Chapter Valerian to Vatican of V by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

day, but by night, especially at full moon, wanders about. Sir W. Scott, in his Rokeby (part iii. chap. ii. s. 3) alludes to the superstition, and Lord Byron in his Giaour says,

“But first on earth, as vampire sent,
Thy corse shall from the tomb be rent,
Then ghastly haunt thy native place
And suck the blood of all thy race.”

Van of an army is the French avant, but van, a winnowing machine, is the Latin vannus, our fan.
   The Spirit of the Van. A sort of fairy which haunts the Van Pools in the mountains of Carmarthen on New Year's Eve. She is dressed in white, girded with a golden girdle; her golden hair is very long, and she sits in a golden boat, which she urges along with a golden oar. A young farmer fell in love with her and married her, but she told him if he struck her thrice she would quit him for ever. After a time they were invited to a christening, and in the midst of the ceremony she burst into tears. Her husband struck her, and asked why she made such a fool of herself. “I weep,” she said, “to see the poor babe brought into a vale of misery and tears.” They were next invited to the funeral of the same child, and she could not resist laughing. Her husband struck her again, and asked the same question. “I laugh,” she said, “to think how joyous a thing it is that the child has left a world of sin for a world of joy and innocence.” They were next invited to a wedding, where the bride was young and the man advanced in years. Again she wept, and said aloud. “It is the devil's compact. The bride has sold herself for gold.” Her husband bade her hold her peace, struck her, and she vanished for ever from his sight. (Welsh mythology.)
Van (pl. Vanir), in Scandinavian mythology. Gods of the ocean, air, fountains, and streams.

Vandal One who destroys beautiful objects to make way for what he terms “improvements,” or to indulge his own caprice. When Genseric with his Vandals captured Rome in A.D. 455, he mutilated the public monuments regardless of their worth or beauty.

“The word `vandalism' was invented by the Abbé Grégoire, à propos of the destruction of works of art by revolutionary fanatics.”- Nineteenth Century (Aug., 1893, p. 272).

Vandyck The Vandyck of sculpture. Antoine Coysevox (1640-1720).
   The English Vandyck. William Dobson, painter (1610-1647).

Vandyke (2 syl.). To scollop an edge after the fashion of the collars painted by Vandyck in the reign of Charles I. The scolloped edges are said to be vandyked.

Vanessa is Miss Esther Vanhomrigh, and Cadenus is Dean Swift. While he was still married to Stella [Miss Hester Johnson, whose tutor he had been] Miss Vanhomrigh fell in love with him, and requested him to marry her, but the dean refused. The proposal became known to his wife (?), and both the ladies died soon afterwards. Hester Johnson was called Stella by a pun upon the Greek aster, which resembles Hester in sound, and means a “star.” Miss Vanhomrigh was called Vanessa by compounding Van, the first syllable of her name, with Essa, the pet form of Esther. Cadenus is simply decanus (dean) slightly transposed.

Vanity Fair A fair established by Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, for the sale of all sorts of vanities. It was held in the town of Vanity, and lasted all the year round. Here were sold houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts. (Bunyan: Pilgrim's Progress, pt. i.)

Vanoc Son of Merlin, one of Arthur's Round-Table Knights.

“Young Vanoc of the beardless face
(Fame spoke the youth of Merlin's race),
O'erpowered at Gyneth's footstool, bled,
His heart's blood dyed her sandals red.”
Sir Walter Scott: Bridal of Triermain, ii. 25.

Vantage Loaf The thirteenth loaf of a baker's dozen.