“The Ballad of Eskimo Nell” – possibly the bawdiest poem in the English language (no links – google it yourself), boasts about the outstanding sexual prowess of Canadians. It was probably written by a Canadian author, not only because of that boast, but also for other hints in the text (mentioning “the CPR” meaning the railrway, and calling someone from Texas a “Yankee.”)
Most readers were heartbroken when “Little Nell” Trent died tragically at the end of Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop. Oscar Wilde, however, famously quipped that "One would have to have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without dissolving into tears…of laughter.”
Nell Gwyn, the mistress of Charles II, was in his final thoughts - his last words were “Let not poor Nelly starve.” James II complied by granting her a pension.
One of the most famous stories about Nell Gwyn was when she was spotted in Charles II’s carriage and people mistook her for another of Charles’ mistresses, Louise de Kerouailles, a member of the French minor nobility he made Duchess of Portsmouth and who was hated for her haughtiness, her “rising above her station” and her Catholicism. (Painting of her with a slave she received from one of her lovers.) Nell stood up and told the jeering mob “No, you’re mistaken… I am the Protestant whore!” at which they all burst into applause and cheers.
There may not be a King Charles III in Britain for the foreseeable future. Charles, the current Prince of Wales, is said to have told some friends that, when and if he takes the throne, he might reign under the name of George VII, in honor of his grandfather, King George VI.
His Royal Majesty King Henry IX Cardinal-Duke of York and Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati, Ostia and Velletri, was the impressive title of Henry Benedict Stewart, the younger son of James Stewart (aka “The Old Pretender” or King James III) to his courtiers in exile. He was proclaimed Duke of York by his father, Cardinal of York by the Pope and King of England (also by the Pope) upon the death of his older brother Charles (aka “King Charles III” or “Bonnie Prince Charlie”), though he never set foot in England and hit exalted titles were meaningless outside of his court in exile.
When the French king was beheaded his royal allowance was cancelled and he was left in near poverty (he still had his income and residence as Bp of Frascati but he lived far above his means) but was rescued, ironically, by a pension from King George III who felt some guilt over James the Old Pretender being deposed (though not enough to give up his crown). (Wiki.)
Due to numbering errors introduced, due to a number of anti-popes, and (at least) one legendary pope, there was no Pope John XX, as the 20th official pope by that name took the style John XXI, in order to ‘correct the errors’ of his predecessors.
One legendary pontiff was Pope Joan, who supposedly reigned around either 855 or 1099 (accounts differ on this detail, as on just about all other particulars of her life). As the story (generally) goes, she disguised herself as a man, but was revealed to be female when she gave birth while on horseback.
Pope John Paul II was the first (and only, so far) pope from a former Eastern Bloc country.
The 1968 Anthony Quinn film “Shoes of the Fisherman”, based on the Morris West novel, presaged the election of John Paul II by depicting a Russian ascending to the papacy, as Kiril I, at the height of the Cold War.
Anthony Quinn’s oldest known child drowned in a pond on the estate of neighbor W.C. Fields (next door neighbor of the child’s grandfather, Cecil B. Demille) in 1941. His 14th and youngest known child (product of an extramarital relationship with his secretary) was born in 1996.
Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” pays tribute to Alexander Pope, the “wise man” who first wrote that “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
The Gospel of Matthew never says how many wise men there were, the traditional number of three is based on the three gifts described.
Since I changed when astorian was playing, please let me retcon:
Now we’re caught up to:
In the play*** Inherit the Wind***, the character of Matthew Harrison Brady represents William Jennings Bryan, while fictional lawyer Henry Drummond represents Clarence Darrow, Bryan’s opponent in the Scopes trial.
William Jennings Bryan was most famous in the nation for being a three time Democratic presidential candidate and delivering the Cross of Gold speech in 1896. He died in Dayton, Tennessee five days after the trial and today a fundamentalist Christian liberal arts college there is named for him.
The athletic teams at Bryan College are nicknamed Lions.
Brigham Young’s primary residence in Salt Lake City was a complex that included The Beehive House- his official residence where he received visitors and slept- connected by a series of offices to The Lion House- a huge dormitory like home where several of his wives and children and servants lived.
The South Park episode “All About Mormons” was used as an exhibit in discussing Mormonism in popular culture, by Utah Valley State College religious studies professor Dennis Potter, in a presentation titled: “The Americanization of Mormonism Reflected in Pop Culture”.
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice, replaced Potter Stewart, who gained fame for stating that, while he could not legally define obscenity, he knew it when he saw it.