Part 83 (1/2)

_Pizarro_, the governor of the State prison, in which Fernando Florestan was confined. Fernando's young wife, in boy's attire, and under the name of Fidelio, became the servant of Pizarro, who, resolving to murder Fernando, sent Fidelio and Rocco (the jailer) to dig his grave. Pizarro was just about to deal the fatal blow, when the minister of state arrived, and commanded the prisoner to be set free.--Beethoven, _Fidelio_ (1791).

=Place'bo=, one of the brothers of January, the old baron of Lombardy.

When January held a family conclave to know whether he should marry, Placebo told him ”to please himself, and do as he liked.”--Chaucer, _Canterbury Tales_ (”The Merchant's Tale,” 1388).

=Placid= (_Mr._), a hen-pecked husband, who is roused at last to be somewhat more manly, but could never be better than ”a boiled rabbit without oyster sauce.” (See PLIANT.)

_Mrs. Placid_, the lady paramount of the house, who looked quite aghast if her husband expressed a wish of his own, or attempted to do an independent act.--Inchbald, _Every One Has His Fault_ (1794).

=Plac'idas=, the exact fac-simile of his friend, Amias. Having heard of his friend's captivity, he went to release him, and being detected in the garden, was mistaken by Corflambo's dwarf for Amias. The dwarf went and told Paea'na (the daughter of Corflambo, ”fair as ever yet saw living eye, but too loose of life and eke of love too light”). Placidas was seized and brought before the lady, who loved Amias, but her love was not requited. When Placidas stood before her, she thought he was Amias, and great was her delight to find her love returned. She married Placidas, reformed her ways, ”and all men much admired the change, and spake her praise.”--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 8, 9 (1596).

=Plagiary= (_Sir Fretful_), a playwright, whose dramas are mere plagiarisms from ”the refuse of obscure volumes.” He pretends to be rather pleased with criticism, but is sorely irritated thereby. Richard c.u.mberland (1732-1811), noted for his vanity and irritability, was the model of this character.--Sheridan, _The Critic_, i. 1 (1779).

Herrick, who had no occasion to steal, has taken this image from Suckling, and spoilt it in the theft. Like Sir Fretful Plagiary, Herrick had not skill to steal with taste.--R. Chambers, _English Literature_, i. 134.

William Parsons [1736-1795] was the original ”Sir Fretful Plagiary,” and from his delineation most of our modern actors have borrowed their idea.--_Life of Sheridan._

=Plaids et Gieux sous l'Ormel=, a society formed by the troubadours of Picardy in the latter half of the twelfth century. It consisted of knights and ladies of the highest rank, exercised and approved in courtesy, who a.s.sumed an absolute judicial power in matters of the most delicate nature; trying with the most consummate ceremony, all causes in love brought before their tribunals.

This was similar to the ”Court of Love,” established about the same time, by the troubadours of Provence.--_Universal Magazine_ (March, 1792).

=Plain= (_The_), the level floor of the National Convention of France, occupied by the Girondists, or moderate republicans.

The red republicans occupied the higher seats, called ”the mountain.” By a figure of speech, the Girondist party was called ”the plain,” and the red republican party ”the mountain.”

=Plain and Perspicuous Doctor= (_The_), Walter Burleigh (1275-1357).

=Plain Dealer= (_The_), a comedy by William Wycherly (1677).

The countess of Drogheda ... inquired for the _Plain Dealer_.

”Madam,” said Mr. Fairbeard, ... ”there he is,” pus.h.i.+ng Mr.

Wycherly towards her.--Cibber, _Lives of the Poets_, iii. 252.

(Wycherly married the countess in 1680. She died soon afterwards, leaving him the whole of her fortune.)

=Plantagenet= (_Lady Edith_), a kinswoman of Richard I. She marries the prince royal of Scotland (called Sir Kenneth, knight of the Leopard, or David, earl of Huntingdon).--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

=Plato.= The mistress of this philosopher was Archiana.s.sa; of Aristotle, Hepyllis; and of Epicurus, Leontium. (See LOVERS.)

_Plato_ (_The German_), Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi (1743-1819).