Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama Part 33

=Namby= (_Major_), a retired officer, living in the suburbs of London. He had been twice married; his first wife had four children, and his second wife three. Major Namby, though he lived in a row, always transacted his domestic affairs by bawling out his orders from the front garden, to the annoyance of his neighbors. He used to stalk half-way down the garden path, with his head high in the air, his chest stuck out, and flouris.h.i.+ng his military cane. Suddenly he would stop, stamp with one foot, knock up the hinder brim of his hat, begin to scratch the nape of his neck, wait a moment, then wheel round, look at the first-floor window, and roar out, "Matilda!" (the name of his wife) "don't do so-and-so;" or "Matilda! do so-and-so." Then he would bellow to the servants to buy this, or not to let the children eat that, and so on.--Wilkie Collins, _Pray Employ Major Namby_ (a sketch).

=Names of Terror.= The following amongst others, have been employed as bogie-names to frighten children with:--

ATTILA was a bogie-name to the Romans.

BO or BOH, son of Odin, was a fierce Gothic captain. His name was used by his soldiers when they would fight or surprise the enemy.--Sir William Temple.

? Warton tells us that the Dutch scared their children with the name of Boh.

BONAPARTE, at the close of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries, was a name of terror in Europe.

CORVI'NUS (_Mathias_), the Hungarian, was a scare-name to the Turks.

LILIS or LILITH was a bogie-name used by the ancient Jews to unruly children. The rabbinical writers tell us that Lilith was Adam's wife before the creation of Eve. She refused to submit to him, and became a horrible night-spectre, especially hostile to young children.

LUNSFORD, a name employed to frighten children in England. Sir Thomas Lunsford, governor of the Tower, was a man of most vindictive temper, and the dread of everyone.

Made children with your tones to run for't, As bad as b.l.o.o.d.y-bones or Lunsford.

S. Butler, _Hudibras_, iii. 2, line 1112, (1678).

Na.r.s.eS (2 _syl._) was the name used by a.s.syrian mothers to scare their children with.

The name of Na.r.s.es was the formidable sound with which the a.s.syrian mothers were accustomed to terrify their infants.--Gibbon, _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_, viii. 219 (1776-88).

RAWHEAD and b.l.o.o.d.y-BONES were at one time bogie-names to children.

Servants awe children and keep them in subjection by telling them of Rawhead and b.l.o.o.d.y-bones.--Locke.

RICHARD I., "Cur de Lion." This name, says Camden (_Remains_), was employed by the Saracens as a "name of dread and terror."

His tremendous name was employed by the Syrian mothers to silence their infants; and if a horse suddenly started from the way, his rider was wont to exclaim, "Dost thou think King Richard is in the bush?"--Gibbon, _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_, xi. 146 (1776-88).

SEBASTIAN (_Don_), a name of terror once used by the Moors.

Nor shall Sebastian's formidable name Be longer used to still the crying babe.

Dryden, _Don Sebastian_ (1690).

TALBOT (_John_), a name used in France _in terrorem_ to unruly children.

They in France to feare their young children crye, "The Talbot commeth!"--Hall, _Chronicles_ (1545).

Here (said they) is the terror of the French, The scarecrow that affrights our children so.

Shakespeare, 1 _Henry VI._ act.[TN-27] i. sc. 4 (1589).

Is this the Talbot so much feared abroad, That with his name the mothers still their babes?

Shakespeare, 1 _Henry VI._ act iv. sc. 5 (1589).

TAMERLANE, a name used by the Persians _in terrorem_.

TARQUIN, a name of terror in Roman nurseries.

The nurse to still her child, will tell my story, And fright her crying babe with Tarquin's name.

Shakespeare, _Rape of Lucrece_ (1594).

(See also NAKED BEAR.)

=Namo=, duke of Bavaria, and one of Charlemagne's twelve paladins.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

=Namou'na=, an enchantress. Though first of created beings, she is still as young and beautiful as ever.--_Persian Mythology._

=Namous=, the envoy of Mahomet in paradise.

=Nancy=, eldest daughter of an English country family, in straitened circ.u.mstances. Nancy is a romp and untamed, but sound-hearted, and loves her brothers and sister tenderly. To advance their interests she marries Sir Roger Tempest, who is much her senior. In time, and after many misunderstandings, she learns to love him, and "they live happily together ever after."--Rhoda Broughton, _Nancy_.

_Nancy_, servant to Mrs. Pattypan. A pretty little flirt, who coquets with Tim Tartlet and young Whimsey, and helps Charlotte Whimsey in her "love affairs."--James Cobb, _The First Floor_ (1756-1818).

_Nancy_, a poor misguided girl, who really loves the villain Bill Sykes (1 _syl._). In spite of her surroundings, she has still some good feelings, and tries to prevent a burglary planned by f.a.gin and his a.s.sociates. Bill Sykes, in a fit of pa.s.sion, strikes her twice upon the face with the b.u.t.t-end of a pistol, and she falls dead at his feet.--C.

d.i.c.kens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

_Nancy_, the sailor's fancy. At half-past four he parted from her; at eight next morn he bade her adieu. Next day a storm arose, and when it lulled the enemy appeared; but when the fight was hottest, the jolly tar "put up a prayer for Nancy." Dibdin, _Sea Songs_ ("'Twas post meridian half-past four," 1790).

_Nancy_ (_Miss_), Mrs. Anna Oldfield, a celebrated actress, buried in Westminster Abbey. She died in 1730, and lay in state, attended by two n.o.blemen. Mrs. Oldfield was buried in a "very fine Brussels lace head-dress, a new pair of kid gloves, and a robe with lace ruffles and a lace collar." (See NARCISSA.)

=Nancy Dawson=, a famous actress, who took London by storm. Her father was a poster in Clare Market (1728-1767).

Her easy mien, her shape so neat, She foots, she trips, she looks so sweet; I die for Nancy Dawson.

=Nancy of the Vale=, a village maiden, who preferred Strephon to the gay lordlings who sought her hand in marriage.--Shenstone, _A Ballad_ (1554).

=Nannic=, deformed brother of Guenn, and her darling. He is versed in all manner of auguries and much feared and consulted by the peasants on this account.--Blanche Willis Howard, _Guenn_.

=Nannie=, Miss Fleming, daughter of a farmer in the parish of Tarbolton, in Ayrs.h.i.+re. Immortalized by R. Burns.

_Nannie (Little)._