SQUIRE OF DAMES 
 
 
   Squab (The Poet). Dryden was so 
 called by Lord Rochester. 
 
   Square (Mr.), a "philosopher," in Field- 
 ing's novel called The History of Tom Jones, 
 a Foundling (1749). 
 
   Squeers (Mr. Wackford), of Dotheboy's 
 Hall, Yorkshire, a vulgar, conceited, igno- 
 rant schoolmaster, overbearing, grasping, 
 and mean. He steals the boys' pocket 
 money, clothes his son in their best suits, 
 half starves them, and teaches them next 
 to nothing. Ultimately, he is transported 
 for purloining a deed. 
   Mrs. Squeers, wife of Mr. Wackford, a 
raw-boned, harsh, heartless virago, with- 
out one spark of womanly feeling for the 
boys put under her charge. 
  Miss Fanny Squeers, daughter of the 
schoolmaster, "not tall like her mother, 
but short like her father. From the 
former she inherited a voice of hoarse 
quality, and from the latter a remarkable 
expression of the right eye." Miss Fanny 
falls in love with Nicholas Nickleby, but 
hates him and spites him because he is in- 
sensible of the soft impeachment. 
  Master Wackford Squeers, son of the 
schoolmaster, a  spoilt boy, who was 
dressed in the best clothes of the scholars. 
He was over-bearing, self-willed, and 
passionate.-C. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby 
(1838). 
  The person who suggested the character of 
Squeers was a Mr. Shaw, of Bowes. He married 
a Miss Laidman. The satire ruined the school, 
and was the death both of Mr. and Mrs. Shaw. 
-Notes and Queries, October 25, 1873. 
 
  Squeeze (Miss), a pawnbroker's daugh- 
ter. Her father had early taught her that 
money is the "one thing needful," and at 
death left her a moderate competence. She 
was so fully convinced of the value of 
 
 
money that she would never part with a 
farthing without an equivalent, and re- 
fused several offers, because she felt per- 
suaded her suitors sought her money and 
not herself. Now she is old and ill- 
natured, marked with the small-pox, and 
neglected by every one.--Goldsmith, A 
Citizen of the World, xxviil. (1759). 
 
   Squint (Lawyer), the great politician of 
 society. He makes speeches for members 
 of parliament, writes addresses, gives the 
 history of every new play, and finds "sea- 
 sonable thought" upon every possible sub- 
 ject.-Goldsmith, A Citizen of the World, 
 xxix. (1759). 
 
   Squint-Eyed. [Guercino] Gian-Fran- 
 cesco Barbieri, the painter (1590-1666). 
 
   Squintum (Dr.), George Whitefield is 
 so called by Foote in his farce entitled The 
 Minor (1614-1770). 
 
   Squintum (Dr.). The Rev. Edward Ir- 
ving, who had an obliquity of the eyes, was 
so called by Theodore Hook (1792-1834). 
 
   Squire of Dames (The), a young knight, 
in love with Col'umbell, who appointed 
him a year's service before she would con- 
sent to become his bride. The "squire" 
was to travel for twelve months, to rescue 
distressed ladies, and bring pledges of his 
exploits to Columbell. At the end of the 
year he placed 300 pledges in her hands, 
but instead of rewarding him by becoming 
his bride, she set him another task, viz., to 
travel about the world on foot, and not 
present himself again till he could bring 
her pledges from 300 damsels that they 
would live in chasity all their life. The 
squire told Columbell that in three years 
he had found only three persons who 
                                   IV 
 
 
SQUAB 
 
 
31