DUNDER (Sir David), of Dunder Hall, near Dover.  An hospitable, conceited, whimsical old gentleman, who forever interrupts a speaker with “Yes, yes, I know it,” or “Be quiet, I know it.”  He rarely finishes a sentence, but runs on in this style:  “Dover is an odd sort of a—­eh?” “It is a dingy kind of a—­humph!” “The ladies will be happy to—­eh?” He is the father of two daughters, Harriet and Kitty, whom he accidentally detects in the act of eloping with two guests.  To prevent a scandal, he sanctions the marriages, and discovers that the two lovers, both in family and fortune, are suitable sons-in-law.

Lady Dunder, fat, fair, and forty if not more.  A country lady, more fond of making jams and pastry than doing the fine lady.  She prefers cooking to croquet, and making the kettle sing to singing herself.  (See HARRIET and KITTY.)—­G.  Colman, Ways and Means (1788).

William Dowton [1764-1851] played “Sir Anthony Absolute,” “Sir Peter Teazle,” “Sir David Dunder,” and “Sir John Falstaff,” and looked the very characters he represented.—­W.  Donaldson, Recollections.

[Illustration] “Sir Anthony Absolute,” in The Rivals (Sheridan); “Sir Peter Teazle,” in The School for Scandal (Sheridan).

DUNDREAR’Y (Lord), a good natured, indolent, blundering, empty-headed swell; the chief character in Tom Taylor’s dramatic piece entitled Our American Cousin.  He is greatly characterized by his admiration of “Brother Sam,” for his incapacity to follow out the sequence of any train of thought, and for supposing all are insane who differ from him.

(Mr. Sothern of the Haymarket created this character by his power of conception and the genius of his acting.)

DUNIOS (The count de), in Sir W. Scott’s novel of Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

DUNOIS THE BRAVE, hero of the famous French song, set to music by Queen Hortense, mother of Napoleon III., and called Partant pour Syrie.  His prayer to the Virgin, when he left for Syria, was: 

  Que j’aime la plus belle,
  Et sois le plus vaillant!

He behaved with great valor, and the count whom he followed gave him his daughter to wife.  The guests, on the bridal day, all cried aloud: 

  Amour a la plus belle! 
  Honneur an plus vaillant! 
  Words by M. de Laborde (1809).

DUN’OVER, a poor gentleman introduced by Sir W. Scott in the introduction of The Heart of Midlothian (time, George II.).

DUNROMMATH, lord of Uthal, one of the Orkneys.  He carried off Oith’ona, daughter of Nuath (who was engaged to be married to Gaul, son of Morni), and was slain by Gaul in fight.

Gaul advanced in his arms.  Dunrommath shrunk behind his people.  But the spear of Gaul pierced the gloomy chief; his sword lopped off his head as it bended in death.—­Ossian, Oithoha.

DUNS SCOTUS, called “The Subtle Doctor,” said to have been born at Dunse, in Berwickshire, or Dunstance, in Northumberland (1265-1308).