BLACK PRINCE, Edward prince of Wales, son of Edward III.  Froissart says he was styled black “by terror of his arms” (c. 169).  Similarly, lord Clifford was called “The Black Lord Clifford” for his cruelties (died 1461).  George Petrowitsch was called by the Turks “Black George” from the terror of his name.  The countess of March was called “Black Agnes” from the terror of her deeds, and not (as sir W. Scott says) from her dark complexion.  Similarly, “The Black Sea,” or Axinus, as the Greeks once called it, received its name from the inhospitable character of the Scythians.

BLACK’ACRE (Widow), a masculine, litigious, pettifogging, headstrong woman.—­Wycherly, The Plain Dealer (1677).

BLACKCHESTER (The countess of), sister of lord Dalgarno.—­Sir W. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).

BLACKGUARDS (Victor Hugo says), soldiers condemned for some offence in discipline to wear their red coats (which were lined with black) inside out.  The French equivalent, he says, is Blaqueurs.—­L’Homme qui Rit, II. in. 1.

It is quite impossible to believe this to be the true derivation of the word.  Other suggestions will be found in the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

BLACKLESS (Tomalin), a soldier in the guard of Richard Coeur de Lion.—­Sir W. Scott, The Talisman (time, Richard I.).

BLACKMANTLE (Bernard), Charles Molloy Westmacott, author of The English Spy (1826).

BLACK’POOL (Stephen), a power-loom weaver in Bounderby’s mill at Coketown.  He had a knitted brow and pondering expression of face, was a man of the strictest integrity, refused to join the strike, and was turned out of the mill.  When Tom Gradgrind robbed the bank of L150, he threw suspicion on Stephen Blackpool, and while Stephen was hastening to Coketown to vindicate himself he fell into a shaft, known as “the Hell Shaft,” and although rescued, died on a litter.  Stephen Blackpool loved Rachael, one of the hands, but had already a drunken, worthless wife.—­C.  Dickens, Hard Times (1854).

BLACKSMITH (The Flemish), Quentin Matsys, the Dutch painter (1460-1529).

Blacksmith (The Learned), Elihu Burritt, United States (1810-1879).

BLACKWOOD’S MAGAZINE.  The vignette on the wrapper of this magazine is meant for George Buchanan, the Scotch historian and poet (1506-1582).  He is the representative of Scottish literature generally.

The magazine originated in 1817 with William Blackwood of Edinburgh, publisher.

BLAD’DERSKATE (Lord) and lord Kaimes, the two judges in Peter Peeble’s lawsuit.—­Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

BLADE O’ GRASS, child of the gutter, bright, saucy, and warm-hearted.  She is taken from her wretched environment by philanthropists, who would aid her to lead a different life.  However great the outward change, she is ever Bohemian at heart.—­B.L.  Farjeon, Blade o’ Grass.