Mistress Blount, his wife.  A shrewd, discerning woman, who loved her son Thomas, and saw in him the elements of a rising man.

John Blount, eldest son of the Ludgate jeweller.  Being left successor to his father, he sold the goods and set up for a man of fashion and fortune.  His vanity and snobbism were most gross.  He had good-nature, but more cunning than discretion, thought himself far-seeing, but was most easily duped.  “The phaeton was built after my design, my lord,” he says, “mayhap your lordship has seen it.”  “My taste is driving, my lord, mayhap your lordship has seen me handle the ribbons.”  “My horses are all bloods, mayhap your lordship has noticed my team.”  “I pride myself on my seat in the saddle, mayhap your lordship has seen me ride.”  “If I am superlative in anything, ’its in my wines.”  “So please your ladyship, ’tis dress I most excel in ... ’tis walking I pride myself in.”  No matter what is mentioned, ’tis the one thing he did or had better than any one else.  This conceited fool was duped into believing a parcel of men-servants to be lords and dukes, and made love to a lady’s maid, supposing her to be a countess.

Thomas Blount, John’s brother, and one of nature’s gentlemen.  He entered the army, became a colonel, and married lady Blanche.  He is described as having “a lofty forehead for princely thought to dwell in, eyes for love or war, a nose of Grecian mould with touch of Rome, a mouth like Cupid’s bow, ambitious chin dimpled and knobbed.”—­S.  Knowles, Old Maids (1841).

BLOUZELINDA or BLOWZELINDA, a shepherdess in love with Lobbin Clout, in The Shepherd’s Week.

  My Blouzelinda is the blithest lass,
  Than primrose sweeter, or the clover-grass. 
  My Blouzelind’s than gilliflower more fair,
  Than daisie, marygold, or kingcup rare. 
  Gay, Pastoral, i. (1714).

  Sweet is my toil when Blowzelind is near,
  Of her bereft ’tis winter all the year ... 
  Come, Blowzelinda, ease thy swain’s desire,
  My summer’s shadow, and my winter’s fire. 
  Ditto.

BLOWER (Mrs. Margaret), the shipowner’s widow at the Spa.  She marries Dr. Quackleben, “the man of medicine” (one of the managing committee at the Spa).—­Sir W. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

BLUCHER was nicknamed “Marshal Forward” for his dash and readiness in the campaign of 1813.

BLUE BEARD (La Barbe Bleue), from the contes of Charles Perrault (1697).  The chevalier Raoul is a merciless tyrant, with a blue beard.  His young wife is entrusted with all the keys of the castle, with strict injunctions on pain of death not to open one special room.  During the absence of her lord the “forbidden fruit” is too tempting to be resisted, the door is opened, and the young wife finds the floor covered with the dead bodies of her husband’s former wives.  She drops the key in her terror, and can by no means obliterate from it the stain of blood.  Blue Beard, on his return, commands her to prepare for death, but by the timely arrival of her brothers her life is saved and Blue Beard put to death.