The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 4, December, 1834Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 4, December, 1834
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
We beg our readers to amuse themselves with the following article from
Mr. Fairfield's Magazine. We cannot however, whilst we value the
importance of having an euphonous and pleasant sounding name,
sympathise very sincerely with Mr. Rust in the horror he has conceived
towards his own. We had rather be Lazarus in all his misery than Dives
in "purple and fine linen."
From the North American Magazine.
MY NAME.
"Quid rides? mutato nomine, de te
Fabula narratur."--_Horace, Sat. 1. Lib, I. 70_.
"Nil admirari" has always been my maxim, yet there is one thing which
excites my wonder. It _is_ astonishing, that a man, who leaves his son
no other legacy, cannot at least give him a good name. What could have
been my father's motive, in inflicting upon me that curse of all
curses--my name, I cannot determine. Trifling as so small a matter may
appear, it has been my ruin. Bah! I shudder when I think of it! shade
of my honored parent! would nothing but a scripture name satisfy thee?
Why didst thou not then entitle me
Ezra?--Zedekiah?--Nimri?--anything--it must out--but Lazarus!
Yes--LAZARUS RUST--that is my name; and, if any man can now blame me
for being a misanthrope, let him come forward. As I said, my name has
been my ruin. It has made existence a curse since my childhood; even at
school, I was tormented almost to madness. I was the only boy who was
not nicknamed. The most malicious were satisfied; they could not
improve upon Lazarus.
Of all men, the most impertinent are your stage agents. They have a
trick of asking your name, with an insulting coolness, which, to a man
of delicate sensibilities, is extremely annoying. I shall never forget
my first stagecoach journey. The fellow at the desk looked me full in
the face, and calmly asked my name. I felt the blood boiling in my
face, and my first impulse was to knock him down. But I was a prudent
man, even when a boy; so I satisfied myself with turning contemptuously
on my heel. The fellow was by my side in a moment. "Sir," said he, in
the silver tones of a lackey, "will you allow me to inquire your name?"
This was too much. "Allow me to tell you, sirrah," I cried, almost
suffocated with rage, "that you are an impertinent scoundrel."
The bar room was in a roar. That laugh is sounding still in my ears,
like the roar of a mighty cataract. What diabolical music some men make
of laughing! When the agent explained to me the reason of his inquiry,
I felt so consummately silly, that I forgot my usual precaution of
giving only my initial, and, in a voice painfully distinct, I
answered--Lazarus Rust!
They did not laugh. I could have borne a deafening shout: but that
suppressed smile! let me not think of it. Of all mortal sufferings, the
keenest is the consciousness of being the object of ridicule, mingled
perhaps with pity. O! Heaven! what did I not suffer--what have I not
suffered, from this one source?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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