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
ANDROMACHE [_An. drom'. a. ky_], widow of Hector. At the downfall of
Troy both she and her son Asty'anax were allotted to Pyrrhus king
of Epirus, and Pyrrhus fell in love with her, but she repelled
his advances. At length a Grecian embassy, led by Orestês son of
Agamemnon, arrived, and demanded that Astyanax should be given up and
put to death, lest in manhood he should attempt to avenge his father's
death. Pyrrhus told Andromachê that he would protect her son in
defiance of all Greece if she would become his wife, and she
reluctantly consented thereto. While the marriage ceremonies were
going on, the ambassadors rushed on Pyrrhus and slew him, but as he
fell he placed the crown on the head of Andromachê, who thus became
the queen of Epirus, and the ambassadors hastened to their ships in
flight.--Ambrose Philips, _The Distressed Mother_ (1712).
ANDROMEDA, beautiful daughter of the king of Ethiopia. To appease
Neptune, she was bound to a rock to be devoured by Neptune. Perseus
slew the monster and made the maiden his wife.
ANDRONI'CA, one of Logistilla's handmaids, noted for her
beauty.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).
ANDRONI'CUS (_Titus_), a noble Roman general against the Goths,
father of Lavin'ia. In the play so called, published among those of
Shakespeare, the word all through is called _Andron'icus_ (1593).
_Marcus Andronicus_, brother of Titus, and tribune of the people.
ANDROPH'ILUS, Philanthropy personified in _The Purple Island_,
by Phineas Fletcher (1633). Fully described in canto x. (Greek,
_Andro-philos_, "a lover of mankind.")
ANDY (_Handy_), Irish lad in the employ of Squire Egan. He has
boundless capacity for bulls and blunders.--Samuel Lover, _Handy
Andy_.
ANEAL (2 _syl_.), daughter of Maä'ni, who loves Djabal, and believes
him to be "hakeem'" (the incarnate god and founder of the Druses)
returned to life for the restoration of the people and their return to
Syria from exile in the Spo'radês. When, however, she discovers his
imposture, she dies in the bitterness of her disappointment.--Robert
Browning, _The Return of the Druses_.
_L'ange de Dieu_, Isabeau la belle, the "inspired prophet-child" of
the Camisards.
ANGELA MESSENGER, heiress to Messenger's Brewery and an enormous
fortune. In order to know the people of the East End she lives among
them as a dressmaker. She sees their needs, and to supply these in
part, builds _The People's Palace_--or Palace of Delights.--_All Sorts
and Conditions of Men_, by Walter Besant (1889).
ANGEL'ICA, in Bojardo's _Orlando Innamorato_ (1495), is daughter of
Gal'aphron king of Cathay. She goes to Paris, and Orlando falls in
love with her, forgetful of wife, sovereign, country, and glory.
Angelica, on the other hand, disregards Orlando, but passionately
loves Rinaldo, who positively dislikes her. Angelica and Rinaldo drink
of certain fountains, when the opposite effects are produced in their
hearts, for then Rinaldo loves Angelica, while Angelica loses all love
for Rinaldo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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