Part 36

=Rabelais’s Poison.= Rabelais, being at a great distance from Paris, and without money to pay his hotel bill or his fare, made up three small packets of brick-dust. One he labelled “Poison for the king,” another, “Poison for monsieur,” and the third, “Poison for the dauphin.” The landlord instantly informed against this “poisoner,” and the secretary of state removed him at once to Paris. When, however, the joke was found out, it ended only in a laugh.--_Spectator_ (“Art of Growing Rich”).

=Rab´ican= or =Rabica´no=, the horse of Astolpho. Its sire was Wind and its dam Fire. It fed on human food. The word means “short tail.”--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

⁂ Argalia’s horse is called by the same name in _Orlando Innamorato_ (1495).

=Rabisson=, a vagabond tinker and knife-grinder. He was the only person who knew about “the gold-mine” left to the “miller of Grenoble.” Rabisson was murdered for his secret by Eusebe Noel, the schoolmaster of Bout des Monde.--E. Stirling, _The Gold Mine_, or _Miller of Grenoble_ (1854).

=Rab´sheka= (in the Bible RABSHAKEH), in the satire of _Absalom and Achitophel_, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Sir Thomas Player (2 _Kings_ xviii.).

Next him let railing Rabsheka have place-- So full of zeal, he has no need of grace.

Pt. ii. (1682).

=Raby= (_Aurora_), a rich young English orphan, Catholic in religion, of virgin modesty, “a rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded.” She was staying in the house of Lord and Lady Amundeville during the parliamentary vacation. Here Don Juan, “as Russian envoy,” was also a guest, with several others. Aurora Raby is introduced in canto xv., and crops up here and there in the two remaining cantos; but, as the tale was never finished, it is not possible to divine what part the beautiful and innocent girl was designed by the poet to play. Probably Don Juan, having sowed his “wild oats,” might become a not unfit match for the beautiful orphan.--Byron, _Don Juan_ (1824).

_Raby_ (_The Rose of_), the mother of Richard III. She was Cecily, daughter of Ralph Nevyll de Raby, first earl of Westmoreland. Her husband was Richard, duke of York, who was slain at the battle of Wakefield in 1460. She died 1495.

=Rachael=, a servant-girl at Lady Peveril’s of the Peak.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

_Rachael_ (2 _syl._), one of the “hands” in Bounderby’s mill at Coketown. She loved Stephen Blackpool, and was greatly beloved by him in return; but Stephen was married to a worthless drunkard. After the death of Stephen, Rachael watched over the good-for-nothing young widow, and befriended her.--C. Dickens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

=Rachel Ffrench=, beautiful daughter of Haworth’s unworthy partner in the iron business. Haworth loves her, as does Murdoch, a young inventor who rises fast in Haworth’s employ. She seems to vacillate between the two men, but really loves Murdoch, although pride will not let her avow it. When he is on the point of embarking to America, with an assured future, she confesses all, only to learn from him that “it is all over.” Yet, in looking back at her “dark young face turned seaward” as his ship moves away, he mutters, “When I return it will be to you.”--Frances Hodgson Burnett, _Haworth’s_ (1879).

=Racine of Italy= (_The_), Metastasio (1698-1782).

=Racine of Music= (_The_), Antonio Gaspare Sacchini, of Naples (1735-1786).

=Racket= (_Sir Charles_), a young man of fashion, who married the daughter of a wealthy London merchant. In the third week of the honeymoon Sir Charles paid his father-in-law a visit, and quarrelled with his bride about a game of whist. The lady affirmed that Sir Charles ought to have played a diamond instead of a club. Sir Charles grew furious, and resolved upon a divorce; but the quarrel was adjusted, and Sir Charles ended by saying, “You may be as wrong as you please, but I’ll be cursed if I ever endeavor to set you right again.”

_Lady Racket_, wife of Sir Charles, and elder daughter of Mr. Drugget.--Murphy, _Three Weeks after Marriage_ (1776).

_Racket_ (_Widow_), a sprightly, good-natured widow and woman of fashion.

A coquette, a wit, and a fine lady.--Mrs. Cowley, _The Belle’s Stratagem_, ii. 1 (1780).

The “Widow Racket” was one of Mrs. Pope’s best parts. Her usual manner of expressing piquant carelessness consisted in tossing her head from right to left, and striking the palm of one hand with the back of the other [1740-1797].--James Smith.

=Rackrent= (_Sir Condy_), in Miss Edgeworth’s novel of _Castle Rackrent_ (1802).

=Raddle= (_Mrs._), keeper of the lodgings occupied by Bob Sawyer. The young medical practitioner invited Mr. Pickwick and his three friends to a convivial meeting; but the termagant Mrs. Raddle brought the meeting to an untimely end.--C. Dickens, _The Pickwick Papers_ (1836).

=Rad´egonde= (_St._) or ST. RADEGUND, queen of France (born 519, died 587). She was the daughter of Bertaire, king of Thuringia, and brought up a pagan. King Clotaire I. taught her the Christian religion, and married her in 538; but six years later she entered a nunnery, and lived in the greatest austerity.

There thou must walk in greatest gravity, And seem as saintlike as St. Radegund.

Spenser, _Mother Hubbard’s Tale_ (1591).

=Radigund= or RADEGONE, the proud queen of the Amăzons. Being rejected by Bellodant “the Bold,” she revenged herself by degrading all the men who fell into her power by dressing them like women, giving them woman’s work to do, such as spinning, carding, sewing, etc., and feeding them on bread and water to effeminate them (canto 4). When she overthrew Sir Artegal in single combat, she imposed on him the condition of dressing in “woman’s weeds,” with a white apron, and to spend his time in spinning flax, instead of in deeds of arms. Radigund fell in love with the captive knight, and sent Clarinda as a go-between; but Clarinda tried to win him for herself, and told the queen he was inexorable (canto 5). At length Britomart arrived, cut off Radigund’s head, and liberated the captive (canto 7).--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, v. 4-7 (1596).

=Rag and Famish= (_The_), the Army and Navy Club; so christened by _Punch_. The _rag_ refers to the flag, and the _famish_ to the bad cuisine.

=Ragged Regiment= (_The_), the wan figures in Westminster Abbey, in a gallery over Islip’s Chapel.

=Railway King= (_The_), George Hudson, of Yorkshire, chairman of the North Midland Company. In one day he cleared by speculation £100,000. It was the Rev. Sydney Smith who gave Hudson the title of “Railway king” (1800-1871).

=Raine= (_Old Roger_), the tapster, near the abode of Sir Geoffrey Peveril.

_Dame Raine_, old Roger’s widow; afterwards Dame Chamberlain.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

=Rainy-Day Smith=, John Thomas Smith, the antiquary (1766-1833).

=Rajah of Mattan= (_Borneo_), has a diamond which weighs 367 carats. The largest cut diamond in the world. It is considered to be a palladium. (See DIAMONDS.)

=Rake= (_Lord_), a nobleman of the old school, fond of debauch, street rows, knocking down Charlies, and seeing his guests drunk. His chief boon companions are Sir John Brute and Colonel Bully.--Vanbrugh, _The Provoked Wife_ (1697).

=Rakeland= (_Lord_), a libertine, who makes love to married women, but takes care to keep himself free from the bonds of matrimony.--Mrs. Inchbald, _The Wedding Day_ (1790).

=Rak´she= (2 _syl._), a monster, which lived on serpents and dragons.

=Raleigh= (_Sir Walter_), introduced by Sir W. Scott in _Kenilworth_. The tradition of Sir Walter laying down his cloak on a miry spot for the queen to step on, and the queen commanding him to wear the “muddy cloak till her pleasure should be further known,” is mentioned in ch. xv. (1821).

_Raleigh_ (_Sir Walter_). Jealous of the earl of Essex, he plots with Lord Burleigh to compass his death.--Henry Jones, _The Earl of Essex_ (1745).

=Ralph=, abbot of St. Augustine’s, expended £43,000 on the repast given at his installation.

It was no unusual thing for powerful barons to provide 30,000 dishes at a wedding breakfast. The coronation dinner of Edward III., cost £40,000, equal to half a million of money now. The duke of Clarence, at his marriage, entertained 1000 guests, and furnished his table with 36 courses. Archbishop Neville had 1000 egrettes served at one banquet, and the whole species seems to have been extirpated.

After this it will be by no means difficult to understand why Apicius despaired of being able to make two ends meet, when he had reduced his enormous fortune to £80,000, and therefore hanged himself.

⁂ After the winter of 1327 was over, the elder Spenser had left of the stores laid in by him the preceding November and salted down, “80 salted beeves, 500 bacons, and 600 muttons.”

_Ralph_, son of Fairfield, the miller. An outlandish, ignorant booby, jealous of his sister, Patty, because she “could paint picturs and strum on the harpsicols.” He was in love with Fanny, the gypsy, for which “feyther” was angry with him; but, “what argufies feyther’s anger?” However, he treated Fanny like a brute, and she said of him, “He has a heart as hard as a parish officer. I don’t doubt but he would stand by and see me whipped.” When his sister married Lord Aimworth, Ralph said:

Captain Ralph my lord will dub me, Soon I’ll mount a huge cockade; Mounseer shall powder, queue, and club me,-- ’Gad! I’ll be a roaring blade. If Fan should offer then to snub me, When in scarlet I’m arrayed; Or my feyther ’temp to drub me-- Let him frown, but who’s afraid?

Bickerstaff, _The Maid of the Mill_ (1647).

_Ralph_ or RALPHO, the squire of Hudibras. Fully described in bk. i. 457-644.--S. Butler, _Hudibras_ (1663-78).

The prototype of “Ralph” was Isaac Robinson, a zealous butcher, in Morefields. Ralph represents the independent party, and Hudibras the Presbyterian.

⁂ In regard to the pronunciation of this name, which, in 1878, was the subject of a long controversy in _Notes and Queries_, Butler says:

A squire he had whose name was Ralph, That in th’ adventure went his half: ... And when we can, with metre safe, We’ll call him Ralpho, or plain Ra’ph.

Bk. l. 456.

_Ralph_ (_Rough_), the helper of Lance Outram, park-keeper at Sir Geoffrey Peveril’s of the Peak.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

_Ralph_ (_James_), an American, who came to London and published a poem entitled _Night_ (1725).

Silence, ye wolves! while Ralph to Cynthia howls, Making night hideous; answer him ye owls.

Pope, _The Dunciad_, iii. 165 (1728).

_Ralph_ [DE LASCOURS], captain of the _Uran´ia_, husband of Louise de Lascours. Ralph is the father of Diana and Martha, _alias_ Orgari´ta. His crew having rebelled, Ralph, his wife, infant [Martha], and servant, Bar´abas, were put into a boat, and turned adrift. The boat ran on a huge iceberg, which Ralph supposed to be a small island. In time, the iceberg broke, when Ralph and his wife were drowned, but Martha and Barabas escaped. Martha was taken by an Indian tribe, who brought her up, and named her Orgarita (“withered corn”), because her skin was so white and fair.--E. Stirling, _Orphan of the Frozen Sea_ (1856).

=Ralph Roister Doister=, by Nicholas Udall, the first English comedy, about 1534. It contains nine male and four female characters. Ralph is a vain, thoughtless, blustering fellow, who is in pursuit of a rich widow named Custance, but he is baffled in his intention.

=Ramble= (_Sir Robert_), a man of gallantry, treats his wife with such supreme indifference that she returns to her guardian, Lord Norland, and resumes her maiden name of Marie Wooburn. Subsequently, however, she returns to her husband.

_Mrs. Ramble_, wife of Sir Robert, and ward of Lord Norland.--Inchbald, _Every One Has His Fault_ (1794).

=Ram´iel= (3 _syl._), one of the “atheist crew” overthrown by Ab´diel. (The word means, according to Hume, “one who exalts himself against God.”)--Milton, _Paradise Lost_, vi. 371 (1665).

=Raminago´bris.= Lafontaine, in his fables, gives this name to a cat. Rabelais, in his _Pantag´ruel_, iii. 21, satirizes under the same name Guillaume Crétin, a poet.

=Rami´rez=, a Spanish monk, and father confessor to Don Juan, duke of Braganza. He promised Velasquez, when he absolved the duke at bed-time, to give him a poisoned wafer prepared by the Carmelite Castruccio. This he was about to do, when he was interrupted, and the breaking out of the rebellion saved the duke from any similar attempt.--Robert Jephson, _Braganza_ (1775).

=Rami´ro= (_King_) married Aldonza, who, being faithless, eloped with Alboa´zar, the Moorish king of Gaya. Ramiro came disguised as a traveller to Alboazar’s castle, and asked a damsel for a draught of water, and when he lifted the pitcher to his mouth, he dropped in it his betrothal ring, which Aldonza saw and recognized. She told the damsel to bring the stranger to her apartment. Scarce had he arrived there when the Moorish king entered, and Ramiro hid himself in an alcove. “What would you do to Ramiro,” asked Aldonza, “if you had him in your power?” “I would hew him limb from limb,” said the Moor. “Then lo! Alboazar, he is now skulking in that alcove.” With this, Ramiro was dragged forth, and the Moor said, “And how would you act if our lots were reversed?” Ramiro replied, “I would feast you well, send for my chief princes and counsellors, and set you before them and bid you blow your horn till you died.” “Then be it so,” said the Moor. But when Ramiro blew his horn, his “merry men” rushed into the castle, and the Moorish king, with Aldonza and all their children, princes, and counsellors, were put to the sword.--Southey, _Ramiro_ (a ballad from the Portuguese, 1804).

=Ramona=, young Indian woman, who, in defiance of her duenna’s fierce opposition, goes out into the wide world with gallant Alessandro. The struggles and disappointments of the wedded pair, and their oppression by Indian agents are told in Helen Hunt Jackson’s novel, _Ramona_, (1884).

=Ramorny= (_Sir John_), a voluptuary, master of the horse to Prince Robert of Scotland.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

=Ramsay= (_David_), the old watch-maker, near Temple Bar.

_Margaret Ramsay_, David’s daughter. She marries Lord Nigel.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

=Ramsbottom= (_Mrs._), a vile speller of the language. Theodore Hook’s pseudonym in the _John Bull_ newspaper, 1829.

⁂ Winifred Jenkins, the maid of Miss Tabitha Bramble (in Smollett’s _Humphrey Clinker_, 1770), rivals Mrs. Ramsbottom in bad spelling.

=Randal=, the boatman at Lochleven Castle.--Sir W. Scott, _The Abbot_ (time, Elizabeth).

=Randolph= (_Lord_), a Scotch nobleman, whose life was saved by young Norval. For this service, his lordship gave the youth a commission; but Glenalvon, the heir presumptive, hated the new favorite, and persuaded Lord Randolph that Norval was too familiar with his lady. Accordingly, Glenalvon and Lord Randolph waylaid the lad, who being attacked, slew Glenalvon in self-defence, but was himself slain by Lord Randolph. When the lad was killed, Lord Randolph learned that “Norval” was the son of Lady Randolph by Lord Douglas, her former husband. He was greatly vexed, and went to the war then raging between Scotland and Denmark, to drown his sorrow by activity and danger.

_Lady Randolph_, daughter of Sir Malcolm, was privately married to Lord Douglas, and when her first boy was born, she hid him in a basket, because there was a family feud between Malcolm and Douglas. Soon after this, Douglas was slain in battle, and the widow married Lord Randolph. The babe was found by old Norval, a shepherd, who brought it up as his own son. When 18 years old, the lad saved the life of Lord Randolph, and was given a commission in the army. Lady Randolph, hearing of the incident, discovered that young Norval was her own son, Douglas. Glenalvon, who hated the new favorite, persuaded Lord Randolph that the young man was too familiar with Lady Randolph, and being waylaid, a fight ensued, in which Norval slew Glenalvon, but was himself slain by Lord Randolph. Lord Randolph being informed that the young man was Lady Randolph’s son, went to the wars to “drive away care;” and Lady Randolph, in her distraction, cast herself headlong from a steep precipice.--J. Home, _Douglas_ (1757).

The voice of Mrs. Crawford [1734-1801], when thrown out by the vehemence of strong feeling, seemed to wither up the hearer; it was a flaming arrow, a lighting of passion. Such was the effect of her almost shriek to old Norval, “Was he alive?” It was like an electric shock, which drove the blood back to the heart, and produced a shudder of terror through the crowded theatre.--Boaden, _Life of Kemble_.

=Random=, a man of fortune with a scapegrace son. He is pale and puffy, with gout and a tearing cough. Random goes to France to recruit his health, and on his return to England, gets arrested for debt by mistake for his son. He raves and rages, threatens and vows vengeance, but finds his son on the point of marrying a daughter of Sir David Dunder of Dunder Hall, and forgets his evils in contemplation of this most desirable alliance.--G. Colman, _Ways and Means_ (1788).

_Random_ (_Roderick_), a young Scotch scapegrace, in quest of fortune. At one time he revels in prosperity, at another he is in utter destitution. Roderick is led into different countries (whose peculiarities are described), and falls into the society of wits, sharpers, courtiers, and harlots. Occasionally lavish, he is essentially mean; with a dash of humor, he is contemptibly revengeful; and, though generous minded when the whim jumps with his wishes, he is thoroughly selfish. His treatment of Strap is revolting to a generous mind. Strap lends him money in his necessity, but the heartless Roderick wastes the loan, treats Strap as a mere servant, fleeces him at dice, and cuffs him when the game is adverse.--T. Smollett, _Roderick Random_ (1748).

=Ranger=, the madcap cousin of Clarinda, and the leading character in Hoadly’s _Suspicious Husband_ (1747).

=Ran´tipole= (3 _syl._), a madcap. One of the nicknames given to Napoleon III. (See NAPOLEON III.)

Dick, be a little rantipolish,[TN-116]

Colman, _Heir-at-Law_, i. 2 (1797).

=Raoul= [_Rawl_], the old huntsman of Sir Raymond Berenger.--Sir W. Scott, _The Betrothed_ (time, Henry II.).

=Raoul di Nangis= (_Sir_), the Huguenot in love with Valentina (daughter of the Comte de St. Bris, governor of the Louvre). Sir Raoul is offered the hand of Valentina in marriage, but rejects it because he fancies she is betrothed to the comte de Nevers. Nevers being slain in the Bartholomew Massacre, Raoul marries Valentina, but scarcely is the ceremony over when both are shot by the musketeers under the command of St. Bris.--Meyerbeer, _Les Huguenots_ (opera, 1836).

=Raphael= (2 or 3 _syl._), called by Milton, “The Sociable Spirit,” and “The Affable Archangel.” In the book of _Tobit_ it was Raphael who travelled with Tobias into Media and back again; and it is the same angel that holds discourse with Adam through two books of _Paradise Lost_, v. and vi. (1665).

_Raphael_, the guardian angel of John the Beloved.

⁂ Longfellow calls Raphael “The Angel of the Sun,” and says that he brings to man “the gift of faith.”--_Golden Legend_ (“Miracle-Play,” iii., 1851).

_Raphael_ (_The Flemish_), Frans Floris. His chief works are “St. Luke at His Easel,” and the “Descent of the Fallen Angels,” both in Antwerp Cathedral (1520-1570).

_Raphael_ (_The French_), Eustace Lesueur (1617-1655).

=Raphael of Cats= (_The_), Godefroi Mind, a Swiss painter, famous for his cats (1768-1814).

=Raphael of Holland= (_The_), Martin van Hemskerck (1498-1574).

=Raphael’s Enchanter=, La Fornarina, a baker’s daughter. Her likeness appears in several of his paintings. (See FORNARINA.)

=Rapier= (_The_) was introduced by Rowland York in 1587.

He [_Rowland York_] was a Londoner, famous among the cutters in his time for bringing in a new kind of fight--to run the point of a rapier into a man’s body ... before that time the use was with little bucklers, and with broadswords to strike and never thrust, and it was accounted unmanly to strike under the girdle.--Carleton, _Thankful Remembrance_ (1625).

=Rare Ben.= Ben Jonson, the dramatist, was so called by Robert Herrick (1574-1637).

=Raredrench= (_Master_), apothecary.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

=Rashleigh Osbaldistone=, called “the scholar,” an hypocritical and accomplished villain, killed by Rob Roy.--Sir W. Scott, _Rob Roy_ (time, George I.).

⁂ Surely never gentleman was plagued with such a family as Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone, of Osbaldistone Hall. (1) Percival, “the sot;” (2) Thorncliff, “the bully;” (3) John, “the gamekeeper;” (4) Richard, “the horse-jockey;” (5) Wilfred, “the fool;” (6) Rashleigh, “the scholar and knave.”

=Ras´selas=, prince of Abyssina, fourth son of the emperor. According to the custom of the country, he was confined in a private paradise, with the rest of the royal family. This paradise was in the valley of Amhara, surrounded by high mountains. It had only one entrance, which was by a cavern under a rock concealed by woods, and closed by iron gates. He escaped with his sister, Nekayah, and Imlac, the poet, and wandered about to find out what condition or rank of life was the most happy. After careful investigation he found no lot without its drawbacks, and resolved to return to the “happy valley.”--Dr. Johnson, _Rasselas_ (1759).

=Rats= (_Devoured by_). Archbishop Hatto, Count Graaf, Bishop Widerolf of Strasburg, Bishop Adolph of Cologne, Freiherr von Güttingen were all devoured by rats. (See HATTO.)

=Ratcliffe= (_James_), a notorious thief.--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

_Ratcliffe_ (_Mr. Hubert_), a friend of Sir Edward Mauley, “the Black Dwarf.”--Sir W. Scott, _The Black Dwarf_ (time, Anne).

_Ratcliffe_ (_Mrs._), the widow of “Don Carlos,” who rescued Sheva at Cadiz from an _auto da fe_.

_Charles Ratcliffe_, clerk of Sir Stephen Bertram, discharged because he had a pretty sister, and Sir Stephen had a young son. Charles supported his widowed mother and his sister by his earnings. He rescued Sheva, the Jew, from a howling London mob, and was left the heir of the old man’s property.

_Miss [Eliza] Ratcliffe_, sister of Charles, clandestinely married to Charles Bertram, and given £10,000 by the Jew to reconcile Sir Stephen Bertram to the alliance. She was handsome, virtuous and elegant, mild, modest and gentle.--Cumberland, _The Jew_ (1776).

=Rath´mor=, chief of Clutha (_the Clyde_), and father of Calthon and Colmar. Dunthalmo, lord of Teutha, “came in his pride against him,” and was overcome, whereupon his anger rose, and he went by night with his warriors and slew Rathmor in his own halls, where his feasts had so often been spread for strangers.--Ossian, _Calthon and Colmal_.

=Rattlin= (_Jack_), a famous naval character in Smollett’s _Roderick Random_. Tom Bowling is in the same novel (1749).

=Rattray= (_Sir Runnion_), of Runnagullion; the duelling friend of Sir Mungo Malagrowther.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

=Raucocan´ti=, leader of a troupe of singers going to act in Sicily. The whole were captured by Lambro, the pirate, and sold in Turkey as slaves.

’Twould not become myself to dwell upon My own merits, and, tho’ young, I see, sir, you [_Don Juan_] Have got a travelled air, which shews you one To whom the opera is by no means new. You’ve heard of Raucocanti--I’m that man ... You was [_sic_] not last year at the fair of Lugo, But next, when I’m engaged to sing there--do go.

Byron, _Don Juan_, iv. 88 (1820).

=Raven= (_Barnaby’s_), Grip, a large bird of most impish disposition. Its usual phrases were: “I’m a devil!” “Never say die!” “Polly, put the kettle on!” He also uttered a cluck like cork-drawing, a barking like a dog, and a crowing like a cock. Barnaby Budge used to carry it about in a basket at his back. The bird drooped while it was in jail with his master, but after Barnaby’s reprieve