Chapter Burchell to Byron and the Edinburgh Review of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Burning Crown. Regicides were at one time punished by having a crown of red-hot iron placed on their head. (See Damiens.)

He was adjudged
To have his head seared with a burning crown.
   —Author unknown, Tragedy of Hoffman (1631).

Burns (Helen), in Charlotte Bronté’s novel of Jane Eyre (1847).

Burns of France (The), Jasmin, a barber of Gascony. Louis Philippe presented to him a gold watch and chain, and the duke of Orleans an emerald ring.

Burris, an honest lord, favourite of the great-duke of Moscovia.—John Fletcher: The Loyal Subject (1618).

Busby (A), a tall fur cap, with a bag hanging from the top over the right side. Worn by British hussars, artillerymen, and engineers. Probably “Busby” is a proper name.

Busby Wig (A), a punning synonym of a “buzzwig,” the joke being a reference to Dr. Busby of Westminster School, who never wore a wig, but only a skull-cap.

Business To-morrow is what Archias, one of the Spartan polemarchs in Athens, said, when a letter was handed to him respecting the insurrection of Pelopidas. He was at a banquet at the time, and thrust the letter under his cushion; but Pelopidas, with his 400 insurgents, rushed into the room during the feast, and slew both Archias and the rest of the Spartan officers.

Busirane, an enchanter who bound Amoret by the waist to a brazen pillar, and, piercing her with a dart, wrote magic characters with the dropping blood, “all for to make her love him.” When Britomart approached, the enchanter started up, and, running to Amoret, was about to plunge a knife into her heart; but Britomart intercepted the blow, overpowered the enchanter, compelled him to “reverse his charms,” and then bound him fast with his own chain.—Spenser: Faërie Queene, iii. II, 12 (1590).

Busiris, king of Egypt, was told by a foreigner that the long drought of nine years would cease when the gods of the country were mollified by human sacrifice. “So be it,” said the king, and ordered the man himself to be offered as the victim.—Herod., ii. 59-61.

’Tis said that Egypt for nine years was dry;
Nor Nile did floods nor heaven did rain supply.
A foreigner at length informed the king
That slaughtered guests would kindly moisture bring.
The king replied, “On thee the lot shall fall;
Be thou, my guest, the sacrifice for all.”
   —Ovid: Art of Love,i.

(Young wrote a tragedy on this king, called Busiris King of Egypt, 1719.)

Busiris, supposed by Milton to be the Pharaoh drowned in the Red Sea.

Hath vexed the Red Sea coast, whose waves o’erthrew Busiris and his Memphian chivalry.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, i. 306 (1665).

Busne (2 syl.). So the gipsies call all who do not belong to their race.

The gold of the Busnê: give me her gold.
   —Longfellow: The Spanish Student.

Busqueue (Lord), plaintiff in the great Pantagruelian lawsuit known as “lord Busqueue v. lord Suckfist, ” in which the parties concerned pleaded for themselves. Lord Busqueue stated his grievance and spoke so learnedly and at such length that no one understood one word about the matter; then lord Suckfist replied, and the bench declared, “We have not understood one iota of the defence.” Pantagruel, however, gave judgment, and as both plaintiff and defendant considered he had got the verdict, both were fully satisfied—“a thing without parallel in all the annals of the court.”—Rabelais: Pantagruel, ii. (1533).