absence
Filippo, the false friend of her lover, weds her. The betrayed friend
on learning the truth kills Filippo, and is ever afterwards haunted by
his dying face (1824).

_Bian'ca_, a courtesan, the "almost" wife of Cassio. Iago, speaking of
the lieutenant, says:

And what was he?
Forsooth a great arithmetician.
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife.

Shakespeare, _Othello_, act i. sc. I (1611).

_Bian'ca_, wife of Fazio. When her husband wantons with the
marchioness Aldabella, Bianca, out of jealousy, accuses him to the
duke of Florence of being privy to the death of Bartol'do, an old
miser. Fazio being condemned to death, Bianca repents of her rashness,
and tries to save her husband, but not succeeding, goes mad and
dies.--Dean Milman, _Fazio_ (1815).

BIBBET (_Master_), secretary to major-general Harrison, one of the
parliamentary commissioners.--Sir W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (time,
Commonwealth).

BIBBIE'NA (_Il_), cardinal Bernardo, who resided at Bibbiena, in
Tuscany. He was the author of _Calandra_, a comedy (1470-1520).

"BIBLE" BUTLER, _alias_ Stephen Butler, grandfather of Reuben Butler,
the presbyterian minister (married to Jeanie Deans).--Sir W. Scott,
_Heart of Midlothian_ (time, George II.).

BIB'LIS, a woman who fell in love with her brother Caunus, and was
changed into a fountain near Mile'tus.--Ovid, _Met_. ix. 662.

Not that [_fountain_] where Biblis dropt, too fondly light,
Her tears and self may dare compare with this.

Phin. Fletcher, _The Purple Island_, v. (1633).

BIB'ULUS, a colleague of Julius Caesar, but a mere cipher in office;
hence his name became a household word for a nonentity.

BIC'KERSTAFF (_Isaac_), a pseudonym of dean Swift, assumed in the
paper-war with Partridge, the almanac-maker, and subsequently adopted
by Steele in _The Tatler_, which was announced as edited by "Isaac
Bickerstaff, Esq., astrologer."

BICKERTON (_Mrs._), landlady of the Seven Stars inn of York, where
Jeanie Deans stops on her way to London, whither she is going to plead
for her sister's pardon.--Sir W. Scott, _Heart of Midlothian_ (time,
George II.).

BID'DENDEN MAIDS (_The_), two sisters named Mary and Elizabeth
Chulkhurst, born at Biddenden in 1100. They were joined together by
the shoulders and hips, and lived to the age of thirty-four. Some say
that it was Mary and Elizabeth Chulkhurst who left twenty acres of
land to the poor of Biddenden.