Chapter 18

Rome, and Florence (1817).

("Childe" is a title of honor, about tantamount to "lord," as childe Waters, childe Rolande, childe Tristram, childe Arthur, childe Childers, etc.)

CHIL'DERS (_E.W.B._), one of the riders in Sleary's circus, noted for his vaulting and reckless riding in the character of the "Wild Huntsman of the Prairies." This compound of groom and actor marries Josephine, Sleary's daughter.

_Kidderminster Childers_, son of the above, known in the profession as "Cupid." He is a diminutive boy, with an old face and facetious manner wholly beyond his years.--C. Dickens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

CHILDREN (_The Henneberg_). It is said that the countess of Henneberg railed at a beggar for having twins, and the beggar, turning on the countess, who was forty-two years old, said, "May you have as many children as there are days in a year," and sure enough, on Good Friday, 1276, the countess brought forth 365 at one birth; all the males were christened _John_, and all the females _Elizabeth_. They were buried at a village near La Hague, and the jug is still shown in which they were baptized.

CHILDREN IN THE WOOD, the little son (three years old) and younger daughter (Jane) left by a Norfolk gentleman on his death-bed to the care of his deceased wife's brother. The boy was to have £300 a year on coming of age, and the girl £500 as a wedding portion; but if the children died in their minority the money was to go to the uncle. The uncle, in order to secure the property, hired two ruffians to murder the children, but one of them relented and killed his companion; then, instead of murdering the babes, he left them in Wayland Wood, where they gathered blackberries, but died at night with cold and terror. All things went ill with the uncle, who perished in gaol, and the ruffian, after a lapse of seven years, confessed the whole villainy.--Percy, _Reliques_, III. ii. 18.

CHILDREN OF THE MIST, one of the branches of the MacGregors, a wild race of Scotch Highlanders, who had a skirmish with the soldiers in pursuit of Dalgetty and M'Eagh among the rocks (ch. 14).--Sir W. Scott, _Legend of Montrose_ (time, Charles I.).

CHILLIP (_Dr_.), a physician who attended Mrs. Copperfield at the birth of David.

He was the meekest of his set, the mildest of little men.--C. Dickens, _David Copperfield_, i. (1849).

CHILLON' (_Prisoner of_) François de Bonnivard, of Lunes, the Genevese patriot (1496-1571) who opposed the enterprises of Charles III. (the duke-bishop of Savoy) against the independence of Geneva, and was cast by him into the prison of Chillon, where he was confined for six years. Lord Byron makes him one of six brothers, two of whom died on the battle-field; one was burnt at the stake, and three were imprisoned at Chillon. Two of the prisoners died, but François was set at liberty by the people of Berne.--Byron, _Prisoner of Chillon_ (1816).

CHIMÈNE (_La Belle_) or Xime'na, daughter of count Lozano de Gormaz, wife of the Cid. After the Cid's death she defended Valentia from the Moors with great bravery, but without success. Corneille and Guihem de Cantro have introduced her in their tragedies, but the _rôle_ they represent her to have taken is wholly imaginary.

CHINAMAN (_John_), a man of China.

CHINDASUIN'THO (4 _syl_.), king of Spain, father of Theod'ofred, and grandfather of Roderick last of the Gothic kings.--Southey, _Roderick, etc_. (1814).

CHINESE PHILOSOPHER (_A_). Oliver Goldsmith, in the _Citizen of the World_, calls his book "Letters from a Chinese Philosopher residing in London to his Friends in the East" (1759).

CHINGACHGOOK, the Indian chief, called in French _Le Gros Serpent_. Fenimore Cooper has introduced this chief into four of his novels, _The Last of the Mohicans. The Pathfinder. The Deerslayer_, and _The Pioneer_.

CHINTZ (_Mary_), Miss Bloomfield's maid, the bespoken of Jem Miller.--C. Selby, _The Unfinished Gentleman_.

CHI'OS (_The Man of_), Homer, who lived at Chios [_Ki'.os_]. At least Chios was one of the seven cities which laid claim to the bard, according to the Latin hexameter verse:

Smyrna, Rhodes, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenae.--Varro.

CHIRN'SIDE (_Luckie_), poulterer at Wolf's Hope village.--Sir W. Scott, _Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

CHI'RON, a centaur, renowned for his skill in hunting, medicine, music, gymnastics, and prophecy. He numbered among his pupils Achilles, Peleus, Diomede, and indeed all the most noted heroes of Grecian story. Jupiter took him to heaven, and made him the constellation _Sagittarius_.

... as Chiron erst had done To that proud bane of Troy, her god-resembling son [_Achilles_]. Drayton, _Polyolbion_, v. (1612).

CHIRRUP (_Betsey_), the housekeeper of Mr. Sowerberry, the misanthrope.--W. Brough, _A Phenomenon in a Smock Frock_.

CHITA, the child orphaned by the fearful tragedy detailed in Lufcadio Hearn's _Chita: A Memory of Last Island_. The little one is dragged from her dead mother's neck while she has still the strength to cry out "_Maman! maman_!" and borne through the surf by the fisherman Felix, to the arms of his wife. Brought up as the child of the humble pair, she never suspects that the stranger who, years after, dies of yellow fever brought from New Orleans to Felix's hut is her father (1888).

CHITLING (_Tom_), one of the associates of Fagin the Jew. Tom Chitling was always most deferential to the "Artful Dodger."--C. Dickens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

CHIVALRY (_The Flower of_), William Douglas, lord of Liddesdale (fourteenth century).

CHLO'E [_Klo'.e_], the shepherdess beloved by Daphnis, in the pastoral romance called _Daphnis and Chloé_, by Longus. St. Pierre's tale of _Paul and Virginia_ is based on this pastoral.

_Chloe_ or rather _Cloe_. So Prior calls Mrs. Centlivre (1661-1723).

_Chloe (Aunt)_, the faithful wife of Uncle Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous book _Uncle Tom's Cabin_. She hires herself out to a pastry-cook to help redeem her husband after he is "sold South." Her exhortation, "Think o' your marcies, chillen! think o' your marcies!" is sincere, yet when Tom quotes, "Pray for them that despitefully use you," she sobs out, "Lor'! it's too tough! I _can't_ pray for 'em!" (1852.)

_Chloe_ (_Aunt_), "a homeless widow, of excellent Vermont intentions and high ideals in cup-cake, summoned to that most difficult of human tasks, the training of another woman's child.... She held it to be the first business of any woman who undertook the management of a literary family like her brother's to attend properly to its digestion."--Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, _The Story of Avis_ (1877).

CHLO'RIS, the ancient Greek name of Flora.

Around your haunts The laughing Chloris with profusest hand Throws wide her blooms and odors. Akenside, _Hymn to the Naiads_.

CHOE'REAS (_ch = k_), the lover of Callirrhoê, in the Greek romance called _The Loves of Choereas and Callirrhoê_, by Char'iton (eighth century).

CHOKE (_General_), a lank North American gentleman, "one of the most remarkable men in the country." He was editor of _The Watertoast Gazette_, and a member of "The Eden Land Corporation." It was general Choke who induced Martin Chuzzlewit to stake his all in the egregious Eden swindle.--C. Dickens, _Martin Chuzzlewit_ (1844).

CHOLMONDELEY [_Chum'.ly_], of Vale Royal, a friend of sir Geoffrey Peveril.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

CHOPPARD (_Pierre_), one of the gang of thieves, called "The Ugly Mug." When asked a disagreeable question, he always answered, "I'll ask my wife, my memory's so slippery."--Edward Stirling, _The Courier of Lyons_ (1852).

CHRIEMHIL'DA. (See under K.)

CHRISOM CHILD (_A_), a child that dies within a month of its birth. So called because it is buried in the white cloth anointed with _chrism_ (oil and balm) worn at its baptism.

"He's in Arthur's [_Abraham's_] bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom. 'A made a finer end, and went away, an it had been any christom [_chrisom_] child. 'A parted just ... at turning o' the tide." (Quickly's description of the death of Falstaff.)--Shakespeare, _Henry V_. act ii. sc. 3 (1599).

Why, Mike's a child to him ... a chrism child. Jean Ingelow, _Brothers and a Sermon_.

CHRIS'TABEL (_ch = k_), the heroine of a fragmentary poem of the same title by Coleridge.

_Christabel_, the heroine of an ancient romance entitled _Sir Eglamour of Artois_.

CHRISTABELLE [_Kris.'ta.bel_], daughter of "a bonnie king of Ireland," beloved by sir Cauline (2 _syl_.). When the king knew of their loves he banished sir Cauline from the kingdom. Then as Christabelle drooped the king held a tournament for her amusement, every prize of which was carried off by an unknown knight in black. On the last day came a giant with two "goggling eyes, and mouthe from ear to ear," called the Soldain, and defied all comers. No one would accept his challenge save the knight in black, who succeeded in killing his adversary, but died himself of the wounds he had received. When it was discovered that the knight was sir Cauline, the lady "fette a sighe, that burst her gentle hearte in twayne."--Percy, _Reliques_ ("Sir Cauline," I. i. 4).

CHRISTIAN, the hero of Bunyan's allegory called _The Pilgrim's Progress_. He flees from the City of Destruction and journeys to the Celestial City. At starting he has a heavy pack upon his shoulders, which falls off immediately he reaches the foot of the cross. (The pack, of course, is the bundle of sin, which is removed by the blood of the cross. 1678.)

_Christian_, a follower of Christ. So called first at Antioch.--_Acts_ xi. 26.

_Christian_, captain of the patrol in a small German town in which Mathis is burgomaster. He marries Annette, the burgomaster's daughter.--J. R. Ware, _The Polish Jew_.

_Christian_, synonym of "_Peasant_" in Russia. This has arisen from the abundant legislation under czar Alexis and czar Peter the Great, to prevent Christian serfs from entering the service of Mohammedan masters. No Christian is allowed to belong to a Mohammedan master, and no Mohammedan master is allowed to employ a Christian on his estate.

_Christian II_. (or _Christiern_), king of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. When the Dalecarlians rose in rebellion against him and chose Gustavus Vasa for their leader, a great battle was fought, in which the Swedes were victorious; but Gustavus allowed the Danes to return to their country. Christian then abdicated, and Sweden became an independent kingdom.--H. Brooke, _Gustavus Vasa_ (1730).

_Chris'tian (Edward)_, a conspirator. He has two _aliases_, "Richard Gan'lesse" (2 _syl_.) and "Simon Can'ter."

_Colonel William Christian_, Edward's brother. Shot for insurrection.

_Fenella_ alias _Zarah Christian_, daughter of Edward Christian.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, George II.).

_Christian_ (_Fletcher_), mate of the _Bounty_, under the command of captain Bligh, and leader of the mutineers. After setting the captain and some others adrift, Christian took command of the ship, and, according to lord Byron, the mutineers took refuge in the island of Toobouai (one of the Society Islands). Here Torquil, one of the mutineers, married Neuha, a native. After a time a ship was sent to capture the mutineers. Torquil and Neuha escaped, and lay concealed in a cave; but Christian, Ben Bunting, and Skyscrape were shot. This is not according to fact, for Christian merely touched at Toobouai, and then, with eighteen of the natives and nine of the mutineers, sailed for Tahiti, where all soon died except Alexander Smith, who changed his name to John Adams, and became a model patriarch.--Byron, _The Island_.

CHRISTIAN DOCTOR (_Most_), John Charlier de Gerson (1363-1429).

CHRISTIAN ELOQUENCE (_The Founder of_), Louis Bourdaloue (1632-1704).

CHRISTIAN KING (_Most_). So the kings of France were styled. Pepin _le Bref_ was so styled by pope Stephen III. (714-768). Charles II. _le Chauve_ was so styled by the Council of Savonnières (823, 840-877). Louis XI. was so styled by Paul II. (1423, 1461-1483).

CHRISTIAN'A (_ch = k_), the wife of Christian, who started with her children and Mercy from the City of Destruction long after her husband's flight. She was under the guidance of Mr. Greatheart, and went, therefore, with silver slippers along the thorny road. This forms the second part of Bunyan's _Pilgrim's Progress_ (1684).

CHRIS'TIE (2 _syl_.) of the Clint Hill, one of the retainers of Julian Avenel (2 _syl_.).--Sir W. Scott, _The Monastery_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Chris'tie_ (_John_), ship-chandler at Paul's wharf.

_Dame Nelly Christie_, his pretty wife, carried off by lord Dalgarno.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

CHRISTI'NA, daughter of Christian II. king of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. She is sought in marriage by prince Arvi'da and by Gustavus Vasa; but the prince abandons his claim in favor of his friend. After the great battle, in which Christian is defeated by Gustavus, Christina clings to her father, and pleads with Gustavus on his behalf. He is sent back to Denmark, with all his men, without ransom, but abdicates, and Sweden is erected into a separate kingdom.--H. Brooke, _Gustavus Vasa_ (1730).

CHRISTINA PURCELL, a happy, pure girl, whose sheltered life and frank innocence contrast strongly with the heavy shadows glooming over outcast "Nixy" in _Hedged In._

She [Nixy], looking in from the street at mother and child, wondered if the lady here and the white daughter were religious; if it were because people were white and religious that they all turned her from their doors,--then, abruptly, how _she_ would look sitting in the light of a porcelain lamp, with a white sack on.--Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, _Hedged In_ (1870).

CHRIS'TINE (2 _syl_.), a pretty, saucy young woman in the service of the countess Marie, to whom she is devotedly attached. After the recapture of Ernest ("the prisoner of state"), she goes boldly to king Frederick II., from whom she obtains his pardon. Being set at liberty, Ernest marries the countess.--E. Stirling, _The Prisoner of State_ (1847).

CHRISTINE DRYFOOS, the undisciplined, showy daughter of a self-made man in W. D. Howells's _A Hazard of New Fortunes_ (1889).

She was self-possessed because she felt that a knowledge of her father's fortune had got around, and she had the peace which money gives to ignorance. She is madly in love with Beaton, whose attentions have raised expectations he concluded not to fulfill. At their last meeting she felt him more than life to her, and knew him lost, and the frenzy that makes a woman kill the man she loves or fling vitriol to destroy the beauty she cannot have for all hers possessed her lawless soul.... She flashed at him, and with both hands made a feline pass at the face he bent towards her.

CHRISTMAS TREASURES. Eugene Field, in _A Little Book of Western Verse_, gives a father's soliloquy over such treasures as

The little toy my darling knew, A little sock of faded hue, A little lock of golden hair,

all that remains to him who,

As he lisped his evening prayer Asked the boon with childish grace, Then, toddling to the chimney-place, He hung his little stocking there.

(1889.)

CHRIS'TOPHER _(St.)_, a saint of the Roman and Greek Churches, said to have lived in the third century. His pagan name was Offerus, his body was twelve ells in height, and he lived in the land of Canaan. Offerus made a vow to serve only the mightiest; so, thinking the emperor was "the mightiest," he entered his service. But one day the emperor crossed himself for fear of the devil, and the giant perceived that there was one mightier than his present master, so he quitted his service for that of the devil. After awhile. Offerus discovered that the devil was afraid of the cross, whereupon he enlisted under Christ, employing himself in carrying pilgrims across a deep stream. One day, a very small child was carried across by him, but proved so heavy that Offerus, though a huge giant, was well-nigh borne down by the weight. This child was Jesus, who changed the giant's name to _Christoferus_, "bearer of Christ." He died three days afterwards, and was canonized.

Like the great giant Christopher, it stands Upon the brink of the tempestuous wave.

Longfellow, _The Lighthouse_.

CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT, otherwise "Uncle Christopher," is the consequential oracle of the neighborhood, and the father of six daughters, in _Clovernook_, by Alice Cary (1851).

CHRIST'S VICTORY AND TRIUMPHS, a poem in four parts, by Giles Fletcher (1610): Part i. "Christ's Victory in Heaven," when He reconciled Justice with Mercy, by taking on Himself a body of human flesh;