Its very name and date concealed
  Beneath a cankering crust. (1859.)

BELL-THE-CAT, sobriquet of Archibald Douglas, great-earl of Angus, who died in 1514.

The mice, being much annoyed by the persecutions of a cat, resolved that a bell should be hung about her neck to give notice of her approach.  The measure was agreed to in full council, but one of the sager mice inquired, “Who would undertake to bell the cat?” When Lauder told this fable to a council of Scotch nobles, met to declaim against one Cochran, Archibald Douglas started up and exclaimed in thunder, “I will;” and hence the sobriquet referred to.—­Sir W. Scott, Tales of a Grandfather, xxii.

BELLA, sweet girl-cousin, the first love and life-long friend of the hero of Dream-Life, by Ik Marvel.  Re-visiting his native place after years of foreign travel, he learns that Bella is dead, and goes to her grave, where dry leaves are entangled in the long grass, “giving it a ragged, terrible look” (1851).

BELLA WILFER, a lovely, wilful, lively spoilt darling.  She married John Rokesmith (i.e., John Harmon).—­C.  Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864).

BELLAMY, a steady young man, looking out for a wife “capable of friendship, love, and tenderness, with good sense enough to be easy, and good nature enough to like him.”  He found his beau-ideal in Jacintha, who had besides a fortune of L30,000.—­Dr. Hoadly, The Suspicious Husband (1761).

BELLA’RIO, the assumed name of Euphrasia, when she put on boy’s apparel that she might enter the service of prince Philaster, whom she greatly loved.—­Beaumont and Fletcher, Philaster, or Love Lies A-Bleeding (1622).

BELLASTON (Lady), a profligate, from whom Tom Jones accepts support.  Her conduct and conversation may be considered a fair photograph of the “beauties” of the court of George II.—­Fielding, History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1750).

The character of Jones, otherwise a model of generosity, openness, and manly spirit, mingled with thoughtless dissipation, is unnecessarily degraded by the nature of his intercourse with lady Bellaston.—­Encyc.  Brit. Art.  “Fielding.”

BELLE CORDIERE (La), Louise Labe, who married Ennemond Perrin, a wealthy rope-maker (1526-1566).

BELLE CORISANDE (La), Diane comtesse de Gruiche et de Grammont (1554-1620).

BELLEFONTAINE (Benedict), the wealthy farmer of Grande Pre [Nova Scotia] and father of Evangeline.  When the inhabitants of his village were driven into exile, Benedict died of a broken heart as he was about to embark, and was buried on the sea-shore.—­Longfellow, Evangeline (1849).

BEL’LENDEN (Lady Margaret), an old Tory lady, mistress of the Tower of Tillietudlem.

Old major Miles Bellenden, brother of lady Margaret.

Miss Edith Bellenden, granddaughter of lady Margaret, betrothed to lord Evendale, of the king’s army, but in love with Morton (a leader of the covenanters and the hero of the novel).  After the death of lord Evendale, who is shot by Balfour, Edith marries Morton, and this terminates the tale.—­Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).