Reutner (Karl), young German, serving in the Federal army, finds, on the Gettysburg battle-field, a four-leafed clover, and waves it in the air. The gesture attracts a sharp-shooter, and Reutner falls insensible. He is taken from hospital to prison, and languishes for weeks, in delirium, all the while haunted by a vision of a woman, dark-eyed and beautiful, who brings him handfuls of four-leaved clover. When he reaches home, he recognizes her in Margaret Warren, a guest in his father’s house. The betrothal-ring bears a four-leaved clover of green enamel, set in diamonds.—Helen Hunt Jackson, A Four-Leaved Clover (1886).
Rev´eller (Lady), cousin of Valeria, the blue-stocking. Lady Reveller is very fond of play, but ultimately gives it up, and is united to Lord Worthy.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Basset Table (1706).
Revenge (The), a tragedy by Edward Young (1721). (For the plot, see Zanga.)
Revenge (The), the ship under the command of Sir Richard Grenville, anchored at Flores, in the Azores, when a fleet of fifty-three Spanish ships hove in sight. Lord Thomas Howard, with six men-of-war, sailed off; but Sir Richard stood his ground. He had only a hundred men, but with this crew and his one ship, he encountered the Spanish fleet. The fight was very obstinate. Some of the Spanish ships were sunk, and many shattered; but Sir Richard at length was wounded, and the surgeon shot while dressing the wound. “Sink the ship, master gunner!” cried Sir Richard; “sink the ship, and let her not fall into the hands of Spain!” But the crew were obliged to yield, and Sir Richard died. The Spaniards were amazed at Grenville’s pluck, and gave him all honors, as they cast his body into the sea. The Revenge was then manned by Spaniards, but never reached the Spanish coast, for it was wrecked in a tempest, and went down with all hands aboard.—Tennyson, The Revenge, a ballad of the fleet (1878).
*** This sea-fight is the subject of one of Froude’s essays.
Canon Kingsley has introduced it in Westward Ho! where he gives a description of Sir Richard Grenville.
Lord Bacon says the fight “was memorable even beyond credit, and to the height of heroic fable.”
Mr. Arber published three interesting contemporary documents relating to The Revenge, by Sir Walter Raleigh.
Gervase Markham wrote a long poem on the subject (two hundred stanzas of eight lines each).
Revenge (The Palace of), a palace of crystal, provided with everything agreeable to life except the means of going out of it. The fairy Pagan made it, and when Imis rejected his suit because she loved Prince Philax, he shut them up in this palace out of revenge. At the end of a few years Pagan had his revenge, for Philax and Imis longed as eagerly for a separation as they had once done to be united.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Palace of Revenge,” 1682).