Into this World of ours?
The gates of heaven were left ajar:
With folded hands and dreamy eyes,
Wandering out of Paradise,
She saw this planet like a star
Hung in the glistening depths of even,--
Its bridges, running to and fro,
O'er which the white-winged angels go,
Bearing the holy dead to heaven.
She touched a bridge of flowers--those feet
So light they did not bend the bells
Of the celestial asphodels,
They fell like dew upon the flowers;
Then all the air grew strangely sweet!
And thus came dainty Baby Bell
Into this world of ours. (1854.)

BACCHAN'TES (3 _syl._), priestesses of Bacchus.

Round about him _Bacchus_ fair Bacchantes,
Bearing cymbals, flutes, and thyrses,
Wild from Naxian groves, or Zante's
Vineyards, sing delirious verses.
Longfellow, _Drinking Song_.

BACCHUS, in the _Lusiad_, an epic poem by Camoens (1569), is the
personification of the evil principle which acts in opposition to
Jupiter, the lord of Destiny. Mars is made by the poet the guardian
power of Christianity, and Bacchus of Mohammedanism.

BACKBITE (_Sir Benjamin_), nephew of Crabtree, very conceited, and
very censorious. His friends called him a great poet and wit, but
he never published anything, because "'twas very vulgar to print;"
besides, as he said, his little productions circulated more "by giving
copies in confidence to friends."--Sheridan, _School for Scandal_
(1777).

When I first saw Miss Pope she was performing
"Mrs. Candour," to Miss Farren's "lady
Teazle," King as "sir Peter," Parsons "Crab-tree,"
Dodd "Backbite," Baddeley "Moses,"
Smith "Charles," and John Palmer "Joseph"
[Surface].--James Smith, _Memoirs, etc_.

BACTRIAN SAGE _(The)_, Zoroas'ter or Zerdusht, a native of Bactria,
now Balkh (B.C. 589-513).

BADE'BEC (2 _syl_.), wife of Gargantua and mother of Pantag'ruel. She
died in giving him birth, or rather in giving birth at the same time
to nine dromedaries laden with ham and smoked tongues, 7 camels
laden with eels, and 25 wagons full of leeks, garlic, onions, and
shallots.--Rabelais, _Pantagruel_, ii. 2 (1533).

BADGER _(Will)_, sir Hugh Robsart's favorite domestic.--Sir W. Scott,
_Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Bad'ger (Mr. Bayham_), medical practitioner at Chelsea, under whom
Richard Carstone pursues his studies. Mr. Badger is a crisp-looking
gentleman, with "surprised eyes;" very proud of being Mrs. Badger's
"third," and always referring to