"Spight of a last of Lelios."
[242] [Edits., two.]
[243] A term of astrology.—Pegge.
"Ascendant in astrology denotes the horoscope, or the degree of the ecliptic which rises upon the horizon at the time of the birth of any one. This is supposed to have an influence on his life and fortune, by giving him a bent to one thing more than another."—Chambers's Dictionary.
[244] [Entrance to a house.]
[245] Cornelius Agrippa, on "The Vanitie and Uncertaintie of Artes and Sciences," 4o, 1569, p. 55, mentions Apollonius: "They saie that Hierome made mention thereof, writinge to Paulinus, where he saithe, that Apollonius Tianeus was a magitien, or a philosopher, as the Pithagoreans were." He is also noticed among those who have written on the subject of magic. Apollonius was born at Tyana about the time our Saviour appeared in the world. He died at the age of near or quite 100 years, in the reign of Nerva. By the enemies of Christianity he was reported to have worked miracles in the same manner as the Founder of our religion, and in the works of Dr Henry More is inserted a parallel between them. The degree of credit which the pagan miracles are entitled to is very clearly shown in Dr Douglas's learned work, entitled, "The Criterion, or Miracles Examined," 8o, 1757, p. 53. See a further account of Apollonius in Blount's translation of "The Two First Books of Philostratus, concerning the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus," fol., 1680, and Tillemont's "Account of the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus," translated by Dr Jenkin, 8o, 1702.
[246] Telescope.
[247] A stroke of satire in regard to cuckoldom: there are others afterwards in this act.—Pegge.
[248] Coriat the traveller.
[249] Before the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral, the wall at Gloucester, here alluded to, was much more celebrated than it is at present. Camden, in his "Britannia," i. 275, edit. 1722, speaking of it, says: "Beyond the quire, in an arch of the church, there is a wall, built with so great artifice, in the form of a semicircle with corners, that if any one whisper very low at one end, and another lay his ear to the other end, he may easily hear every syllable distinct."