Chapter Miramont to Misprision of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Miramont to Misprision

Miramont An ignorant, testy old man, an ultra-admirer of learning. (Fletcher: The Elder Brother.)

Miranda Daughter of Prospero. (Shakespeare: Tempest.)

Mirror of Human Salvation An extended “Biblia Pauperum” (q.v.) with the subject of the picture explained in rhymes. Called in Latin “Speculum huma'næ salvationis.”

Mirror of King Ryence (The). This mirror was made by Merlin, and those who looked in it saw whatever they wished to see. (Spenser: Faërie Queene, bk, iii.)

Mirror of Knighthood (The). One of the books in Don Quixote's library, a Spanish romance at one time very popular. Butler calls Hudibras “the Mirror of Knighthood” (book i. 15).

“The barber, taking another book, said, `This is the Mirror of Knighthood. ' ”- Part 1, book i. 6.1

Mirrors
   Alasnam's mirror. The “touchstone of virtue,” showed if the lady beloved was chaste as well as beautiful. (Arabian Nights: Prince Zeyn Alasnam.)
   Cambuscan's mirror. Sent to Cambuscan' by the King of Araby and Ind; it warned of the approach of ill-fortune, and told if love was returned. (Chaucer: Canterbury Tales; The Squire's Tale.)
   Lao's mirror reflected the mind and its thoughts, as an ordinary mirror reflects the outward seeming. (Goldsmith: Citizen of the World, xlv.)
   Merlin's magic mirror, given by Merlin to King Ryence. It informed the king of treason, secret plots, and projected invasions. (Spenser: Faerie Queene, iii. 2.)
   Reynard's wonderful mirror. This mirror existed only in the brain of Master Fox; he told the queen-lion that whoever looked in it could see what was done a mile off. The wood of the frame was not subject to decay, being made of the same block as King Crampart's magic horse. (Reynard the Fox, ch. xii.)
   Vulcan's mirror showed the past, the present, and the future. Sir John Davies tells us that Cupid gave the mirror to Antinous, and Antinous gave it to Penelope who saw therein “the court of Queen Elizabeth.”

Mirza Emir Zadah [prince's son]. It is used in two ways by the Persians; when prefixed to a surname it is simply a title of honour; but when annexed to the surname, it means a prince of the blood royal.

Miscreant (3 syl.) means a false believer. (French, mis-créance.) A term first applied to the Mahometans. The Mahometans, in return, call Christians infidels, and associate with the word all that we mean by “miscreants.”

Mise-money An honorarium given by the people of Wales to a new “Prince of Wales” on his entrance upon his principality. At Chester a mise-book is kept, in which every town and village is rated to this honorarium.
   Littleton (Dict.) says the usual sum is £500. Bailey has the word in his Dictionary.

Misers The most renowned are:-
   (1) Baron Aguilar or Ephraim Lopes Pereira d'Aguilar, born at Vienna and died at Islington, worth £200,000. (1740-1802.)
   (2) Daniel Dancer. His sister lived with him, and was a similar character, but died before him. (1716-1794.)
   (3) Colonel O'Dogherty, though owner of large estates, lived in a windowless hut, which he entered by a ladder that he pulled up after him. His horse was mere skin and bone. He wore an old night-cap for wig, and an old brimless hat. His clothes were made up of patches, and his general appearance was that of extreme destitution.
   (4) Sir Harvey Elwes, who died worth £250,000, but never spent more than £110 a year.
   His sister-in-law inherited £100,000, but actually starved herself to death.
   Her son John, M.P., an eminent brewer in Southwark, never bought any clothes, never suffered his shoes to be cleaned, and grudged every penny spent in food. (1714- 1789.)
   (5) Foscue, farmer-general of Languedoc, who hoarded his money in a secret cellar, where he was found dead.
   (6) Thomas Guy, founder of Guy's Hospital. (1644-1724.)
   (7) Vulture Hopkins.
   (8) Dick Jarrett died worth £10,000, but his annual expenses never exceeded £6. The beer brewed at his christening was drunk at his funeral.
   (9) Messrs. Jardin, of Cambridge.
   (10) William Jennings, a neighbour and friend of Elwes, died worth £200,000. (1701-1797.)
   (11) The Rev.- Jonas, of Blewbury.
   (12) John Little left behind him £40,000, 180 wigs, 173 pairs of breeches, and an endless variety of other articles of clothing. His physician ordered him to drink a little wine for his health's sake, but he died in the act of drawing the cork of a bottle.
   (13) Ostervald, the French banker, who died of starvation in 1790, possessed of £120,000.
   (14) John Overs, a Southwark ferryman.
   (15) The King of Patterdale, whose income was £800