s: "She, being
determined to kill herself, took hot burning coals into her mouth, and
kept her lips closed till she was suffocated by the smoke."

With this she fell distract,
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.

Shakespeare, _Julius Caesar_, act iv. sc. 3 (1607).

_Portia_, a rich heiress, in love with Bassa'nio; but her choice of a
husband was restricted by her father's will to the following condition:
Her suitors were to select from three caskets, one of gold, one of silver,
and one of lead, and he who selected the casket which contained Portia's
picture, was to claim her as his wife. Bassanio chose the lead, and being
successful, became the espoused husband. It so happened that Bassanio had
borrowed 3,000 ducats, and Antonio, a Venetian merchant, was his security.
The money was borrowed of Shylock, a Jew, on these conditions: If the loan
was repaid within three months, only the principal would be required; if
not, the Jew should be at liberty to claim a pound of flesh from Antonio's
body. The loan was not repaid, and the Jew demanded the forfeiture.
Portia, in the dress of a law doctor, conducted the defence, and saved
Antonio by reminding the Jew that a pound of _flesh_ gave him no drop of
blood, and that he must cut neither more nor less than an exact pound,
otherwise his life would be forfeited. As it would be plainly impossible
to fulfill these conditions, the Jew gave up his claim, and Antonio was
saved.--Shakespeare, _Merchant of Venice_ (1598).

=Portsmouth= (_The duchess of_), "La Belle Louise de Querouaille," one of
the mistresses of Charles II.--Sir W. Scott, _Perveril of the Peak_
(time, Charles II.).

=Portuguese Cid= (_The_), Nunez Alvarez Pereria (1360-1431).

=Portuguese Horace= (_The_), Antonio Ferreira (1528-1569).

"=Posson Jone=," a gigantic parson from "up the river" who has "been to
Mobile on business for Bethesdy Church." His sojourn in New Orleans on
his way home is marked by divers adventures. He is beguiled into a
gambling den, drugged and made drunk. While intoxicated, he visits a
circus and has a scene with the showman and his tiger; he is locked up
and awakes in his senses and penitent. His simplicity of
self-condemnation, his humility and fortitude move his tempter to
restore the $500 of church-money he has "borrowed" from the confiding
victim whose transport of pious gratitude overwhelms the world-hardened
man with shame and inspires him to new res