BOLDWOOD (_Farmer_), one of the wooers of Bathsheba Everdene. He serves for her seven years and loses her at last, after killing her husband to free her from his tyranny. He is sentenced to penal servitude "during Her Majesty's pleasure."--Thomas Hardy, _Far from the Madding Crowd_ (1874). BOLSTER, a famous Wrath, who compelled St. Agnes to gather up the boulders which infested his territory. She carried three apronfuls to the top of a hill, hence called St. Agnes' Beacon. (See WRATH'S HOLE.) BOL'TON (_Stawarth_), an English officer in _The Monastery_, a novel by sir W. Scott (time, Elizabeth). BOLTON ASS. This creature is said to have chewed tobacco and taken snuff.--Dr. Doran. BOMBA _(King)_, a nickname given to Ferdinand II. of Naples, in consequence of his cruel bombardment of Messi'na in 1848. His son, who bombarded Palermo in 1860, is called _Bombali'no_ ("Little Bomba"). A young Sicilian, too, was there... [_Who_] being rebellious to his liege, After Palermo's fatal siege, Across the western seas he fled In good king Bomba's happy reign. Longfellow, _The Wayside Inn_ (prelude). BOMBARDIN'IAN, general of the forces of king Chrononhotonthologos. He invites the king to his tent, and gives him hashed pork. The king strikes him, and calls him traitor. "Traitor, in thy teeth," replies the general. They fight, and the king is killed.--H. Carey, _Chrononhotonthologos_ (a burlesque). BOMBASTES FURIOSO, general of Artaxam'inous (king of Utopia). He is plighted to Distaffi'na, but Artaxaminous promises her "half-a-crown" if she will forsake the general for himself. "This bright reward of ever-daring minds" is irresistible. When Bombastês sees himself flouted, he goes mad, and hangs his boots on a tree, with this label duly displayed: Who dares this pair of boots displace, Must meet Bombastês face to face. The king, coming up, cuts down the boots, and Bombastês "kills him." Fusbos, seeing the king fallen, "kills" the general; but at the close of the farce the dead men rise one by one, and join the dance, promising, if the audience likes, "to die again to-morrow."--W. B. Rhodes, _Bombastes Furioso._ [Illustration] This farce is a travesty of _Orlando_ _Furioso_, and "Distaffina" is Angelica, beloved by Orlando, whom she flouted for Medoro, a young Moor. On this Orlando went mad, and hung up his armor on a tree, with this distich attached thereto: Orlando's arms let none displace, But such who'll meet him face to face. In the _Rehearsal_, by the duke of Buckingham, Bayes' troops are killed, every man of them, by Drawcansir, but revive, and "go off on their legs." See the translation of _Don Quixote_, by C. H. Wilmot, Esq., ii. 363 (1764). _Bombastes Furioso (The French)_, capitaine Fracasse.--Théophile Gautier. BOMBAS'TUS, the family name of Paracelsus. He is said to have kept a small devil prisoner in the pommel of his sword.