The Aston Martin DB2 was a classic British car first produced in 1950, and then produced in modified forms until 1959. The Aston Martin DB2 was powered by a 2580 to 2922 ccDOHC straight six engine providing from 107 to 196 bhp and a top speed of between 185 and 209 kmh, depending upon the variant. Research Aston Martin DB2
The Aston Martin DB7 was a classic and exclusive (only 700 were made each year) British car first produced in 1994 and produced until 2003. The original Aston Martin DB7 was powered by a 3239 cc six-cylinder engine providing 335 bhp and a top speed of 249 kmh. In 1999 a six-litre V12 engine version was produced Although the Aston Martin DB7 is fitted with four seats, in reality it is a two-seater sports car. The rear seats being totally inpracticable. The Aston Martin DB7 was produced in a standard coupe edition and in a convertible model known as the Volante. Research Aston Martin DB7
The Bipont editions were famous editions of the classic authors, printed at Zweibrucken in the Rhenish Palatinate. The collection forms fifty volumes begun in 1779 and finished at Strasburg. Research Bipont Editions
Classic is a term derived from the Latin classici, the name given to the citizens belonging to the first or highest of the six classes into which the Romans were divided. Hence the Greek and Roman authors have been in modern times called classics, that is, the excellent, the models. The Germans, however, soon gave the word Hassisch (classical) a wider sense, making it embrace: 1, the standard works of any nation; and 2, ancient literature and art, in contradistinction to the modern; and their example was followed by both the British and the French. A third use of the term, in contradistinction to Romantic, is scarcely comprised under those cited, implying adherence to the established literary or artistic convention of some previous period, as opposed to the insurgence of new elements shaping a new convention. In this sense classic usually implies the predominance of form over emotion and thought, while its antonym Romantic implies the predominance of emotion and the departure from the old formal standards. Research Classic
The Delphin Classics are a collection of the Latinclassic authors made for the dauphin, son of Louis XIV, under the editorship of Bossuet and Huet, with notes and interpretations. A similar series based on these was published in London. Research Delphin Classics
Dialogue is a conversation or discourse between two or more persons. The word is used more particularly for a formal conversation in theatrical performances, and for a written conversation or composition, in which two or more persons carry on a discourse. This form was much in favour amongst the ancient philosophers as a medium for expressing their thoughts on subjects. The Dialogues of Plato are the finest example. Many of the great French and Italian writers have used this form. Landor's Imaginary Conversations is a classic example of this kind in English. Research Dialogue
Drama (from the Greek drew, I act), is a class of writings which almost entirely consist of dialogue, persons being represented as acting and speaking, and the pieces being usually intended to be acted on a stage by parties assuming the characters of the respective persons.
Its two great branches are tragedy and comedy, the former, roughly speaking, melancholy in character, the latter cheerful. The origin of the drama must be sought for in the love of imitation, and dramatic performances of some kind are to be met with probably among all nations.
Dramatic compositions are found in the Old Testament, for example in Job and the Song of Solomon; and ancient India and China both developed a dramatic literature of their own.
The European drama bad its origin in Greece. Both forms, tragic and comic, took their rise in the celebrations of the Greek festivals of Dionysus (Bacchus), at which hymns and chants were sung by choruses in honour of the god, and the chorus continued to be a prominent feature of the old Greek drama. Greek comedy commenced about 580-560 BC with Susarion, but it was long in attaining regular form. Of the old Greek comedy the chief representatives were Oratinus, Eupolis, Pherecrates, and Aristophanes - the last the greatest.
The invention of tragedy is generally ascribed to Thespis about 530 BC, who was followed by Phrynichus. But the true creator of tragedy was Aeschylus, in whose works and those of Sophocles and Euripides it found its most perfect expression. Thespis had only one actor, who from time to time relieved the chorus by declamation. Aeschylus changed this representation into real action by making use of two actors in addition to the chorus. Aeschylus also introduced masks; and by means of a long gown and the cothurnus, or buskin, the lofty stature of the heroes was imitated. A third actor was first introduced by Sophocles. The accommodations for the spectators were improved, and machinery and scenery introduced. The theatres, which had been formerly built of wood, were now large stone erections, capable of containing the greater number of the citizens. The regular drama among the Romans was borrowed from the Greeks. Plautus and Terence were imitators of the Greek comedy, Livius Andronicus (240 BC) of the Greek tragedy. Of the Roman tragedy, the dramas of Seneca are the only specimens extant.
In most modern European countries the regular drama took its rise in the mysteries, miracle-plays, and moralities of the middle ages. In Italy, however, it began with a reproduction in Latin of classical models. The earliest tragedy in Italian is Trissino's Sofonisba (1502). Regular comedies in Italian were written by Ariosto, Aretino, Macchiavelli, and others; and to the same period (15th and 16th centuries) belongs the Italian Pastoral Drama, which sprung from the ancient idylls, and aimed at a fanciful delineation of Arcadian and mythological scenes. Among the pastoral dramatists of this period are Poliziano, Tasso, and Guarini. The pastorals gave birth to the opera, early masters of which, so far as it may be included in the poetic drama, are Zenoand Metastasio. The Italian drama waned in the 17th century, but in the 18th genuine comedy and classic tragedy were restored, the former by Goldoni, the latter by Alfieri. Monti, Manzoni, and Niccolini are among the later writers of tragedy.
The other European nations cultivated the dramatic art much later than the Italians. The English and Spaniards devoted their attention to it almost at the game time; the former reaching their acme in William Shakespeare, the latter in Lope de Vega and Calderon. The history of the English theatre and the drama is naturally divided into two parts, the first of which begins with the reign of Elizabeth I and ends with the reign of Charles I. The rapid developmentof the drama during the reign of Elizabeth I was entirely unhampered by foreign influence. Lyly, Peele, Greene, Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletchor, Chapman, Webster, Middleton, Marston, Ford,and Massinger are among the chief names connected with the brilliant period of the English drama.
During the Commonwealth the Puritans prohibited all kinds of plays, and the theatres were shut up for thirteen years. With Charles II the drama reappeared, and exhibited a licentiousness hardly equalled by that of any other Christian nation. Among the chief names belonging to this period are Dryden, Otway, Lee, Shadwell, Wycherley, and Etherege. From the close of the 17th to that of the 18th century British comedy was cultivated with much success by Cibber, Farquhar, Congreve, Sheridan, and others.
During the 19th century many writers have been conspicuous by their dramas. Among the chief of these may be noted Byron, Coleridge, Landor, Shelley, Maturin, Talfourd, Milman, Sir Henry Taylor, the first LordLytton, Knowles, R. H. Home, Arnold, Browning, Swinburne, and Tennyson. Among other 19th-century writers for the stage, who, however, may be called playwrights rather than dramatists, may be named, Douglas Jerrold, Tom Taylor, Charles Reade, Thomas Robertson, W. G. Wills, H. Byron, R. Buchanan, Dion Boucicault, W. S. Gilbert, J. M. Barrie, A. W. Pinero, H. A. Jones, etc.
The French drama was in a miserable state before Corncille (1606-84), who indeed is looked on as the founder of the drama in France. Racine, Moliere, Voltaire, and in later times Hugo, are some of the other distinguished French dramatists. Since about 1820 a new dramatic school has been formed in France, which, departing from the ancient strictness of what is called the classic, approaches more and more to the German or British, or what is called the romantic school. The establishment of this school formed part of the general reaction against the excessive adherence to classic models in literature, the leader in the movement being Victor Hugo. C. Delavigne marks the transition from the classical to the beginnings of the romantic school, and among the 19th century dramatists may be mentioned A. de Vigny, George Sand, A. de Musset, Merimee, Ponsard, Augier, Scribe, Dumas the Younger, and Sardou.
The German drama is of later birth than any thus far mentioned, and for a long time the Germans contented themselves with translations and adaptations from the French. Leasing was the first who, by word and deed, broke the French sway (1755), and he was succeeded by Schiller and Goethe, who rank as the greatest of the more modern dramatists. Prominent names in the German drama are Kotzebue, Korner, Schlegel, Tieck, Brentano, Grillparzer, Hebbel, Ludwig, Gutzkow, Freytag, Laube, Von Moser, etc.
The Dutch drama begins with the classical tragedies of Koster in the beginning of the 17th century, and reached its highest in Vondel (1587-1659). Holberg, Heiberg, Oehlenschlager, Ibsen, and Bjornson are the chief names connected with the Scandinavian drama.
The advent of moving pictures during the 20th century revolutionised drama, and introduced film or movies to the audience, with the USA quickly developing a reputation for film making based in Hollywood, and by the end of the 20th century the Indian city of Mumbai had become a leading center of Hindi language film making producing more films than even Hollywood. Research Drama
Find the lady is an ancient and classic confidence trick or scam. Typically the conman will operate on a street corner with a table on which are three playing cards. These cards are shown to the audience to be three different and ordinary cards, one of which is a queen. The cards are dealt face down in a row and a victim asked to select which is the queen. Then the cards are slid to different positions and the victim again asked to locate the queen, this continues until the performer believes the victim is ready to be tricked. Finally the victim is invited to place a wager on their ability to locate the queen. The cards are slid about as before to change their sequence, but the queen is not where expected. The performer, an expert card sharp, has used sleight of hand to trick the victim. Often an accomplice will pretend to be a member of the audience, and will 'win' the wager, thereby enticing gullible members of the audience to try. In variations, a victim may be allowed to win a small wager, and perhaps another, before being and invited to try a large wager, at which point flushed with their own perceived success at the 'game' they lose. Research Find The Lady
A ghost word is a word which is taken to be a word, but is not. Ghost words typically occur due to printing or typesetting errors, a classic example being the 'word' 'Dord' which appeared by accident in the 1934 Webster's Second International Dictionary as a synonym of density. In fact, the inclusion of 'Dord' was an error caused by misinterpreting the phrase 'D or d' which are abbreviations for density. Research Ghost Word
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Artful Dodger
