("Laurence Boythorn” is a caricature of W. S. Landor; as “Harold
Skimpole,” in the same story, is drawn from Leigh Hunt.)

BOZ, Charles Dickens.  It was the nickname of a pet brother dubbed Moses, in honor of “Moses Primrose” in the Vicar of Wakefield.  Children called the name Bozes, which got shortened into Boz (1812-1870).

BOZZY, James Boswell, the gossipy biographer of Dr. Johnson (1740-1795).

BRABAN’TIO, a senator of Venice, father of Desdemo’na; most proud, arrogant, and overbearing.  He thought the “insolence” of Othello in marrying his daughter unpardonable, and that Desdemona must have been drugged with love-potions so to demean herself.—­Shakespeare, Othello (1611).

BRAC’CIO, commissary of the republic of Florence, employed in picking up every item of scandal he could find against Lu’ria the noble Moor, who commanded the army of Florence against the Pisans.  The Florentines hoped to find sufficient cause of blame to lessen or wholly cancel their obligations to the Moor, but even Braccio was obliged to confess.  This Moor hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues would plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against the council which should censure him.—­Robert Browning, Luria.

BRAC’IDAS AND AM’IDAS, the two sons of Mile’sio, the former in love with the wealthy Philtra, and the latter with the dowerless Lucy.  Their father at death left each of his sons an island of equal size and value, but the sea daily encroached on that of the elder brother and added to the island of Amidas.  The rich Philtra now forsook Bracidas for the richer brother, and Lucy, seeing herself forsaken, jumped into the sea.  A floating chest attracted her attention, she clung to it, and was drifted to the wasted island, where Bracidas received her kindly.  The chest was found to contain property of great value, and Lucy gave it to Bracidas, together with herself, “the better of them both.”  Amidas and Philtra claimed the chest as their right, and the dispute was submitted to sir Ar’tegal.  Sir Artegal decided that whereas Amidas claimed as his own all the additions which the sea had given to his island, so Lucy might claim as her own the chest which the sea had given into her hands.—­Spenser, Faery Queen, v. 4 (1596).

BRAEKENBURY (Lord), English peer of nomadic tastes.  He disappears from his world, leaving the impression that he has been murdered, that he may live unhampered by class-obligations.—­Amelia B. Edwards, Lord Brackenbury.

Bracy (Sir Maurice de), a follower of prince John.  He sues the lady Rowen’a to become his bride, and threatens to kill both Cedric and Ivanhoe if she refuses.  The interview is interrupted, and at the close of the novel Rowena marries Ivanhoe.—­Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).