andiloquence, he bluntly
tells them he does not understand Latin.

_Marotte._ Voil[`a] un laquais qui demande si vous [^e]tes au logis,
et dit que son ma[^i]tre, vous venir voir.

_Madelon._ Apprenez, sotte, [`a] vous ['e]noncer moins vulgaiment.
Dites: Voil[`a] un n['e]cessaire que demande si vous [^e]tes en
commodit['e] d'etre visibles.

_Marotte._ Je n'entends point le Latin.--Moli[`e]re, _Les
Pr['e]cieuses Ridicules_, vii. (1659).

=Marphi'sa=, sister of Roge'ro, and a female knight of amazing prowess.
She was brought up by a magician, but being stolen at the age of seven,
was sold to the king of Persia. When she was 18, her royal master
assailed her honor; but she slew him, and usurped the crown. Marphisa
went to Gaul to join the army of Agramant, but subsequently entered the
camp of Charlemagne, and was baptized.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_
(1516).

=Marphu'rius=, a doctor of the Pyrrhonian school. Sganarelle consults him
about his marriage; but the philosopher replies, "Perhaps; it is
possible; it may be so; everything is doubtful;" till at last Sganarelle
beats him, and Marphurius says he shall bring an action against him for
battery. "Perhaps," replies Sganarelle; "it is possible; it may be so,"
etc., using the very words of the philosopher (sc. ix.).--Moli[`e]re, _Le
Mariage Forc['e]_ (1664).

=Marplot=, "the busy body." A blundering, good-natured, meddlesome young
man, very inquisitive, too officious by half, and always bungling
whatever he interferes in. Marplot is introduced by Mrs. Centlivre in
two comedies, _The Busy Body_ and _Marplot in Lisbon_.

That unlucky dog Marplot ... is ever doing mischief, and yet (to
give him his due) he never designs it. This is some blundering
adventure, wherein he thought to show his friendship, as he calls
it.--Mrs. Centlivre, _The Busy Body_, iii. 5 (1709).

[Asterism] This was Henry Woodward's great part (1717-1777). His
unappeasable curiosity, his slow comprehension, his annihilation under
the sense of his dilemmas, were so diverting, that even Garrick
confessed him the decided "Marplot" of the stage.--Boaden, _Life of
Siddons_.

N. B.--William Cavendish, duke of Newcastle, brought out a free
tranlation[TN-2] of Moli[`e]re's _L'Etourdi_, which he entitled _Marplot_.

=Marquis de Basqueville=, being one night at the opera, was told by a
messenger that his mansion was on fire. "Eh bien," he said to