Chapter Mansur to Mardi-Gras of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(Hogarth has introduced her in his heraldic picture, “The Undertakers’ Arms.” She is the middle of the three figures at the top, the other two being Dr. Ward on the right hand of the spectator, and Dr. Taylor on the left.)

Maqueda, the queen of the South, who visited Solomon, and had by him a son named Melech.—Zaga Zabo: Ap. Damian a Goes.

Maqueda is generally called Balkis queen of Saba or Zaba.

Marcadiges , father of the lady beloved by Crampart (q.v.).—Heinrich von Alkmaar: Reynard the Fox (1498).

Marcassin (Prince). This nursery tale is from the Nights of Straporola, an Italian (sixteenth century). Translated into French in 1585.

Marcelia, the “Desdemona” of Massinger’s Duke of Milan. Sforza “the More” doted on his young bride, and Marcelia returned his love. During Sforza’s absence at the camp, Francesco, “the lord protector,” tried to seduce the young bride from her fidelity, and, failing in his purpose, accused her to the duke of wishing to play the wanton. “I laboured to divert her … urged your much love … but hourly she pursued me.” The duke, in a paroxysm of jealousy, flew on Marcelia and slew her.—Massinger: The Duke of Milan (1622).

Marcella, daughter of William a farmer. Her father and mother died while she was young, leaving her in charge of an uncle. She was “the most beautiful creature ever sent into the world,” and every bachelor who saw her fell madly in love with her, but she declined their suits. One of her lovers was Chrysostom, the favourite of the village, who died of disappointed hope, and the shepherds wrote on his tombstone: “From Chrysostom’s fate, learn to abhor Marcella, that common enemy of man, whose beauty and cruelty are both in the extreme.”—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. ii. 4, 5 (1605).

Marcellin de Peyras. The chevalier to whom the baron de Peyras gave up his estates when he retired to Grenoble. De Peyras eloped with lady Ernestine, but soon tired of her, and fell in love with his cousin Margaret, the baron’s daughter.—Stirling: The Gold-Mine or The Miller of Grenoble (1854).

Marcellina, daughter of Rocco jailer of the State prison of Seville. She fell in love with Fidelio, her father’s servant; but this Fidelio turned out to be Leonora, wife of the State prisoner Fernando Florestan.—Beethoven: Fidelio (an opera, 1791).

Marcello, in Meyerbeer’s opera of Les Huguenots, unites in marriage Valentina and Raoul (1836).

Marcello, the pseudonym of the duchess of Castiglionê Colonna, widow of the duc Charles de Castiglionê Aldiovandi. The best works of this noted sculptor are “The Gorgon,” “Marie Antoinette,” “Hecate,” and the “Pythia” in bronze. Born 1837.

Marcellus (M. Claudius), called “The Sword of Rome.” Fabius “Cunctator” was “The Shield of Rome.”

Marcellus, an officer of Denmark, to whom the ghost of the murdered king appeared before it presented itself to prince Hamlet.—Shakespeare: Hamlet (1596).

Marchioness (The), the half-starved girl-of-all-work, in the service of Sampson Brass and his sister Sally. She was so lonesome and dull, that it afforded her relief to peep at Mr. Swiveller even through the keyhole of his door. Though so dirty and ill cared for, “the marchioness” was sharp-witted and cunning. It was Mr. Swiveller who called her the “marchioness,” when she played cards with him, “because it seemed more real and pleasant” to play with a marchioness than with a domestic slavey (ch. lvii.). When Dick Swiveller was turned away and fell sick, the “marchioness” nursed him carefully, and he afterwards married her.—Dickens: The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).