Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's HandbookBrewer, Ebenezer Cobham
General
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook
Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham
Allusions; Fiction -- Dictionaries; Literature -- Dictionaries
_Baltha´zar_, one of the three "kings" shown in Cologne Cathedral as
one of the "Magi" led to Bethlehem by the guiding star. The word means
"lord of treasures." The names of the other two are Melchior ("king of
light"), and Gaspar or Caspar ("the white one"). Klopstock, in _The
Messiah_, makes six "Wise Men," and none of the names are like these
three.
_Balthazar_, father of Juliana, Volantê, and Zam´ora. A proud,
peppery, and wealthy gentleman. His daughter Juliana marries the duke
of Aranza; his second daughter the count Montalban; and Zamora marries
signor Rinaldo.--J. Tobin, _The Honeymoon_ (1804).
BALUE (_Cardinal_), in the court of Louis XI. of France (1420-1491),
introduced by sir W. Scott in _Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV.).
BALUGANTES (4 _syl._), leader of the men from Leon, in Spain, and in
alliance with Agramant.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).
BALVENY (_Lord_), kinsman of the earl of Douglas.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair
Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).
BALWHIDDER [_Bal´wither_], a Scotch presbyterian pastor, filled with
all the old-fashioned national prejudices, but sincere, kind-hearted,
and pious. He is garrulous and loves his joke, but is quite ignorant
of the world, being "in it but not of it."--Galt, _Annals of the
Parish_ (1821).
The _Rev. Micah Balwhidder_ is a fine representation
of the primitive Scottish pastor; diligent,
blameless, loyal, and exemplary in his life, but
without the fiery zeal and "kirk-filling eloquence"
of the supporters of the Covenant.--R.
Chambers, _English Literature_, ii. 591.
BALY, one of the ancient and gigantic kings of India, who founded the
city called by his name. He redressed wrongs, upheld justice, was
generous and truthful, compassionate and charitable, so that at death
he became one of the judges of hell. His city in time got overwhelmed
with the encroaching ocean, but its walls were not overthrown, nor
were the rooms encumbered with the weeds and alluvial of the sea. One
day a dwarf, named Vamen, asked the mighty monarch to allow him to
measure three of his own paces for a hut to dwell in. Baly smiled, and
bade him measure out what he required. The first pace of the dwarf
compassed the whole earth, the second the whole heavens, and the
third the infernal regions. Baly at once perceived that the dwarf was
Vishnû, and adored the present deity. Vishnû made the king "Governor
of Pad´alon" or hell, and permitted him once a year to revisit the
earth, on the first full moon of November.
Baly built
A city, like the cities of the gods,
Being like a god himself. For many an age
Hath ocean warred against his palaces,
Till overwhelmed they lie beneath the waves,
Not overthrown.
Southey, _Curse of Kehama_, xv. 1 (1809).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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