The last English Maecenas
Preserved but no longer current.
Samuel Rogers (1763-1 855), poet and banker. Maelstrom (maTstrom) (Norw., whirling stream). A dangerous whirlpool off the coast of Norway, between the islands of Moskenaso and Varo (in the Lofoten Islands), where the water is pushed and jostled a good deal, and where, when the wind and tide are contrary, it is not safe for small boats to venture!
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The last English Maecenas” mean?
Samuel Rogers (1763-1 855), poet and banker. Maelstrom (maTstrom) (Norw., whirling stream). A dangerous whirlpool off the coast of Norway, between the islands of Moskenaso and Varo (in the Lofoten Islands), where the water is pushed and jostled a good deal, and where, when the wind and tide are contrary, it is not safe for small boats to venture!
Is “The last English Maecenas” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.