Part 15 (1/2)

=Mi'lan= (_The duke of_), an Italian prince, an ally of the Lancastrians.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

=Milan Decree=, a decree of Napoleon Bonaparte, dated Milan, December 27, 1807, declaring ”the whole British empire to be in a state of blockade, and prohibiting all countries from trading with Great Britain, or using any article made therein.”

? As Britain was the best customer of the very nations forbidden to deal with her, this very absurd decree was a two-edged sword, cutting both ways.

=Mildred=, the bride, ”fresh and fair as May,” whom Philip, the pastor, installs as _Mistress of the Manse_, in Josiah Gilbert Holland's poem of that name (1874).

=Mildmay= (_Frank_), hero of sea-story bearing his name.--Frederick Marryatt.

=Mile'sian Fables= (_Milesiae Fabulae_), very wanton and ludicrous tales.

Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton (Lord Lytton) published six of the _Lost Tales of Miletus_ in rhymeless verse. He pretends he borrowed them from the scattered remnants preserved by Apollodo'rus and Conon, contained in the pages of Pausa'nias and Athenaeus, or dispersed throughout the Scholiasts. The Milesian tales were, for the most part, in prose; but Ovid tells us that Aristi'des rendered some of them into verse, and Sisenna into Latin.

Junxit Aristides Milesia carmina sec.u.m Pulsus Aristides nec tamen urba sua est.

The original tales by Antonius Diog'enes are described by Photius. It appears that they were great favorites with the luxurious Sybarites. A compilation was made by Aristides, by whom (according to Ovid) some were versified also. The Latin translation by Sisenna was made about the time of the civil wars of Ma'rius and Sylla. Parthen'ius Nice'nus, who taught Virgil Greek, borrowed thirty-six of the tales, which he dedicated to Cornelius Gallus, and ent.i.tled _Erotikon Pathematon_ (”love stories”).

_Milesia Crimina_, amatory offences. Venus was wors.h.i.+pped at Miletus, and hence the loose amatory tales of Antonius Diogenes were ent.i.tled _Milesiae Fabulae_.

=Mile'sians=, the ”ancient” Irish. The legend is that Ireland was once peopled by the Fir-bolg or Belgae from Britain, who were subdued by Milesians from Asia Minor, called the Gaels of Ireland.

=Miles= (_Throckmorton_), harum-scarum, brave, indiscreet, over-generous hero of Constance Cary Harrison's story, _Flower de Hundred_ (1890).

=Milford= (_Colonel_), a friend of Sir Geoffrey Peveril.--Sir W. Scott, _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.).

_Milford_ (_Jack_), a natural son of Widow Warren's late husband. He was the crony of Harry Dornton, with whom he ran ”the road to ruin.” Jack had a fortune left him, but he soon scattered it by his extravagant living, and was imprisoned for debt. Harry then promised to marry Widow Warren if she would advance him 6,000 to pay off his friend's debts with. When Harry's father heard of this bargain, he was so moved that he advanced the money himself; and Harry, being set free from his bargain, married the widow's daughter instead of the widow. Thus all were rescued from ”the road to ruin.”--Holcroft, _The Road to Ruin_ (1792).

=Milinowski=, a portly, imposing American widow, who, after twenty years spent under the marital rule of a Prussian army officer, ”takes kindly to the prose of life.” She is the exemplary and not unkindly chaperone of _Miss Caroline Lester_, heroine of Charlotte Dunning's book _Upon a Cast_ (1885).

=Milk-Pail= (_The_), which was to gain a fortune, (See PERRETTE.)

=Millamant=, the _pretendue_ of Edward Mirabell. She is a most brilliant girl, who says she ”loves to give pain, because cruelty is a proof of power; and when one parts with one's cruelty, one parts with one's power.” Millamant is far gone in poetry, and her heart is not in her own keeping. Sir Wilful Witwould makes love to her, but she detests ”the superannuated lubber.”--W. Congreve, _The Way of the World_ (1700).

=Miller= (_James_), the ”tiger” of the Hon. Mr. Flammer. James was brought up in the stable, educated on the turf and _pave_, polished and completed in the fives-court. He was engaged to Mary Chintz, the maid of Miss Bloomfield.--C. Selby, _The Unfinished Gentleman_.

_Miller_, (_Joe_), James Ballantyne, author of _Old Joe Miller, by the Editor of New J. M._, three vols. (1801).

? Mottley compiled a jest-book in the reign of James II., ent.i.tled _Joe Miller's Jests_. The phrase, ”That's a Joe Miller,” means ”that's a jest from Mottley's book.”

_Miller_ (_Maximilian Christopher_), the Saxon giant; height eight feet.