Preciosa, the heroine of Longfellow’s Spanish Student, in love with Victorian, the student.
Precocious Genius.
Johann Philip Baratier, a German, at the age of five years, knew Greek, Latin, and French, besides his native German. At nine he knew Hebrew and Chaldaic, and could translate German into Latin. At thirteen he could translate Hebrew into French, or French into Hebrew (1721-1740).
*** The life of this boy was written by Formey. His name is enrolled in all biographical dictionaries.
Christian Henry Heinecken, at one year old, knew the chief events of the Pentatauch!! at thirteen months he knew the history of the Old Testament!! at fourteen months he knew the history of the New Testament!! at two and a half years he could answer any ordinary question of history or geography; and at three years old knew French and Latin as well as his native German (1721-1725).
*** The life of this boy was written by Schœneich, his teacher. His name is duly noticed in biographical dictionaries.
Pressæus (“eater of garlic”), the youngest of the frog chieftains.
The pious ardor young Pressæus brings,
Betwixt the fortunes of contending kings;
Lank, harmless frog! with forces hardly grown,
He darts the reed in combats not his own,
Which, faintly tinkling on Troxartas’ shield,
Hangs at the point and drops upon the field.
Parnell, Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).
Prest, a nickname given by Swift to the duchess of Shrewsbury, who was a foreigner.
Prester John, a corruption of Belul Gian, meaning “precious stone.” Gian (pronounced zjon) has been corrupted into John, and Belul, translated into “precious;” in Latin Johannes preciosus (“precious John”) corrupted into “Presbyter Joannes.” The kings of Ethiopia or Abyssinia, from a gemmed ring given to Queen Saba, whose son by Solomon was king of Ethiopia, and was called Melech, with the “precious stone,” or Melech Gian-Belul.