Sterne (1713-1768) and Thomas Amory (1699-1788) have also been so called.
Rabelais (The Modern), William Maginn (1794-1842).
Rabelais of Germany, J. Fischart, called “Mentzer” (1550-1614).
Rabelais’s Poison. Rabelais, being at a great distance from Paris, and without money to pay his hotel bill or his fare, made up three small packets of brick-dust. One he labelled “Poison for the king,” another, “Poison for monsieur,” and the third, “Poison for the dauphin.” The landlord instantly informed against this “poisoner,” and the secretary of state removed him at once to Paris. When, however, the joke was found out, it ended only in a laugh.—Spectator (“Art of Growing Rich”).
Rab´ican or Rabica´no, the horse of Astolpho. Its sire was Wind and its dam Fire. It fed on human food. The word means “short tail.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).
*** Argalia’s horse is called by the same name in Orlando Innamorato (1495).
Rabisson, a vagabond tinker and knife-grinder. He was the only person who knew about “the gold-mine” left to the “miller of Grenoble.” Rabisson was murdered for his secret by Eusebe Noel, the schoolmaster of Bout des Monde.—E. Stirling, The Gold Mine, or Miller of Grenoble (1854).
Rab´sheka (in the Bible Rabshakeh), in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for Sir Thomas Player (2 Kings xviii.).
Next him let railing Rabsheka have place—
So full of zeal, he has no need of grace.
Pt. ii. (1682).
Raby (Aurora), a rich young English orphan, Catholic in religion, of virgin modesty, “a rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded.” She was staying in the house of Lord and Lady Amundeville during the parliamentary vacation. Here Don Juan, “as Russian envoy,” was also a guest, with several others. Aurora Raby is introduced in canto xv., and crops up here and there in the two remaining cantos; but, as the tale was never finished, it is not possible to divine what part the beautiful and innocent girl was designed by the poet to play. Probably Don Juan, having sowed his “wild oats,” might become a not unfit match for the beautiful orphan.—Byron, Don Juan (1824).