Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 75

Arthur Orton, who claimed to be Sir Roger Tichborne (drowned at sea).

He was non-suited and sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment for perjury (1871-1872).

CLAIRE TWINING, daughter of a refined man, the scion of an old English family and a vulgar woman who marries him to escape from poverty.

After his death, the daughter begins her career of rising in the social scale, using a wealthy school-fellow as the first step, a well-born husband as the last. The emptiness and vanity of what she gained are well set forth in _An Ambitious Woman_, by Edgar Fawcett.

(1883).

CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE _(The)._ f.a.n.n.y Sterling, the younger daughter of Mr. Sterling, a rich city merchant, is clandestinely married to Mr.

Lovewell, an apprentice in the house, of good family; and Sir John Melvil is engaged to Miss Sterling, the elder sister. Lord Ogleby is a guest in the merchant's house. Sir John prefers f.a.n.n.y to her elder sister, and, not knowing of her marriage, proposes to her, but is rejected. f.a.n.n.y appeals to Lord Ogleby, who, being a vain old fop, fancies she is in love with him, and tells Sterling he means to make her a countess. Matters being thus involved, Lovewell goes to consult with f.a.n.n.y about declaring their marriage, and the sister, convinced that Sir John is shut up in her sister's room, rouses the house with a cry of "Thieves!" f.a.n.n.y and Lovewell now make their appearance. All parties are scandalized. But f.a.n.n.y declares they have been married four months, and Lord Ogleby takes their part. So all ends well.--G.

Colman and D. Garrick (1766).

This comedy is a _rechauffe_ of _The False Concord_, by Rev. James Townley, many of the characters and much of the dialogue being preserved.

CLA'RA, in Otway's comedy called _The Cheats of Scapin_, an English version of _Les Fourberies de Scapin_, by Moliere, represents the French character called "Hyacinthe." Her father is called by Otway "Gripe," and by Moliere "Geronte" (2 _syl_.); her brother is "Leander," in French "Leandre;" and her sweetheart "Octavian" son of "Thrifty," in French "Octave" son of "Argante." The sum of money wrung from Gripe is 200, but that squeezed out of Geronte is 1,500 livres.

CLARA [D'ALMANZA], daughter of Don Guzman of Seville, beloved by Don Ferdinand, but destined by her mother for a cloister. She loves Ferdinand, but repulses him from shyness and modesty, quits home and takes refuge in St. Catherine's Convent. Ferdinand discovers her retreat, and after a few necessary blunders they are married.--Sheridan, _The Duenna_ (1773).

_Clara (Donna)_, the troth-plight wife of Octavio. Her affianced husband, having killed Don Felix in a duel, was obliged to lie _perdu_ for a time, and Clara, a.s.suming her brother's clothes and name, went in search of him. Both came to Salamanca, both set up at the Eagle, both hired the same servant, Lazarillo, and ere long they met, recognized each other, and became man and wife.--Jephson, _Two Strings to your Bow_ (1792).

_Clara_ [DOUGLAS], a lovely girl of artless mind, feeling heart, great modesty, and well accomplished. She loved Alfred Evelyn, but refused to marry him because they were both too poor to support a house.

Evelyn was left an immense fortune, and proposed to Georgina Vesey, but Georgina gave her hand to Sir Frederick Blount. Being thus disentangled, Evelyn again proposed to Clara, and was joyfully accepted.--Lord L. Bulwer Lytton, _Money_ (1840).

CLARCHEN _[Kler'.kn]_, a female character in Goethe's _Egmont_, noted for her constancy and devotion.

CLARE _(Ada)_, cousin of Richard Carstone, both of whom are orphans and wards in Chancery. They marry each other, but Richard dies young, blighted by the law's delays in the great Chancery suit of "Jarndyce _v_. Jarndyce."--C. d.i.c.kens, _Bleak House_ (1853).

CLARENCE _(George Duke of_), introduced by Sir W. Scott in _Anne of Geierstein_ (time Edward IV.).

CLARENCE AND THE MALMSEY b.u.t.t. According to tradition, George, Duke of Clarence, having joined Warwick to replace Henry VI. on the throne, was put to death, and the choice being offered him, was drowned in a b.u.t.t of malmsey wine (1478).

CLARENDON _(The Earl of_), Lord Chancellor to Charles II. Introduced by Sir W. Scott in _Woodstock_ (time, Commonwealth).

CLARIBEL _(Sir)_, surnamed "The Lewd." One of the six knights who contended for the false Florimel.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 9 (1593).

_Clar'ibel_, the pseudonym of Mrs. Barnard, author of numerous popular songs (from 1865 to).

CLAR'ICE (3 _syl_.), wife of Rinaldo, and sister of Huon of Bordeaux.

Introduced in the romances of Bojardo, Ariosto, Ta.s.so, etc.

CLARIN OR CLARIN'DA, the confidential maid of Radigund, queen of the Am'azons. When the queen had got Sir Ar'tegal into her power, and made him change his armor for an ap.r.o.n, and his sword for a distaff, she fell in love with the captive, and sent Clarin to win him over by fair promises and indulgences. Clarin performed the appointed mission, but fell in love herself with the knight, and told the queen that Sir Artegal was obstinate, and rejected her advances with scorn.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, v. 5 (1596).

CLARINDA, the heroine of Mrs. Centlivre's drama _The Beau's Duel_ (1703).

[Ill.u.s.tration] "Estifania," in _Rule a Wife and Have a Wife_, by Beaumont and Fletcher.

_Clarin'da_, a merry, good-humored, high-spirited lady, in love with Charles Frankly. The madcap Ranger is her cousin.--Dr. Hoadly, _The Suspicious Husband_ (1747).

_Clarinda_ of Robert Burns, was Mrs. Maclehose, who was alive in 1833.

CLARION, the son and heir of Muscarol. He was the fairest and most prosperous of all the race of flies. Aragnol, the son of Arachne (the spider), entertained a deep and secret hatred of the young prince, and set himself to destroy him; so, weaving a most curious net, Clarion was soon caught, and Aragnol gave him his death-wound by piercing him under the left wing.--Spenser _Muiopotmos or The b.u.t.terfly's Fate_ (1590).

CLARIS'SA, wife of Gripe the scrivener. A lazy, lackadaisical, fine city lady, who thinks "a woman must be of mechanic mold who is either troubled or pleased with anything her husband can do" (act i. 3). She has "wit and beauty, with a fool to her husband," but though "fool," a hard, grasping, mean old hunks.

_Claris'sa_, sister of Beverley, plighted to George Bellmont.--A.

Murphy, _All in the Wrong_, (1761).

CLARISSA HARLOWE. (See HARLOWE.)

CLARK _(The Rev T.)_., the pseudonym of John Gall, the novelist (1779 1839).

CLARKE _(The Rev. C. C.)_, one of the many pseudonyms of Sir Richard Phillips, author of _The Hundred Wonders of the World_ (1818), _Readings in Natural Philosophy_.

CLARSIE, the mountain maid who, going out at dawn to "try her fortune," discovers the "Harnt" that walks Chilhowee.--Charles Egbert Craddock (Mary Noailles Murfree), _In the Tennessee Mountains_ (1884).

CLA'THO, the last wife of Fingal and mother of Fillan, Fingal's youngest son.

CLAUDE _(The English_), Richard Wilson (1714-1782).

CLAU'DINE (2 _syl_.), wife of the porter of the hotel Harancour, and old nurse of Julio "the deaf and dumb" count. She recognizes the lad, who had been rescued by De l'Epee from the streets of Paris, and brought up by him under the name of Theodore. Ultimately, the guardian Darlemont confesses that he had sent him adrift under the hope of getting rid of him; but being proved to be the count, he is restored to his rank and property.--Th. Holcroft, _The Deaf and Dumb_ (1785).

CLAUDIO _(Lord)_ of Florence, a friend of Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon, and engaged to Hero (daughter of Leonato, governor of Messina)--Shakespeare, _Much Ado about Nothing_ (1600).

_Claudio_, condemned to die for betraying his mistress Juliet, tries to buy his life at the sacrifice of his sister Isabella's honor, shamefully pursued by Angelo, the Duke's deputy.--Shakespeare, _Measure for Measure_.

CLAU'DIUS, King of Denmark, who poisoned his brother, married the widow, and usurped the throne. Claudius induced Laertes to challenge Hamlet to play with foils, but persuaded him to poison his weapon. In the combat the foils got changed, and Hamlet wounded Laertes with the poisoned weapon. In order still further to secure the death of Hamlet, Claudius had a cup of poisoned wine prepared, which he intended to give Hamlet when he grew thirsty with playing. The queen, drinking of this cup, died of poison, and Hamlet, rushing on Claudius, stabbed him and cried aloud, "Here, thou incestuous, murderous Dane.... Follow my mother!"--Shakespeare, _Hamlet_ (1596). [Ill.u.s.tration] In the _History of Hamblet_, Claudius is called "Fengon," a far better name for a Dane.

_Claudius_, the instrument of Appius the decemvir for entrapping Virginia. He pretended that Virginia was his slave, who had been stolen from him and sold to Virginius.--J. S. Knowles, _Virginius_ (1820).

_Claudius (Mathias)_, a German poet born at Rheinfeld, and author of the famous song called _Rheinweinlied_ ("Rhenish wine song"), sung at all convivial feasts of the Germans.

Claudius, though he sang of flagons, And huge tankards filled with Rhenish, From the fiery blood of dragons Never would his own replenish.

Longfellow, _Drinking Song_.

CLAUS _(Peter)._ (See under K.)

_Claus (Santa)_, a familiar name for St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. On Christmas Eve German children have presents stowed away in their socks and shoes while they are asleep, and the little credulous ones suppose that Santa Claus or Klaus placed them there.

St. Nicholas is said to have supplied three dest.i.tute maidens with marriage portions by secretly leaving money with their widowed mother, and as his day occurs just before Christmas, he was selected for the gift-giver on Christmas Eve.--Yonge.

"CLAVERHOUSE," or the Marquis of Argyll, a kinsman of Ravenswood, introduced by Sir W. Scott in _The Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

_Claver'house_ (3 _syl_.), John Graham of Claverhouse (Viscount Dundee), a relentless Jacobite, so rapacious and profane, so violent in temper and obdurate of heart, that every Scotchman hates the name.

He hunted the Covenanters with real vindictiveness, and is a by-word for barbarity and cruelty (1650-1689).

CLAVIJO _(Don)_, a cavalier who "could touch the guitar to admiration, write poetry, dance divinely, and had a fine genius for making bird-cages." He married the Princess Antonomesia of Candaya, and was metamorphosed by Malambruno into a crocodile of some unknown metal.

Don Quixote disenchanted him "by simply attempting the adventure."-- Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, II. iii. 4, 5 (1615).

CLAVILEN'O, the wooden horse on which Don Quixote got astride in order to disenchant the Infanta Antonoma'sia, her husband, and the Countess Trifaldi (called the "Dolori'da Duena"). It was "the very horse on which Peter of Provence carried off the fair Magalone, and was constructed by Merlin." This horse was called Clavileno or wooden Peg, because it was governed by a wooden pin in the forehead.--Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, II. iii. 4, 5 (1615).

There is one peculiar advantage attending this horse; he neither eats, drinks, sleeps, nor wants shoeing.... His name is not Pegasus, nor Bucephalus; nor is it Brilladoro, the name of the steed of Orlando Furioso; neither is it Bayarte, which belonged to Reynaldo de Montalbon; nor Bootes, nor Peritoa, the horses of the sun; but his name is Clavileno the Winged.--Chap. 4.