BRAHMIN CASTE 
 
 
aristocracy: "Our scholars come chiefly 
from a privileged order just as our best 
fruits come from well-known grafts."- 
Elsie Venner (1863). 
 
  Brain'worm, the servant of Knowell, a 
man of infinite shifts, and a regular Pro- 
teus in his metamorphoses. He appears 
first as Brainworm; after as Fitz-Sword; 
then as a reformed soldier whom Knowell 
takes into his service; then as justice 
Clement's man; and lastly as valet to the 
courts of law, by which devices he plays 
upon the same clique of some half-dozen 
men of average intelligence.-Ben Jonson, 
Every Man in His Humour (1598). 
 
  Brakel (Adrian), the gipsy mountebank, 
formerly master of Fenella, the deaf and 
dumb girl.-Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the 
Peak (time, Charles II.). 
 
  Bramble (Matthew), an "odd kind of 
humorist," " always on the fret," dyspeptic, 
and afflicted with gout, but benevolent, 
generous, and kind-hearted. 
  Miss Tabitha Bramble, an old maiden 
sister of Matthew Bramble, of some forty- 
five years of age, noted for her bad spelling. 
She is starched, vain, prim, and ridiculous; 
soured in temper, proud, imperious, pry- 
ing, mean, malicious, and uncharitable. 
She contrives at last to marry captain 
Lismaha'go, who is content to take "the 
maiden" for the sake of her £4000. 
 
  Bramble (Sir Robert), a baronet living at 
Blackberry Hall, Kent. Blunt and testy, 
but kind-hearted; "charitable as a Chris- 
tian, and rich as a Jew;" fond of argument 
and contradiction, but detesting flattery; 
very proud, but most considerate to his 
poorer neighbors. In his first interview 
with lieutenant Worthington, "the poor 
gentleman," the lieutenant mistook him 
 
 
for a bailiff come to arrest him, but sir 
Roflert nobly paid the bill for £500 when 
it was presented to him for signature as 
sheriff of the county. 
  Frederick Bramble, nephew of sir Robert, 
and son of Joseph Bramble, a Russian 
merchant. His father having failed in 
business, Frederick is adopted by his 
rich uncle. He is full of life and noble 
instincts, but thoughtless and impulsive. 
Frederick falls in love with Emily Worth- 
ington, whom he marries.-G. Colman, 
The Poor Gentleman (1802). 
 
  Bra'mine (2 syl.) and Bra'min (The), 
Mrs. Elizabeth  Draper and    Laurence 
Sterne. Sterne being a clergyman, and 
Mrs. Draper having been born in India, sug- 
gested the names. Ten of Sterne's letters 
to Mrs. Draper are published, and called 
Letters to Eliza. 
 
  Bran, the dog of Lamderg the lover of 
Gelchossa (daughter of Tuathal).-Ossian, 
Finqal, v. 
  *** Fingal king of Morven had a dog of 
the same name, and another named Luath. 
  Call White-breasted Bran and the surly 
strength of Luiith.-Ossian, Fingal, vi. 
 
  Brand (Ethan), an ex-lime burner in 
Nathaniel Hawthorne's story of the same 
name, who, fancying he has committed the 
Unpardonable Sin, commits suicide by 
leaping into the burning kiln. 
 
  Brand (Sir Denys), a county magnate, 
who apes humility. He rides a sorry 
brown nag "not worth £5," but mounts 
his groom on a race-horse "twice victor 
for a plate." 
 
  Bran'damond of Damascus, whom sir 
Bevis of Southampton defeated. 
 
 
159 
 
 
BRANDAMOND