'Depuis deux siècles les Essais forment une branche importante de la littérature anglaise; pour désigner un écrivain de cette classe, nos voisons emploient un mot qui n'a pas d'équivalent en français ; ils disent : un essayist. Qu'est-ce qu'un essayist? L'essayist se distingue du moraliste, de l'historien, du critique littéraire, du biographe, de l'écrivain politique; et pourtant il emprunte quelque trait à chacun d'eux ; il ressemble tour à tour à l'un ou à l'autre ; il est aussi philosophe, il est satirique, humoriste à ses heures; il réunit en sa personne des qualités multiples; il offre dans ses écrits un spécimen de tous les genres. On voit qu'il n'est pas facile de définir l'essayist ; mais l'exemple suppléera à la définition. On connaîtra exactement le sens du mot quand on aura étudié l'écrivain qui, d'après le jugement de ces compatriotes, est l'essayist par excellence, ou, comme on disait dans les anciens cours de littérature, le Prince des essayists.' -M. PAUL OURSEL. GLOSSARY OF ALLUSIONS NOTE.-The bracketed numbers which immediately follow the names refer to the pages of the text. They are not exhaustive, and the Index should be used in connection with this Glossary, as persons, etc. in some passages merely alluded to are often elsewhere more fully described. Absolute, Sir Anthony (170), a leading character in Sheridan's play of The Rivals. Agbarus or Abgarus (181), the alleged author of a spurious letter to Jesus Christ. Eversa is in Mesopotamia. Alcina (47), the personification of carnal pleasure in the Orlando Furioso. Algarotti, Francesco (43), a littérateur, friend of Voltaire. Frederic made him a count (d. 1764). Amadeus, Victor (209), 'the faithless ruler of Savoy' (199), who for a bribe deserted Austria, of whose troops he was commander. in-chief, for France, in 1692. Arminius (83), a German who, as a hostage, entered the Roman army, but afterwards revolted and led his countrymen against Rome (d. 23 A.D.). Armorica (80), France between the Seine and the Loire, Brittany. Artevelde, Von (111), Jacob v. A. and Philip, his son, led the people of Flanders in their revolt against Count Louis and his French supporters (fourteenth century). Athalie. Saul.. Cinna (242), dramas by Racine, Alfieri, and Corneille respectively. Atticus... Sporus (244), i.e. Addison and Lord John Hervey, satirized in Pope's Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot. Badajoz and St. Sebastian (22), towns in Spain captured from the French during the Peninsular War. Bastiani (43) was at first one of the big Potsdam grenadiers; Frederic made him Abbot of Silesia. Bayes, Miss (125). With reference to the name used in The Rehearsal, by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, to satirize Dryden, the poet-laureate. Beaumarchais (39), French comic dramatist, and editor of an edition de luxe of Voltaire's works (d. 1799). Behn, Afra (101), the licentious novelist and mistress of Charles II. (1640-1689), who, as a spy in Holland, discovered the Dutch plans for burning the Thames shipping. Belle-Isle (24), French marshal; fought in the Austrian campaign of 1740 and repelled the Austrian invasion of 1744 (d. 1761). Bender (26), 80 miles N.-W. from Odessa, in S. Russia. Bettesworth (229), an Irishman, lampooned in Swift's Miscellanies. Betty, Master (111), a boyactor, known as the Infant Roscius. Having acquired a fortune he lived in retirement (1791-1874). Blackmore, Sir Richard (101), | a wordy poetaster (d. 1729), who was the butt of all contemporary wits. Blair, Dr. Hugh (174), Scotch divine and critic, encouraged Macpherson to publish the Ossian poetry (1718-1800). Boileau, Nicholas (84, 190), the great French critic whose Art of Poetry long constituted the canons of French and English literary art (1636-1711). Bolingbroke, Viscount (291), Tory Prime Minister under Anne; brought about the Peace of Utrecht, 1713. His genius and daring were undoubted, but as a party leader he failed utterly. Borodino (22), 70 miles west from Moscow, where the Russians made a stand against Napoleon, 1812. Bourne, Vincent (193), an usher at Westminster School, mentioned early in the Essay on Warren Hastings. Boyle, Hon. Charles (181), edited the Letters of Phalaris which gave rise to the famous controversy with Bentley, for which see the essay on Sir William Temple (vol. iii. of this edition). Bradamante (172), in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, a Christian lady who loves the Saracen knight, Ruggiero. Brownrigg, Mrs. (10), executed at Tyburn (1767) for abusing and murdering her apprentices. Bruhl, Count (57), the favourite of Augustus III. of Saxony who enriched himself at the risk of ruining his master and his country. Brutus (277), i. The reputed expeller of the last King of Rome; ii. One of Cæsar's murderers. Buchanan, George (178), Scottish Scholar and humanist; tutor to Mary Queen of Scots and James VI. (1506-82). Button's (174), on the south side of Russell St., Covent Garden, succeeded Will's as the wits' resort. Cambray, Confederates of (66), the pope, the emperor. France and Spain who by the League of Cambray combined to attack Venice. Capuchins (58), a branch of the monastic order of the Franciscans. Catinat (199), French marshal in charge of the 1701 Italian campaign against Marlborough's ally, Prince Eugene of Savoy. Cave, Edward (13), printer, publisher, and proprietor of the Gentleman's Magazine (1691-1754). GLOSSARY Châtelet, Madame du (50), Voltaire's mistress, 17331747 (d. 1749). Chaulieu, Guillaume (76), a witty but negligent poetaster (1639-1720). Childeric or Chilperic (324), the former was King of the Franks (c. 460-480), the latter King of Neustria (c. 560580); both were puppets in the hands of their subjects. Child's (235), the clergy coffeehouse in St. Paul's. St. James's (ib), in the street of that name, was the resort of beaux and statesman and a notorious gambling house. Colle, Charles (64), dramatist and song-writer (d. 1777): young Crébillon (d. 1777) wrote fiction. Constituent Assembly (58), the National Assembly of France from 1789 to 1792. Courland (83), a province on the Baltic once belonging to Poland, since 1795 to Russia. Coventry (9), Solicitor-General of England in 1616, Attorney-General in 1620 and Lord Keeper in 1625. Dacier, Andrew (189), a French scholar who edited the 'Delphin' edition of the classics for the Dauphin, and translated many of them (1651-1722). Della Crusca (101), the signature of Robert Merry (17551798), the leader of a mutualadmiration band of poetasters, who had their headquarters at Florence, and hence called themselves the Della Cruscans. Gifford 391 pulverised them in his Baviad and Mæviad. Derwentwater.. Cameron (287), Stuart adherents who suffered for their share in the attempts of 1715 and 1745. Desfontaines (48), a Jesuit who put out a pirated edition of Voltaire's La Ligue. Dido (288), Queen of Carthage, who after years of mourning for her first husband, vainly sought the love of Æneas. Distressed Mother (236), by Ambrose Phillipps, modelled on Racine's Andromaque. Dodington, George Bubb (283), a time-serving and unprincipled politician in the time of George II., afterwards Baron Melcombe. Douw, Gerard (112), distinguished Dutch painter, one of Rembrandt's pupils; his works are famed for their perfect finish and delicacy (1613-75). Eldon, John Scott, Earl of (291), was in turn SolicitorGeneral, Attorney-General, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas and Lord Chancellor, and throughout a staunch Tory (1751-1838). Euston (369), a late Jacobean house (and park) 10 miles from Bury St. Edmunds. Exons (143), i.e. Exempts of the Guards,' 'officers who commanded when the lieutenant or ensign was absent, and who had charge of the night watch,' Eylau (22), 20 miles south from Konigsberg; victory of Napoleon, 1807. Faustina, Empress (209), Franc de Pompignan (229), Fréron (48), took sides with Galt, John (164), Scotch Ganganelli (90), who as Godfrey of Bouillon (90), a Grandison, Sir Charles (290), Grotius (16), a celebrated Guizot and Villemain (275), Hale, Sir Matthew (229), cellaneous writer, especially |