Chapter Victor's Library to Violante of V by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Victor's Library to Violante

Victor’s Library (St.), a library of trashy books, especially controversial divinity. (See Library, p. 611.)—Rabelais: Pantagruel, ii. 7 (1533).

Victoria (Donna), the young wife of don Carlos (q.v.).—Mrs. Cowley: A Bold Stroke for a Husband (1782).

Victoria Tower (The). The tower of the palace of Westminster. It is called “The Monarchy in Stone,” because it contains, in chiselled kings and heraldic designs, the sculptured history of the British sovereigns.

Victorious (The). Almanzor means “victorious.” The caliph Almanzor was the founder of Bagdad.

Thou, too, art fallen, Bagdad, city of peace!
Thou, too, hast had thy day!…
Thy founder The Victorious.
   —Southey: Thalaba the Destroyer, v. 6 (1797).

Victory (The), Nelson’s ship.

At the head of the line goes the Victory,
With Nelson on the deck,
And on his breast the orders shine
Like the stars on a shattered wreck.
   —Lord Lytton: Ode, iii. 9 (1839).

Vidar, the god of wisdom, noted for his thick shoes, and not unfrequently called “The god with the thick shoes.” —Scandinavian Mythology.

Vienne, like Toledo, was at one time noted for its sword-blades.

Gargantua gave Touchfaucet an excellent sword of a Vienne blade with a golden scabbard.—Rabelais: Gargantua, i. 46 (1533).

Vienne (The archbishop of), chancellor of Burgundy.—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

Vifell, father of Viking, famous for bei ng the possessor of Angurvadel, the celebrated sword made in the East by dwarfs. Vifell won it from Björn Blœtand, and killed with it the giant Iernhös, whom he cleft from head to waist with a single stroke. Vifell left it to Viking, Viking to Thorsten, and Thorsten to his son Frithjof. The hilt of the sword was gold, and the blade written with runes, which were dull in times of peace; but in war glittered “red as the crest of a cock when he fighteth.”—Tegnér: Frithjof Saga, iii. (1825).

Village (Our), a series of rural sketches, by Mary Russell Mitford. Vol. i. in 1824, vol. ii. in 1825, vol. iii. in 1828, vol. iv. in 1830, and vol. v. in 1832.

Village (The), a poem by Crabbe, of country life and character (1783).

Village Blacksmith (The), a poem by Longfellow (1842).

Villalpando (Gaspar Cardillos de), a Spanish theologian, controversialist, and commentator (1505–1570).

“Truly,” replied the canon, “I am better acquainted with books of chivalry than with Villalpando’s divinity.”—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. iv. 17 (1605).

Ville Sonnante (La). Avignon is so called by Rabelais, from its numerous bell-towers.

Villerius, in Davenant’s Siege of Rhodes (1656).

…pale with envy, Singleton forswore
The lute and sword, which he in triumph bore,
And vowed he ne’er would act Villerius more.
   —Dryden: MacFlecknoe (1682).

(This was a favourite part of Singleton.)