Chapter Caxtons to Cephalus of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Caxtons to Cephalus

Caxtons (The), a domestic novel by Edward lord Lytton (1849). Supposed to be written by Pisistratus Caxton.

Ceca to Mecca (From), from pillar to post. To saunter or ramble from Ceca to Mecca is a Spanish proverb, meaning to roam about purposelessly or idly. Ceca and Mecca are two places visited by Mohammedan pilgrims.

“Let us return home,” said Sancho, “nor longer ramble from Ceca to Mecca.”—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. iii. 4 (1605).

Cecil, or The Adventures of a Coxcomb, the hero of a novel so called by Mrs. Gore (1841).

Cecil (Davenant), the pseudonym adopted by Coleridge in his contributions to the Quarterly Magazine.

Cecil’s Fast, an Act of Parlianment by W. Cecil, lord Burleigh, to enjoin the eating of fish on certain days. The object of this Act was to restore the fish trade, which had been almost ruined by the Reformation, Papists eat fish on fast-days, and at the Reformation, the eating of fish being looked on as a badge of bad faith, no one was willing to lie under the suspicion of being a papist, and no one would buy fish.

Cecilia (St.), the patroness of musicians and “inventor of the organ.” The legend says that an angel fell in love with Cecilia for her musical skill, and nightly brought her roses from paradise. Her husband saw the angel-visitant, who gave to both a crown of martyrdom.

Thou seem st to me like the angel
That brought the immortal roses
To St. Cecilia’s bridal chamber.
   —Longfellow: The Golden Legend.

Cedric, a thane of Rotherwood, and surnamed “the Saxon.”—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Celadon and Amelia. (See Amelia, p. 35.)

(Celadon, like Chloe, Celia, Lesbia, Daphnê, etc., may be employed to signify a lady-love generally.)

Celandine, a shepherd of “various natural gifts,” in love with Marina, a neighbouring shepherdess, of enchanting beauty. Finding his “suite was quickly got, as moved,” he waxed cold and indifferent.—W. Browne: Britannia’s Pastorals (1613).

Celeno or Celæno, chief of the harpies.

There on a craggy stone
Celeno hung, and made his direful meoan.
   —Gites Fletcher: Christs Triumph [on Earth]. (1610).

Celestial City (The). Heaven is so called by John Bunyan, in his Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). Pekin, in China, is so called also.

Celestial Empire, China, so called because the first emperors were all “celestial deities:” as Puon-Ku (“highest eternity”), Tiën-Hoäng (“emperor of heaven”), Ti-Hoâng (“emperor of earth”), Gine-Hoâng (“emperor of men”), etc., embracing a period of 300,000 years. previous to To-hi, whose reign is placed B.C. 2953–2838.

CELIA, daughter of Frederick the us urping duke, and cousin of Rosalind daughter of the banished duke. When Rosalind was driven from her uncle’s court, Celia determined to go with her to the forest of Arden to seek out the banished duke, and for security sake, Rosalind dressed in boy’s clothes and cal