Chapter Aikwood to Alban of A by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Aikwood to Alban

Aikwood (Ringan), the forester of sir Arthur Wardour of Knockwinnock Castle.—Sir W. Scott: The Antiquary (time, George III.).

Aimwell (Thomas, viscount), a gentlema n of broken fortune, who pays his addresses to Dorinda, daughter of lady Bountiful. He is very handsome and fascinating, but quite “a man of the world.” He and Archer are the two beaux of The Beaux’ Stratagem, a comedy by George Farquhar (1705).

I thought it rather odd that Holland should be the only “mister” of the party, and I said to myself, as Gibbet said when he heard that “Aimwell” had gone to church, “That looks suspicious” (act ii. sc. 2).—James Smith: Memoirs, Letters, etc. (1840).

Aimwell, in Farquhar’s comedy of The Beaux’ Stratagem, seeks to repair his fortune by marrying an heiress. In this he succeeds. (See Beaux’ Stratagem.)

Ainsworth and his Dictionary. (See Newton and his dog.)

Aircastle, in The Cozeners, by S. Foote. The original of this rambling talker was Gahagan, whose method of conversation is thus burlesqued—

Aircastle: “Did I not tell you what parson Prunello said? I remember, Mrs. Lightfoot was by. She had been brought to bed that day was a month of a very fine boy—a bad birth; for Dr. Seeton, who served his time with Luke Lancet of Guise’s—There was also a talk about him and Nancy the daughter. She afterwards married Will Whitlow, another apprentice, who had great expectations from an old uncle in the Grenadiers; but he left all to a distant relation, Kit Cable, a midshipman aboard the Torbay. She was lost coming home in the Channel. The captain was taken up by a coaster from Rye, loaded with cheese—” [Now, pray, what did parson Prunello say? This is a pattern of Mrs. Nickleby’s rambling gossip.]

Airlie (The earl of), a royalist in the service of king Charles I.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose.

Airy (Sir George), a man of fort une, gay, generous, and gallant. He is in love with Miranda, the ward of sir Francis Gripe, whom he marries.—Mrs. Centlivre: The Busybody (1709). (See The Busybody.)

Ajax Oileus, son of Oïleus [O.i.luce], generally called “the less.” In consequence of his insolence to Cassandra, the prophetic daughter of Priam, his ship was driven on a rock, and he perished at sea.—Homer: Odyssey, iv. 507; Virgil: Æneid, i. 41.

Ajax Telamon. Sophoclês has a tragedy called Ajax, in which “the madman”. scourges a ram he mistakes for Ulysses. His encounter with a flock of sheep, which he fancied in his madness to be the sons of Atreus, has been mentioned at greater or less length by several Greek and Roman poets. Don Quixote had a similar adventure. This Ajax is introduced by Shakespeare in his drama called Troilus and Cressida. (See Alifanfaron, p. 26.)

The Tuscan poet [Ariosto] doth advance
The frantic paladin of France [Orlando Furioso];
And those more ancient [Sophoclês and Seneca] do enhance
Alcidês in his fury [Herculês Furens];
And others, Ajax Telamon;—
But to this time there hath been none
So bedlam as our Oberon;
Of which I dare assure you.
   —Drayton: Nymphidia (1563–1631).

Ajut and Anningait, in The Rambler.

Part, like Ajut, never to return.
   —Campbell: Pleasures of Hope, ii. (1799).

Alaciel, the genius who went on a voyage to the two islands, Taciturnia and Merryland [London and Paris].—De la Dixmerie: L’isle Taciturne et l’isle Enjouæe, ou Voyage du Génie Alaciel dans les deux Iles (1759).