Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 48

BO'NEY, a familiar contraction of Bo'naparte (3 _syl_.), used by the English in the early part of the nineteenth century by way of depreciation. Thus Thom. Moore speaks of "the infidel Boney."

BONHOMME (_Jacques_), a peasant who interferes with politics; hence the peasants' rebellion of 1358 was called _La Jacquerie_. The words may be rendered "Jimmy" or "Johnny Goodfellow."

BON'IFACE (_St._), an Anglo-Saxon whose name was Winifrid or Winfrith, born in Devons.h.i.+re. He was made archbishop of Mayence by pope Gregory III., and is called "The Apostle of the Germans." St. Boniface was murdered in Friesland by some peasants, and his day is June 5 (680-755).

... in Friesland first St. Boniface our best, Who of the see of Mentz, while there he sat possessed, At Dock.u.m had his death, by faithless Frisians slain.

Drayton, _Polyolbion_, xxiv. (1622).

_Bon'iface_,(_Father_), ex-abbot of Kennaquhair. He first appears under the name of Blinkhoodie in the character of gardener at Kinross, and afterwards as the old gardener at Dundrennan. (_Kennaquhair_, that is, "I know not where.")--Sir W. Scott, _The Abbot_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Bon'iface_ (_The abbot_), successor of the abbot Ingelram, as Superior of St. Mary's Convent.--Sir W. Scott, _The Monastery_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Boni'face_, landlord of the inn at Lichfield, in league with the highwaymen. This sleek, jolly publican is fond of the cant phrase, "as the saying is." Thus, "Does your master stay in town, as the saying is?" "So well, as the saying is, I could wish we had more of them."

"I'm old Will Boniface; pretty well known upon this road, as the saying is." He had lived at Lichfield "man and boy above eight and fifty years, and not consumed eight and fifty ounces of meat." He says:

"I have fed purely upon ale. I have eat my ale, drank my ale, and I always sleep upon my ale."--George Farquhar, _The Beaux' Stratagem_, i. I (1707).

BONNE REINE, Claude de France, daughter of Louis XII. and wife of Francois I. (1499-1524).

BONNET ROUGE, a red republican, so called from the red cap of liberty which he wore.

BONNIBEL, southern beauty in Constance Cary Harrison's tale, _Flower de Hundred._

The perfection of blonde prettiness, with a mouth like Cupid's bow, a tiny tip-tilted nose, eyes gold-brown to match her hair, a color like crushed roses in her cheeks (1891).

BONNIVARD (_Francois de_), the prisoner of Chillon. In Byron's poem he was one of six brothers, five of whom died violent deaths. The father and two sons died on the battle-field; one was burnt at the stake; three were imprisoned in the dungeon of Chillon, near the lake of Geneva. Two of the three died, and Francois was set at liberty by Henri the Bearnais. They were incarcerated by the duke-bishop of Savoy for republican principles (1496-1570).

BONSTET'TIN (_Nicholas_), the old deputy of Schwitz, and one of the deputies of the Swiss confederacy to Charles duke of Burgundy.--Sir W.

Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

BON'TEMPS (_Roger_), the personification of that buoyant spirit which is always "inclined to hope rather than fear," and in the very midnight of distress is ready to exclaim, "There's a good time coming, wait a little longer." The character is the creation of Beranger.

Vous, pauvres pleins d'envie, Vous, riches desireux; Vous, dont le char devie Apres un cours heureux; Vous, qui perdrez peut-etre Des t.i.tres eclatans, Eh gai! prenez pour maitre Le gros Roger Bontemps.

Beranger (1814).

BON'THORN (_Anthony_), one of Ramorny's followers; employed to murder Smith, the lover of Catherine Glover ("the fair maid of Perth"), but he murdered Oliver instead, by mistake. When charged with the crime, he demanded a trial by combat, and being defeated by Smith, confessed his guilt and was hanged. He was restored to life, but being again apprehended was executed.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

BON TON, a farce by Garrick. Its design is to show the evil effects of the introduction of foreign morals and foreign manners. Lord Minikin neglects his wife, and flirts with Miss t.i.ttup. Lady Minikin hates her husband, and flirts with colonel Tivy. Miss t.i.ttup is engaged to the colonel. Sir John Trotley, who does not understand _bon ton_, thinks this sort of flirtation very objectionable. "You'll excuse me, for such old-fas.h.i.+oned notions, I am sure" (1760).

BOO'BY (_Lady_), a vulgar upstart, who tries to seduce her footman, Joseph Andrews. Parson Adams reproves her for laughing in church. Lady b.o.o.by is a caricature of Richardson's "Pamela."--Fielding, _Joseph Andrews_ (1742).

BOON ISLAND. In Celia Thaxter's poem, _The Watch of Boon Island_, is told the story of two wedded lovers who tended the lighthouse on Boon Island until the husband died, when the wife

Bowed her head and let the light die out, For the wide sea lay calm as her dead love, When evening fell from the far land, in doubt, Vainly to find that faithful star men strove.

(1874.)

BOONE (1 _syl._), colonel [afterwards "general"] Daniel Boone, in the United States' service, was one of the earliest settlers in Kentucky, where he signalized himself by many daring exploits against the Red Indians (1735-1820).

Of all men, saving Sylla the man-slayer...

The general Boone, the back-woodsman of Kentucky, Was happiest among mortals anywhere, etc.

Byron, _Don Juan_, viii. 61-65 (1821).

BOOSHAL'LOCH (_Neil_), cowherd to Ian Eachin M'Ian, chief of the clan Quhele.--Sir W. Scott, _The Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

BOO'TES (3 _syl_.), Arcas son of Jupiter and Calisto. One day his mother, in the semblance of a bear, met him, and Arcas was on the point of killing it, when Jupiter, to prevent the murder, converted him into a constellation, either _Bootes_ or _Ursa Major_.--Pausanias, _Itinerary of Greece_, viii. 4.

Doth not Orion worthily deserve A higher place ...

Than frail Bootes, who was placed above Only because the G.o.ds did else foresee He should the murderer of his mother be?

Lord Brooke, _Of n.o.bility_.

BOOTH, husband of Amelia. Said to be a drawing of the author's own character and experiences. He has all the vices of Tom Jones, with an additional share of meanness.--Fielding, _Amelia_ (1751).

BORACH'IO, a follower of don John of Aragon. He is a great villain, engaged to Margaret, the waiting-woman of Hero.--Shakespeare, _Much Ado about Nothing_ (1600).

_Borach'io_, a drunkard. (Spanish, _borracho_, "drunk;" _borrachuelo_, "a tippler.")

"Why, you stink of wine! D'ye think my niece will ever endure such a borachio? You're an absolute Borachio."--W. Congreve, _The Way of the World_ (1700).

_Borachio (Joseph)_, landlord of the Eagle Hotel, in Salamanca.--Jephson, _Two Strings to your Bow_ (1792).

BOR'AK (_Al_), the animal brought by Gabriel to convey Mahomet to the seventh heaven. The word means "lightning." Al Borak had the face of a man, but the cheeks of a horse; its eyes were like jacinths, but brilliant as the stars; it had eagle's wings, glistened all over with radiant light, and it spoke with a human voice. This was one of the ten animals (not of the race of man) received into paradise.

Borak was a fine-limbed, high-standing horse, strong in frame, and with a coat as glossy as marble. His color was saffron, with one hair of gold for every three of tawny; his ears were restless and pointed like a reed; his eyes large and full of fire; his nostrils wide and steaming; he had a white star on his forehead, a neck gracefully arched, a mane soft and silky, and a thick tail that swept the ground.--_Groquemitaine_. ii. 9.

BORDER MINSTREL (_The_), sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).

My steps the Border Minstrel led.

W. Wordsworth, _Yarrow Revisited_.

BO'REAS, the north wind. He lived in a cave on mount Haemus, in Thrace.

Cease, rude Boreas, bl.u.s.tering railer.

G. A. Stephens, _The s.h.i.+pivreck_.

BOR'GIA _(Lucrezia di)_, d.u.c.h.ess of Ferra'ra, wife of don Alfonso. Her natural son Genna'ro was brought up by a fisherman in Naples, but when he grew to manhood a stranger gave him a paper from his mother, announcing to him that he was of n.o.ble blood, but concealing his name and family. He saved the life of Orsi'ni in the battle of Rin'ini, and they became sworn friends. In Venice he was introduced to a party of n.o.bles, all of whom had some tale to tell against Lucrezia: Orsini told him she had murdered her brother; Vitelli, that she had caused his uncle to be slain; Liverotto, that she had poisoned his uncle Appia'no; Gazella, that she had caused one of his relatives to be drowned in the Tiber. Indignant at these acts of wickedness, Gennaro struck off the B from the escutcheon of the duke's palace at Ferrara, changing the name Borgia into Orgia. Lucrezia prayed the duke to put to death the man who had thus insulted their n.o.ble house, and Gennaro was condemned to death by poison. Lucrezia, to save him, gave him an antidote, and let him out of prison by a secret door. Soon after his liberation the princess Negroni, a friend of the Borgias, gave a grand supper, to which Gennaro and his companions were invited. At the close of the banquet they were all arrested by Lucrezia after having drunk poisoned wine. Gennaro was told he was the son of Lucrezia, and died. Lucrezia no sooner saw him die than she died also.--Donizetti, _Lucrezia di Borgia_ (an opera, 1835).

BOROS'KIE (3 _syl_.), a malicious counsellor of the great-duke of Moscovia.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Loyal Subject_ (1618).

BOR'OUGHCLIFF (_Captain_), a vulgar Yankee, boastful, conceited, and slangy. "I guess," "I reckon," "I calculate," are used indifferently by him, and he perpetually appeals to sergeant Drill to confirm his boastful a.s.sertions: as, "I'm a pretty considerable favorite with the ladies; arn't I, sergeant Drill?" "My character for valor is pretty well known; isn't it, sergeant Drill?" "If you once saw me in battle, you'd never forget it; would he, sergeant Drill?" "I'm a sort of a kind of a nonent.i.ty; arn't I, sergeant Drill?" etc. He is made the b.u.t.t of Long Tom Coffin. Colonel Howard wishes him to marry his niece Katharine, but the young lady has given her heart to lieutenant Barnstable, who turns out to be the colonel's son, and succeeds at last in marrying the lady of his affection.--E. Fitzball, _The Pilot_.

BORRE (1 _syl_.), natural son of king Arthur, and one of the knights of the Round Table. His mother was Lyonors, an earl's daughter, who came to do homage to the young king.--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_, i. 15 (1470).