rly, lord Clifford was called "The Black Lord Clifford" for his
cruelties (died 1461). George Petrowitsch was called by the Turks
"Black George" from the terror of his name. The countess of March was
called "Black Agnes" from the terror of her deeds, and not (as sir W.
Scott says) from her dark complexion. Similarly, "The Black Sea,"
or Axinus, as the Greeks once called it, received its name from the
inhospitable character of the Scythians.

BLACK'ACRE (_Widow_), a masculine, litigious, pettifogging, headstrong
woman.--Wycherly, _The Plain Dealer_ (1677).

BLACKCHESTER (_The countess of_), sister of lord Dalgarno.--Sir W.
Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

BLACKGUARDS (Victor Hugo says), soldiers condemned for some offence
in discipline to wear their red coats (which were lined with black)
inside out. The French equivalent, he says, is _Blaqueurs.--L'Homme
qui Rit_, II. in. 1.

It is quite impossible to believe this to be the true derivation of
the word. Other suggestions will be found in the _Dictionary of Phrase
and Fable_.

BLACKLESS (_Tomalin_), a soldier in the guard of Richard Coeur de
Lion.--Sir W. Scott, _The Talisman_ (time, Richard I.).

BLACKMANTLE (_Bernard_), Charles Molloy Westmacott, author of _The
English Spy_ (1826).

BLACK'POOL (_Stephen_), a power-loom weaver in Bounderby's mill at
Coketown. He had a knitted brow and pondering expression of face, was
a man of the strictest integrity, refused to join the strike, and was
turned out of the mill. When Tom Gradgrind robbed the bank of L150, he
threw suspicion on Stephen Blackpool, and while Stephen was hastening
to Coketown to vindicate himself he fell into a shaft, known as "the
Hell Shaft," and although rescued, died on a litter. Stephen Blackpool
loved Rachael, one of the hands, but had already a drunken, worthless
wife.--C. Dickens, _Hard Times_ (1854).

BLACKSMITH (_The Flemish_), Quentin Matsys, the Dutch painter
(1460-1529).

_Blacksmith_ (_The Learned_), Elihu Burritt, United States
(1810-1879).

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. The vignette on the wrapper of this magazine is
meant for George Buchanan, the Scotch historian and poet (1506-1582).
He is the representative of Scottish literature generally.

The magazine originated in 1817 with William Blackwood of Edinburgh,
publisher.

BLAD'DERSKATE (_Lord_) and lord Kaimes, the two judges in Peter
Peeble's lawsuit.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

BLADE O' GRASS,