and then, producing the hat, found it was
Richard's. Her senses gave way, and she became a confirmed maniac for
life.--R. Southey, _Mary, the Maid of the Inn_ (from Dr. Plot's _History
of Staffordshire_, 1686).
=Mary Pyncheon.= (See PYNCHEON.)
=Mary Woodcock.= (See WOODCOCK.)
=Mar'zavan=, foster-brother of the Princess Badou'ra.--_Arabian Nights_
("Camaralzaman and Badoura").
=Masaniello=, a corruption of [Tom]maso Aniello, a Neapolitan fisherman,
who headed an insurrection in 1647 against the duke of Arcos; and he
resolved to kill the duke's son for having seduced Fenella, his sister,
who was deaf and dumb. The insurrection succeeded, and Masaniello was
elected by his rabble "chief magistrate of Portici;" but he became
intoxicated with his greatness, so the mob shot him, and flung his dead
body into a ditch. Next day, however, it was taken out and interred with
much ceremony and pomp. When Fenella heard of her brother's death, she
threw herself into the crater of Vesuvius.
[Asterism] Auber has an opera on the subject (1831), the libretto by
Scribe. Caraffa had chosen the same subject for an opera previously.
=Mascarille= (3 _syl._), the valet of La Grange. In order to reform two
silly, romantic girls, La Grange and Du Croisy introduce to them their
valets, as the "marquis of Mascarille" and the "viscount of Jodelet."
The girls are taken with their "aristocratic visitors;" but when the
game has gone far enough, the masters enter and unmask the trick. By
this means the girls are taught a most useful lesson, and are saved from
any serious ill consequences.--Moli[`e]re, _Les Pr['e]cieuses Ridicules_
(1659).
[Asterism] Moli[`e]re had already introduced the same name in two other of
his comedies, _L'Etourdi_ (1653) and _Le D['e]pit Amoureux_ (1654).
=Masetto=, a rustic engaged to Zerl[=i]na; but Don Giovanni intervenes
before the wedding, and deludes the foolish girl into believing that he
means to make her a great lady and his wife.--Mozart, _Don Giovanni_
(libretto by L. da Ponte, 1787).
=Mask'well=, the "double dealer." He pretends to love Lady Touchwood, but
it is only to make her a tool for breaking the attachment between
Mellefont (2 _syl._) and Cynthia. Maskwell pretends friendship for
Mellefont merely to throw dust in his eyes respecting his designs to
carry off Cynthia, to whom Mellefont is betrothed. Cunning and hypocrisy
are Maskwell's substitutes for wisdom and honesty.--W. Congr
|