Chapter Protesilaos to Public-house Signs of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

we in England should term a “Quaker of the old school.”
   The council of prud'hommes. A council of arbiters to settle disputes between masters and workmen.

Prunello Stuff. Prunello really means that woollen stuff of which common ecclesiastical gowns used to be made; it was also employed for the uppers of women's boots and shoes; everlasting. A corruption of Brignoles.

“Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow;
The rest is all but leather or prunello,”
Pope: Essay on Man, iv.

Prussia means near Russia, the country bordering on Russia. In Neo-Latin, Borussia; in Slavonic, Porussia; po in Slavonic signifying “near.”

Prussian Blue So called because it was discovered by a Prussian, viz. Diesbach, a colourman of Berlin, in 1710. It is sometimes called Berlin blue.

Prussic Acid means the acid of Prussian blue. It is now termed in science hydrocyanic acid, because it is made from a cyanide of iron.

Psalm cv. 28 The Prayer Book version is: “They were not obedient unto his word.”
   The Bible version and the new version is: “They rebelled not against his word.”

Psalms Seventy-three psalms are inscribed with David's name, twelve with that of Asaph the singer; eleven go under the name of the Sons of Korah, a family of singers; one (i.e. Ps. xc.) is attributed to Moses. The whole compilation is divided into five books: bk. 1, from i. to xli.; bk. 2, from xlii. to lxxii.; bk. 3, from lxxiii. to lxxxix.; bk. 4, from xc. to cvi.; bk. 5, from cvii. to cl.

Psalmist The sweet psalmist of Israel. King David, who composed many of the Bible Psalms. (See Psalm lxxii. 20.)

Psalter of Tara (The). It contains a narrative of the early kings of Ireland from Ollam Fodlah to B.C. 900.

“Their tribe, they said, their high degree,
Was sung in Tara's Psaltery.”
Campbell: O'Connor's Child.

Psaphon's Birds (Psaphonis aves). Puffers, flatterers. Psaphon, in order to attract the attention of the world, reared a multitude of birds, and having taught them to pronounce his name, let them fly.

“To what far region have his songs not flown,
Like Psaphon's birds, speaking their master's name.” Moore: Rhymes on the Road, iii.

Psycarpax [granary thief]. Son of Troxartas, King of the Mice. The Frog-king offered to carry the young prince over a lake, but scarcely had he got midway when a water-hydra appeared, and King Frog, to save himself, dived under water. The mouse, being thus left on the surface, was drowned, and this catastrophe brought about the battle of the Frogs and Mice.

“The soul of great Psycarpax lives in me,
Of great Troxartas' line.”
Parnell: Battle of the Frogs and Mice, i.

Psyche [Syke]. A beautiful maiden beloved by Cupid, who visited her every night, but left her at sunrise. Cupid bade her never seek to know who he was, but one night curiosity overcame her prudence, and she went to look at him. A drop of hot oil fell on his shoulder, awoke him, and he fled. Psyche next became the slave of Venus, who treated her most cruelly; but ultimately she was married to Cupid, and became immortal. Mrs. Henry Tighe has embodied in six cantos this exquisite allegory from Apuléios.
   This subject was represented by Raphael in a suite of thirty-two pictures, and numerous artists have taken the loves of Cupid and Psyche for their subject; as, for example, Canova, Gerard, Chaudet, etc. The cameo of the Duke of Marlborough is said to have been the work of Tryphon of Athens.
    Raphael's illustrations of the adventures of Psyche were engraved for a superb edition in 4to (quarto) (De la Fable de Psyche), published by Henri Didot.

“Fair Psyche, kneeling at the ethereal throne,
Warmed the fond bosom of unconquered love.”
Darwin: Economy of Vegetation, iv.

Psychography Spirit-writing; writing said by spiritualists to be done by spirits.