Chapter Ancient of Days to Angelica of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Angels. The seven holy angels are - Abdiel, Gabriel, Michael, Raguel, Raphael, Simiel, and Uriel. Michael and Gabriel are mentioned in the Bible, Raphael in the Apocrypha. Milton (Paradise Lost, book i., from 392) gives a list of the fallen angels.

Angel-beast A favourite round game of cards, which enabled gentlemen to let the ladies win small stakes. Five cards are dealt to each player, and three heaps formed - one for the king, one for play, and the third for Triolet. The name of the game was la bête (beast). Angel was the stake. Thus we say, Shilling- whist.

"This gentleman offers to play at Angel-beast, though he scarce knows the cards." - Mulberry Garden.

Angel Visits Delightful intercourse of short duration and rare occurrence.

"(Visits) Like those of angels, short and far between." Blair: Grave, pt. ii. 586.

"Like angel-visits, few and far between." Campbell: Pleasures of Hope, line 375.

Angel-water a Spanish cosmetic, made of roses, trefoil, and lavender. Short for Angelica-water, because originally it was chiefly made of the plant Angelica.

"Angel-water was the worst scent about her." - Sedley: Bellam.

Angelic Doctor Thomas Aquinas was so called, because he discussed the knotty points in connection with the being and nature of angels. An example is, "Utrum Angelus moveatur de loco ad locum transeundo per medium? " The Doctor says that it depends upon circumstances.

It is said, by way of a quiz, that one of his questions was: "How many angels can dance on the point of a pin?"

Angelic Hymn The hymn beginning with Glory be to God on high, etc. (Luke ii. 14); so called because the former part of it was sung by the angel host that appeared to the shepherds of Bethlehem.

Angelica Daughter of Galaphron, king of Cathay, the capital of which was Albracca. She was sent to sow discord among the Christians. Charlemagne sent her to the Duke of Bavaria, but she made her escape from the duke's castle. Being captured in her flight, she was bound to a rock, and exposed to sea-monsters. Rogero delivered her, but she escaped out of his hands by a magic ring. Orlando greatly loved her, but she married Medoro, a young Moor, and returned to India, where Medoro succeeded to the crown in right of his wife. (Orlando Furioso.) (See Andromeda)