Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 41

(1873.)

BETSEY BOBBET, the sentimental spinster who wears out the patience of Josiah Allen's wife with poetry and opinions.

"She is fairly activ' to make a runnin' vine of herself.... It seems strange to me that them that preach up the doctrine of woman's only spear don't admire one who carries it out to its full extent."--Marietta Holley, _My Opinions and Betsey Bobbet's_ (1872).

BETTINA WARD, a Southern girl, poor and proud, in Constance Fenimore Woolson's story of _Rodman the Keeper_. "A little creature that fairly radiated scorn at thought of receiving charity from a Yankee" (1880).

BETTY DOXY, Captain Macheath says to her, "Do you drink as hard as ever? You had better stick to good wholesome beer; for, in troth, Betty, strong waters will in time ruin your const.i.tution. You should leave those to your betters."--Gray, _The Beggar's Opera_, ii. 1 (1727).

BETTY FOY, "the idiot mother of an idiot boy "--W. Wordsworth (1770-1850).

BETTY [HINT], servant in the family of sir Pertinax and lady McSycophant. She is a sly, prying tale-bearer, who hates Constantia (the beloved of Egerton McSycophant), simply because every one else loves her.--C. Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1764).

BETTY LEICESTER, "vivacious, whole-souled girl of the period," whose summer residence in a New England village introduces elements of fuller and sweeter life. A home-missionary of the better sort.--Sarah Orne Jewett, _Betty Leicester_ (1889).

BEULAH, a poor girl taken from an orphan asylum and brought up in a family of refinement and education. She develops strong traits of character and much intellectual ability. Her long struggles through the mists of rationalism result in clear views of and high faith in revealed religion. Her guardian, and long her teacher, loves her, and after years of waiting, wins her.

"Have you learned that fame is an icy shadow?" he asks upon his return from the protracted wanderings that have taught both how much they need one another. "That gratified ambition cannot make you happy? Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Better than teaching school and writing learned articles?"

"Rather better, I believe, sir."

_Beulah_, a novel by Augusta Evans Wilson (1859).

BEUVES (1 _syl_.), or BUO'VO OF AY'GREMONT, father of Malagigi, and uncle of Rinaldo. Treacherously slain by Ga'no.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

BEUVES DE HANTONE, French form for Bevis of Southampton (_q.v._).

"Hantone" is a French corruption of Southampton.

BEV'AN (_Mr._), an American physician, who befriends Martin Chuzzlewit and Mark Tapley in many ways during their stay in the New World.--C.

d.i.c.kens, _Martin Chuzzlewit_ (1844).

BEV'ERLEY, "the gamester," naturally a good man, but led astray by Stukely, till at last he loses everything by gambling, and dies a miserable death.

_Mrs. Beverley_, the gamester's wife. She loves her husband fondly, and clings to him in all his troubles.

_Charlotte Beverley_, in love with Lewson, but Stukely wishes to marry her. She loses all her fortune through her brother, "the gamester,"

but Lewson notwithstanding marries her.--Edward Moore, _The Gamester_ (1712-1757).

_Beverley_, brother of Clarissa, and the lover of Belinda Blandford.

He is extremely jealous, and catches at trifles light as air to confirm his fears; but his love is most sincere, and his penitence most humble when he finds out how causeless his suspicions are.

Belinda is too proud to deny his insinuations, but her love is so deep that she repents of giving him a moment's pain.--A. Murphy, _All in the Wrong_ (1761).

BEVERLEY THURSTON, a lawyer, belonging to an old New York family, in love with Claire Twining, _The Ambitious Woman_ of Edgar Fawcett's society novel (1883).

He was a man of about forty years old, who had never married. His figure was tall and shapely; his face, usually grave, was capable of much geniality. He had travelled, read, thought, and observed. He stood somewhat high in the legal profession, and came, on the maternal side, of a somewhat noted family.

BEV'IL, a model gentleman, in Steele's _Conscious Lovers_.

Whatever can deck mankind Or charm the heart, in generous Bevil shewed.

Thomson, _The Seasons_ ("Winter," 1726).

_Bevil_ (_Francis, Harry, and George_), three brothers--one an M.P., another in the law, and the third in the Guards--who, unknown to each other, wished to obtain in marriage the hand of Miss Grubb, the daughter of a rich stock-broker. The M.P. paid his court to the father, and obtained his consent; the lawyer paid his court to the mother, and obtained her consent; the officer paid his court to the young lady, and having obtained her consent, the other two brothers retired from the field.--O'Brien, _Cross Purposes_.

BE'VIS, the horse of lord Marmion.--Sir W. Scott, _Marmion_ (1808).

_Be'vis_ (_Sir_) of Southampton. Having reproved his mother, while still a lad, for murdering his father, she employed Saber to kill him; but Saber only left him on a desert land as a waif, and he was brought up as a shepherd. Hearing that his mother had married Mor'dure (2 _syl_.), the adulterer, he forced his way into the marriage hall and struck at Mordure; but Mordure slipped aside, and escaped the blow.

Bevis was now sent out of the country, and being sold to an Armenian, was presented to the king. Jos'ian, the king's daughter, fell in love with him; they were duly married, and Bevis was knighted. Having slain the boar which made holes in the earth as big as that into which Curtius leapt, he was appointed general of the Armenian forces, subdued Brandamond of Damascus, and made Damascus tributary to Armenia. Being sent, on a future occasion, as amba.s.sador to Damascus, he was thrust into a prison, where were two huge serpents; these he slew, and then effected his escape. His next encounter was with Ascupart the giant, whom he made his slave. Lastly, he slew the great dragon of Colein, and then returned to England, where he was restored to his lands and t.i.tles. The French call him _Beuves de Hantone_.--M.

Drayton, _Polyolbion_, ii. (1612).

_The Sword of Bevis of Southampton_ was Morglay, and his _steed_ Ar'undel. Both were given him by his wife Josian, daughter of the king of Armenia.

BEZA'LIEL, in the satire of _Absalom and Achitophel_, is meant for the marquis of Worcester, afterwards duke of Beaufort. As Bezaliel, the famous artificer, "was filled with the Spirit of G.o.d to devise excellent works in every kind of workmanship," so on the marquis of Worcester--

... so largely Nature heaped her store, There scarce remained for arts to give him more.

Dryden and Tate, part ii.

BEZO'NIAN, a beggar, a rustic. (Italian, _bisognoso_, "necessitous.")

The ordinary tillers of the earth, such as we call _husbandmen_; in France, _pesants_; in Spane, _besonyans_; and generally _cloutshoe_.--Markham, _English Husbandman_, 4.

BIAN'CA, the younger daughter of Baptista of Pad'ua, as gentle and meek as her sister Katherine was violent and irritable. As it was not likely any one would marry Katherine "the shrew," the father resolved that Bianca should not marry before her sister. Petruchio married "the shrew," and then Lucentio married Bianca.--Shakespeare, _Taming of the Shrew_ (1594).

_Bianca_, daughter of a n.o.ble family in "The Young Italian," one of the _Tales of a Traveller_, by Washington Irving. She is beloved pa.s.sionately by the young Italian and betrothed to him. In his absence Filippo, the false friend of her lover, weds her. The betrayed friend on learning the truth kills Filippo, and is ever afterwards haunted by his dying face (1824).

_Bian'ca_, a courtesan, the "almost" wife of Ca.s.sio. Iago, speaking of the lieutenant, says:

And what was he?

Forsooth a great arithmetician.

One Michael Ca.s.sio, a Florentine, A fellow almost d.a.m.n'd in a fair wife.

Shakespeare, _Oth.e.l.lo_, act i. sc. I (1611).

_Bian'ca_, wife of Fazio. When her husband wantons with the marchioness Aldabella, Bianca, out of jealousy, accuses him to the duke of Florence of being privy to the death of Bartol'do, an old miser. Fazio being condemned to death, Bianca repents of her rashness, and tries to save her husband, but not succeeding, goes mad and dies.--Dean Milman, _Fazio_ (1815).

BIBBET (_Master_), secretary to major-general Harrison, one of the parliamentary commissioners.--Sir W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).

BIBBIE'NA (_Il_), cardinal Bernardo, who resided at Bibbiena, in Tuscany. He was the author of _Calandra_, a comedy (1470-1520).

"BIBLE" BUTLER, _alias_ Stephen Butler, grandfather of Reuben Butler, the presbyterian minister (married to Jeanie Deans).--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

BIB'LIS, a woman who fell in love with her brother Caunus, and was changed into a fountain near Mile'tus.--Ovid, _Met_. ix. 662.