The Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4Lamb, Charles
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The Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4
Lamb, Charles
English essays; English poetry; Short stories, English
_Belvil._ Such a thing has been known as a name to be changed; but
not by a subject--(_shows a Gazette_).
_Mr. H._ Gnawing at the root--(_suddenly snatches the paper out of_
BELVIL'S _hand_)--ha! pish! nonsense! give it me--what! (_reads_)
promotions, bankrupts--a great many bankrupts this week--there it
will lie. (_Lays it down, takes it up again, and reads._) "The King
has been graciously pleased"--gnawing at the root--"graciously
pleased to grant unto John Hogsflesh,"--the devil--"Hogsflesh, Esq.,
of Sty Hall, in the county of Hants, his royal license and
authority"--O Lord! O Lord!--"that he and his issue"--me and my
issue--"may take and use the surname and arms of Bacon"--Bacon, the
surname and arms of Bacon--"in pursuance of an injunction contained
in the last will and testament of Nicholas Bacon, Esq., his late
uncle, as well as out of grateful respect to his memory:"--grateful
respect! poor old soul-----here's more--"and that such arms may be
first duly exemplified "--they shall, I will take care of
that--"according to the laws of arms, and recorded in the Herald's
Office."
_Belvil._ Come, Madam, give me leave to put my own interpretation
upon your silence, and to plead for my friend, that now that only
obstacle which seemed to stand in the way of your union is removed,
you will suffer me to complete the happiness which my news seems to
have brought him, by introducing him with a new claim to your favor,
by the name of Mr. Bacon. (_Takes their hands and joins them, which_
MELESINDA _seems to give consent to with a smile._)
_Mr. H._ Generous Melesinda! my dear friend--"he and his issue," me
and my issue!--O Lord!--
_Belvil._ I wish you joy, Jack, with all my heart.
_Mr. H._ Bacon, Bacon, Bacon--how odd it sounds! I could never be
tired of hearing it. There was Lord Chancellor Bacon. Methinks I have
some of the Verulam blood in me already.--Methinks I could look
through Nature--there was Friar Bacon, a conjurer,--I feel as if I
could conjure too----
_Enter a Servant._
_Servant._ Two young ladies and an old lady are at the door,
inquiring if you see company, Madam.
_Mr. H._ "Surname and arms"--
_Melesinda._ Show them up.--My dear Mr. Bacon, moderate your joy.
_Enter three Ladies, being part of those who were at the Assembly._
_1st Lady._ My dear Melesinda, how do you do?
_2nd Lady._ How do you do? We have been so concerned for you----
_Old Lady._ We have been so concerned--(_seeing him_)--Mr.
Hogsflesh----
_Mr. H._ There's no such person--nor there never was--nor 'tis not
fit there should be--"surname and arms"--
_Belvil._ It is true what my friend would express; we have been all
in a mistake, ladies. Very true, the name of this gentleman was what
you call it, but it is so no longer. The succession to the
long-contested Bacon estate is at length decided, and with it my
friend succeeds to the name of his deceased relative.
_Mr. H._ "His Majesty has been graciously pleased"--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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