ARC (Joan of), or Jeanne la Pucelle, the “Maid of Orleans,” daughter of a rustic of Domremy, near Vaucouleurs, in France.  She was servant at an inn when she conceived the idea of liberating France from the English.  Having gained admission to Charles VII., she was sent by him to raise the siege of Orleans, and actually succeeded in so doing.  Schiller has a tragedy on the subject, Casimir Delavigne an elegy on her, Southey an epic poem on her life and death, and Voltaire a burlesque.

In regard to her death, M. Octave Delepiere, in his Doute Historique, denies the tradition of her having been burnt to death at Rouen; and Vignier discovered in a family muniment chest the “contract of marriage between” Robert des Armoise, knight, and Jeanne d’Arc, surnamed “The Maid of Orleans.”

AR’CADES AMBO, both fools alike; both “sweet innocents;” both alike eccentric.  There is nothing in the character of Corydon and Thyrsis (Virgil’s Eclogue, vii. 4) to justify this disparaging application of the phrase.  All Virgil says is they were both “in the flower of their youth,” and both Arcadians, both equal in setting a theme for song or capping it epigrammatically; but as Arcadia was the least intellectual part of Greece, an “Arcadian” came to signify a dunce, and hence “Arcades ambo” received its present acceptation.

ARCALA’US (4 syl.), an enchanter who bound Am’adis de Gaul to a pillar in his courtyard, and administered to him 200 stripes with his horse’s bridle.—­Amadis de Gaul (fifteenth century).

ARCA’NES (3 syl.), a noble soldier, friend of Cas’silane (3 syl.) general of Candy.—­Beaumont and Fletcher, The Laws of Candy (1647).

ARCHAN’GEL.  Burroughs, the puritan preacher, called Cromwell “the archangel that did battle with the devil.”

ARCHAS, “the loyal subject” of the great duke of Moscovia, and general of the Moscovites.  His son is colonel Theodore.

Young Archas, son of the general.  Disguised as a woman, he assumes the name of Alinda.—­Beaumont and Fletcher, The Loyal Subject (1618).

ARCHBSH’OP OF GRANA’DA told his secretary, Gil Blas, when he hired him,

“Whenever thou shalt perceive my pen smack of old age and my genius flag, don’t fail to advertise me of it, for I don’t trust to my own judgment, which may be seduced by self-love.”  After a fit of apoplexy, Gil Blas ventured in the most delicate manner to hint to his grace that “his last discourse had not altogether the energy of his former ones.”  To this the archbishop replied, “You are yet too raw to make proper distinctions.  Know, child, that I never composed a better homily than that which you disapprove.  Go, tell my treasurer to give you 100 ducats.  Adieu, Mr. Gil Blas; I wish you all manner of prosperity, with a little more taste.”—­Le-sage, Gil Blas, vii. 3 (1715).

AR’CHER (Francis), friend of Aimwell, who joins him in fortune-hunting.  These are the two “beaux.”  Thomas viscount Aimwell marries Dorinda, the daughter of lady Bountiful.  Archer hands the deeds and property taken from the highwaymen to sir Charles Freeman, who takes his sister, Mrs. Sullen, under his charge again.—­George Farquhar, The Beaux’ Stratagem (1707).