Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 11

_Lopluel, or the Bride of Seven_, by Maria del Occidente (Maria Gowen Brooks) (1833).

ALTISIDO'RA, one of the d.u.c.h.ess's servants, who pretends to be in love with don Quixote, and serenades him. The don sings his response that he has no other love than what he gives to his Dulcin'ea, and while he is still singing he is a.s.sailed by a string of cats, let into the room by a rope. As the knight is leaving the mansion, Altisidora accuses him of having stolen her garters, but when the knight denies the charge, the damsel protests that she said so in her distraction, for her garters were not stolen. "I am like the man looking for his mule at the time he was astride its back."--Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, II.

iii. 9, etc.; iv. 5 (1615).

AL'TON (_Miss_), _alias_ Miss CLIFFORD, a sweet, modest young lady, the companion of Miss Alscrip, "the heiress," a vulgar, conceited _parvenue_. Lord Gayville is expected to marry "the heiress," but detests her, and loves Miss Alton, her humble companion. It turns out that 2000 a year of "the heiress's" fortune belongs to Mr. Clifford (Miss Alton's brother), and is by him settled on his sister. Sir Clement Flint destroys this bond, whereby the money returns to Clifford, who marries lady Emily Gayville, and sir Clement settles the same on his nephew, lord Gayville, who marries Miss Alton.--General Burgoyne, _The Heiress_ (1781).

AL'TON LOCKE, tailor and poet, a novel by the Rev. Charles Kingsley (1850). This novel won for the author the t.i.tle of "The Chartist Clergyman."

ALVIRA ROBERTS, hired "girl" and faithful retainer of the Fairchild family. For many years she and Milton Squires, the hired man, have "kept company." In his prosperity he deserts her. When he is convicted of murder, she kisses him. "Ef 'twas the last thing I ever done in my life, I'd dew it. We was--engaged--once't on a time!"--_Seth's Brother's Wife_, by Harold Frederic (1886).

ALZIR'DO, king of Trem'izen, in Africa, overthrown by Orlando in his march to join the allied army of Ag'ramant.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

AM'ADIS OF GAUL, a love-child of king Per'ion and the princess Elize'na. He is the hero of a famous prose romance of chivalry, the first four books of which are attributed to Lobeira, of Portugal (died 1403). These books were translated into Spanish in 1460 by Montal'vo, who added the fifth book. The five were rendered into French by Herberay, who increased the series to twenty-four books. Lastly, Gilbert Saunier added seven more volumes, and called the entire series _Le Roman des Romans_.

Whether Amadis was French or British is disputed. Some maintain that "Gaul" means _Wales_, not France; that Elizena was princess of _Brittany_ (Bretagne), and that Perion was king of Gaul (_Wales_), not Gaul _(France)._

Amadis de Gaul was a tall man, of a fair complexion, his aspect something between mild and austere, and had a handsome black beard. He was a person of very few words, was not easily provoked, and was soon appeased.--Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, II. i. 1 (1615).

As Arthur is the central figure of British romance, Charlemagne of French, and Diderick of German, so Amadis is the central figure of Spanish and Portuguese romance; but there is this difference--the tale of Amadis is a connected whole, terminating with his marriage with Oria'na, the intervening parts being only the obstacles he encountered and overcame in obtaining this consummation. In the Arthurian romances, and those of the Charlemagne series, we have a number of adventures of different heroes, but there is no unity of purpose; each set of adventures is complete in itself.

AMA'DIS OF GREECE, a supplemental part of _Amadis of Gaul_, by Felicia'no de Silva. There are also several other Amadises--as Amadis of Colchis, Amadis of Trebisond, Amadis of Cathay, but all these are very inferior to the original _Amadis of Gaul_.

The ancient fables, whose relickes doe yet remain, namely, _Lancelot of the Lake, Pierceforest, Tristram, Giron the Courteous_, etc., doe beare witnesse of this odde vanitie. Herewith were men fed for the s.p.a.ce of 500 yeeres, untill our language growing more polished, and our minds more ticklish, they were driven to invent some novelties wherewith to delight us. Thus came ye bookes of Amadis into light among us in this last age.--Francis de la Noue, _Discourses_, 87 (1587).

AMAI'MON (3 _syl_.), one of the princ.i.p.al devils. Asmode'us is one of his lieutenants. Shakespeare twice refers to him, in 1 _Henry IV._ act ii. sc. 4, and in _The Merry Wives of Windsor_, act ii. sc. 2.

AMAL'AHTA, son of Erill'yab the deposed queen of the Hoamen (2 _syl_.), an Indian tribe settled on the south of the Missouri. He is described as a brutal savage, wily, deceitful, and cruel. Amalahta wished to marry the princess Goer'vyl, Madoc's sister, and even seized her by force, but was killed in his flight.--Southey, _Madoc_, ii. 16 (1805).

AMALTHAE'A, the sibyl who offered to sell to Tarquin nine books of prophetic oracles. When the king refused to give her the price demanded, she went away, burnt three of them, and returning to the king, demanded the same price for the remaining six. Again the king declined the purchase. The sibyl, after burning three more of the volumes, demanded the original sum for the remaining three. Tarquin paid the money, and Amalthaea was never more seen. Aulus Gellius says that Amalthaea burnt the books in the king's presence. Pliny affirms that the original number of volumes was only three, two of which the sibyl burnt, and the third was purchased by king Tarquin.

AMALTHE'A, a mistress of Ammon and mother of Bacchus. Ammon hid his mistress in the island Nysa (in Africa), in order to elude the vigilance and jealousy of his wife Rhea. This account (given by Diodorus Sic'ulus, bk. iii., and by sir Walter Raleigh in his _History of the World_, I. vi. 5) differs from the ordinary story, which makes Sem'ele the mother of Bacchus, and Rhea his nurse. (Ammon is Ham or Cham, the son of Noah, founder of the African race.)

... that Nyseian ile, Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham (Whom Gentiles Ammon call, and Libyan Jove) Hid Amalthea and her florid son, Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye.

Milton, _Paradise Lost_, iv. 275 (1665).

AMANDA, wife of Loveless. Lord Foppington pays her amorous attentions, but she utterly despises the conceited c.o.xcomb, and treats him with contumely. Colonel Townly, in order to pique his lady-love, also pays attention to Loveless's wife, but she repels his advances with indignation, and Loveless, who overhears her, conscious of his own shortcomings, resolves to reform his ways, and, "forsaking all other," to remain true to Amanda, "so long as they both should live."--Sheridan, _A Trip to Scarborough_.

_Aman'da_, in Thomson's _Seasons_, is meant for Miss Young, who married admiral Campbell.

And thou, Amanda, come, pride of my song!

Formed by the Graces, loveliness itself.

"Spring," 480, 481 (1728).

_Amanda_, the victim of Peregrine Pickle's seduction, in Smollett's novel of _Peregrine Pickle_ (1751).

_Amanda_, worldly woman in Julia Ward Howe's poem, _Amanda's Inventory_, who sums up her wealth and honors, and is forced to conclude the list with death (1866).

AMARAN'TA, wife of Bar'tolus, the covetous lawyer. She was wantonly loved by Leandro, a Spanish gentleman.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Spanish Curate_ (1622).

AM'ARANTH (_Lady_), in _Wild Oats_, by John O'Keefe, a famous part of Mrs. Pope (1740-1797).

AMARIL'LIS, a shepherdess in love with Per'igot (_t_ sounded), but Perigot loved Am'oret. In order to break off this affection, Amarillis induced "the sullen shepherd" to dip her in "the magic well," whereby she became transformed into the perfect resemblance of her rival, and soon effectually disgusted Perigot with her bold and wanton conduct.

When afterwards he met the true Amoret, he repulsed her, and even wounded her with intent to kill. Ultimately, the trick was discovered by Cor'in, "the faithful shepherdess," and Perigot was married to his true love.--John Fletcher, _The Faithful Shepherd_ (1610).

AMARYLLIS, in Spenser's pastoral _Colin Clout's Come Home Again_, was the countess of Derby. Her name was Alice, and she was the youngest of the six daughters of sir John Spenser, of Althorpe, ancestor of the n.o.ble houses of Spenser and Marlborough. After the death of the earl, the widow married sir Thomas Egerton, keeper of the Great Seal (afterwards baron of Ellesmere and viscount Brackley). It was for this very lady, during her widowhood, that Milton wrote his _Ar'cades_ (3 _syl_.).

No less praiseworthy are the sisters three, The honour of the n.o.ble family Of which I meanest boast myself to be ...

Phyllis, Charyllis, and sweet Amaryllis: Phyllis the fair is eldest of the three, The next to her is bountiful Charyllis, But th' youngest is the highest in degree.

Spenser, _Colin Clout's Come Home Again_ (1594).

AM'ASISI, _Amosis_, or _Aah'mes_ (3 _syl_.), founder of the eighteenth Egyptian dynasty (B.C. 1610). Lord Brooke attributes to him one of the pyramids. The three chief pyramids are usually ascribed to Suphis (or Cheops), Sen-Suphis (or Cephrenes), and Mencheres, all of the fourth dynasty.

Amasis and Cheops how can time forgive.

Who in their useless pyramids would live?

Lord Brooke, _Peace_.

AMATEUR (_An_), Pierce Egan the younger published under this pseudonym his _Real Life in London_, or _The Rambles and Adventures of Rob Tally-ho, Esq., and his Cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, through the Metropolis_ (1821-2).

AMAUROTS (_The_), a people whose kingdom was invaded by the Dipsodes (2 _syl_.), but Pantag'ruel, coming to their defence, utterly routed the invaders.--Rabelais, _Pantagruel_, ii. (1533).

AMA'VIA, the personification of Intemperance in grief. Hearing that her husband, sir Mordant, had been enticed to the Bower of Bliss by the enchantress Acra'sia, she went in quest of him, and found him so changed in mind and body she could scarcely recognize him; however, she managed by tact to bring him away, but he died on the road, and Amavia stabbed herself from excessive grief.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, ii. 1 (1590).

AMAZO'NA, a fairy, who freed a certain country from the Ogri and the Blue Centaur. When she sounded her trumpet, the sick were recovered and became both young and strong. She gave the princess Carpil'lona a bunch of gilly-flowers, which enabled her to pa.s.s unrecognized before those who knew her well.--Comtesse D'Aunoy, _Fairy Tales_ ("The Princess Carpillona," 1682).

AMAZONS, a fabled race of women-warriors. It was said that in order to use the bow, they cut off one of their b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

AMBER, said to be a concretion of birds' tears, but the birds were the sisters of Melea'ger, called Meleag'rides, who never ceased weeping for their dead brother.--Pliny, _Natural History_, x.x.xvii. 2, 11.

Around thee shall glisten the loveliest amber.

That ever the sorrowing sea-birds have wept.

T. Moore, _Fire-Wors.h.i.+ppers_.

AM'BROSE (2 _syl_.), a sharper, who a.s.sumed in the presence of Gil Blas the character of a devotee. He was in league with a fellow who a.s.sumed the name of don Raphael, and a young woman who called herself Camilla, cousin of donna Mencia. These three sharpers allure Gil Blas to a house which Camilla says is hers, fleece him of his ring, his portmanteau, and his money, decamp, and leave him to find out that the house is only a hired lodging.--Lesage, _Gil Blas_, i. 15, 16 (1715).

(This incident is borrowed from Espinel's romance ent.i.tled _Vida de Escudero, marcos de Obregon_, 1618.)

_Am'brose_ (2 _syl_.), a male domestic servant waiting on Miss Seraphine and Miss Angelica Arthuret.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George II.).

_Ambrose (Brother)_, a monk who attended the prior Aymer, of Jorvaulx Abbey.--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).

_Am'brosius (Father)_, abbot of Kennaquhair, is Edward Glendinning, brother of sir Halbert Glendinning (the knight of Avenel). He appears at Kinross, disguised as a n.o.bleman's retainer.--Sir W. Scott, _The Abbot_ (time, Elizabeth).