Chapter Triple Alliance to Triumvirate of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Triple Alliance to Triumvirate

Triple Alliance (The).

(1) A treaty between Great Britain, Sweden, and the United Provinces, in 1668, for the purpose of checking the ambition of Louis XIV.

(2) A treaty between George I. of England, Philip duke of Orleans regent of France, and the United Provinces, for the purpose of counteracting the plans of Alberoni the Spanish minister, 1717.

(3) Between Great Britain, Holland, and Prussia, against Katharine of Russia, in defence of Turkey, 1789.

Of course, there have been many other Triple Alliances, but the above mentioned are noted.

Trippet (Beau), who “pawned his honour to Mrs. Trippet never to draw sword in any cause,” whatever might be the provocation. (See Tremor, p. 1136.)

Mrs. Trippet, the beau’s wife, who “would dance for four and twenty hours together,” and play cards for twice that length of time.—Garrick: The Lying Valet(1740).

Tripping as an Omen.

When Julius Cæsar landed at Adrumetum, in Africa, he happened to trip and fall on his face. This would have been considered a fatal omen by his army, but, with admirable presence of mind, he exclaimed, “Thus take I seisin of thee, O Africa!”

A similar story is told of Scipio. Upon his arrival in Africa, he also happened to trip; and, observing that his soldiers looked upon this as a bad omen, he clutched the earth with his two hands, and cried aloud, “Now, Africa, I hold thee in my grasp!”—Don Quixote, II. iv. 6.

When William the Conqueror leaped on shore at Bulverhythe, he fell on his face, and a great cry went forth that the omen was unlucky; but the duke exclaimed, “I take seisin of this land with both my hands!”

Similar stories are told of Napoleon in Egypt; of king Olaf, son of Harald, in Norway; of Junius Brutus, who, returning from the oracle, fell on the earth, and cried, “’Tis thus I kiss thee, mother Earth!”

When captain Jean Cœurpreux tripped in dancing at the Tuileries, Napoleon III. held out his hand to help him up, and said, “Captain, this is the second time I have seen you fall. The first was by my side in the field of Magenta.” Then turning to the lady he added, “Madam, captain Cœurpreux is henceforth commandant of my Guides, and will never fall in duty or allegiance, I am persuaded.”

Trismegistus [“thrice greatest”], Hermês the Egy ptian philosopher, or Thoth councillor of Osiris. He invented the art of writing in hieroglyphics, harmony, astrology, magic, the lute and lyre, and many other things.

Trissotin, a bel esprit. Philaminte, a femme savante, wishes him to marry her daughter Henriette, but Henriette is in love with Clitandre. The difficulty is soon solved by the announcement that Henriette’s father is on the verge of bankruptcy, whereupon Trissotin makes his bow and retires.—Molière: Les Femmes Savantes (1672).

(Trissotin is meant for the abbé Crotin, who affected to be poet, gallant, and preacher. His dramatic name was “Tricotin.”)

Tristram (Sir), son of sir Meliodas king of Lionês and Elizabeth his wife (daughter of sir Mark king of Cornwall). He was called Tristram (“sorrowful”), because his mother died in giving him birth. His father also died when Tristram was a mere lad (pt. ii. I). He was knighted by his uncle Mark (pt. ii. 5), and married Isond le Blanch Mains, daughter of Howell king of Britain (Brittany); but he never loved her, nor would he live with her. His whole love w as centred on his aunt, La Belle Isond, wife of king Mark, and this unhappy attachment was the cause of num berless troubles, and ultimately of his death. La Belle