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
=Paradise Regained=, in four books. The subject is the Temptation. Eve,
being tempted, _lost_ paradise; Christ, being tempted, _regained_ it.
Book I. Satan presents himself as an old peasant, and, entering into
conversation with Jesus, advises Him to satisfy His hunger by
miraculously converting stones into bread. Jesus gives the tempter to
know that He recognizes him, and refuses to follow his suggestion.
II. Satan reports progress to his ministers, and asks advice. He returns
to the wilderness, and offers Jesus wealth, as the means of acquiring
power; but the suggestion is again rejected.
III. Satan shows Jesus several of the kingdoms of Asia, and points out
to Him their military power. He advises Him to seek alliance with the
Parthians, and promises his aid. He says by such alliance He might shake
off the Roman yoke, and raise the kingdom of David to first-class power.
Jesus rejects the counsel, and tells the tempter that the Jews were for
the present under a cloud for their sins, but that the time would come
when God would put forth His hand on their behalf.
IV. Satan shows Jesus Rome, with all its greatness, and says, “I can
easily dethrone Tiberius, and seat Thee on the imperial throne.” He then
shows Him Athens, and says, “I will make Thee master of their wisdom and
high state of civilization, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” “Get
thee behind Me, Satan!” was the indignant answer; and Satan, finding all
his endeavors useless, tells Jesus of the sufferings prepared for Him,
takes Him back to the wilderness, and leaves Him there; but angels come
and minister unto Him.--Milton (1671).
=Paraguay= (_A Tale of_), by Southey, in four cantos (1814). The
small-pox, having broken out amongst the Guarānis, carried off the whole
tribe except Quiāra and his wife, Monnĕma, who then migrated from the
fatal spot to the Mondai woods. Here a son (Yerūti) and afterwards a
daughter (Mooma) were born; but before the birth of the latter, the
father was eaten by a jagŭar. When the children were of a youthful age,
a Jesuit priest induced the three to come and live at St. Joăchin (3
_syl._); so they left the wild woods for a city life. Here, in a few
months, the mother flagged and died. The daughter next drooped, and soon
followed her mother to the grave. The son, now the only remaining one of
the entire race, begged to be baptized, received the rite, cried, “Ye
are come for me! I am ready;” and died also.
=Par´cinus=, a young prince, in love with his cousin, Irolit´a, but
beloved by Az´ira. The fairy Danamo was Azira’s mother, and resolved to
make Irolita marry the fairy Brutus; but Parcinus, aided by the fairy
Favorable, surmounted all obstacles, married Irolita, and made Brutus
marry Azira.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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