Chapter Bain Marie to Balder of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

through. His opponent tries to lay hold of him, and the hurler makes his way over hills, dales, hedges, and ditches, through bushes, briars, mire, plashes, and even rivers. Sometimes twenty or thirty persons lie tugging together in the water, scrambling and scratching for the ball. (See Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, section xii.) (See Ball.)

Balaam The Earl of Huntingdon, one of the rebels in Monmouth's army.

"And, therefore, in the name of dulness, be
The well-hung Balaam." Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel, 1573--4.

Balaam. A "citizen of sober fame," who lived hard by the Monument of London; "he was a plain, good man; religious, punctual, and frugal," his week-day meal being only "one solid dish." He grew rich; got knighted; seldom went to church; became a courtier; "took a bribe from France;" was hanged for treason, and all his goods were confiscated to the State. (See Diamond Pitt.) It was Thomas Pitt, grandfather of the Earl of Chatham, who suggested to Pope this sketch. (Pope: Moral Essays, Ep. iii.)

Balaam. Matter kept in type for filling up odd spaces in periodicals. These are generally refuse bits - the words of an oaf, who talks like "Balaam's ass." (Numb. xxii. 30.) (American.)

Balaam Basket or Box (A) An ass's pannier. In printer's slang of America, it is the place where rejected articles are deposited. (See Balaam.)

Balafré Le [the gashed ].

Henri, son of François, second Duke of Guise. In the Battle of Dormans he received a sword- cut which left a frightful scar on his face (1550--1588). So Ludovic Lesly, an old archer of the Scottish Guards, is called, in Sir Walter Scott's Quentin Durward.

Balai Donner trois tours de balai par la cheminée (French). To be a witch. Literally, to run your brush three times up the chimney. According to an ancient superstition, all witches had to pass their brooms on which they rode three times up the chimney between one Sabbath and the following.

Balak in the second part of Absalom and Achitophel, a satire by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Dr. Burnet, author of Burnet's Own Time.

Balâm the ox, and the fish Nun, are the food of Mahomet's paradise; the mere lobes of the livers of these animals will suffice for 70,000 saints. (Al Koran.)

Balan Bravest and strongest of the giant race. Vasco de Lobeira, in Amadis of Gaul. Also, Emir of the Saracens, and father of Ferumbras or Fierabras (q.v.).

Balance (The) "Libra," the 7th sign of the zodiac, which contains the autumnal equinox. According to fable it is Astræa, who, in the iron age, returned from earth to heaven. Virgil, to praise the equity of Augustus, promises him a future residence in this sign.

According to Persian mythology, at the last day there will be a huge balance big as the vault of heaven. The two scale pans will be called that of light and that of darkness. In the former all good will be placed, in the latter all evil. And each individual will receive an award according to the judgment of the balance.

Balance He has a good balance at his bankers. His credit side shows a large balance in his favour.

Balance of power. The States of Europe being so balanced that no one nation shall have such a preponderance as to endanger the independence of another.

Balance of trade. The money-value difference between the exports and imports of a nation.

To balance an account. To add up the debit and credit sides, and subtract the less of the two from the greater. The remainder is called the balance.