QotD

Acton:

Many men have compressed their entire wisdom into portable aphorisms. Others have had it done for them.

Epigraph to — what else? — a collection of excerpts from the writings of Lord Acton.

I became curious as to when Acton was enlorded. Having no luck in two of the dead-tree books within reach, I turn to Wikipedia (thanks to Mike for leading me by example to acquire that habit), which mentions that our Acton’s maternal grandmother was created duc de Dalberg. Hm, I thought, what was Dalberg’s coat of arms? I open Rietstap’s Armorial and my eye soon falls on

Dalberg-Acton baron Acton — Shropshire (Baronet, 17 janv. 1643/44; baron, 11 déc. 1869.) . . . .

Now I need not finish reading the Wikipedia piece, ha ha. Acton’s arms, by the way, are given thus (my free translation):

Quarterly: I and IV Acton: gules semy of crosses crosslet fitchy or, two lions passant in pale argent; II and III subquarterly: 1 and 4 Kämmerer von Worms: azure, six fleurs-de-lis argent and a chief indented or; 2 and 3 Dalberg: or, a cross ancry sable; and over the subquarters an inescutcheon, azure, a tower argent. Crest: within a torse argent and gules, a human leg in armor, couped at the thigh and dripping blood. Supporters: two lions gardant proper, each collared of a chain or, and hanging therefrom a cross ancry gules.

No motto given here.