Chapter Orelio to ORION of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Oriana, the fair, brilliant, and witty “chaser” of the “wild goose” Mirabel, to whom she is betrothed, and whose wife she ultimately becomes.—Fletcher: The Wild-goose Chase (1652).

Oriana, the ward of old Mirabel, and bound by cont ract to her guardian’s son whom she loves. Young Mirabel shilly-shallies, till he gets into trouble wi th Lamorce , and is in danger of being murdered, when Oriana, dressed as a page, rescues him. He then declares that his “inconstancy has had a lesson,” and he marries the lady.—Farquhar: The Inconstant (1702).

Oriana, in Tennyson’s ballad so called, “stood on the castle wall,” to see her spouse, a Norland chief, fight. A foeman went between “the chief and the wall,” and discharged an arrow, which, glancing aside, pierced the lady’s heart and killed her. The ballad is the lamentation of the chief on the death of his bride (1830).

Oriande , a fay who lived at Rosefleur, and brought up Maugis d’Aygremont. When her protégé grew up, she loved him, “d’un si grand amour, qu’elle doute fort qu’il ne se departe d’avecques elle.”—Romance de Maugis d’Aygremont et de Vivian son Frère.

Oriel, a fairy, whose empire lay along the banks of the Thames, when king Oberon held his court in Kensington Gardens.—Tickell: Kensington Gardens (1686–1740).

Oriental Tales, by le comte de Caylus (1740): French. There is an English version.

Oriflamme, the banner of St. Denis. When the counts of Vexin became possessed of the abbey, the banner passed into their hands; and when, in 1082, Philippe I. united Vexin to the crown, the oriflamme or sacred banner belonged to France. In 1119 it was first used as a national banner. It consists of a crimson silk flag, mounted on a gilt staff (un glaive tout doré oú est atachié une banière vermeille). The loose end is cut into three wavy vandykes, to represent tongues of flame, and a silk tassel is hung at each cleft. In war the display of this standard indicates that no quarter will be given. The English standard of no quarter was the “burning dragon.”

Raoul de Presle says the oriflamme was used in the time of Charlemagne, being the gift of the patriarch of Jerusalem. We are told that all infidels were blinded who looked on it. Froissart says it was displayed at the battle of Rosbecq, in the reign of Charles VI., and “no sooner was it unfurled, than the fog cleared away, and the sun shone on the French alone.”

I have not reared the Oriflamme of death.
… me it behoves
To spare the fallen foe.
   —Southey: Joan of Arc, viii. 621, etc. (1837).

Origilla, the lady-love of Gryphon brother of Aquilant. But the faithless fair one took up with Martano, a most impudent boaster and a coward. Being at Damascus during a tournament in which Gryphon was the victor, Martano stole the armour of Gryphon, arrayed himself in it, took the prizes, and then decamped with the lady. Aquilant happened to see them, bound them, and took them back to Damascus, where Martano was hanged, and the lady kept in bondage for the judgment of Lucina.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

Origin of Species (The), by “Means of Natural Selection,” by Charles R. Darwin (1859). The object is to show the preservation of the strongest in the struggle of life. Those animals die off which are unable to bear up against this struggle, and those animals continue their species which are best able to overcome the difficulties of the battle of life. From birth there is in many cases a considerable difference, and if this difference is perpetuated it constitutes a species.

There can be no doubt that such an animal as the fox owes its species to the dog and some other animal. Many of the bird tribe are manifestly cross-breeds.