Chapter Orloff Diamond to Orsini of O by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Orloff Diamond to Orsini

Orloff Diamond (The), the third largest cut diamond in the world, set in the top of the Russian sceptre. The weight of this magnificent diamond is 194 carats, and its size is that of a pigeon’s egg. It was once one of the eyes of the idol Sheringham, in the temple of Brahma; came into the hands of the shah Nadir; was stolen by a French grenadier and sold to an English seacaptain for £2000; the captain sold it to a Jew for £12,000; it next passed into the hands of Shafras; and in 1775 Catherine II. of Russia gave for it £90,000. (See Diamonds, p. 277.)

Ormandine , the necromancer who threw St. David into an enchanted sleep for seven years, from which he was reclaimed by St. George.—R. Johnson: The Seven Champions of Christendom, i. 9 (1617).

Orme (Victor), a poor gentleman in love with Elsie.—Wybert Reeve: Parted.

Ormond (The duke of), a privy councillor of Charles II.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

(Maria Edgeworth published, in 1817, two novels together, one called Harrington and the other Ormond. The title Harrington and Ormond is misleading.)

Ormston (Jock), a sheriff’s officer at Fairport.—Sir W. Scott: The Antiquary (time, George III.).

Ormus (Wealth of), diamonds. The island Ormus, in the Persian Gulf, is a mart for these precious stones.

High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, ii. 1 (1665).

Ornithology (The father of), George Edwards (1693–1773).

Oromazes , the principle of good in Persian mythology. Same as Vezad (q.v.).

Oroondates , only son of a Scythian king, whose love for Statira (widow of Alexander the Great) led him into numerous dangers and difficulties, which, however, he surmounted.—La Calprenède: Cassandra (a romance).

Oroonoko (Prince), son and heir of the king of Angola, and general of the forces. He was de coyed by captain Driver aboard his ship; his suite of twenty men were made drunk with rum; the ship we ighed anchor; and the prince, with all his men, were sold as slaves in one of the West Indian Islands. Here Oroonoko met Imoinda , his wife, from whom he had been separated, and who he thought was dead. He headed a rising of the slaves, and the lieutenant-governor tried to seduce Imoinda. The result was that Imoinda killed herself, and Oroonoko slew first the lieutenant-governor and then himself. Mrs. Aphra Behn became acquainted with the prince at Surinam, and made the story of his life the basis of a novel, which Thomas Southern dramatized (1696).

Jack Bannister [1760–1836] began his career in tragedy. … Garrick … asked him what character he wished to play next. “Why,” said Bannister, “I was thinking of ‘Oroonoko.’ “Eh, eh!” exclaimed David, staring at Bannister, who was very thin; “you will look as much like ‘Oroonoko’ as a chimney-sweeper in consumption,”—Campbell.

Orozembo, a brave and dauntless old Peruvian. When captured and brought before the Spanish invaders, Orozembo openly defied them, and refused to give any answer to their questions (act i. 1).—Sheridan: Pizarro (altered from Kotzebue, 1799).

Orpas, o nce archbishop of Seville. At the overthrow of the Gothic kingdom in Spain, Orpas joined the Moors and turned Moslem. Of all th e renegades “the foulest and the falsest wretch was he that eer renounced his baptism.” He wished to marry Florinda, daughter of count Julian, in order to secure “her wide domains;” but Florinda loathed him. In the Moorish council, Orpas advised Abulcacem to cut off count Julian, “whose power but served him for fresh treachery, false to Roderick first, and to the caliph