the angels (except the two seraphs, Ador and Zerah) have departed to the earth. The two seraphs are supposed to be outside the gate of heaven.

Seraphina Arthuret (Miss), a papist. Her sister is Miss Angelica Arthuret.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Serapion, priest of Isis.—Dryden: All for Love (1678).

Serapis, an Egyptian deity, symbolizing the Nile, and fertility in general.

Seraskier , a name given by the Turks to a general of division, generally a pacha with two or three tails. (Persian, seri asker, “head of the army.”)

…three thousand Moslems perished here,
And sixteen bayonets pierced the seraskier.
   —Byron: Don Juan, viii. 8I (1824).

Serb, a Servian or native of Servia.

Serbonian Bog (The. Serbon was a lake a thousand miles in compass, between mount Caésius and the city of Damietta, one of the eastern mouths of the Nile. The Serbonian Bog was surrounded on all sides by hills of loose sand, and the sand, carried into it by high winds, floated on the surface, and looked like