Chapter Winterblossom to Wishfort of W by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Frederick elector of Saxony (1463, 1544–1554).

James I., “Solomon,” of England (1566, 1603–1625).

John V. duke of Brittany, “The Good and Wise” (1389, 1399–1442).

Wise Men (The Seven): (1 ) Solon of Athens, (2) Chilo of Sparta, (3) Thalês of Miletos. (4) Bias of Prienê, (5) Cleobulos of Lindos, (6) Pittacos of Mitylenê, (7) Periander of Corinth, or, according to Plato, Myson of Chenæ. All flourished in the sixth century B.C.

First Solon, who made the Athenian laws;
While Chilo, in Sparta, was famed for his saws;
In Miletos did Thales astronomy teach;
Bias used in Prienê his morals to preach;
Cleobulos, of Lindos, was handsome and wise;
Mitylenê gainst thraldom saw Pittacos rise;
Periander is said to have gained, thro’ his court,
The title that Myson, the Chenian, ought.
   —E. C. B.

N.B.—One of Plutarch’s brochures in the Moralia is entitled, “The Banquet of the Seven Wise Men,” in which Periander is made to give an account of a contest at Chalcis between Homer and Hesiod. The latter won the prize, and caused this inscription to be engraved on the tripod presented to him—

This Hesiod vows to the Heliconian nine,
   —In Chalcis won from Homer the divine.

Wise Men of the East (The). Klopstock, in The Messiah, v., says there were six “Wise Men of the East,” who, guided by the star, brought their gifts to Jesus, “the heavenly babe,” viz. Hadad, Seljma, Zimri, Mirja, Beled, and Sunith. (See Cologne (Three Kings of), p. 226.)

Wisest Man. So the Delphic oracle pronounced Socratês to be. Socratês modestly made answer, ’Twas because he alone had learnt the first element of truth, that he knew nothing.

Not those seven sages might him parallel;
Nor he whom Pythian maid did whilome tell
To be the wisest man that then on earth did dwell.
   —P. Fletcher: The Purple Island, vi. (1633).

N.B.—Among the Romans, Nasica was called Corculum (the sage) for his pregnant wit.

Among the Greeks, Democritos the Abderite, was called (not wise) but Wisdom itself.

Among the Britons, Gildas was called The Sage.

Among the Jews, Aben Ezra was called Hechachan. They said, if Wisdom had put out her candle, it might be lighted again at the brain of Aben Ezra, the very lamp of wisdom.—Spencer: Things New and Old.

Wish. (See Star Falling, p. 1041.)

Wisheart (The Rev. Dr.), chaplain to the earl of Montrose.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).

Wishfort (Lady), widow of sir Jonathan Wishfort; an irritable, impatient, decayed beauty, who painted and enamelled her face to make herself look blooming and was afraid to frown lest the enamel might crack. She pretended to be coy, and assumed, at the age of 60, the airs of a girl of 16. A trick was played upon her by Edward Mirabell, who induced his lackey Waitwell to personate sir Rowland, and make love to her; but the deceit was discovered before much mischief was done. Her pet expression was, “As I’m a person.” —Congreve: The Way of the World (1700).