the universe, patron of arts and magic, etc.

ALFONSO, father of Leono'ra d'Este, and duke of Ferrara, Tasso the
poet fell in love with Leonora. The duke confined him as a lunatic for
seven years in the asylum of Santa Anna, but at the expiration of that
period he was released through the intercession of Vincenzo Gonzago,
duke of Mantua. Byron refers to this in his _Childe Harold_, iv. 36.

_Alfonso XI_ of Castile, whose "favorite" was Leonora de
Guzman.--Donizetti, _La Favorita_ (an opera, 1842).

_Alfon'so (Don)_, of Seville, a man of fifty and husband of donna
Julia (twenty-seven years his junior), of whom he was jealous without
cause.--Byron, _Don Juan_, i.

_Alfon'so_, in Walpole's tale called _The Castle of Otranto_, appears
as an apparition in the moonlight, dilated to a gigantic form (1769).

ALFRED AS A GLEEMAN. Alfred, wishing to know the strength of the
Danish camp, assumed the disguise of a minstrel, and stayed in the
Danish camp for several days, amusing the soldiers with his harping
and singing. After he had made himself master of all he required,
he returned back to his own place.--William of Malmesbury (twelfth
century).

William of Malmesbury tells a similar story of Anlaf, a Danish king,
who, he says, just before the battle of Brunanburh, in Northumberland,
entered the camp of king Athelstan as a gleeman, harp in hand; and so
pleased was the English king that he gave him gold. Anlaf would not
keep the gold, but buried it in the earth.

ALGARSIFE (3 _syl_.), and Cam'ballo, sons of Cambuscan' king of
Tartary, and Elfeta his wife. Algarsife married Theodora.

I speak of Algarsife,
How that he won Theodora to his wife.

Chaucer, _The Squire's Tale_ AL'GEBAR' ("_the giant_"). So the
Arabians call the constellation Orion.

Begirt with many a blazing star,
Stood the great giant Algebar--
Orion, hunter of the beast.
Longfellow, _The Occultation of Orion_.

AL'I, cousin and son-in-law of Mahomet. The beauty of his eyes is
proverbial in Persia. _Ayn Hali_ ("eyes of Ali") is the highest
compliment a Persian can pay to beauty.--Chardin.

ALI BABA, a poor Persian wood-carrier, who accidentally learns the
magic words, "Open Sesame!" "Shut Sesame!" by which he gains entrance
into a vast cavern, the repository of stolen wealth and the lair of
forty thieves. He makes himself rich by plundering from these stores;
and by the shrewd cunning of Morgiana, his female slave, the captain
and his w