Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 69

CHAON'IAN BIRD _(The)_, the dove; so called because doves delivered the oracles of Dodona or Chaon'ia.

But the mild swallow none with, toils infest, And none the soft Chaonian bird molest.

Ovid, _Art of Love_, ii.

CHAONIAN FOOD, acorns, so called from the oak trees of Dodona, which gave out the oracles by means of bells hung among the branches. Beech mast is so called also, because beech trees abounded in the forest of Dodona.

CHARALOIS, son of the marshal of Burgundy. When he was twenty-eight years old his father died in prison at Dijon, for debts contracted by him for the service of the State in the wars. According to the law which then prevailed in France, the body of the marshal was seized by his creditors, and refused burial. The son of Charalois redeemed his father's body by his own, which was shut up in prison in lieu of the marshal's.--Philip Ma.s.singer, _The Fatal Dowry_ (1632).

(It will be remembered that Milti'ades, the Athenian general, died in prison for debt, and the creditors claimed the body, which they would not suffer to be buried till his son Cimon gave up himself as a hostage.)

CHAR'EGITE (3 _syl_.). The Charegite a.s.sa.s.sin, in the disguise of a Turkish marabout or enthusiast, comes and dances before the tent of Richard Coeur de Lion, and suddenly darting forward, is about to stab the king, when a Nubian seizes his arm, and the king kills the a.s.sa.s.sin on the spot.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

CHARICLE'IA, the _fiancee_ of Theag'enes, in the Greek romance called _The Loves of Theagenes and Charicleia_, by Heliodo'ros bishop of Trikka (fourth century).

CHARI'NO, father of Angelina. Charino wishes Angelina to marry Clodio, a young c.o.xcomb; but the lady prefers his elder brother Carlos, a young bookworm. Love changes the character of the diffident Carlos, and Charino at last accepts him for his son-in-law. Charino is a testy, obstinate old man, who wants to rule the whole world in his own way.--C. Cibber, _Love Makes the Man_ (1694).

CHAR'LEMAGNE AND HIS PALADINS. This series of romances is of French origin, as the Arthurion is Welsh or British. It began with the legendary chronicle in verse, called _Historia de Vita Carola Magni et Rolandi_, erroneously attributed to Turpin archbishop of Rheims (a contemporary of Charlemagne), but probably written two or three hundred years later. The chief of the series are _Huon of Bordeaux, Guerin de Monglave, Gaylen Rhetore_ (in which Charlemagne and his paladins proceed in mufti to the Holy Land), _Miles and Ames_, _Jairdain de Blaves, Doolin de Mayence, Ogier le Danais_, and _Maugis the Enchanter_.

_Charlemagne and the Ring_. Pasquier says that Charles le Grand fell in love with a peasant girl [Agatha], in whose society he seemed bewitched, insomuch that all matters of state were neglected by him; but the girl died, to the great joy of all. What, however, was the astonishment of the court to find that the king seemed no less bewitched with the dead body than he had been with the living, and spent all day and night with it, even when its smell was quite offensive. Archbishop Turpin felt convinced there was sorcery in this strange infatuation, and on examining the body, found a ring under the tongue, which he removed. Charlemagne now lost all regard for the dead body; but followed Turpin, with whom, he seemed infatuated. The archbishop now bethought him of the ring, which he threw into a pool at Aix, where Charlemagne built a palace and monastery, and no spot in the world had such attractions for him as Aix-la-Chapelle, where "the ring" was buried.--_Recherches de la France_, vi. 33.

_Charlemagne and Years of Plenty_. According to German legend, Charlemagne appears in seasons of plenty. He crosses the Rhine on a golden bridge, and blesses both corn-fields and vineyards.

Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne, Upon thy bridge of gold.

Longfellow, _Autumn_.

_Charlemagne not dead_. According to legend, Charlemagne was crowned and armed in Odenberg _(Hesse)_ or Untersberg, near Saltzburg, till the time of antichrist, when he will wake up and deliver Christendom.

(See BARBAROSSA.)

_Charlemagne's Nine Wives_: (1) Hamiltrude, a poor Frenchwoman, who bore him several children. (2) Desidera'ta, who was divorced. (3) Hildegarde. (4) Fastrade, daughter of count Rodolph the Saxon. (5) Luitgarde the German. The last three died before him. (6) Maltegarde.

(7) Gersuinde the Saxon. (8) Regina. (9) Adalinda.

_Charlemagne's Stature_. We are told that Charlemagne was "eight feet high," and so strong that he could "straighten with his hands alone three horseshoes at once." His diet and his dress were both as simple as possible.

_Charlemagne's Sword_, La Joyeuse.

CHARLEMAGNE OF SERVIA, Stephen Dushan.

CHARLES "the Bold," duke of Burgundy, introduced by sir W. Scott in two novels, viz., _Quentin Durward_ and _Anne of Geierstein._ The latter novel contains an account of the battle of Nancy, where Charles was slain.

_Charles_ prince of Wales (called "Babie Charles"), son of James I., introduced by sir W. Scott in _The Fortunes of Nigel_.

_Charles_ "the Good," earl of Flanders. In 1127 he pa.s.sed a law that whoever married a serf should become a serf: thus if a prince married a serf, the prince would become a serf. This absurd law caused his death, and the death of the best blood in Bruges.--S. Knowles, _The Provost of Bruges_ (1836).

CHARLES II. of England, introduced by sir W. Scott in two novels, viz., _Peveril of the Peak_ and _Woodstock_. In this latter he appears first as a gipsy woman, and afterwards under the name of Louis Kerneguy (Albert Lee's page).

CHARLES IX. of France. Instigated by his mother, Catherine de Medici, he set on foot the ma.s.sacre of St. Bartholomew (1550-1574).

CHARLES XII. of Sweden. "Determined to brave the seasons, as he had done his enemies, Charles XII. ventured to make long marches during the cold of the memorable winter of 1709. In one of these marches two thousand of his men died from the cold."

(Planche has an historical drama, in two acts, called _Charles XII_.; and the _Life of Charles XII_., by Voltaire, is considered to be one of the best written historical works in the French language.)

CHARLES EDWARD [STUART], called "The Chevalier Prince Charles Edward, the Young Pretender," introduced by sir W. Scott in _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.), first as "father Bonaventure," and afterwards as "Pretender to the British crown." He is again introduced in _Waverley_ (time, George II.).

CHARLES EMMANUEL, son of Victor Amade'us (4 _syl_.) king of Sardinia.

In 1730 his father abdicated, but somewhat later wanted his son to restore the crown again. This he refused to do; and when Victor plotted against him, D'Orme'a was sent to arrest the old man, and he died. Charles was brave, patient, single-minded, and truthful.--R.

Browning, _King Victor and King Charles, etc_.

CHARLES KNOLLYS, an English bridegroom, who falls into a creva.s.se on his wedding-trip, and is found by his wife in the ice, still young and beautiful in his icy shroud, forty-five years later.--J. S. of Dale (Frederic Jesup Stimson), _Mrs. Knollys_ (1888).

CHARLEY, plu. _Charlies_, an old watchman or "night guardian," before the introduction of the police force by sir Robert Peel, in 1829. So called from Charles I., who extended and improved the police system.

CHARLEY KEENE, merry little doctor in _The Grandissimes_, in love with the beautiful Creole girl Clotilde (1880).

CHARLIE, _alias_ "Injin Charlie," _alias_ "Old Charlie," a "dark white man" in _Belles Demoiselles' Plantation_, by George W. Cable. "Sunk in the bliss of deep ignorance, shrewd, deaf, and by repute, at least, unmerciful" (1879).

CHARIOT, a messenger from Liege to Louis XI--Sir W. Scott, _Quentin Durward_ (time, Edward IV.).

CHARLOTTE, the faithful sweetheart of young Wilmot, supposed to have perished at sea.--Geo. Lillo, _Fatal Curiosity_ (1736).

_Charlotte_, the dumb girl, in love with Leander; but her father, sir Jasper, wants her to marry Mr. Dapper. In order to avoid this hateful alliance, Charlotte pretends to be dumb, and only answers, "Han, hi, han, hon." The "mock doctor" employs Leander as his apothecary, and the young lady is soon cured by "pills matrimoniac." In Moliere's _Le Medecin Malgre Lui_ Charlotte is called "Lucinde." The jokes in act ii. 6 are verbally copied from the French.--H. Fielding, _The Mock Doctor_.

_Charlotte_, daughter of sir John Lambert, in _The Hypocrite_, by Is.

Bickerstaff (1768); in love with Darnley. She is a giddy girl, fond of tormenting Darnley; but being promised in marriage to Dr. Cantwell, who is fifty-nine, and whom she utterly detests, she becomes somewhat sobered down, and promises Darnley to become his loving wife. Her constant exclamation is "Lud!"

In Moliere's comedy of _Tartuffe_ Charlotte is called "Mariane," and Darnley is "Valere."

_Charlotte_, the pert maid-servant of the countess Wintersen. Her father was "state coachman." Charlotte is jealous of Mrs. Haller, and behaves rudely to her (see act ii. 3).--Benjamin Thompson, _The Stranger_ (1797).

_Charlotte_, servant to Sowerberry. A dishonest, rough servant-girl, who ill-treats Oliver Twist, and robs her master.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

_Charlotte_, a fugitive slave whose hairbreadth escapes are narrated in J. T. Trowbridge's story of _Neighbor Jackwood_ (1857).

_Charlotte (Lady)_, the servant of a lady so called. She a.s.sumes the airs with the name and address of her mistress. The servants of her own and other households address her as "Your ladyship," or "lady Charlotte;" but though so mighty grand, she is "noted for a plaguy pair of thick legs."--Rev. James Townley, _High Life Below Stairs_ (1759).

CHARLOTTE CORDAY, devoted patriot of the French Revolution. Believing Marat to be the worst enemy of France, she stabbed him in the bath; was arrested and guillotined.

CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH, whose surname was Phelan, afterwards Tonna, author of numerous books for children, tales, etc. (1825-1862).

CHARLOTTE GOODCHILD, a merchant's orphan daughter of large fortune.

She is pestered by many lovers, and her guardian gives out that she has lost all her money by the bankruptcy of his house. On this all her suitors but one depart, and that one is sir Callaghan O'Brallaghan, who declares he loves her now as an equal, and one whom he can serve, but before he loved her "with fear and trembling, like a man that loves to be a soldier, yet is afraid of a gun."--C. Macklin, _Love-a-la-mode_ (1779).

CHARLOTTE TEMPLE, the daughter of an English gentleman, whose seduction by an officer in the British army, her sad life and lonely death, are the elements of a novel bearing her name, written by "Mrs.

Rowson." Charlotte Temple is buried in Trinity church-yard, New York.

CHAR'MIAN, a kind-hearted, simple-minded attendant on Cleopatra. After the queen's death, she applied one of the asps to her own arm, and when the, Roman soldiers entered the room, fell down dead.--Shakespeare, _Antony and Cleopatra_ (1608).

CHAR'TERIS _(Sir Patrick_), of Kinfauns, provost of Perth.--Sir W.