subs. (old).—The moon; the SKY-LANTERN. OLIVER WHIDDLES (or IS UP) = the moon shines; OLIVER IS IN TOWN = the nights are moonlight.
1781. G. PARKER, A View of Society, II. 133, note. OLIVER DON’T WIDDLE. The Moon not up.
1819. J. H. VAUX, Memoirs, ii. 193, s.v.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, III. v., ‘The Game of High Toby.’
| Now OLIVER puts his black nightcap on, | |
| And every star its glim is hiding. | |
| Ibid. IV. vi., ‘Oliver Whiddles.’ | |
| OLIVER WHIDDLES!—the tatler old! | |
| Telling what best had been left untold; | |
| OLIVER ne’er was a friend of mine; | |
| All glims I hate, that so brightly shine. | |
| Give me a night black as hell—and then | |
| See what I’ll show to you, my merry men. |
1837. BULWER-LYTTON, Ernest Maltravers, IV. i. In half an hour OLIVER puts on his nightcap, and we must then be off.
1895. H. B. MARRIOTT-WATSON, The King’s Treasure, in The New Review, July, 7. ‘There’s a moon out.’ ‘The better for us to pick ’em off, Dan,’ I returned, laughing at him. ‘What—OLIVER? damn OLIVER!’ said Zacchary. ‘Let’s push forward and come to quarters.’
TO GIVE A ROWLAND FOR AN OLIVER. See ROWLAND.
