Chapter Trafford to Trapper of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Trafford to Trapper

Trafford (F. G.), the pseudonym of Mrs. C. E. Riddell, before the publication of George Geith (1871).

Tragedy (Father of Greek), Thespis, the Richardson of Athens. Æschylos is also called “The Father of Greek Tragedy” (B.C. 525–426).

The Father of French Tragedy, Garnier (1534–1590).

The First English Tragedy, Gorboduc, by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville (1569). The first comedy was Ralph Roister Doister, by Nicholas U dall (1564).

Thornbury says the coadjutor of Norton was lord Buckhurst, and Charles Lamb maintains that lord Buckhurst “supplied the more vital parts;” but professor Craik says Sackville was the worker together with Norton.

Trained Band, the volunteer artillery, whose ground for practice was in Moorfields. John Gilpin was “captain of the trained band.”

A Trained Band captain eke was he,
Of famous London town.
   —Cowper: John Gilpin (1782).

Trajan (The Second), Marcus Aurelius Claudius, surnamed Got hicus, noted for his valour, justice, and goodness (215, 268–270).

Trajan and St. Gregory. It is said that Trajan, although unbaptized, was delivered from hell in answer to the prayers of St. Gregory.

There was storied on the rock
The exalted glory of the Roman prince,
Whose mighty worth moved Gregory to earn
His mighty conquest—Trajan the emperor.
   —Dante: Purgatory, xi. (1308).

Trajan and the Importunate Widow. One day, a mother appeared before the emperor Trajan, and cried, “Grant vengeance, sire! My son is murdered.” The emperor replied, “I cannot stop now; wait till I return.” “But, sire,” pleaded the widow, “if you do not return, who will grant me justice?” “My successor,” said Trajan. “And can Trajan leave to another the duty that he himself is appointed to perform?” On hearing this, the emperor stopped his cavalcade, heard the woman’s cause, and granted her suit. Dantê tells this tale in his Purgatory, xi.—John of Salisbury: Polycraticus de Curialium Nugis, v. 8 (twelfth century).

Dion Cassius (Roman Historia, ixix.) tells a similar story of Hadrian. When a woman appeared before him with a suit as he was starting on a journey, the emperor put her off, saying, “I have no leisure now.” She replied, “If Hadrian has no leisure to perform his duties, let him cease to reign!” On hearing this reproof, he dismounted from his horse, and gave ear to the woman’s cause.

A woman once made her appeal to Philip of Macedon, who, being busy at the time, petulantly exclaimed, “Woman, I have no time now for such matters.” “If Philip has no time to render justice,” said the woman, “then is it high time for Philip to resign!” The king felt the rebuke, heard the cause patiently, and decided it justly.

Another tale is told of the Macedonian. A woman asked him to do her justice, but the testy monarch refused to hear her. “I shall appeal,” said the woman. “Appeal!” thundered Philip. “And to whom will you appeal, woman?” “To Philip sober,” was her reply, and her cause was heard patiently.

Tramecksan and Slamecksan, the High-heels and Low-heels, two great political factions of Lilliput. The animosity of the Guelphs and Ghibellines of punydom ran so high “that no High-heel would eat or drink with a Low-heel, and no Low-heel would salute or speak to a High-heel.” The king of Lilliput was a High-heel, but the heir-apparent a Low-heel.—Swift: Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Lilliput,” iv., 1726).

(Of course, the allusion is to the High-church party and the Low-church party.)