Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama Part 104

=Rabisson=, a vagabond tinker and knife-grinder. He was the only person who knew about "the gold-mine" left to the "miller of Gren.o.ble."

Rabisson was murdered for his secret by Eusebe Noel, the schoolmaster of Bout des Monde.--E. Stirling, _The Gold Mine_, or _Miller of Gren.o.ble_ (1854).

=Rab'sheka= (in the Bible RABSHAKEH), in the satire of _Absalom and Achitophel_, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Sir Thomas Player (2 _Kings_ xviii.).

Next him let railing Rabsheka have place-- So full of zeal, he has no need of grace.

Pt. ii. (1682).

=Raby= (_Aurora_), a rich young English orphan, Catholic in religion, of virgin modesty, "a rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded." She was staying in the house of Lord and Lady Amundeville during the parliamentary vacation. Here Don Juan, "as Russian envoy," was also a guest, with several others. Aurora Raby is introduced in canto xv., and crops up here and there in the two remaining cantos; but, as the tale was never finished, it is not possible to divine what part the beautiful and innocent girl was designed by the poet to play. Probably Don Juan, having sowed his "wild oats," might become a not unfit match for the beautiful orphan.--Byron, _Don Juan_ (1824).

_Raby_ (_The Rose of_), the mother of Richard III. She was Cecily, daughter of Ralph Nevyll de Raby, first earl of Westmoreland. Her husband was Richard, duke of York, who was slain at the battle of Wakefield in 1460. She died 1495.

=Rachael=, a servant-girl at Lady Peveril's of the Peak.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

_Rachael_ (2 _syl._), one of the "hands" in Bounderby's mill at c.o.ketown. She loved Stephen Blackpool, and was greatly beloved by him in return; but Stephen was married to a worthless drunkard. After the death of Stephen, Rachael watched over the good-for-nothing young widow, and befriended her.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

=Rachel Ffrench=, beautiful daughter of Haworth's unworthy partner in the iron business. Haworth loves her, as does Murdoch, a young inventor who rises fast in Haworth's employ. She seems to vacillate between the two men, but really loves Murdoch, although pride will not let her avow it.

When he is on the point of embarking to America, with an a.s.sured future, she confesses all, only to learn from him that "it is all over." Yet, in looking back at her "dark young face turned seaward" as his ship moves away, he mutters, "When I return it will be to you."--Frances Hodgson Burnett, _Haworth's_ (1879).

=Racine of Italy= (_The_), Metastasio (1698-1782).

=Racine of Music= (_The_), Antonio Gaspare Sacchini, of Naples (1735-1786).

=Racket= (_Sir Charles_), a young man of fashion, who married the daughter of a wealthy London merchant. In the third week of the honeymoon Sir Charles paid his father-in-law a visit, and quarrelled with his bride about a game of whist. The lady affirmed that Sir Charles ought to have played a diamond instead of a club. Sir Charles grew furious, and resolved upon a divorce; but the quarrel was adjusted, and Sir Charles ended by saying, "You may be as wrong as you please, but I'll be cursed if I ever endeavor to set you right again."

_Lady Racket_, wife of Sir Charles, and elder daughter of Mr.

Drugget.--Murphy, _Three Weeks after Marriage_ (1776).

_Racket_ (_Widow_), a sprightly, good-natured widow and woman of fashion.

A coquette, a wit, and a fine lady.--Mrs. Cowley, _The Belle's Stratagem_, ii. 1 (1780).

The "Widow Racket" was one of Mrs. Pope's best parts. Her usual manner of expressing piquant carelessness consisted in tossing her head from right to left, and striking the palm of one hand with the back of the other [1740-1797].--James Smith.

=Rackrent= (_Sir Condy_), in Miss Edgeworth's novel of _Castle Rackrent_ (1802).

=Raddle= (_Mrs._), keeper of the lodgings occupied by Bob Sawyer. The young medical pract.i.tioner invited Mr. Pickwick and his three friends to a convivial meeting; but the termagant Mrs. Raddle brought the meeting to an untimely end.--C. d.i.c.kens, _The Pickwick Papers_ (1836).

=Rad'egonde= (_St._) or ST. RADEGUND, queen of France (born 519, died 587). She was the daughter of Bertaire, king of Thuringia, and brought up a pagan. King Clotaire I. taught her the Christian religion, and married her in 538; but six years later she entered a nunnery, and lived in the greatest austerity.

There thou must walk in greatest gravity, And seem as saintlike as St. Radegund.

Spenser, _Mother Hubbard's Tale_ (1591).

=Radigund= or RADEGONE, the proud queen of the Amazons. Being rejected by Bellodant "the Bold," she revenged herself by degrading all the men who fell into her power by dressing them like women, giving them woman's work to do, such as spinning, carding, sewing, etc., and feeding them on bread and water to effeminate them (canto 4). When she overthrew Sir Artegal in single combat, she imposed on him the condition of dressing in "woman's weeds," with a white ap.r.o.n, and to spend his time in spinning flax, instead of in deeds of arms. Radigund fell in love with the captive knight, and sent Clarinda as a go-between; but Clarinda tried to win him for herself, and told the queen he was inexorable (canto 5). At length Britomart arrived, cut off Radigund's head, and liberated the captive (canto 7).--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, v. 4-7 (1596).

=Rag and Famish= (_The_), the Army and Navy Club; so christened by _Punch_. The _rag_ refers to the flag, and the _famish_ to the bad cuisine.

=Ragged Regiment= (_The_), the wan figures in Westminster Abbey, in a gallery over Islip's Chapel.

=Railway King= (_The_), George Hudson, of Yorkshire, chairman of the North Midland Company. In one day he cleared by speculation 100,000. It was the Rev. Sydney Smith who gave Hudson the t.i.tle of "Railway king"

(1800-1871).

=Raine= (_Old Roger_), the tapster, near the abode of Sir Geoffrey Peveril.

_Dame Raine_, old Roger's widow; afterwards Dame Chamberlain.--Sir W.

Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

=Rainy-Day Smith=, John Thomas Smith, the antiquary (1766-1833).

=Rajah of Mattan= (_Borneo_), has a diamond which weighs 367 carats. The largest cut diamond in the world. It is considered to be a palladium.

(See DIAMONDS.)

=Rake= (_Lord_), a n.o.bleman of the old school, fond of debauch, street rows, knocking down Charlies, and seeing his guests drunk. His chief boon companions are Sir John Brute and Colonel Bully.--Vanbrugh, _The Provoked Wife_ (1697).

=Rakeland= (_Lord_), a libertine, who makes love to married women, but takes care to keep himself free from the bonds of matrimony.--Mrs.

Inchbald, _The Wedding Day_ (1790).

=Rak'she= (2 _syl._), a monster, which lived on serpents and dragons.

=Raleigh= (_Sir Walter_), introduced by Sir W. Scott in _Kenilworth_. The tradition of Sir Walter laying down his cloak on a miry spot for the queen to step on, and the queen commanding him to wear the "muddy cloak till her pleasure should be further known," is mentioned in ch. xv.

(1821).

_Raleigh_ (_Sir Walter_). Jealous of the earl of Ess.e.x, he plots with Lord Burleigh to compa.s.s his death.--Henry Jones, _The Earl of Ess.e.x_ (1745).

=Ralph=, abbot of St. Augustine's, expended 43,000 on the repast given at his installation.