[146] 'Horse-tail bare:' referring to Sertorius, who told one of
his soldiers to pluck off a horse's tail at one effort. He failed, of
course. Sertorius then told another to pluck it away, hair by hair. He
succeeded; and thus Sertorius taught the lesson of hard-working, patient
perseverance.
[147] 'Gammer Gurton:' one of the first printed plays in English,
and therefore much valued by some antiquaries.
[148] 'All, by the king's example:' a line from Lord Lansdown.
[149] 'Lely:' Sir Peter, who painted Cromwell and all the
celebrities of his day.
[150] 'Ripley:' the government architect who built the Admiralty;
no favourite except with his employers.
[151] 'Van:' Vanbrugh.
[152] 'Astraea:' Miss Bolin, author of obscene, but once popular
novels.
[153] 'Old Edward's armour beams on Cibber's breast:' the
coronation of Henry VIII. and Queen Anne Boleyn, in which the
play-houses vied with each other to represent all the pomp of a
coronation. In this noble contention, the armour of one of the kings of
England was borrowed from the Tower, to dress the champion.--_P_.
[154] 'Bernini:' a great sculptor. He is said to have predicted
Charles the First's melancholy fate from a sight of his bust.
[155] 'Colonel:' Cotterel of Rousham, near Oxford.
[156] 'Blois:' a town where French is spoken with great purity.
[157] 'Sir Godfrey:' Sir Godfrey Kneller.
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