Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 · Chapter 30Copyright, 1892, by SELMAR HESS (30)
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Crocodile (King). The people of Isna, in Upper Egypt, affirm that there is a king crocodile as there is a queen bee. The king crocodile has ears but no tail, and has no power of doing harm. Southey says that though the king crocodile has no tail, he has teeth to devour his people with.—Browne, Travels.
Crocodile (Lady Kitty), meant for the Duchess of Kingston.—Sam. Foote, A Trip to Calais.
Crocus, a young man enamoured of the nymph Smilax, who did not return his love. The gods changed him into the crocus flower, to signify unrequited love.
Croesus, king of Lydia, deceived by an oracle, was conquered by Cyrus, king of Persia. Cyrus commanded a huge funeral pile to be erected upon which Croesus and fourteen Lydian youths were to be chained and burnt alive. When this was done, the discrowned king called on the name of Solon, and Cyrus asked why he did so. "Because he told me to call no one happy till death." Cyrus, struck with the remark, ordered the fire of the pile to be put out, but this could not be done. Croesus then called on Apollo, who sent a shower which extinguished the flames, and he with his Lydians came from the pile unharmed.
The resemblance of this legend to the Bible account of the Jewish youths condemned by Nebuchadnezzar to be cast into the fiery furnace, from which they came forth uninjured, will recur to the reader.—Daniel, iii. Croesus's Dream. Croesus dreamt that his son, Atys, would be slain by an iron instrument, and used every precaution to prevent it, but to no purpose; for one day Atys went to chase the wild boar, and Adrastus, his friend, threw a dart at the boar to rescue Atys from danger; the dart, however, struck the prince and killed him. The tale is told by William Morris in his Earthly Paradise ("July").
Croftangry (Mr. Chrystal), a gentleman fallen to decay, cousin of Mrs. Martha Bethune Baliol, to whom at death, he left the MS. of two novels, one The Highland Widow, and the other The Fair Maid of Perth, called the First and Second Series of the "Chronicles of Canongate" (q. v.). The history of Mr. Chrystal Croftangry is given in the introductory chapters of The Highland Widow, and continued in the introduction of the The Fair Maid of Perth.
Lockhart tells us that Mr. Croftangry is meant for Sir Walter Scott's father and that "the fretful patient at the death-bed" is a living picture.
Crofts (Master), the person killed in a duel by Sir Geofrey Hudson, the famous dwarf.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).
Croker's Mare. In the proverb As coy as Croker's Mare. This means "as chary as a mare that carries crockery."
She was to them as koy as a croker's Mare,
J. Heywood, Dialogue ii. 1 (1566).
Crokers. Potatoes are so called because they were first planted in Croker's field, at Youghal, in Ireland.—J. R. Planche, Recollections, etc. ii. 119.
Crom'well (Oliver), introduced by Sir W. Scott in Woodstock. Cromwell's daughter Elizabeth, who married John Claypole. Seeing her father greatly agitated by a portrait of Charles I., she gently and lovingly led him away out of the room.—Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).
Cromwell is called by the Preacher Burroughs "the archangel who did battle with the devil."
Cromwell's Lucky Day. The 3rd September was considered by Oliver Cromwell to be his red-letter day. On the 3rd September, 1650, he won the battle of Dunbar; on 3rd September, 1651, he won the battle of Worcester; and on 3rd September, 1658, he died. It is not, however, true that he was born on 3rd September, as many affirm, for his birthday was 25th April, 1599.
Cromwell's Dead Body Insulted. Cromwell's dead body was, by the sanction, if not by the express order of Charles II., taken from its grave, exposed on a gibbet, and finally buried under the gallows.
Similarly, the tomb of Am'asis, king of Egypt, was broken open by Camby'ses; the body was then scourged and insulted in various ways, and finally burnt, which was abhorrent to the Egyptians, who used every possible method to preserve dead bodies in their integrity.
The dead body of Admiral Coligny [Co.leen.ye] was similarly insulted by Charles IX., Catherine de Medicis, and all the court of France, who spattered blood and dirt on the half-burnt blackened mass. The king had the bad taste to say over it:
Fragrance sweeter than a rose
Rises from our slaughtered foes.
It will be remembered that Coligny was the guest of Charles, his only crime being that he was a Huguenot.
Crook-fingered Jack, one of Macheath's gang of thieves. In eighteen months' service he brought to the general stock four fine gold watches and seven silver ones, sixteen snuff-boxes (five of which were gold), six dozen handkerchiefs, four silver-hilted swords, six shirts, three periwigs, and a "piece" of broadcloth. Pea'chum calls him "a mighty cleanhanded fellow," and adds:
"Considering these are only the fruits of his leisure hours, I don't know a prettier fellow, for no man alive hath a more engaging presence of mind upon the road."—Gay, The Beggar's Opera. i. 1 (1727).
Crop (George), an honest, hearty farmer, who has married a second wife, named Dorothy, between whom there are endless quarrels. Two especially are noteworthy. Crop tells his wife he hopes that better times are coming, and when the law-suit is over "we will have roast pork for dinner every Sunday." The wife replies, "It shall be lamb." "But I say it shall be pork." "I hate pork, I'll have lamb." "Pork, I tell you." "I say lamb." "It shan't be lamb, I will have pork." The other quarrel arises from Crop's having left the door open, which he asks his wife civilly to shut. She refuses, he commands; she turns obstinate, he turns angry; at length they agree that the person who first speaks shall shut the door. Dorothy speaks first, and Crop gains the victory.—P. Hoare, No Song, no Supper (1754-1834).
Cropland (Sir Charles), an extravagant, heartless libertine and man of fashion, who hates the country except for hunting, and looks on his estates and tenants only as the means of supplying money for his personal indulgence. Knowing that Emily Worthington is the daughter of a "poor gentleman," he offers her "a house in town, the run of his estate in the country, a chariot, two footmen, and £600 a year;" but the lieutenant's daughter rejects with scorn such "splendid infamy." At the end Sir Charles is made to see his own baseness, and offers the most ample apologies to all whom he has offended.—G. Colman, The Poor Gentleman (1802).
Croquemitaine [Croak.mit.tain], the bogie raised by fear. Somewhere near Saragossa was a terrible castle called Fear Fortress, which appeared quite impregnable; but as the bold approached it, the difficulties of access gradually gave way and even the fortress itself vanished into thin air.
Croquemitaine is a romance in three parts; the first part is a tournament between the knights of Marsillus, a Moorish king, and the paladins of Charlemagne; the second part is the siege of Saragossa by Charlemagne; and the third part is the allegory of Fear Fortress. Mitaine is the godchild of Charlemagne, who goes in search of Fear Fortress.
Croquis (Alfred), Daniel Maclise, R.A. This pseudonym was attached to a series of character-portraits in Frazer's Magazine between the years 1830 and 1838. Maclise was born 1811, and died 1870.
Cros'bie (William), provost of Dumfries, a friend of Mr. Fairford the lawyer.
Mrs. Crosbie, wife of the provost, and a cousin of Eedgauntlet.—Sir W. Scott. Redgauntlet, (time, George III.).
Crosbite (2 syl.), a barrister.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time George III.).
Cross Purposes, a farce by O'Brien. There are three brothers named Bevil—Francis, an M.P., Harry, a lawyer, and George, in the Guards. They all, unknown to each other, wish to marry Emily Grub, the handsome daughter of a rich stockbroker. Francis pays court to the father, and obtains his consent; Harry to the mother, and obtains her consent; and George to the daughter, whose consent he obtains, and the two elder brothers retire from the field. The fun of the farce is the contention of the Grubs about a suitable husband, their joy at finding they have all selected Mr. Bevil, and their amazement at discovering that there are three of the same name.
Cross'myloof, a lawyer.—Sir W. Scott, Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).
Crothar, "Lord of Atha," in Connaught (then called Alnec'ma). He was the first and most powerful chief of the Fir-bolg ("bowmen") or Belgæ from Britain who colonized the southern parts of Ireland. Crothar carried off Conla'ma, daughter of Cathmin, a chief of the Cael or Caledonians, who had colonized the northern parts of Ireland and held their court in Ulster. As Conlama was betrothed to Turloch, a Cael, he made an irruption into Connaught, slew Cormul, but was himself slain by Crothar, Cormul's brother. The feud now became general, "Blood poured on blood, and Erin's clouds were hung with ghosts." The Cael being reduced to the last extremity, Trathel (the grandfather of Fingal) sent Conar (son of Trenmor) to their relief. Conar, on his arrival in Ulster, was chosen king, and the Fir-bolg being subdued, he called himself "the King of Ireland."—Ossian, Temora, ii.
Crothar, vassal king of Croma (in Ireland), held under Artho, over-lord of all Ireland. Crothar, being blind with age, was attacked by Rothmar, chief of Tromlo, who resolved to annex Croma to his own dominion. Crotha sent to Fingal for aid, and Fingal sent his son Ossian with an army; but before he could arrive Fovar-Gormo, a son of Crothar, attacked the invader, but was defeated and slain. When Ossian reached Ulster, he attacked the victorious Rothmar and both routed the army and slew the chief.—Ossian, Croma.
Croto'na's Sage, Pythagoras, so called because his first and chief school of philosophy was established at Crotna (fl. B.C. 540.)
Crowde'ro, one of the rabble leaders encountered by Hudibras at a bear-baiting. The academy figure of this character was Jackson or Jephson, a milliner in the New Exchange, Strand, London. He lost a leg in the service of the roundheads, and was reduced to the necessity of earning a living by playing on the crowd or crouth from ale-house to ale-house.—S. Butler, Hudibras, i. 2 (1664).
(The crouth was a long box-shaped instrument, with six or more strings, supported by a bridge. It was played with a bow. The last noted performer on this instrument was John Morgan, a Welshman, who died 1720).
Crowe (Captain), the attendant of Sir Launcelot Greaves (1 syl.), in his peregrinations to reform society. Sir Launcelot is a modern Don Quixote, and Captain Crowe is his Sancho Panza.
Crowfield (Christopher), a pseudonym of Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1814-).
Crown. Godfrey, when made the overlord of Jerusalem, or "Baron of the Holy Sepulchre," refused to wear a crown of gold where his Saviour had only worn a crown of thorns.
Canute, after the rebuke he gave to his flatterers, refused to wear thenceforth any symbol of royalty at all.
Canute (truth worthy to be known)
From that time forth did for his brows disown
The ostentatious symbol of a crown,
Esteeming earthly royalty
Presumptuous and vain.
Crowned after Death. Inez de Castro was exhumed six years after her assassination, and crowned queen of Portugal by her husband, Don Pedro. (See INEZ DE CASTRO.)
Crowquill (Alfred), Alfred Henry Forrester, author of Leaves from my Memorandum-Book (1859), one of the artists of Punch (1805-1872).
Croye (Isabelle, countess of), a ward of Charles "the Bold," duke of Burgundy. She first appears at the turret window in Plessis lés Tours, disguised as Jacqueline; and her marriage with Quentin Durward concludes the novel.
The Countess Hameline of Croye, aunt to Countess Isabelle. First disguised as Dame Perotte (2 syl.) at Plessis lés Tours; afterwards married to William de la Marck.—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV).
Croye (Monseigneur de la), an officer of Charles "the Bold," duke of Burgundy.—Sir W. Scott, Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).
Croysa'do The Great, General Lord Fairfax (1611-1671).—S. Butler, Hudibras.
Crudor (Sir), the knight who told Bria'na he would not marry her till she brought him enough hair, consisting of ladies' locks and the beards of knights to purfle his cloak with. In order to obtain this love-gift, the lady established a toll, by which every lady who passed her castle had to give the hair of her head, and every knight his beard, as "passing pay," or else fight for their lives. Sir Crudor being overthrown by Sir Calidore, Briana was compelled to abolish this toll.—Spencer, Faëry Queen, v. 1. (1596).
Cruel (The), Pedro, king of Castle (1334, 1350-1369).
Cruik'shanks (Ebenezer), landlord of the Golden Candlestick inn. Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).
Crum'mles (Mr. Vincent), the eccentric but kind-hearted manager of the Portsmouth Theatre.
It was necessary that the writer should, like
Mr. Crummles, dramatist, construct his piece in
the interest of "the pump and washing-tubs."—
P. Fitzgerald.
Mrs. Crummles, wife of Mr. Vincent Crummles, a stout, ponderous, tragedy-queen sort of a lady. She walks or rather stalks like Lady Macbeth, and always speaks theatrically. Like her husband, she is full of kindness, and always willing to help the needy.
Miss Ninetta Crummles, daughter of the manager, and called in the play-bills "the infant phenomenon."—C Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby (1838).
Cruncher (Jerry), an odd-job man in Tellson's bank. His wife was continually saying her prayers, which Jerry termed "flopping." He was a "resurrection man."—C. Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Crupp (Mrs.), a typical humbug, who let chambers in Buckingham Street for young gentlemen. David Copperfield lodged with her.—C. Dickens, David Copperfield (1849).
Crushed by Ornaments. Tarpeia, daughter of the governer of the Roman citadel on the Saturnian Hill, was tempted by the gold on the Sabine bracelets and collars to open a gate of the fortress to the besiegers on condition that they would give her the ornaments which they wore on their arms. Tarpeia opened the gate, and the Sabines as they passed threw on her their shields, saying, "These are the ornaments worn by the Sabines on their arms," and the maid was crushed to death. G. Gilfillan, alluding to Longfellow, has this erroneous allusion:
His ornaments, unlike those of the Sabine
[sic]
maid, have not crushed him.—
Introductory Essay to Longfellow
.
Crusoe (Robinson), the hero and title of a novel by Daniel Defoe. Robinson Crusoe is a shipwrecked sailor, who leads a solitary life for many years on a desert island, and relieves the tedium of life by ingenious contrivances (1719).
(The story is based on the adventures of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch sailor, who in 1704 was left by Captain Stradding on the uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez. Here he remained for four years and four months, when he was rescued by Captain Woods Rogers and brought to England.)
Was there ever anything written by mere
man that the reader wished longer except
Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote
and
The Pilgrim's Progress!
—Dr.
Johnson.
Cruth-Loda, the war-god of the ancient Gaels.
On thy top, U-thormo, dwells the misty Loda:
the house of the spirits of men. In the end of
his cloudy hall bends forward Cruth-Loda of
swords. His form is dimly seen amid the wavy
mists, his right hand is on his shield.—Ossian,
Cath-Loda.
Cuckold King (The), Sir Mark of Cornwell, whose wife Ysolde [E. seld] intrigued with Sir Tristram (his nephew), one of the knights of the Round Table.
Cud'die or CUTHBERT HEADRIGG, a ploughman, in the service of Lady Bellenden of the Tower of Tillietudlem.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).
Cuddy, a herdsman, in Spenser's Shephearde's Calendar.
Cuddy, a shepherd, who boasts that the charms of his Buxo'ma far exceed those of Blouzelinda. Lobbin, who is Blouzelinda's swain, repels the boast, and the two shepherds agree to sing the praises of their respective shepherdesses, and to make Clod'dipole arbiter of their contention. Cloddipole listens to their alternate verses, pronounces that "both merit an oaken staff," but, says he, "the herds are weary of the songs, and so am I."—Gay, Pastoral, i. (1714).
(This eclogue is in imitation of Virgil's Ecl. iii.)
Culdees (i.e. sequestered persons), the primitive clergy of presbyterian character, established in Io'na or Icolmkill [I-columb-kill] by St. Columb and twelve of his followers in 563. They also founded similar church establishments at Abernethy, Dunkeld, Kirkcaldy [Kirk-Culdee], etc., and at Lindesfarne, in England. Some say as many as 300 churches were founded by them. Augustine, a bishop of Waterford, began against them in 1176 a war of extermination, when those who could escape sought refuge in Iona, the original cradle of the sect, and were not driven thence till 1203.
Peace to their shades! the pure Culdees
Were Albyn's
[Scotland's]
earliest priests of God,
Ere yet an island of her seas
By foot of Saxon monk was trod.
Campbell,
Reullura
.
Culloch (Sawney) a pedlar.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George III.).
Culprit Fay, a sprite condemned for loving a mortal maiden to catch the spray-gem from the sturgeon's "silver bow," and light his torch with a falling star.—Joseph Rodman Drake, The Culprit Fay (1847).
Cumberland (John of). "The devil and John of Cumberland" is a blunder for "The devil and John-a-Cumber." John-a-Cumber was a famous Scotch magician.
He poste to Scotland for brave John-a-Cumber,
The only man renowned for magick skill.
Oft have I heard he once beguylde the devill.
A. Munday,
John-a-Kent and John-a-Cumber
(1595).
Cumberland (William Augustus, duke of), commander-in-chief of the army of George II., whose son he was. The duke was especially celebrated for his victory of Cullo'den (1746); but he was called "The Butcher" from the great severity with which he stamped out the clan system of the Scottish Highlanders. He was wounded in the leg at the battle of Dettingen (1743). Sir W. Scott has introduced him in Waverley (time, George II.).
Proud Cumberland prances, insulting the slain,
And their hoof-beaten bosoms are trod to the plan.
Campbell,
Lochiel's Warning
.
Cumberland Poet (The), William
Wordsworth, born at Cockermouth (1770-1850).
Cumnor Hall, a ballad by Mickel, the lament of Amy Robsart, who had been won and thrown away by the Earl of Leicester. She says if roses and lilies grow in courts, why did he pluck the primrose of the field, which some country swain might have won and valued! Thus sore and sad the lady grieved in Cumnor Hall, and ere dawn the death bell rang, and never more was that countess seen.
Sir W. Scott took this for the groundwork of his Kenihvorth, which he called Cumnor Hall, but Constable, his publisher, induced him to change the name.
Cunégonde [Ku'.na.gond], the mistress of Candide (2 syl.). in Voltaire's novel called Candide. Sterne spells it "Cunëgund."
Cun'ningham (Archie), one of the archers of the Scotch guards at Plessis lés Tours, in the pay of Louis XI.—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).
Cu'no, the ranger, father of Agatha.—Weber, Der Freischütz (1822).
Cuno'beline, a king of the Silurês, son of Tasciov'anus and father of Caractacus. Coins still exist bearing the name of "Cunobeline," and the word "Camalodunum" [Colchester], the capital of his kingdom. The Roman general between A.D. 43 and 47 was Aulus Plautius, but in 47 Ostorius Scapula took Caractacus prisoner.
Some think Cunobeline is Shakespeare's "Cymbeline," who reigned from B.C. 8 to A.D. 27; but Cymbeline's father was Tenantius or Tenuantius, his sons Guide'rius Arvir'agus, and the Roman general was Caius Lucius.
... the courageous sons of our Cunobelin
Sank under Plautius' sword.
Drayton,
Polyolbion
, viii. (1612).
Cunstance or Constance (See CUSTANCE).
Cupid and Psyche [Si.ky] an episode in The Golden Ass of Apuleius. The allegory represents Cupid in love with Psychê. He visited her every evening, and left at sunrise, but strictly enjoined her not to attempt to discover who he was. One night curiosity overcame her prudence, and going to look upon her lover a drop of hot oil fell on his shoulder, awoke him, and he fled. Psychê now wandered in search of the lost one, but was persecuted by Venus with relentless cruelty. Having suffered almost to the death, Cupid at length married her, and she became immortal. Mrs. Tighe has a poem on the subject. Wm. Morris has poetized the same in his Earthly Paradise ("May"); Lafontaine has a poem called Psyché, in imitation of the episode of Apuleius; and Molière has dramatized the subject.
Cu'pidon (Jean). Count d'Orsay was so called by Lord Byron (1798-1852). The count's father was styled Le Beau d' Orsay.
Cur'an, a courtier in Shakespeare's tragedy of King Lear (1605).
Curé de Meudon, Rabelais, who was first a monk, then a leech, then prebendary of St. Maur, and lastly curé of Meudon (1483-1553).
Cu'rio, a gentleman attending on the Duke of Illyria.—Shakespeare, Twelfth Night (1614).
Curio. So Akenside calls Mr. Pulteney, and styles him "the betrayer of his country," alluding to the great statesman's change of politics. Curio was a young Roman senator, at one time the avowed enemy of Cæsar, but subsequently of Cæsar's party, and one of the victims of the civil war.
Is this the man in freedom's cause approved.
The man so great, so honored, so beloved ...
This Curio, hated now and scorned by all,
Who fell himself to work his country's fall?
Akenside,
Epistle to Curio
.
Curious Impertinent (The), a tale introduced by Cervantês in his Don Quixote. The "impertinent" is an Italian gentleman who is silly enough to make trial of his wife's fidelity by persuading a friend to storm it if he can. Of course his friend "takes the fort," and the fool is left to bewail his own folly.—Pt. I. iv. 5 (1605).
Currer Bell, the nom de plume of Charlotte Brontê, author of Jane Eyre [Air] (1816-1855).
Curta'na, the sword of Edward the Con'fessor, which had no point, and was therefore the emblem of mercy. Till the reign of Henry III., the royal sword of England was so called.
But when Curtana will not do the deed,
You lay the pointless clergy-weapon by,
And to the laws, your sword of justice, fly.
Dryden,
The Hind and the Panther
, ii. (1687).
Curta'na or Courtain, the sword of Ogier the Dane.
He [
Ogier
] drew Courtain his sword out of its
sheath.
W. Morris,
Earthly Paradise
, (634).
Curt-Hose (2 syl.). Robert II. duc de Normandie (1087-1134).
Curt-Mantle, Henry II. of England
(1133, 1154-1189). So called because he wore the Anjou mantle, which was shorter than the robe worn by his predecessors.
Curtis, one of Petruchio's servants.—Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew (1594).
Parson Cushing, pastor of the Orthodox Church in Poganuc. In fits of learned abstraction, he fed the dog surreptitiously under the table, thereby encouraging his boys to trust his heart rather than his tongue. He justifies the expulsion of the Indian tribes by Scripture texts, and gathers eggs in the hay-mow with Dolly; upholds the doctrines of his denomination and would seal his faith with his blood, but admits that "the Thirty-nine articles (with some few exceptions) are a very excellent statement of truth." He is Catholic without suspecting it.—Harriet Beecher Stowe, Poganuc People, (1878).
Custance, daughter of the Emperor of Rome, affianced to the Sultan of Syria, who abjured his faith and consented to be baptized in order to marry her. His mother hated this apostasy, and at the wedding breakfast slew all the apostates except the bride. Her she embarked in a ship, which was set adrift and in due time reached the British shores, where Custance was rescued by the Lord-constable of Northumberland, who took her home, and placed her under the care of his wife Hermegild. Custance converted both the constable and his wife. A young knight wished to marry her, but she declined his suit, whereupon he murdered Hermegild, and then laid the bloody knife beside Custance, to make her suspected of the crime. King Alia examined the case, and soon discovered the real facts, whereupon the knight was executed, and the king married Custance.
The queen-mother highly disapproved of the match, and during the absence of her son in Scotland embarked Custance and her infant boy in a ship, which was turned adrift. After floating about for five years, it was taken in tow by a Roman fleet on its return from Syria, and Custance with her son Maurice became the guests of a Eoman Senator. It so happened that Alla at this same time was at Rome on a pilgrimage, and encountered his wife, who returned with him to Northumberland and lived in peace and happiness the rest of her life.—Chaucer, Canterbury Tales ("The Man of Law's Tale," 1388).
Custance, a gay and rich widow, whom Ralph Roister Doister wishes to marry, but he is wholly baffled in his scheme.—Nicholas TJdall, Ralph Roister Doister (first English comedy, 1534).
Cute (Alderman), a "practical philosopher," resolved to put down everything. In his opinion "everything must be put down." Starvation must be put down, and so must suicide, sick mothers, babies, and poverty.—C. Dickens, The Chimes (1844).
Cuthal, same as Uthal, one of the Orkneys.
Cuthbert (St.), a Scotch monk of the sixth century.
Cuthbert Bede, the Rev. Edw. Bradley, author of Verdant Green (1857.)
Cutho'na, daughter of Rumar, was betrothed to Conlath, youngest son of Morni, of Mora. Not long before the espousals were to be celebrated, Toscar came from Ireland, and was hospitably entertained by Morni. On the fourth day, he saw Cuthona out hunting, and carried her off by force. Being pursued by Conlath, a fight ensued, in which both the young men fell, and Cuthona, after languishing for three days, died also.— Ossian, Conlath and Cuthona.
Cuthullin, son of Semo, commander of the Irish army, and regent during the minority of Cormac. His wife was Brag'elo, daughter of Sorglan. In the poem called Fingal, Cuthullin was defeated by Swaran, king of Lochlin [Scandinavia], and being ashamed to meet Fingal, retired from the field gloomy and sad. Fingal having utterly defeated Swaran, invited Cuthullin to the banquet, and partially restored his depressed spirits. In the third year of Cormac's reign, Torlah, son of Can'tela, rebelled. Cuthullin gained a complete victory over him at the lake Lego, but was mortally wounded in the pursuit by a random arrow. Cuthullin was succeeded by Nathos, but the young king was soon dethroned by the rebel Cairbre, and murdered.—Ossian, Fingal and The Death of Cuthullin.
Cutler (Sir John), a royalist, who died 1699, reduced to the utmost poverty.
Cutler saw tenants break, and houses fall. For very want he could not build a wall. His only daughter in a stranger's power, for very want he could not pay a dower. A few gray hairs his reverend temples crowned, 'Twas very want that sold them for two pound....
Cutler and Brutus, dying, both exclaim, "Virtue and wealth, what are ye but a name?" Pope, Moral Essays, iii. (1709).
Cutpurse (Moil), Mary Frith, the heroine of Middleton's comedy called The Roaring Girl (1611). She was a woman of masculine vigor, who not unfrequently assumed man's attire. This notorious cut-purse once attacked General Fairfax on Hounslow Heath, but was arrested and sent to Newgate; she escaped, however, by bribing the turnkey, and died of dropsy at the age of 75. Nathaniel Field introduces her in his drama called Amends for Ladies (1618).
Cutshamaquin, an Indian Sachem, whose disobedient and rebellious son was "dealt with" publicly by John Eliot. At the second summons and serious admonition, the lad repented and confessed humbly, "and entreated his father to forgive him, and took him by the hand, at which his father burst forth into great weeping."—John Eliot, The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Breaking Forth Upon the Indians (1648).
Cuttle (Captain Edward), a great friend of Solomon Gills, ship's instrument maker. Captain Cuttle had been a skipper, had a hook instead of a right hand, and always wore a very hard, glazed hat. He was in the habit of quoting, and desiring those to whom he spoke "to overhaul the catechism till they found it;" but, he added, "when found, make a note on." The kind-hearted seaman was very fond of Florence Dombey, and of Walter Gay, whom he called "Wal'r." When Florence left her father's roof, Captain Cuttle sheltered her at the Wooden Midshipman. One of his favorite sentiments was "May we never want a friend, or a bottle to give him."—C. Dickens, Dombey and Son (1846).
("When found, make a note of," is the motto of Notes and Queries.)
Cyc'lades (3 syl.), some twenty islands, so called from the classic legend that they circled round Delos when that island was rendered stationary by the birth of Diana and Apollo.
Cyclic Poets, a series of epic poets, who wrote continuations or additions to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; they were called "Cyclic" because they confined themselves to the cycle of the Trojan war.
AG'IAS wrote an epic on "the return of the Greeks from Troy" (B.C. 740).
ARCTI'NOS wrote a continuation of the Iliad, describing the taking of Troy by the "Wooden Horse," and its conflagration. Virgil has copied from this poet (B.C. 776).
EU'GAMON wrote a continuation of the Odyssey. It contains the adventures of Telegonos in search of his father Ulysses. When he reached Ith'aca, Ulysses and Telemachos went against him, and Telegonos killed Ulysses with a spear which his mother Circe had given him (B.C. 568).