Chapter Vitruvius to Vorst of V by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Voltaire and Bad Luck—

Beaumarchais, the first editor of Voltaire’s complete works, lost 1,000,000 francs by the speculation; and died suddenly in 1798.

Desser, who published an edition in 10 vols., 8vo, died soon afterwards of phthisis, and his friend Migeon, who provided the funds, died of the same disease, a pauper.

Cérioux and the widow Perroneau, who published an edition in 60 vols. 12mo, were completely ruined thereby.

Dalibon, who produced the brilliant edition, is now a workman at 21/2 francs a day with a colour-man.

Touquet, who introduced an edition, died suddenly at Ostend, in 1831.

Garnery, his partner in the edition of 75 vols. 12mo, was ruined and died.

Deterville, a wealthy publisher, has since become blind.

Daubrèe was assassinated by a woman whom he accused of having stolen a book worth 10 sous.

René, Brussels, edited an edition in 18mo, fell into distress, and is now a simple workman.—Van der Hoegen: La Revue hebdomadaire..

Voltimand, a courtier in the court of Claudius king of Denmark.—Shakespeare: Hamlet (1596).

Volumnia was the wife of Coriolanus, and Veturia his mother; but Shakespeare makes Virgilia the wife, and Volumnia the mother.—Coriolanus (1610).

The old man’s merriment in Menenius; the lofty lady’s dignity in Volumnia; the bridal modesty in Virgilia; the patrician and military haughtiness in Coriolanus; the plebeian malignity and tribunitian insolence in Brutus and Sicinius, make a very pleasing and interesting variety.—Dr. Johnson: On Coriolanus.

Volund. (See Wieland.)

Voluspa Saga (The), the prophecy of Völa. It contains between 200 and 300 verses, and resembles the Sibylline books of ancient Rome. The Voluspa Saga gives, in verse, a description of chaos, the formation of the world, the creation of all animals (including dwarfs and giants, genii and devils, fairies and goblins), the final conflagration of the world, and its renewal, when it will appear in celestial beauty, like the new Jerusalem described in the Book of the Revelation.

Vorst (Peterkin), the sleeping sentinel at Powys Castle.—Sir W. Scott: The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).