Chapter Diamond Necklace to Dido of D by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Diamond Necklace to Dido

Diamond Necklace (The) (1785). A necklace presented, through Mme. de Lamotte, by Cardinal de Rohan (as he supposed) to Marie Antoinette. The cardinal, a profligate churchman, entertained a sort of love passion for the queen; and the Countess de Lamotte induced him to purchase for the queen, for £85,000, a diamond necklace, made for Mme. Dubarry. The cardinal handed the necklace to the countess, who sold it to an English jeweller and kept the money. When the time of payment arrived Boehmer, the jeweller, sent his bill in to the queen, who denied all knowledge of the matter. A trial ensued, which lasted nine months, and created immense scandal.

Diamond Sculls (The), or "The Diamond Challenge Sculls" of the Henley Royal Regatta, are a pair of crossed silver sculls not quite a foot in length, surmounted by an imitation wreath of laurel, and having a pendant of diamonds. They lie in a box lined with velvet, which contains also the names of all the winners. The prize is rowed for every year, and the sculls pass from winner to winner; but each winner receives a silver cup, which becomes his own absolute property. Established 1844 by the Royal Regatta Committee.
   Diamonds. (See Black Diamonds.)

Diana (3 syl.). The temple of Diana at Ephesus, built by Dinochares, was set on fire by Herostratos, for the sake of perpetuating his name. The Ionians decreed that any one who mentioned his name should be put to death, but this very decree gave it immortality. The temple was discovered in 1872 by Mr. Wood.

Diana of Ephesus This statue, we are told, fell from heaven. If so, it was an aerolite; but Minucius says he saw it, and that it was a wooden statue (second century, A.D.). Pliny, a contemporary of Minucius, tells us it was made of ebony. Probably the real "image" was a meteorite, and in the course of time a wooden or ebony image was substituted.
    The palladium of Troy, the sacred shield of the Romans, the shrine of our Lady of Loretto, and other similar religious objects of veneration, were said to have been sent from heaven. The statute of Cybele (3 syl.) "fell from heaven"; and Elagabalas, of Syro-Phoenicia, was a great conical stone which fell from heaven.
   Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Nothing like leather; self- interest blinds the eyes. Demetrios was a silversmith of Ephesus, who made gold and silver shrines for the temple of Diana. When Christianity was preached in the city, and there was danger of substituting the simplicity of the Gospel for the grandeur of idolatry, the silversmiths, headed by Demetrios, stirred the people to a riot, and they cried out with one voice for the space of two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" (Acts xix. 24-28.)

Dian's Worshippers Midnight revellers. So called because they return home by moonlight. Dian means the moon.

Dianora was the wife of Gilberto of Friuli, but was passionately beloved by Ansaldo. In order to get rid of his importunity, she told him she would never grant his suit and prove untrue till he made her garden at midwinter as full of flowers and odours as if it were midsummer. By the aid of a magician, Ansaldo accomplished this, and claimed his reward. Dianora went to meet him, and told him she had obeyed the command of her husband in so doing. Ansaldo, not to be outdone in courtesy, released her; and Gilberto became the firm friend of Ansaldo from that day to the end of his life. (Boccaccio Decameron, day x. 5.) (See Dorigen.)

Diapason Dryden says -

"From harmony, from heavenly harmony
The universal frame began;
From harmony to harmony
Thro' all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in man."
Song for St. Cecilia's Day.

   According to the Pythagorean system, the world is a piece of harmony, and man the full chord.

Diaper A sort of cloth, a corruption of D'Ypres, where it is largely manufactured. Similarly we have calico from Calicut; nankeen from Nankin; worsted from Worsted, in Norfolk; and half a score other similar words. The French diapré, variegated, seems far more likely to be the source of this word, for diaper is cloth variegated with flowers, etc., like damask.