_Mrs. Varden_ [_Martha_], the locksmith’s wife and mother of Dolly, a woman of “uncertain temper” and a self-martyr. When too ill-disposed to rise, especially from that domestic sickness, ill temper, Mrs. Varden would order up “the little black teapot of strong mixed tea, a couple of rounds of hot buttered toast, a dish of beef and ham cut thin without skin, and the _Protestant Manual_ in two octavo volumes. Whenever Mrs. Varden was most devout, she was always the most ill-tempered.” When others were merry, Mrs. Varden was dull; and when others were sad, Mrs. Varden was cheerful. She was, however, plump and buxom, her handmaiden and “comforter” being Miss Miggs. Mrs. Varden was cured of her folly by the Gordon riots, dismissed Miggs, and lived more happily and cheerfully ever after. _Dolly Varden_, the locksmith’s daughter; a pretty, laughing girl, with a roguish face, lighted up by the loveliest pair of sparkling eyes, the very impersonation of good humor and blooming beauty. She married Joe Willet, and conducted with him the Maypole inn, as never country inn was conducted before. They greatly prospered, and had a large and happy family. Dolly dressed in the Watteau style; and modern Watteau costume and hats were, in 1875-6, called “Dolly Vardens.”--C. Dickens, _Barnaby Rudge_ (1841). =Vari´na=, Miss Jane Waryng, to whom Dean Swift had a _penchant_ when he was a young man. Varina is a Latinized form of “Waryng.” =Varney= (_Richard_, afterwards _Sir Richard_), master of the horse to the earl of Leicester.--Sir W. Scott, _Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth). =Varro= (_The British_). Thomas Tusser, of Essex, is so called by Warton (1515-1580). =Vasa= (_Gustavus_), a drama, by H. Brooke (1730). Gustavus, having effected his escape from Denmark, worked for a time as a common laborer in the copper mines of Dalecarlia [_Dah´.le.karl´.ya_]; but the tyranny of Christian II. of Denmark having driven the Dalecarlians into revolt, Gustavus was chosen their leader. The revolters made themselves masters of Stockholm; Christian abdicated; and Sweden became an independent kingdom (sixteenth century). =Vashti.= When the heart of the king [Ahasuerus] was merry with wine, he commanded his chamberlains to bring Vashti, the queen, into the banquet hall, to show the guests her beauty; but she refused to obey the insulting order, and the king, being wroth, divorced her.--_Esther_ i. 10, 19. O Vashti, noble Vashti! Summoned out She kept her state, and left the drunken king To brawl at Shushan underneath the palms. Tennyson, _The Princess_, iii. (1830). =Vatel=, the cook who killed himself, because the lobster for his turbot sauce did not arrive in time to be served up at the banquet at Chantilly, given by the Prince de Condé to the king.