Chapter Sea-girt Isle to Seian Horse of S by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Sebastianistes Persons who believe that Dom Sebastian, who fell in the battle of Alcazarquebir in 1578, will return to earth, when Brazil will become the chief kingdom of the earth.
    A similar tradition is attached to several other names.

Second (See Two .)

Second-hand Not new or original; what has already been the property of another; as, “second-hand books,” “second-hand clothes,” etc.

Second Sight The power of seeing things invisible to others; the power of foreseeing future events by means of shadows thrown before them. Many Highlanders claim this power, which the ancient Gaels called shadow-sight (taischitaraugh).

“Nor less availed his optic sleight,
And Scottish gift of second sight.”
Trumbull.

Second Wind (The), in running. All animals soon after the start get out of breath, but as the body becomes heated, breathing becomes more easy, and endures till fatigue produces exhaustion; this is called the second wind.

“That mysterious physical readjustment, known in animals as `second breath,' came to the rescue of his fainting frame.”- The Barton Experiment, chap. x.

Second of Time (A). The sixtieth part of an hour was called by the Romans scrupulum, and the sixtieth part of a minute was scrupulum secundum.

Secondary Colours (See under Colours .)

Secret de Polichinelle (Le). No secret at all. A secret known to all the world; old news. We have also “Hawker's News,” “Piper's News.” The secrets of Polichinelle are “stage whispers” told to all the audience.

“Entre nous, c'est qu'on appelle
Le secret de polichinelle.”
La Mascotte ii. 12.

Secular Clergy (The). The parish clergy who live in the world, in contradistinction to monks, who live in monasteries, etc., out of the world. (Latin, secularis.)

Secular Games Those held by the Romans only once in a century. While the kings reigned they were held in the Campus Martius, in honour of Pluto and Proserpine, and were instituted in obedience to the Sibylline verses, with the promise that “the empire should remain in safety so long as this admonition was observed.”

“Date, quae precamur
Tempore sacro
Quo Sibyllini monuere versus.”
Horace: Carmen Seculare, A.U.C., 737.

Sedan Chairs So called from sedes (Latin, “a seat”). Their introduction into England is by Hume (vol. iv. 505) erroneously attributed to the Duke of Buckingham, who, it is said, gave great offence by employing men as beasts of burden. Sir S. Duncombe used one in 1634, when Buckingham was a boy, and we find it spoken of as far back as 1581. It was introduced into France (in 1617) by the Marquis de Montbrun, and called chaise à porteus.
    It is generally said that these chairs were first made at Sedan, on the Meuse; but this is not at all probable, as, without doubt, the invention was introduced into France from England.

Sedrat The lotus-tree which stands on the right-hand side of the invisible throne of Allah. Its branches extend wider than the distance between heaven and earth. Its leaves resemble the ears of an elephant. Each seed of its fruit encloses a houri; and two rivers issue from its roots. Numberless birds sing among its branches, and numberless angels rest beneath its shade.

Seedy Weary, worn out, out of sorts; run to seed. A hat or coat is termed seedy when it has become shabby. A man is seedy after a debauch, when he looks and feels out of sorts.