Chapter Mungo to Musketeer of M by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Mungo to Musketeer

Mungo, a black slave of don Diego.

Dear heart, what a terrible life am I led!
A dog has a better dat’s sheltered and fed …
Mungo here, Mungo dere,
Mungo everywhere …
Me wish to de Lord me was dead.

Bickerstaff: The Padlock (1768).

Mungo (St.), that is St. Kentigern. Mungo = lovable friend, and is a pet name.

Murat (The Russian), Michael Miloradowitch (1770–1820).

Murdstone (Edward), the second husband of Mrs. Copperfield. His character was “firmness,” that is, an unbending self-will, which rendered the young life of David intolerably wretched.

Jane Murdstone, sister of Edward, as hard and heartless as her brother. Jane Murdstone became the companion of Dora Spenlow, and told Mr. Spenlow of David’s love for Dora, hoping to annoy David. At the death of Mr. Spenlow, Jane returned to live with her brother.—Dickens: David Copperfield (1849).

Murray or Moray (The bonnie earl of), was son-in-law of James Stuart. He is called the “Good Regent,” and was named Moray by special creation, in right of his wife. The Regent, born 1531, was a natural son of James V. of Scotland by Margaret daughter of John lord Erskine. He joined the reform party in 1556, was an accomplice in the murder of Rizzio, and was himself assassinated, in 1570, at Linlithgow, by Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh. His son-in-law, the bonnie earl, was, according to an ancient ballad, “the queen’s love,” i.e. queen Anne of Denmark, daughter of Frederick II., and wife of James I. of England. It is said that James, being jealous of the handsome earl, instigated the earl of Huntly to murder him (1592).

Introduced by Scott in The Monastery and The Abbot (time, Elizabeth).

Murray (John), of Broughton, secretary to Charles Edward, the Young Pretender. He turned king’s evidence, and revealed all the circumstances which gave rise to the rebellion, and the persons most active in its organization.

If crimes like these hereafter are forgiven,
Judas and Murray both may go to heaven.

Jacobite Relics, ii. 374.

Murrey (Dolly), who dies playing cards.—Crabbe: Borough (1810).

Musæus, the poet (B.C. 1410), author of the elegant tale of Leander and Hero. Virgil places him in the Elysian fields, attended by a vast multitude of ghosts, Musæus being taller by a head than any of them (Æneid, vi. 677).

Swarm … as the infernal spirits
On sweet Musæus when he came to hell.

Marlow: Dr. Faustus (1590).

Muscadins of Paris, Paris exquisites, who aped the London cockneys in the first French Revolution. Their dress consisted of top-boots with thick soles, knee-breeches, a dress-coat with long tails and high stiff collar, and a thick cudgel called a constitution. It was thought John Bull-like to assume a huskiness of voice, a discourtesy of manners, and a swaggering vulgarity of speech and behaviour.

Cockneys of London! Muscadins of Paris!

Byron: Don Juan, viii. 124 (1824).