Legend

( Sir Sampson ), a foolish, testy, prejudiced, and obstinate old man, between 50 and 60. His favorite oath is “Odd!” He tries to disinherit his elder son, Valentine, for his favorite son Ben, a sailor; and he fancies Angelica is in love with him, when she only intends to fool him. He says: “I know the length of the emperor of China’s foot, have ki ed the Great Mogul’s slipper, and have rid a-hunting upon an elephant with the cham of Tartary.”—W. Congreve, Love for Love , ii. (1695). “Sir Sampson Legend” is such another lying, over-bearing character, but he does not come up to “Sir Epicure Mammon” [in Ben Jonson’s play, The Alchemist ].—C. Lamb. Legend ( The Golden ), a semi-dramatic poem by Long fellow, taken from an old German tale by Hartmann von der Aue [ Our ], called Poor Henry (1851). Hartmann was one of the minnesingers, and lived in the twelfth century. (See Henry, Poor .)