Part 37 (1/2)

=Neri'ne=, =Doto=, and =Nyse=, the three nereids who guarded the fleet of Vasco da Gama. When the treacherous pilot had run Vasco's s.h.i.+p upon a sunken rock, these three sea-nymphs lifted up the prow and turned it round.

The lovely Nyse and Nerine spring With all the vehemence and speed of wing.

Camoens, _Lusiad_, ii. (1569).

=Nerissa=, the clever confidential waiting-woman of _Portia_, the Venetian heiress. Nerissa is the counterfeit of her mistress, with a fair share of the lady's elegance and wit. She marries _Gratiano_, a friend of the merchant _Antonio_.--Shakespeare, _The Merchant of Venice_ (1698).[TN-30]

=Nero of the North=, Christian II. of Denmark (1480, reigned 1534-1558, died 1559).

=Nesle= (_Blondel de_), the favorite minstrel of Richard Cur de Lion [Nesle = _Neel_].--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

=Nessus's s.h.i.+rt.= Nessos (in Latin _Nessus_), the centaur, carried the wife of Hercules over a river, and, attempting to run away with her, was shot by Hercules. As the centaur was dying, he told Deani'ra (5 _syl._), that if she steeped in his blood her husband's s.h.i.+rt, she would secure his love forever. This she did, but when Hercules put the s.h.i.+rt on, his body suffered such agony, that he rushed to Mount ta, collected together a pile of wood, set it on fire, and rus.h.i.+ng into the midst of the flames, was burnt to death.

When Creusa (3 _syl._), the daughter of King Creon, was about to be married to Jason, Medea sent her a splendid wedding robe; but when Creusa put it on, she was burnt to death by it in excruciating pain.

Morgan le Fay, hoping to kill King Arthur, sent him a superb royal robe.

Arthur told the messenger to try it on, that he might see its effect; but no sooner had the messenger done so, than he dropped down dead, ”burnt to mere coal.”--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_, i. 75 (1470).

=Nestor= (_A_), a wise old man. Nestor of Pylos,[TN-31] was the oldest and most experienced of all the Greek chieftains who went to the siege of Troy.--Homer, _Iliad_.

=Nestor of the Chemical Revolution.= Dr. Black is so called by Lavoisier (1728-1799).

=Nestor of Europe=, Leopold, king of Belgium (1790, 1831-1865).

=Neu'ha=, a native of Toobouai, one of the Society Islands. It was at Toobouai that the mutineers of the _Bounty_ landed, and Torquil married Neuha. When a vessel was sent to capture the mutineers, Neuha conducted Torquil to a secret cave, where they lay _perdu_ till all danger was over, when they returned to their island home.--Byron, _The Island_.

(The character of Neuha is given in canto ii. 7.)

=Nevers= (_Comte de_), to whom Valenti'na (daughter of the governor of the Louvre) was affianced, and whom she married in a fit of jealousy. The count having been shot in the Bartholomew slaughter, Valentina married Raoul [_Rawl_] her first love, but both were killed by a party of musketeers commanded by the governor of the Louvre.--Meyerbeer, _Les Huguenots_ (opera, 1836).

? The duke [not _count_] de Nevers, being asked by the governor of the Louvre to join in the Bartholomew Ma.s.sacre, replied that his family contained a long list of warriors, but not one a.s.sa.s.sin.

=Neville= (_Major_), an a.s.sumed name of Lord Geraldin, son of the earl of Geraldin. He first appears as Mr. William Lovell.

_Mr. Geraldin Neville_, uncle to Lord Geraldin.--Sir W. Scott, _The Antiquary_ (time, George III.).

_Neville_ (_Miss_), the friend and _confidante_ of Miss Hardcastle. A handsome, coquettish girl, destined by Mrs. Hardcastle for her son Tony Lumpkin, but Tony did not care for her, and she dearly loved Mr.

Hastings; so Hastings and Tony plotted together to outwit madam, and of course won the day.--O. Goldsmith, _She Stoops to Conquer_ (1773).

_Neville_ (_Sir Henry_), chamberlain of Richard Cur de Lion.--Sir W.

Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).