Chapter Tribulation to Tripe of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

who had been a clergyman and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, but by indulgence in drink he lost his living, went to Paris, and married a barmaid, the natural daughter of the Hon. col. Desmond, a near relative of the duchess of Tower. When the novel opens, Trilby was about 17, and earned her living as an artist’s model. She became intimate with three “English” art-students in Paris, whose influence over her for good was unbounded. They were called Taffy, the laird of Cockpen, and Little Billee. The first was Talbot Wynne, of Yorkshire, a man of magnificent physique, most affectionate disposition, and unbounded spirits; the second was the son of a solicitor; and the third was William Bagot, the greatest artist of the age. They all fell in love with Trilby, but Little Billee proposed marriage, and, after nineteen refusals, Trilby accepted his proposal. His mother now speeded from Devonshire, and induced Trilby to break off the match, and she gave her word never to marry her son. Little Billee fell dangerously ill, went to Devonshire to be nursed, and the Paris clique was broken up. For a time Trilby earned her living as a getter-up of fine linen, and then fell into the hands of an Hungarian musician, who assumed the name of Svengali. He taught her singing, under mesmeric influence, and when under this influence she was the best vocalist that ever lived. Emperors and kings, princes and dukes, bowed down before her, and the Hungarian grew rich. But when she appeared before the British public, Svengali, who was sitting in the stage-box, died suddenly of heart-disease, and Trilby entirely lost her voice. She now languished, and soon died of atrophy, beloved by every one. Taffy married Little Billee’s sister; Little Billee died; and the laird of Cockpen married a countrywoman. Trilby is represented as beautiful exceedingly, with model feet, a perfect figure, a loving disposition, ready to turn her hand to anything, and a perfect siren of angelic nature. Every one loved her, and she had not an enemy in the world. Charles Nodier, in 1822, published a novelette of the same name, but this Trilby was a male spirit who attached itself to a fisherman, fell in love with his wife, and performed for her all kinds of household services.

Trim (Corporal), uncle Toby’s orderly. Faithful, simple-minded, and most affectionate. Voluble in speech, but most respectful. Half companion, but never forgetting he is his master’s servant. Trim is the duplicate of uncle Toby in delf. The latter at all times shows himself the officer and the gentleman, born to command and used to obedience, while the former always carries traces of the drill-yard, and shows that he has been accustomed to receive orders with deference, and to execute them with military precision. It is a great compliment to say that the corporal was worthy such a noble master.—Sterne: Tristram Shandy (1759).

Trim, instead of being the opposite, is…the duplicate of uncle Toby…yet…is the character of the common soldier nicely discriminated from that of the officer. His whole carriage bears traces of the drill-yard, which are wanting in the superior. Under the name of a servant, he is in reality a companion, and a delightful mixture of familiarity…and respect… It is enough to say that Trim was worthy to walk behind his master.—Elwin, editor of the Quarterly Review (1853-60).

Trimalchi, a celebrated cook in the reign of Nero, mentioned by Petronius. He had the art of giving to the most common fish the flavour and appearance of the most highly esteemed. Like Ude, he said that “sauces are the soul of cookery, and cookery the soul of festivity,” or, as the cat’s-meat man observed, “tis the seasonin’s as does it.”

Trinacria. Sicily is so called from its three promontories (Greek, tria akra): (1) Pelorus (Capo di Faro), in the north called Faro from the pharos; (2)Pachynus (Capo di Passaro), in the south; (3) Lilybæum (Capo di Marsella or Capo di Boco), in the west.

Our ship
Had left behind Trinacria’s burning isle,
And visited the margin of the Nile.
   —Falconer: The Shipwreck, i. (1762)

Trinculo, a jester.—Shakespeare: The Tempest (1609).

A miscarriage…would (like the loss of Trinculo’s bottle in the horse-pond) be attended not only with dishonour but with infinite loss.—Sir W. Scott.

Trinket (Lord), a man of fashion and a libertine.