Chapter Driver of Europe to Dry-as-Dust of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Druid (The), the pseudonym of Henry Dixon, sportsman and sporting writer. One of his books, called Steeplechasing, appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine. His last work was called The Saddle and Surloin.

Collins calls James Thomson (author of The Seasons) a druid, meaning a pastoral British poet or “Nature’s High Priest.”

In yonder grave a Druid lies.
   —Collins (1746).

Druid (Dr.), a man of North Wales, 65 years of age, the travelling tutor of lord Abberville, who was only 23. The octor is a pedant and antiquary, choleric in temper, and immensely bigoted, wholly without any knowledge of the human heart, or indeed any practical knowledge at all.

“Money and trade, I scorn ’em both; … I have traced the Oxus and the Po, traversed the Riphæan Mountains, and pierced into the inmost tesarts of Kilmuc Tartary. … I have followed the ravages of Kouli Chan with rapturous delight. There is a land of wonders; finely depopulated; gloriously laid waste; fields without a hoof to tread ’em; fruits without a hand to gather ’em; with such a catalogue of pats, peetles, serpents, scorpions, caterpillars, toads, and putterflies! Oh, ’tis a recreating contremplation indeed to a philosophic mind!”—Cumberland: The Fashionable Lover (1780).

Druid Money, a promise to pay on the Greek Kalends. Patricius says, “Druidæ pecuniam mutuo accipiebant in posteriore vita reddituri.”

Like money by the Druids borrowed,
In th’ other world to be restorëd.
   —S. Butler: Hudibras, iii. 1 (1678).

Purchas tells us of certain priests of Pekin, “who barter with the people upon bills of exchange, to be paid in heaven a hundredfold.”—Pilgrims, iii. 2.

Drum (Jack). Jack Drum’s entertainment is giving a guest the cold shoulder. Shakespeare calls it “John Drum’s entertainment” (All’s Well, etc., act iii. sc. 6); and Holinshed speaks of “Tom Drum his entertaynement, which is to hale a man in by the heade, and thrust him out by both the shoulders.”

In faith, good gentlemen, I think we shall be forced to give you right John Drum’s entertainment.—Introduction to Jack Drum’s Entertainment (1601).

Drummle (Bentley) and Startop, two young men who read with Mr. Pocket. Drummle was a surly, illconditioned fellow, who married Estella, Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter, wasted all her money, and left her a penniless widow.—Dickens: Great Expectations (1860).

Drunk. The seven phases of drunkenness are: (1) Ape-drunk, when men make fools of themselves in their cups; (2) Lion-drunk, when men want to fight with every one; (3) Swine-drunk, when men puke, etc.; (4) Sleep-drunk, when men get heavy and sleepy in their cups; (5) Martin-drunk, when men become boastful in their cups; (6) Goat-drunk, when men become amorous; (7) Fox-drunk, when men become crafty in their cups.

Drunken Parliament, a Scotch parliament assembled at Edinburgh, January 1, 1661.

It was a mad, warring time, full of extravagance; and no wonder it was so, when the men of affairs were almost perpetually drunk.—Burnet: His Own Time (1723–34).

Druon “the Stern,” one of the four knights who attacked Britomart and sir Scudamore .

The warlike dame [Britomart] was on her part assaid
By Claribel and Blandamour at one;
While Paridel and Druon fiercely laid
On Scudamore, both his professed fone [foes].
   —Spenser: Faërie Quene, iv. 9 (1596).