Chapter Taste to Teilo of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Taste to Teilo

Taste, a farce by Foote (1753), to expose the imposition of picture-dealers and sellers of virtu generally.

Tasting Death. The rabbis say there are three drops of gall on the sword of death: one drops in the mouth and the man dies; from the second the pallor of death is suffused; from the third the carcase turns to dust.—Purchas: His Pilgrimage (1613).

Tatinus, a Greek who joined the crusaders with a force of 200 men armed with “crooked sabres” and bows. These Greeks, like the Parthians, were famous in retreat; but when a drought came they all sneaked off home.—Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered, xiii. (1575).

Tatius (Achilles), the acolyte, an officer in the Varangian guard.—Sir W. Scott: Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).

Tatlanthe, the favourite of Fadladinida (queen of Queerummania and wife of Chrononhotonthologos). She extols the warlike deeds of the king, supposing the queen will feel flattered by her praises; and Fadladinida exclaims, “Art mad, Tatlanthe? Your talk’s distasteful. … You are too pertly lavish in his praise!” She then guesses that the queen loves another, and says to herself, “I see that I must tack about,” and happening to mention “the captive king,” Fadladinida exclaims, “That’s he! that’s he! that’s he! I’d die ten thousand deaths to set him free.” Ultimately the queen promises marriage to both the captive king and Rigdum- Funnidos “to make matters easy.” Then, turning to her favourite, she says—

And now, Tatlanthe, thou art all my care;
Where shall I find thee such another pair?
Pity that you, who’ve served so long and well,
Should die a virgin and lead apes in hell.
Choose for yourself, dear girl, our empire round;
Your portion is twelve hundred thousand pound.
   —Carey: Chrononhotonthologos (1734).

Tatler (The), a serial started by Richard Steele in 1709, and continued to 1711.

Tattle, a man who ruins characters by innuendo, and so denies a scandal as to confirm it. He is a mixture of “lying, foppery, vanity, cowardice, brag, licentiousness, and ugliness, but a professed beau” (act i.). Tattle is entrapped into marriage with Mrs. Frail.—Congreve: Love for Love (1695).

(“Mrs. Candour,” in Sheridan’s School for Scandal (1777), is a Tattle in petticoats.)

Tattycoram, a handsome girl, with lustrous dark hair and eyes, who dressed very neatly. She was taken from the Foundling Hospital (London) by Mr. Meagles to wait upon his daughter. Tattycoram was called in the hospital Harriet Beadle. Harriet was changed first to Hatty, then to Tatty, and Coram was added because the Foundling Hospital was established by Captain Coram. She was most impulsively passionate, and when excited had no control over herself. Miss Wade enticed her away for a time, but afterwards she returned to her first friends.—Dickens: Little Dorrit (1857).

Tavern of Europe (The). Paris was called by prince Bismarck, Le Cabaret de l’Europe.

Tawny (The). Alexandre Bonvicino the historian was called Il Moretto (1514–1564).

Tawny Coats, sumpners, apparitors, officers whose business it was to summon offenders to the courts ecclesiastical, attendants on bishops.

The bishop of London met him, attended on by a goodly company of gentlemen in tawny coats.—Stow: Chronicles of England, 822 (1561).

Taylor, “the water-poet,” called the Swan of the Thames. He wrote four score books, but never learnt “so much as the accidents” (1580–1654).

Taylor, their better Charon, lends an oar,
Once Swan of Thames, tho’ now he sings no more.
   —Pope: The Dunciad, iii. 19 (1728).