BRIGGS, one of the ten young gentlemen in the school of Dr. Blimber when Paul Dombey was a pupil there. Briggs was nicknamed the "Stoney," because his brains were petrified by the constant dropping of wisdom upon them.--C. Dickens, _Dombey and Son_ (1846). BRIGLIADORO [_Bril´.ye.dor´.ro_], Orlando's steed. The word means "Gold bridle."--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516). Sir Guyon's horse, in Spenser's _Faëry Queen_, is called by a similar name. BRILLIANT _(Sir Philip)_, a great fop, but brave soldier, like the famous Murat. He would dress with all the finery of a vain girl, but would share watching, toil, and peril with the meanest soldier. "A butterfly in the drawing-room, but a Hector on the battle-field." He was a "blade of proof; you might laugh at the scabbard, but you wouldn't at the blade." He falls in love with lady Anne, reforms his vanities, and marries.--S. Knowles, _Old Maids_ (1841). BRILLIANT MADMAN _(The)_, Charles XII. of Sweden (1682, 1697-1718). BRILLIANTA _(The lady)_, a great wit in the ancient romance entitled _Tirante le Blanc_, author unknown. Here (in _Tirante le Blanc_) we shall find the famous knight don Kyrie Elyson of Montalban, his brother Thomas, the knight Fonseca ... the stratagems of the widow Tranquil ... and the witticisms of lady Brillianta. This is one of the most amusing books ever written.--Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, I. i. 6 (1605). BRIS _(Il conte di San)_, governor of the Louvre. He is father of Valenti'na and leader of the St. Bartholomew massacre.--Meyerbeer, _Les Huguenots_ (1836). BRISAC' _(Justice)_, brother of Miramont. _Charles Brisac_, a scholar, son of justice Brisac. _Eustace Brisac_, a courtier, brother of Charles.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Elder Brother_ (1637). BRISE'IS _(3 syl.)_, whose real name was Hippodamï'a, was the daughter of Brisês, brother of the priest Chrysês. She was the concubine of Achillês, but when Achillês bullied Agamemnon for not giving Chryse'is to her father, who offered a ransom for her, Agamemnon turned upon him and said he would let Chryseis go, but should take Briseis instead.--Homer, _Iliad_, i. BRISK, a good-natured conceited coxcomb, with a most voluble tongue. Fond of saying "good things," and pointing them out with such expressions as "There I had you, eh?" "That was pretty well, egad, eh?" "I hit you in the teeth there, egad!" His ordinary oath was "Let me perish!" He makes love to lady Froth.--W. Congreve, _The Double Dealer_ (1694). BRIS'KIE (2 _syl_.), disguised under the name of Putskie. A captain in the Moscovite army, and brother of general Archas "the loyal subject" of the great-duke of Moscovia.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Loyal Subject_ (1618). BRIS'SOTIN, one of the followers of Jean Pierre Brissot, an advanced revolutionist. The Brissotins were subsequently merged in the Girondists, and the word dropped out of use.