Chapter Pirie's Chair to Planets of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Plain (The). The Girondists were so called in the National Convention, because they sat on the level floor or plain of the hall. After the overthrow of the Girondists this part of the House was called the marsh or swamp (marais), and included such members as were under the control of the Mountain (q.v.).

Plain Dealer (The). Wycherly was so called, from his celebrated comedy of the same title. (1640-1715.)

“The Countess of Drogheda inquired for the Plain Dealer. `Madame,' says Mr. Fairbeard, `since you are for the “Plain Dealer,” there he is for you,' pushing Mr. Wycherly towards her.”- Cibber: Lives of the Poets, iii. p. 252.

Plan of Campaign (The). Often cited shortly as “The Plan,” promulgated by John Dillon in October, 1886. It provided that Irish tenants on an estate should band together, and determine what abatement of rent they considered to be called for. If the landlord accepted the abatement, well and good, if not, the tenants were to pay into a compaign fund the amount offered to the landlord, and the money thus funded should be used in fighting the landlord if he went to law to recover his rents.

“The Plan of Campaign proposed to reduce rents by an average of some 30 per cent.- Nineteenth Century, April, 1894, p. 500.

    In 1885 the Land Commission reduced all the rents from 10 to 14 per cent.; so that 30 per cent. more would equal from 40 to 45 per cent.

Planets
   i. In astrology there are seven planets:-
   APOLLO, the sun, represents gold.
   DIANA, the moon, represents silver.
   MERCURY represents quicksilver.
   VENUS represents copper.
   MARS represents iron.
   JUPITER represents tin.
   SATURN represents lead.
   ii. In heraldry the arms of royal personages used to be blazoned by the names of planets, and those of noblemen by precious stones, instead of the corresponding colours.
   SOL- topaz- or (gold) - bezants.
   LUNA- pearl- argent (silver)- plates.
   SATURN- diamond- sable (black)- pellets.
   MARS- ruby- gules (red)- torteaux.
   JUPITER- sapphire- azure (blue)- hurts.
   VENUS- emerald- vert (green)- pommes.
   MERCURY- amethyst- purpure (violet)- golpes.
   Inferior planets. Mercury and Venus; so called because their orbits are within the orbit of the earth.
   Superior planets. Mars, the Planetoids, Jupiter, Saturn, U'ranus, and Neptune; so called because their orbits are outside the earth's orbit- i.e. farther from the sun.
   iii. Planets represented by symbols.
   MERCURY, ; VENUS, ; EARTH ; MARS, ; the PLANETOIDS, in the order of discovery- (1), (2), (3), etc.; JUPITER, ; SATURN, ; URANUS, ; NEPTUNE, ; the SUN, ; the MOON, .
   iv. The planets in Greece were symbolised by seven letters:
   JUPITER, u (u-psilon); MARS, o (o-micron); MERCURY, e (e-psilon); THE MOON, a (alpha); SATURN, w (o-mega); THE SUN, i (iota); VENUS, h (eta).
   To be born under a lucky [or unlucky] planet. According to astrology, some planet, at the birth of every individual, presides over his destiny. Some of the planets, like Jupiter, are lucky; and others, like Saturn, are unlucky. In casting a horoscope the heavens must be divided into twelve parts or houses, called (1) the House of Life; (2) the House of Fortune; (3) the House of Brethren; (4) the House of Relations; (5) the House of Children; (6) the House of Health; (7) the House of Marriage; (8) the House of Death; (9) the House of Religion; (10) the House of Dignities; (11) the House of Friends and Benefactors; (12) the House of Enemies. Each house had one of the heavenly bodies as its lord. (See Star In The Ascendant.)