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Black Dwarf (personage)
David Ritchie (1740–1811), also known as David of Manor Water, Bow'd Davie, Crooked David, and most notably the Black Dwarf, was a dwarf, the son of a quarryman at the slate quarries of Stobo. He was the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's novel, ''The Black Dwarf''. Scott visited him in 1797. C.J.S. Thompson, "The Mystery and Lore of Monsters", pgs. 227-228 He was brought up as a brushmaker in Edinburgh, but was disliked because of his appearance. He eventually settled in a stone cottage on the banks of Manor Water near the town of Peebles, Scotland. The door of the cottage was about 3 feet and 6 inches high, and the ceiling was just high enough for him to stand inside. The superstitious locals feared he could cast the evil eye on them, blamed him for any problems with their livestock, and generally avoided him. He never wore shoes, which would not fit on his misshapen feet. Instead, he wrapped his legs and feet in cloth. He walked with the help of a staff consid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir Walter Scott - Elshie, The Black Dwarf
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part of "Monsieur", with the equivalent "My Lord" in English. Traditionally, as governed by law and custom, Sir is used for men titled as knights, often as members of orders of chivalry, as well as later applied to baronets and other offices. As the female equivalent for knighthood is damehood, the female equivalent term is typically Dame. The wife of a knight or baronet tends to be addressed as Lady, although a few exceptions and interchanges of these uses exist. Additionally, since the late modern period, Sir has been used as a respectful way to address a man of superior social status or military rank. Equivalent terms of address for women are Madam (shortened to Ma'am), in addition to social honorifics such as Mrs, Ms or Miss. Etymo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. It also contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt—the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands—in the Scottish Lowlands. Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scott ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
People With Dwarfism
The following is a list of people who are known for their dwarfism and who have been open about it. While these people are not known for being the ''shortest ever'', they have been mentioned in sources describing how the condition has affected their lives. Dwarfism is caused by several different types of medical conditions, and is typically defined as an adult with a height of or less. Records or mentions of people with dwarfism have not always been kept well, resulting in estimated heights that were taken from eyewitnesses. In some given cases the height of the person is unknown except to say that they were mentioned as a "dwarf" in various media. This list does not include every prominent person with dwarfism, as others are already included on other linked Wikipedia lists. Actors and actresses Artists and writers Athletes Entertainers The names here include circus performers, comedians, reality TV stars, and occupations that do not primarily involve ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1811 Deaths
Events January–March * January 8 – An unsuccessful slave revolt is led by Charles Deslondes, in St. Charles and St. James Parishes, Louisiana. * January 17 – Mexican War of Independence – Battle of Calderón Bridge: A heavily outnumbered Spanish force of 6,000 troops defeats nearly 100,000 Mexican revolutionaries. * January 22 – The Casas Revolt begins in San Antonio, Spanish Texas. * February 5 – British Regency: George, Prince of Wales becomes prince regent, because of the perceived insanity of his father, King George III of the United Kingdom. * February 19 – Peninsular War – Battle of the Gebora: An outnumbered French force under Édouard Mortier routs and nearly destroys the Spanish, near Badajoz, Spain. * March 1 – Citadel Massacre in Cairo: Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali kills the last Mamluk leaders. * March 5 – Peninsular War – Battle of Barrosa: A French attack fails, on a larger Anglo-Portuguese-Sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1740 Births
Year 174 ( CLXXIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallus and Flaccus (or, less frequently, year 927 '' Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 174 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Empress Faustina the Younger accompanies her husband, Marcus Aurelius, on various military campaigns and enjoys the love of the Roman soldiers. Aurelius gives her the title of ''Mater Castrorum'' ("Mother of the Camp"). * Marcus Aurelius officially confers the title ''Fulminata'' ("Thundering") to the Legio XII Fulminata. Asia * Reign in India of Yajnashri Satakarni, Satavahana king of the Andhra. He extends his empire from the center to the north of India. By topic Art and Science * ''Meditations'' by Marcus Aurelius ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Shenstone
William Shenstone (18 November 171411 February 1763) was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, ''The Leasowes''. Biography Son of Thomas Shenstone and Anne Penn, daughter of William Penn of Harborough Hall, then in Hagley (now Blakedown), Shenstone was born at the Leasowes, Halesowen on 18 November 1714. At that time this was an exclave of Shropshire within the county of Worcestershire and now in the West Midlands. Shenstone received part of his formal education at Halesowen Grammar School (now The Earls High School). In 1741, Shenstone became bailiff to the feoffees of Halesowen Grammar School. While attending Solihull School, he began a lifelong friendship with Richard Jago. He went up to Pembroke College, Oxford in 1732 and made another firm friend there in Richard Graves, the author of ''The Spiritual Quixote''. Shenstone took no degree, but, while still at Oxford, he published ''Poems on va ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paradise Lost
''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse (poetry), verse. A second edition followed in 1674, arranged into twelve books (in the manner of Virgil's ''Aeneid'') with minor revisions throughout. It is considered to be Milton's masterpiece, and it helped solidify his reputation as one of the greatest English poets of all time. The poem concerns the The Bible, biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Composition In his introduction to the Penguin Books, Penguin edition of ''Paradise Lost'', the Milton scholar John Leonard notes, "John Milton was nearly sixty when he published ''Paradise Lost'' in 1667. The biographer John Aubrey (1626–1697) tells us that the poem was begun in about 1658 and finished in about 1663. However, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evil Eye
The Evil Eye ( grc, ὀφθαλμὸς βάσκανος; grc-koi, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός; el, (κακό) μάτι; he, עַיִן הָרָע, ; Romanian: ''Deochi''; it, malocchio; es, mal de ojo; pt, mau-olhado, olho gordo; ar, عين الحسد, ; fa, چشم زخم, ; prs, چشم مهره ; tr, Nazar boncuğu; Kazakh: Көз) is a supernatural belief in a curse, brought about by a malevolent glare, usually given to a person when one is unaware. The evil eye dates back about 5,000 years. In the 6th century BC it appeared on '' Chalcidian'' drinking vessels, known as ' eye-cups', as a type of apotropaic magic. It is found in many cultures in the Mediterranean region as well as Western Asia and Central Asia with such cultures often believing that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury, while others believe it to be a kind of supernatural force that casts or reflects a malevolent gaze back-upon those who wish harm upon others (especially inno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peebles
Peebles ( gd, Na Pùballan) is a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was historically a royal burgh and the county town of Peeblesshire. According to the 2011 census, the population was 8,376 and the estimated population in June 2018 was 9,000. History Initially, a market town, Peebles played a role in the woollen industry of the Borders during the 19th and early-20th centuries. Most mills closed by the 1960s, although the last one remained open until 2015. The character of Peebles has changed; the town serves as home to many people who commute to work in Edinburgh, as well as being a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer. In the mid-to-late 19th century health tourism flourished, centring on hydropathic establishments, which over time morphed into a hotel format, with Peebles Hydro Hotel being one of the few survivors of that era. Notable buildings in the town include the Old Parish Church of Peebles and Neidpath Castle. Other local attractions include ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is a condition wherein an organism is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than , regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is , although some individuals with dwarfism are slightly taller. ''Disproportionate dwarfism'' is characterized by either short limbs or a short torso. In cases of ''proportionate dwarfism'', both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy. People with dwarfism can usually bear children, though there are additional risks to the mother and child dependent upon the underlying condition. The most common and recognisable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is achondroplasia, a genetic disorder whereby the limbs are diminutive. Growth hormone deficiency is responsible for most other cases. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Those w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manor Water
Manor Water is a river in the parish of Manor, Scottish Borders, Manor, Peeblesshire in the Scottish Borders. It rises in the Ettrick Forest and flows down through the Maynor valley, passing the various farms and hamlets of Maynor as well as Kirkton Manynor, where the Maynor kirk and village hall are flowing into the River Tweed one mile south of Peebles at Olde Maynor Brig, which is closed to traffic for the foreseeable future. See also *List of places in the Scottish Borders *List of places in Scotland *List of rivers of Scotland External linksCRCAHMS/Canmore record: Old Manor Bridge, Manor Water [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Black Dwarf (novel)
One of the Waverley Novels by Walter Scott, ''The Black Dwarf'' was part of his ''Tales of My Landlord'', 1st series (1816). It is set in 1708, in the Scottish Borders, against the background of the first uprising to be attempted by the Jacobites after the Act of Union. Composition and sources On 30 April 1816 Scott signed a contract with William Blackwood for a four-volume work of fiction, and on 22 August James Ballantyne, Scott's printer and partner, indicated to Blackwood that it was to be entitled ''Tales of My Landlord'' which was planned to consist of four tales relating to four regions of Scotland. In the event the second tale, ''Old Mortality'', expanded to take up the final three volumes, leaving ''The Black Dwarf'' as the only story to appear exactly as intended. It is not clear precisely when Scott began composition, but the tale was complete before the end of August. For the historical background Scott was particularly indebted to two books: ''Memoirs Concerning t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
