Raymond (Sir Charles), a country gentleman, the friend and neighbor of Sir Robert Belmont.
Colonel Raymond, son of Sir Charles, in love with Rosetta Belmont. Being diffident and modest, Rosetta delights in tormenting him, and he is jealous even of William Faddle “a fellow made up of knavery, noise and impudence.”
Harriet Raymond, daughter of Sir Charles, whose mother died in giving her birth. She was committed to the care of a gouvernante, who changed her name to Fidelia, wrote to Sir Charles to say that she was dead, and sold her at the age of 12 to a villain named Villard. Charles Belmont, hearing her cries of distress, rescued her and took her home. The gouvernante at death confessed the truth, and Charles Belmont married her.—Edward Moore, The Foundling (1748).
Raz´eka, the giver of food, one of the four gods of the Adites (2 syl.).
We called on Razeka for food.
Southey, Thalaba, the Destroyer, i. 24 (1797).
Razor, a barber who could “think of nothing but old England.” He was the friend and neighbor of Quidnunc, the upholsterer, who was equally crazy about the political state of the nation, and the affairs of Europe in general.—Murphy, The Upholsterer (1758).
Razor (To cut blocks with a). Oliver Goldsmith said of Edward Burke, the statesman.
Too deep for his hearers, he went on refining,
And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining:
Tho’ equal to all things, to all things unfit;
Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit;
For a patriot too cool; for a drudge disobedient;
And too fond of the right to pursue the expedient.
In short, ’twas his fate, unemployed or in place, sir,
To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor.
Retaliation (1774.)
Read (Sir William), a tailor, who set up for oculist, and was knighted by Queen Anne. This quack was employed both by Queen Anne and George I. Sir William could not read. He professed to cure wens, wry-necks, and hare-lips (died 1715).
None shall their rise to merit owe—
That popish doctrine is exploded quite,
Or Ralph had been no duke, and Read no knight.
A Political Squib of the Period.