Chapter Sludge to Smilinda of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Sludge to Smilinda

Sludge (Gammer), the landlady of Erasmus Holiday the schoolmaster in White Horse Vale.

Dickie Sludge or “Flibbertigibbet,” her dwarf grandson.—Sir W. Scott: Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).

Slum (Mr.), a patter poet, who dressed en militaire. He called on Mrs. Jarley, exhibitor of wax-works, all by accident. “What, Mr. Slum?” cried the lady of the wax-work; “who’d have thought of seeing you here?” “’Pon my soul and honour,” said Mr. Slum, “that’s a good remark! ’Pon my soul and honour, that’s a wise remark… Why I came here? ’Pon my soul and honour, I hardly know what I came here for … What a splendid classical thing is this, Mrs. Jarley! ’Pon my soul and honour, it is quite Minervian!” “It’ll look well, I fancy,” observed Mrs. Jarley. “Well!” said Mr. Slum; “it would be the delight of my life, ’pon my soul and honour, to exercise my Muse on such a delightful theme. By the way—any orders, madam? Is there anything I can do for you?” (ch. xxviii.).

“Ask the perfumers,” said and the military gentleman, “ask the blacking-makers, ask the hatters, ask the old lottery-office keepers, ask any man among ’em what poetry has done for him, and mark my word, he blesses the name of Slum.”—Dickens. The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).

Slumkey (Samuel), “blue” candidate for the representation of the borough of Eatanswill in parliament. His opponent is Horatio Fizkin, who represents the “buff” interest.—Dickens: The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Sly (Christopher), a keeper of bears, and a tinker. In the induction of Shakespeare’s comedy called Taming of the Shrew, Christopher is found dead drunk by a nobleman, who commands his servants to take him to his mansion and attend on him as a lord. The trick is played, and the “commonty” of Taming of the Shrew is performed for the delectation of the ephemeral lord.

A similar trick was played by Haroun-al-Raschid on a rich merchant named Abou Hassan (see Arabian Nights, “The Sleeper Awakened,” q.v.). Also by Philippe le Bon of Burgundy, on his marriage with Eleanora (see Burton: Anatomy of Melancholy, ii 2, 4, 1624).

Slyme (Chevy), one of old Martin Chuzzlewit’s numerous relations. He is a drunken, good-for-nothing vagabond, but his friend Montague Tigg considers him “an unappreciated genius.” His chief peculiarity consists in his always being “round the corner.”—Dickens: Martin Chuzzlewit (1844).

Small (Gilbert), the pinmaker, a hardworking old man, who loves his son most dearly.

Thomas Small, the son of Gilbert, a would-be man of fashion and maccaroni. Very conceited of his fine person, he thinks himself the very glass of fashion. Thomas Small resolves to make a fortune by marriage, and allies himself to Kate, who turns out to be the daughter of Strap the cobbler.—Knowles: The Beggar of Bethnal Green (1834).

Small Beer Poet (The), W. Thomas Fitzgerald. He is now known only for one line, quoted in the Rejected Addresses: “The tree of freedom is the British oak.” Cobbett gave him the sobriquet (1759–1829).

Small-Endians, a “religious sect” in Lilliput, who made it an article of orthodoxy to break their eggs at the small end. By the Small-endians is meant the protestant party; the Roman Catholics are called the Big-endians, from their making it a sine quâ non for all true Churchmen to break their eggs at the big end.—Swift: Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Lilliput,” 1726).

Smallweed Family (The), a grasping, ill-conditioned lot, consisting of grandfather, grandmother, and the twins Bartholomew and Judy. The grandfather indulges in vituperative exclamations against his aged wife, with or without provocation, and flings at her anything he can lay his hand on. He becomes, however, so dilapidated at last that he has to be shaken up by his amiable granddaughter Judy in order to be aroused to consciousness.