Character Sketches of Romance
Chapter 84 : COTTER'S SAt.u.r.dAY NIGHT; Poem in which Burns depicts the household of a Scottis

COTTER'S SAt.u.r.dAY NIGHT; Poem in which Burns depicts the household of a Scottish peasant gathering about the hearth on the last evening of the week for supper, social converse and family wors.h.i.+p. The picture of the "Saint, the Father and the Husband" is drawn the poet's own father. COTYT'TO, Groddess of the Edni of Thrace. Her orgies resembled those of the Thracian Cyb'ele (_3 syl_).

Hail G.o.ddess of nocturnal sport, Dark-veiled Cotytto, to whom the secret flame Of midnight torches burns.

Milton, _Comus_, 136, etc. (1634.)

COULIN, a British giant pursued by Debon till he came to a chasm 132 feet across which he leaped; but slipping on the opposite side, he fell backwards into the pit and was killed.

And eke that ample pit yet far renowned For the great leap which Debon did compell Coulin to make, being eight lugs of grownd, Into which the returning back he fell.

Spencer, _Faery Queen_, ii. 10 (1590.)

COUNT OF NARBONNE, a tragedy by Robert Jephson (1782). His father, Count Raymond, having poisoned Alphonso, forged a will barring G.o.dfrey's right, and naming Raymond as successor. Theodore fell in love with Adelaide, the count's daughter, but was reduced to this dilemma: if he married Adelaide he could not challenge the count and obtain the possessions he had a right to as grandson of Alphonso; if, on the other hand, he obtained his rights and killed the count in combat, he could not expect that Adelaide would marry him. At the end the count killed Adelaide, and then himself. This drama is copied from Walpole's _Castle of Otranto_.

COUNT ROBERT OF PARIS, a novel by Sir W. Scott, after the wreck of his fortune and repeated strokes of paralysis (1831). The critic can afford to be indulgent, and those who read this story must remember that the sun of the great wizard was hastening to its set. The time of the novel is the reign of Rufus. COUNTRY (_Father of his_). Cicero was so called by the Roman senate (B.C. 106-43). Julius Caesar was so called after quelling the insurrection in Spain (B.C. 100-43).

Augustus Caesar was called _Pater atque Princeps_ (B.C. 63, 31-14).

Cosmo de Med'ici (1389-1464). Was.h.i.+ngton, defender and paternal counsellor of the American States (1732-1799). Andrea Dorea is so called on the base of his statue in Gen'oa (1468-1560). Andronlcus Palaeol'ogus II. a.s.sumed the t.i.tle (1260-1332). (See 1 _Chron_. iv.

14).

COUNTRY GIRL (_The_), a comedy by Garrick, altered from Wycherly. The "country girl" is Peggy Thrift, the orphan daughter of Sir Thomas Thrift, and ward of Moody, who brings her up in the country in perfect seclusion. When Moody is 50 and Peggy is 19, he wants to marry her, but she outwits him and marries Bellville, a young man of suitable age and position.

COUNTRY WIFE (_The_), a comedy by William Wycherly (1675).

Pope was proud to receive notice from the author of _The Country Wife_.--R. Chambers, _English Literature_, i. 393.

COUPEE, the dancing-master, who says "if it were not for dancing-masters, men might as well walk on their heads as heels." He courts Lucy by promising to teach her dancing.--Fielding, _The Virgin Unmasked._

COUR'TAIN, one of the swords of Ogier the Dane, made by Munifican. His other sword was Sauvagine.

But Ogier gazed upon it [_the sea_] doubtfully One Moment, and then, sheathing, Courtain, said, "What tales are these?"

W. Morris, _The Earthly Paradise_ ("August").

COURTALL, a fop and consummate libertine, for ever boasting of his love-conquests over ladies of the _haut monde_. He tries to corrupt Lady Frances Touchwood, but is foiled by Saville.--Mrs. Cowley, _The Belle's Stratagem_ (1780).

COURTLY (_Sir Charles_), a young libertine, who abducted the beautiful wife of Farmer Cornflower.--Dibdin, _The Farmer's Wife_ (1780).

COUSIN COPELAND, a little old bachelor, courtly and quaint, who lives in "Old Gardiston," the home of his ancestors "befo' de wah." He has but one suit of clothes, so he dresses for dinner by donning a ruffled s.h.i.+rt and a flower in his b.u.t.tonhole. His work is among "doc.u.ments,"

his life in the past; without murmur at poverty or change he keeps up the even routine of life until one evening, trying to elevate his gentle little voice as he reads to his niece, so as to be heard above the rain and wind, it fails.

"Four days afterward he died, gentle and placid to the last. He was an old man, although no one had ever thought so."--Constance Fennimore Woolson, _Southern Sketches_, (1880).

COUSIN MICHEL or MICHAEL, the nickname of a German, as John Bull is of an Englishman, Brother Jonathan of an American, Colin Tampon a Swiss, John Chinaman a Chinese, etc.

COUVADE' (_2 syl._), a man who takes the place of his wife when she is in child-bed. In these cases the man lies a-bed, and the woman does the household duties. The people called "Gold Tooth," in the confines of Burmah, are _couvades_. M. Francisque Michel tells us the custom still exists in Biscay; and Colonel Yule a.s.sures us that it is common in Yunnan and among the Miris in Upper a.s.sam. Mr.

Tylor has observed the same custom among the Caribs of the West Indies, the Abipones of Central South America, the aborigines of California, in Guiana, in West Africa, and in the Indian Archipelago.

Diodorus speaks of it as existing at one time in Corsica; Strabo says the custom prevailed in the north of Spain; and Apollonius Rhodius that the Tabarenes on the Euxine Sea observed the same:

In the Tabarenian land, When some good woman bears her lord a babe, '_Tis he_ is swathed, and groaning put to bed; While she arising tends his bath and serves Nice possets for her husband in the straw.

Apollonius Rhodius, _Argonautic Exp_

COV'ERLEY (_Sir Roger de_), a member of an hypothetical club, noted for his modesty, generosity, hospitality, and eccentric whims; most courteous to his neighbors, most affectionate to his family, most amiable to his domestics. Sir Roger, who figures in thirty papers of the _Spectator_, is the very beau-ideal of an amiable country gentleman of Queen Anne's time.

What would Sir Roger de Coverley be without his follies and his charming little brain-cracks? If the good knight did not call out to the people sleeping in church, and say "Amen" with such delightful pomposity; if he did not mistake Mde.

Doll Tearsheet for a lady of quality in Temple Garden; if he were wiser than he is ... of what worth were he to us? We love him for his vanities as much as for his virtues.--Thackeray.

COWARDS and BULLIES. In Shakespeare we have Paroles and Pistol; in Ben Jonson, Bob'adil; in Beaumont and Fletcher, Bessus and Mons. Lapet, the very prince of cowards; in the French drama, La Capitan, Metamore, and Scaramouch. (See also BASILISCO, CAPTAIN NOLL BLUFF, BOROUGHCLIFF, CAPTAIN BRAZEN, SIR PETRONEL FLASH, SACRIPANT, VINCENT DE LA ROSA, etc.)

COWPER, called "Author of _The Task_," from his princ.i.p.al poem (1731-1800).

c.o.xCOMB (_The Prince of_) Charles Joseph Prince de Ligne (1535-1614).

Richard II. of England (1366, 1377-1400).

Henri III, of France, _Le Mignon_ (1551, 1574-1589).

c.o.xE (_Captain_), one of the masques at Kenilworth.--Sir W. Scott, _Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth).

COY BISHOP. Best friend and unconscious foil to Avis Dobell in Elizabeth Stuart Phelps' _Story of Avis_. "Her face is as innocent of sarcasm as a mocking bird's;" she "is one of the immortal few who can look pretty in their crimping-pins;" she "has the glibness of most unaccentuated natures;" she admires Avis without comprehending her, and she makes an excellent wife to John Rose, a practical young clergyman. (1877).

CRABSHAW (_Timothy_), the servant of Sir Launcelot Greaves's squire.--Smollett, _Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves_ (1760).

CRAB'TREE, in Smollett's novel called _The Adventures of Peregine Pickle_ (1751).

_Crab'tree_, uncle of Sir Harry b.u.mber, in Sheridan's comedy, _The School for Scandal_ (1777).

_Crab'tree_, a gardener at Fairport.--Sir W. Scott, _The Antiquary_ (time George III.).

CRAC (_M. de_), the French Baron Munchausen; hero of a French operetta.

CRACK'ENTHORP (_Father_), a publican.

_Dolly Crackenthorp_, daughter of the publican.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

CRACKIT (_Flash Toby_), one of the villains in the attempted burglary in which Bill Sikes and his a.s.sociates were concerned.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837.)

CRA'DLEMONT, king of Wales, subdued by Arthur, fighting for Leod'ogran, king of Cam'eliarn (3 _syl_.).--Tennyson, _Coming of Arthur_.

CRADOCK (_Sir_), the only knight who could carve the boar's head which no cuckold could cut; or drink from a bowl which no cuckold could quaff without spilling the liquor. His lady was the only one in King Arthur's court who could wear the mantle of chast.i.ty brought thither by a boy during Christmas-tide.--Percy, _Reliques, etc._, III. iii.

18.

CRAIGDAL'LIE (_Adam_), the senior baillie of Perth.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

CRAIG'ENGELT (_Captain_), an adventurer and companion of Bucklaw. Sir W. Scott, _Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

CRAIK MAMSELL. A murderer who allows suspicion to fall upon the innocent in Anna Katherine Green's story, _Hand and Ring_ (1883).

CRAMP (_Corporal_), under captain Thornton.--Sir W. Scott, _Bob Roy_ (time, George I.)

CRAN'BOURNE, (_Sir Jasper_), a friend of Sir Geoffrey Peveril--Sir W.

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