innocent

   In occasional use as a vocative, with various meanings. It appears to mean ‘one who is free of guilt’ when Edgar, in Shakespeare’s King Lear (3:vi), says: ‘Pray, innocent, and beware the foul fiend.’ It often means ‘one of child-like simplicity’, and in Scotland, especially, it can mean ‘a simpleton, fool’.

   When Rhett Butler calls Scarlett O’Hara ‘my poor innocent’, in Gone With The Wind, he is implying that her lack of worldly knowledge is both touching and reprehensible. Later, when they are married, the following occurs: ‘“Fortunately the world is full of beds - and most of the beds are full of women.”

   “You mean you’d actually be so -?” “My dear innocent! But of course. It’s a wonder I haven’t strayed long ere this.’” The Battle of the Villa Fiorita, by Rumer Godden, has the following conversation between two women friends of mature years:

   ‘It still did not occur to me he was Rob Quillet,’ she told Margot.

   ‘With the whole village buzzing about the film for weeks? Didn’t you look at his clothes?’

   ‘No,’ said Fanny. ‘What about them?’

   ‘My dear innocent. Don’t you know a suit like that and handmade shoes when you see them?

   A Travelling Woman, by John Wain, has ‘you poor little innocent’ used in an unfriendly way. See also Ninny.