, a wealthy heir, ruined by dissipation.--Crabbe, _Borough_.

BLARNEY (_Lady_), one of the flash women introduced by squire
Thornhill to the Primrose family.--Goldsmith, _Vicar of Wakefield_
(1765).

BLASPHEMOUS BALFOUR. Sir James Balfour, the Scottish judge, was so
called from his apostacy (died 1583).

BLATANT BEAST (_The_), the personification of slander or public
opinion. The beast had 100 tongues and a sting. Sir Artegal muzzled
the monster, and dragged it to Faery-land, but it broke loose and
regained its liberty. Subsequently sir Calidore (_3 syl._) went in
quest of it.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, v. and vi. (1596).

[Illustration] "Mrs. Grundy" is the modern name of Spenser's "Blatant
Beast."

BLATHERS AND DUFF, detectives who investigate the burglary in which
Bill Sikes had a hand. Blathers relates the tale of Conkey Chickweed,
who robbed himself of 327 guineas.--C. Dickens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

BLATTERGROWL (_The Rev. Mr._), minister of Trotcosey, near
Monkbarns.--Sir W. Scott, _The Antiquary_ (time, Elizabeth).

BLEEDING-HEART YARD (London). So called because it was the place where
the devil cast the bleeding heart of lady Hatton (wife of the dancing
chancellor), after he had torn it out of her body with his claws.--Dr.
Mackay, _Extraordinary Popular Delusions_.

BLEISE (1 _syl._) of Northumberland, historian of king Arthur's
period.

BLEMMYES (3 _syl._), a people of Africa, fabled to have no head, but
having eyes and mouth in the breast. (See GAOKA.)

Blemmyis traduntur capita abesse, ore et oculis
pectori affixis.--Pliny.

Ctesias speaks of a people of India near the Ganges, _sine cervice,
oculos in humeris habentes_. Mela also refers to a people _quibus
capita et vultus in pectore sunt_.

BLENHEIM SPANIELS. The Oxford electors are so called, because for
many years they obediently supported any candidate which the duke of
Marlborough commanded them to return. Lockhart broke through this
custom by telling the people the fable of the _Dog and the Wolf_. The
dog, it will be remembered, had on his neck the marks of his collar,
and the wolf said he preferred liberty.

(The race of the little dog called the Blenheim spaniel, has been
preserved ever since Blenheim House was built for the duke of
Marlborough in 1704.)

BLETSON (_Master Joshua_), one of the three parliamentary
commissioners sent by Cromwell with a warrant to leave the royal lodge
to the Lee family.--Sir W. Scott, _Woodstock_ (