66 Adullamites.— Politicians who combine to desert their Party at a crisis. This nickname originated in the discussions on a Reform Bill introduced by Earl Russell's Government in 1866, when Mr. Bright referred to the powerful opposition among the supporters of the Government as a cave of Adullam," into which went “ everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented,” gathering themselves under the leadership of two of the ablest spirits in their party. This opposition from their “candid friends" wrecked the Government, which imme diately resigned. The reference is to 1 Samuel xxii., 2. Adversity.-If thou faint in the day of ADVERSITY, thy strength is small.—Proverbs, xxiv. 10. In the ADVERSITY of our best friends we often find something which does not displease us. -ROCHEFOUCAULD, Maxim 245. In all cases of heart-ache, the application of another man's disappointment draws out the pain and allays the irritation. — LYTTON's Lady of Lyons. Sweet are the uses of ADVERSITY, SHAKESPERE, As You Like It. Ibid., Lover's Complaint. Affections.-Alas! our young AFFECTIONS run to waste, Or water but the desert. —BYRON, Childe Harold. Where patience, honour, sweet humanity, . MALLET AND THOMSON. BURNS, A Winter's Night. Age.-AGE cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety.-SHAKESPERE, Ant. and Cleo. But an old AGE serene and bright, Age.-Good old AGE.—Genesis, xv. 15. His hair just grizzled As in a green old AGE.-DRYDEN, Edipus. Me, let the tender office long engage With lenient arts extend a mother's breath, Make languor smile, and smooth the bed of death; And keep awhile one parent from the sky.-POPE. To Arbuthnot. Ages.-Alike all AGES: dames of ancient days Have led their children through the mirthful maze; Has frisk'd beneath the burden of threescore. GOLDSMITH, Traveller. Yet I doubt not through the AGES one increasing purpose runs, suns. Agree. Where they do AGREE on the stage, their unanimity is wonderful.-SHERIDAN, The Critic. . Aim.-Let all the ends thou AIM'ST at be thy country's, Thy God's, and truth's.-SHAKESPERE, Henry VIII. Aisle.—Where, through the long-drawn AISLE and fretted vault, SHAKESPERE, Winter's Tale. Allegory. As headstrong as an ALLEGORY on the banks of the Nile. (Mrs. Malaprop.)-SHERIDAN, The Rivals. Alliteration. Apt ALLITERATION'S artful aid. CHURCHILL, Prophecy of Famine. All-the-Talents Administration.-An ADMINISTRATION formed by Lord Grenville on the death of Mr. Pitt (June 23, 1806). The friends of this ministry gave it the appellation of All the Talents,' which, being echoed in derision by the opposition, became fixed upon it ever after. The death of Mr. Fox, one of the members, Sept. 13, 1806, led to various changes, and this ministry was finally dissolved in March, 1807. Almighty Dollar.-A personification of the supposed object of American idolatry, intended as a satire upon the prevailng passion for gain. The expression originated with Washington Irving:-"THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, that great object of universal devotion throughout our land, seems to have no genuine devotees in these peculiar villages."-The Creole Village. Alone.-ALONE, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide, wide sea.-COLERIDGE, Ancient Mariner. Alone. ALONE !—that worn-out word, LYTTON, The New Timon. Since all alone, so Heaven has willed, we die, KEBLE, Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. Ambassador.–An AMBASSADOR is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the commonwealth.—Sir H. WOTTON. Ambition.–AMBITION hath one heel nail'd in hell, Though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens. -LILLY. AMBITION is the mind's immodesty.—DAVENANT. SHAKESPERE, Henry VI. I have no spur AMBITION should be made of sterner stuff.-Ibid. Stuck in my throat.-Ibid., Macbeth. Angel.—The accusing spirit, which flew up to heaven's chancery with the oath, blushed as he gave it in; and the recording ANGEL, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon the word and blotted it out for ever. -STERNE, Tristram Shandy. Angels. But, sad as ANGELS for the good man's sin, CAMPBELL, Pleasures of Hope. ANGELS and ministers of grace, defend us! SHAKESPERE, Hamlet. ANGELS are bright still, though the brightest fell. Ibid., Macbeth. Thy purpose firm is equal to the deed: YOUNG, Night Thoughts. Angel-Visits.-Cease, every joy, to glimmer on my mind, CAMPBELL, Pleasures of Hope. Angels' Visits.-How fading are the joys we dote upon! But those which soonest take their flight JOHN MORRIS, 1711, The Parting. The good he scorn'd Stalked off reluctant, like an ill-us'd ghost, Like those of ANGELS, short and far between. BLAIR, The Grave. Anger.-ANGER is like a full hot horse; who, being allowed his way, self-mettle tires him.-SHAKESPERE, Henry VIII. ANGER is the most impotent passion that accompanies the mind of man; it effects nothing it goes about; and hurts the man who is possessed by it more than any other against whom it is directed. -CLARENDON. He carries ANGER as the flint bears fire; Which, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, And straight is cold again.-SHAKESPERE, Julius Cæsar. Men in rage strike those that wish them best.-Ibid., Othello. Angle. I am, sir, a brother of the ANGLE.-WALTON, Angier. Angling. All that are lovers of virtue, a-ANGLING.-Ibid. be quiet, and go ANGLING is somewhat like poetry, men are to be born so.— Ibid. Angling. We may say of ANGLING as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, "Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did:" and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling.—Ibid. Annals. If you have writ your ANNALS true, 'tis there, That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli: Alone I did it.-Boy !-SHAKESPERE, Coriolanus. Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile The short and simple ANNALS of the poor.-GRAY, Elegy. Annie. ANNIE of Tharaw, my light and my sun, LONGFELLOW, Annie of Tharaw. Another, yet the same.--POPE, Dunciad, book iii. TICKELL, From a Lady in England. JOHNSON, Life of Dryden. DARWIN, Botanic Garden, pt. i. canto 4, line 380. WORDSWORTH, The Excursion, book ix. SCOTT, The Abbot, ch. 1. Apoplexy.-A slight touch of APOPLEXY may be called a retaining fee on the part of death.-MENAGE. Apothecary.—I do remember an APOTHECARY, And hereabouts he dwells.-SHAKESPERE, Romeo and Juliet. Apples.-There's small choice in rotten APPLES. Ibid., Taming of the Shrew. While tumbling down the turbid stream, Lord love us, how we APPLES swim !-D. MALLETT, Tyburn. Arabie. Sabean odours from the spicy shore Arch. Triumphal ARCII that fill'st the sky, I ask not proud Philosophy To teach me what thou art. THOMAS CAMPBELL, To the Rainbow. Arguing. In ARGUING, too, the parson own'd his skill, GOLDSMITH, Deserted Village. Argument.-A knock-down ARGUMENT 'tis but a word and a blow. DRYDEN, Amphitryon. It would be ARGUMENT for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest for ever.- SHAKESPERE, Henry IV. |