Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 3: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's HandbookBrewer, Ebenezer Cobham
General
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 3: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook
Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham
Allusions; Fiction -- Dictionaries; Literature -- Dictionaries
The duc de Montausier was the prototype of Wycherly’s “Mr. Manly,” the
“plain dealer,” and of Molière’s “Misanthrope.”
_Olivia_, daughter of Sir James Woodville, left in charge of a mercenary
wretch, who, to secure to himself her fortune, shut her up in a convent
in Paris. She was rescued by Leontine Croaker, brought to England, and
became his bride.--Goldsmith, _The Good-natured Man_ (1768).
_Olivia_, the tool of Ludovĭco. She loved Vicentio, but Vicentio was
plighted to Evadne, sister of Colonna. Ludovico induced Evadne to
substitute the king’s miniature for that of Vicentio, which she was
accustomed to wear. When Vicentio returned, and found Evadne with the
king’s miniature, he believed what Ludovico had told him that she was
the king’s wanton, and he cast her off. Olivia repented of her
duplicity, and explained it all to Vicentio, whereby a reconciliation
took place, and Vicentio married his troth-plighted lady, “more sinned
against than sinning.”--Shiel, _Evadne_ or _The Statue_ (1820).
_Olivia_, “the rose of Aragon,” was the daughter of Ruphi´no, a peasant,
and bride of Prince Alonzo of Aragon. The king refused to recognize the
marriage, and, sending his son to the army, compelled the cortez to pass
an act of divorce. This brought to a head a general revolt. The king was
dethroned, and Almagro made regent. Almagro tried to make Olivia marry
him; ordered her father to the rack, and her brother to death. Meanwhile
the prince returned at the head of his army, made himself master of the
city, put down the revolt, and had his marriage duly recognized. Almagro
took poison and died.--S. Knowles, _The Rose of Aragon_ (1842).
_Olivia_ [PRIMROSE], the elder daughter of the vicar of Wakefield. She
was a sort of a Hebê in beauty, open, sprightly, and commanding. Olivia
Primrose “wished for many lovers,” and eloped with Squire Thornhill. Her
father went in search of her, and on his return homeward, stopped at a
roadside inn, called the Harrow, and there found her turned out of the
house by the landlady. It was ultimately discovered that she was legally
married to the squire.--Goldsmith, _Vicar of Wakefield_ (1765).
_Olivia_, young girl who hearkens to _The Talking Oak_ in Tennyson’s
poem of that name (1842).
=Olivia de Zenuga=, daughter of Don Cæsar. She fixed her heart on having
Julio de Melessina for her husband, and so behaved to all other suitors
as to drive them away. Thus to Don Garcia, she pretended to be a
termagant; to Don Vincentio, who was music-mad, she professed to love a
Jew’s-harp above every other instrument. At last Julio appeared, and her
“bold stroke” obtained as its reward “the husband of her choice.”--Mrs.
Cowley, _A Bold Stroke for a Husband_ (1782).
=Olla=, bard of Cairbar. These bards acted as heralds.--Ossian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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