Peter Plymley’s Letters, attributed to the Rev. Sydney Smith (1769-1845).
Peter Porcupine, William Cobbett, when he was a tory. He brought out Peter Porcupine’s Gazette, The Porcupine Papers, etc. (1762-1835).
Peter Wilkins, the hero of a tale of adventures, by Robert Pultock, of Clifford’s Inn. His “flying woman” (gawreys) suggested to Southey the “glendoveer” in The Curse of Kehama.
Peter of Provence and the Fair Magalo´na, the chief characters of a French romance so called. Peter comes into possession of Merlin’s wooden horse.
Peter the Great of Egypt, Mehemet Ali (1768-1848.
Peter the Hermit, a gentleman of Amiens, who renounced the military life for the religious. He preached up the first crusade, and put himself at the head of 100,000 men, all of whom, except a few stragglers, perished at Nicea.
He is introduced by Tasso in Jerusalem Delivered (1575); and by Sir W. Scott in Count Robert of Paris, a novel laid in the time of Rufus. A statue was erected to him at Amiens in 1854.
Peter, the Wild Boy, a savage discovered in November, 1725, in the forest of Hertswold, Hanover. He walked on all fours, climbed trees like a monkey, ate grass and other herbage. Efforts were made to reclaim him, but without success. He died February, 1785.
Peter’s Gate (St.), the gate of purgatory, guarded by an angel stationed there by St. Peter. Virgil conducted Dantê through hell and purgatory, and Beatrice was his guide through the planetary spheres. Dantê says to the Mantuan bard:
... lead me,
That I St. Peter’s gate may view ...
Onward he moved, I close his steps pursued.
Dantê, Hell, i. (1300).