Chapter Unique to Ursel of U by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Urania, daughter of the king of Sicily, who fell in love with sir Guy (eldest son of St. George, the patron saint of England). —R. Johnson: The Seven Champions, etc., iii. 2(1617).

Uranian Venus, i.e. “Celestial Venus,’ the patroness of chaste and pure love.

Venus pandêmos or popularis is the Venus of the animal passion called “love.”

Venus etaira or amica is the Venus of criminal sensuality.

The seal was Cupid bent above a scroll,
And o’er his head Uranian Venus hung
And raised the blinding bandage from his eyes.
   —Tennyson: The Princess, i. (1830).

Urban (Sylvanus), the hypothetical editor of the Gentleman’s Magazine—a magazine which was first published in 1731, and has been issued without any break from then until now.

In the summer of 1825 I had apartments in the Rue Verte, Brussels. My locataire… a M. Urbain… informed me that he was of lineal descent from an Englishman of that name,…whose prænomen was “Sylvain.”—See Notes and Queries.

Urchin, a hedgehog, a mischievous little fellow, a dwarf, an imp.

We’ll dress like urchins.
   —Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Winds act iv. sc. 4 (1596).

Ureus, the Egyptian snake, crowned with a mitre, and typical of heaven.

Urfried (Dame), an old sibyl at Torquilstone Castle; alias Ulrica, daughter of the late thane of Torquilstone.—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Urgan, a human child stolen by the king of the fairies, and brought up in elfland. He was sent to lay on lord Richard the “curse of the sleepless eye” for killing his wife’s brother. Then, said the dwarf to Alice Brand (the wife of lord Richard), “if any woman will sign my brow thrice with a cross, I shall resume my proper form.” Alice signed him thrice, and Urgan became at once “the fairest knight in all Scotland,” and Alice recognized in him her own brother Ethert.—Sir W. Scott: Lady of the Lake, iv. 12 (1810).

Urganda, a potent fairy in the Amadis of Gaul and other romances of the Carlovingian cycle.

This Urganda seemed to be aware of her own importance.—Smollett.

Urgel, one of Charlemagne’s paladins, famous for his enormous strength.

Uriel or Israfil, the angel who is to sound the resurrection trumpet. —Al Korân.

Uriel, one of the seven great spirits, whose station was in the sun. The word means “God’s light” (see 2 Esdras iv., v., x. 28).

The archangel Uriel, one of the seven
Who in God’s presence, nearest to His throne,
Stand ready at command.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, iii. 648, etc. (1665).

Longfellow calls him “the minister of Mars,” and says that he inspires man with “fortitude to bear the brunt and suffering of life.”—The Golden Legend, iii. (1851).

Urien, the foster-father of prince Madoc. He followed the prince to his settlement in North America, south of the Missouri (twelfth century).—Southey: Madoc (1805).