Chapter Bertha to Beth Gelert of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bertha to Beth Gelert

Bertha The blind daughter of Caleb Plummer in Dickens's Cricket on the Hearth (a Christmas story), 1845.

Bertha (Frau ). A German impersonation of the Epiphany, corresponding to the Italian Befana. Represented as a white lady, who steals softly into nurseries and rocks infants asleep in the absence of negligent nurses; she is, however, the terror of all naughty children. Her feet are very large, and she has an iron nose. (See Befana. )

Berthas [Stock Exchange term ]. The London, Brighton, & South Coast Railway Deferred Stock.

Berthe au Grand Pied Mother of Charlemagne, and great granddaughter of Charles Martel; so called because she had a club-foot.

Bertolde [Bar-told ]. Imperturbable as Bertolde, i.e. not to be taken by surprise, thrown off your guard, or disconcerted at anything. Bertolde is the hero of a little jeu d'esprit in Italian prose, J. Cesare Croce. He is a comedian by profession, whom nothing astonishes, and is as much at his ease with kings and queens as with persons of his own rank and vocation.

Bertram One of the conspirators against the Republic of Venice “in whom there was a hesitating softness fatal to a great enterprise.” He betrayed the conspiracy to the senate. (Byron: Marino Faliero. )

Bertram (Henry ), in Sir W. Scott's novel of Guy Mannering, was suggested by James Annesley, Esq., rightful heir of the earldom of Anglesey, of which he was dispossessed by his uncle Richard. He died in 1743.

Bertram, Count of Rousillon beloved by Helena, the hero of Shakespeare's comedy, All's Well that Ends Well.

“I cannot reconcile, my heart to Bertram, a man noble without generosity, and young without truth; who marries Helena as a coward, and leaves her as a profligate.”-Dr. Johnson.

Bertram Risingham The vassal of Philip of Mortham. Oswald Wycliffe induced him to shoot his lord at Marston Moor, and for this vile deed the vassal demanded of him all the gold and movables of his late master. Oswald, being a villain, tried to outwit Bertram, and even murder him; but in the end it turns out that Mortham was not killed, neither was Oswald his heir, for Redmond O'Neale, the page of Rokeby, is found to be Mortham's son. (Scott: Rokeby. )

Bertramo The fiend-father of Robert le Diable. After alluring his son to gamble away all his possessions, he meets him near the rocks St. Irene, and Helena seduces him in the “Dance of Love.” When Bertramo at last comes to claim his victim, he is resisted by Alice, the foster-sister of the duke, who reads to him his mother's will, and angels come to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. (Meyerbeer's opera of Roberto il Diavolo. )

Berwicks [Stock Exchange term ], meaning the North-Eastern Railway shares. The line runs to Berwick.

Beryl Molozane (3 syl.). The lady beloved by George Geith; a laughing, loving beauty, all sunshine and artlessness; tender, frank, full of innocent chatter; helping everyone and loving everyone. Her lot is painfully unhappy, and she dies. (F. G. Trafford [J. H. Riddell]: George Geith. )

Berzak [the interval ]. The space between death and the resurrection. (The Koran.)

Besaile A great grandfather (French, bisaieul ). This word should be restored.

Besants or Bezants. Circular pieces of bullion without any impression, supposed to represent the old coinage of Byzantium, and to have been brought to Europe by the Crusaders.