Wheresoe’er them art in this world’s globe,
I’ll have an Iris that shall find thee out.
Shakespeare, 2 Henry VI, act v. sc. 2 (1591).
Iris and the Dying. One of the duties of Iris was to cut off a lock of hair (claimed by Proserpine) from those devoted to death, and till this was done, Death refused to accept the victim. Thus, when Dido mounted the funeral pile, she lingered in suffering till Iris was sent by Juno to cut off a lock of her hair as an offering to the black queen, but immediately this was done her spirit left the body. Than´atos did the same office to Alcestis when she gave her life for that of her husband. In all sacrifices, a forelock was first cut from the head of the victim an an offering to Proserpine.—See Euripides, Alcestis; Virgil, Æneid, iv.
Iris. Daughter of an old Latin tutor. Of her mother it is said—“Seated with her companion at the chess-board of matrimony, she had but just pushed forward her one little white pawn upon an empty square, when the Black Knight, who cares nothing for castles, or kings or queens, swooped down upon her and swept her from the larger board of life.” The child’s father lingered but a little while longer, and the little Iris lived with a village spinster and went to a village school. All the same, the artistic principle grew and prevailed with her, and she became painter and poet.—Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Professor at the Breakfast-Table (1853).
Irish Whiskey Drinker (The), John Sheehan, a barrister, who with “Everard Olive of Tipperary Hall,” [Hall,” ]wrote a series of pasquinades in verse, which were published in Bentley’s Miscellany, in 1846, and attracted considerable attention.
Irish Widow (The), a farce by Garrick (1757). Martha Brady, a blooming young widow of 23, is in love with William Whittle, the nephew of old Thomas Whittle, a man 63 years of age. It so happens that William cannot touch his property without his uncle’s consent, so the lovers scheme together to obtain it. The widow pretends to be in love with the old man, who proposes to her and is accepted; but she now comes out in a new character, as a loud, vulgar, rollicking, extravagant low Irishwoman. Old Whittle is thoroughly frightened, and not only gets his nephew to take the lady off his hands, but gives him £5000 for doing so.
Irol´do, the friend of Prasildo, of Babylon. Prasildo falls in love with Tisbi´na, his friend’s wife, and, to escape infamy, Iroldo and Tisbina take “poison.” Prasildo, hearing from the apothecary that the supposed poison is innocuous, goes and tells them so, whereupon Iroldo is so struck with his friend’s generosity that he quits Babylon, leaving Tisbina to Prasildo. Subsequently Iroldo’s life is in peril, and Prasildo saves his friend at the hazard of his own life.—Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato (1495).
Irolit´a, a princess, in love with Prince Parcĭnus, her cousin. The fairy Dan´amo wanted Parcinus to marry her daughter Az´ira, and therefore tried to marry Irolita to Brutus; but her plans were thwarted, for Parcinus married Irolita, and Brutus married Azira.—D’Aunoy, Perfect Love.
Iron Arm. Captain François de Lanoue, a Huguenot, was called Bras de Fer. He died at the siege of Lamballe (1531-1591).