Spiri´to, the Holy Ghost as the friend of man, personified in canto ix. of The Purple Island, by Phineas Fletcher (1633). He was married to Urania, and their offspring are: Knowledge, Contemplation, Care, Humility, Obedience, Faith or Fido, Penitence, Elpi´nus or Hope, and Love, the foster-son of Gratitude. (Latin, spirĭtus, “spirit.”)
Spitfire (Will), or Will Spittal, serving-boy of Roger Wildrake, the dissipated royalist.--Sir W. Scott, Woodstock (time, Commonwealth).
Spontaneous Combustion. There are above thirty cases on record of death by spontaneous combustion, the most famous being that of the Countess Cornelia di Baudi Cesenatê, which was most minutely investigated, in 1731, by Guiseppê Bianchini, a prebendary of Verona.
The next most noted instance occurred at Rheims, in 1725, and is authenticated by no less an authority than Mon. Le Cat, the celebrated physician.
Messrs. Foderé and Mere investigated the subject of spontaneous combustion, and gave it as their fixed opinion that instances of death from such a cause cannot be doubted.
In vol. vi. of the Philosophical Transactions, and in the English Medical Jurisprudence, the subject is carefully investigated, and several examples are cited in confirmation of the fact.
Joseph Battaglia, a surgeon of Ponte Bosio, gives in detail the case of Don G. Maria Bertholi, a priest of Mount Valerius. While reading his breviary the body of this priest burst into flames in several parts, as the arms, back and head. The sleeves of his shirt, a handkerchief and his skull-cap were all more or less consumed. He survived the injury four days. (This seems to me more like an electrical attack than an instance of spontaneous combustion.)
Spontoon, the old confidential servant of Colonel Talbot.--Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, George II.).
Spoons (Gossip). It was customary at one time for sponsors at christenings to give gilt spoons as an offering to their godchild. These spoons had on the handle the figure of one of the apostles or evangelists, and hence were called “Apostle spoons.” The wealthy would give the twelve apostles, those of less opulence the four evangelists, and others again a single spoon. When Henry VIII. asks Cranmer to be godfather to “a fair young maid,” Cranmer replies, “How may I deserve such honor, that am a poor and humble subject?” The king rejoins, “Come, come, my lord, you’d spare your spoons.”--Shakespeare, Henry VIII. act v. sc. 2 (1601).
Sporus. Under this name Pope satirized Lord John Hervey, generally called “Lord Fanny” from his effeminate habits and appearance. He was “half wit, half fool, half man, half beau.” Lord John Hervey was vice-chamberlain in 1736, and lord privy seal in 1740.