Spranger Barry, the “Irish Roscius” (1719-1777).
Silverquill (Sam), one of the prisoners at Portanferry.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).
Silves de la Selva (The Exploits and Adventures of), part of the series called Le Roman des Romans, pertaining to “Am´adis of Gaul.” This part was added by Feliciano de Silva.
Silvester (Anne), woman betrayed under promise of marriage, by Geoffrey Delamayne, a famous athlete. By a series of contretemps, Anne is made out to be the wife (according to Scotch law) of her dearest friend’s betrothed, who visits her as Delamayne’s emissary. She is released from the embarrassing position, by the exhibition of a letter from Delamayne, promising to marry her, written before Arnold’s visit. Infuriated by the exposé, Delamayne tries to murder his wife, and is prevented by a crazy woman. Her sudden attack brings on apoplexy. Anne, as his widow, marries her old friend and defender, Sir Patrick Lundie.—Wilkie Collins, Man and Wife (1874).
Silvestre (2 syl.), valet of Octave (son of Argante, and brother of Zerbinette).—Molière, Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671).
Sil´via, daughter of the duke of Milan, and the lady-love of Valentine, one of the heroes of the play.—Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Simmons (Widow), the seamstress; a neighbor of the Ramsays.—Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).
Simon (Martin), proprietor of the village Bout du Monde, and miller of Grenoble. He is called “The king of Pelvoux,” and in reality is the Baron de Peyras, who has given up all his estates to his nephew, the young chevalier, Marcellin de Peyras, and retired to Grenoble, where he lived as a villager. Martin Simon is in secret possession of a gold-mine, left him by his father, with the stipulation that he should place it beyond the reach of any private man, on the day it becomes a “source of woe and crime.” Rabisson, a travelling tinker, the only person who knows about it, being murdered, Simon is suspected; but Eusebe Noel confesses the crime. Simon then makes the mine over to the king of France, as it had proved the source both “of woe and crime.”—E. Stirling, The Gold Mine, or Miller of Grenoble (1854).
Simonides, benevolent Jew, father of Esther, and friend of Ben Hur.—Lew Wallace, Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ (1880).
Simon Pure, a young quaker from Pennsylvania, on a visit to Obadiah Prim (a Bristol Quaker, and one of the guardians of Anne Lovely, the heiress). Colonel Feignwell personated Simon Pure, and obtained Obadiah’s consent to marry his ward. When the real Simon Pure presented himself, the colonel denounced him as an impostor; but after he had obtained the guardian’s signature, he confessed the trick, and showed how he had obtained the consent of the other three guardians.—Mrs. Centlivre, A Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717).