ng Arthur_, ii. 119-125
(1470).

AL'ISON, the young wife of John, a rich old miserly carpenter.
Absolon, a priggish parish clerk, paid her attention, but she herself
loved a poor scholar named Nicholas, lodging in her husband's house.
Fair she was, and her body lithe as a weasel. She had a rouguish eye,
small eyebrows, was "long as a mast and upright as a bolt," more
"pleasant to look on than a flowering pear tree," and her skin "was
softer than the wool of a wether."--Chaucer, "The Miller's Tale,"
_Canterbury Tales_, (1388).

_Al'ison_, in sir W. Scott's _Kenilworth_, is an old domestic in the
service of the earl of Leicester at Cumnor Place.

AL'KEN, an old shepherd, who instructs Robin Hood's men how to find a
witch, and how she is to be hunted.--Ben Jonson, _The Sad Shepherd_
(1637).

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, a comedy by Shakespeare (1598). The hero
and heroine are Bertram of Rousillon, and Hel'ena a physician's
daughter, who are married by the command of the king of France, but
part because Bertram thought the lady not sufficiently well-born for
him. Ultimately, however, all ends well.--(See HELENA.)

The story of this play is from Painter's _Gilletta of Narbon_.

ALL THE TALENTS Administration, formed by lord Grenville, in 1806, on
the death of William Pitt. The members were lord Grenville, the earl
Fitzwilliam, viscount Sidmouth, Charles James Fox, earl Spencer,
William Windham, lord Erskine, sir Charles Grey, lord Minto, lord
Auckland, lord Moira, Sheridan, Richard Fitzpatrick, and lord
Ellenborough. It was dissolved in 1807.

On "all the talents" vent your venal spleen.

Byron, _English Bards and Scotch Reviewers_.

ALLAN, lord of Ravenswood, a decayed Scotch nobleman.--Sir W. Scott,
_The Bride of Lammermoor_ (time, William III.).

_Al'lan (Mrs.)_, colonel Mannering's housekeeper at Woodburne.--Sir W.
Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).

_Al'lan_ [Breck Cameron], the sergeant sent to arrest Hamish Bean
McTavish, by whom he is shot. Sir W. Scott, _The Highland Widow_
(time, George II.).

ALLAN-A-DALE, one of Robin Hood's men, introduced by sir W. Scott in
_Ivanhoe_. (See ALLIN-A-DALE.)

ALLAN QUARTERMAIN, hunter and traveller whose adventures are recorded
in _She, King Solomon's Mines_, and _Allan Quartermain_, by W. Rider
Haggard (1886-1891).

ALLE'GRE (3 _syl_.), the faithful servant of Philip Chabot. When
Chabot was accused of treason, Allegre was put to the rack to make him
con