Vagabond (The Bishop’s), “Cracker,” who imposes in countless ways upon the credulity and takes advantage of the humanity of a benevolent man. In the end he saves the bishop’s life at the cost of his own, and, as the good man offers to pray by his dying bed, tries to wave his hand in the old airy style. “I reckon God a’mighty knows I’d be the same old Demming ef I could get up, an’ I don’ mean to make no purtenses. But mabbe it’ll cheer up th’ ole ’ooman a bit; so you begin, an’ I’ll bring in an ‘Amen’ whenever it’s wanted.” When the prayer ended there was no “Amen.” Demming was gone where prayer may only faintly follow.--Octave Thanet, Knitters in the Sun (1887).
Vain´love, a gay young man about town.--Congreve, The Old Bachelor (1693).
Valantia (Count), betrothed to the Marchioness Merĭda, whom he “loved to distraction till he found that she doted on him, and this discovery cloyed his passion.” He is light, inconsiderate, unprincipled and vain. For a time he intrigues with Amantis, “the child of Nature,” but when Amantis marries the Marquis Almanza, the count says to Merida she shall be his wife if she will promise not to love him.--Mrs. Inchbald, Child of Nature. (See Thenot.)
Valclusa (Vaucluse), the famous retreat of Petrarch (father of Italian poetry) and his mistress, Laura, a lady of Avignon.
At last the Muses rose ... from fair Valclusa’s bowers.
Akenside, Pleasures of Imagination, ii. (1744).
Valdes (2 syl.) and Cornelius, friends of Dr. Faustus, who instruct him in magic, and induce him to sell his soul, that he may have a “spirit” to wait on him for twenty-four years.--C. Marlowe, Dr. Faustus (1589).
Valence (Sir Aymer de), lieutenant of Sir John de Walton, governor of Douglas Castle.--Sir W. Scott, Castle Dangerous (time, Henry I.).
Valenti´na, daughter of the conte di San Bris, governor of the Louvre. She was betrothed to the conte di Nevers, but loved Raoul [di Nangis], a Huguenot, by whom she was beloved in return. When Raoul was offered her hand by the Princess Margheri´ta di Valois, the bride of Henri le Bernais (Henri IV.), he rejected it, out of jealousy; and Valentina, out of pique, married Nevers. In the Bartholomew slaughter which ensued, Nevers fell, and Valentina married her first love, Raoul, but both were shot by a party of musketeers under the command of her father, the conte di San Bris.--Meyerbeer, Les Huguenots (1836).
Valentine, one of the “two gentlemen of Verona;” the other “gentleman” was Protheus. Their two serving-men were Speed and Launce. Valentine married Silvia, daughter of the duke of Milan, and Protheus married Julia. The rival of Valentine was Thurio.--Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1595).