Acton: <\/p>\n
Many men have compressed their entire wisdom into portable aphorisms. Others have had it done for them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Epigraph to — what else? — a collection of excerpts from the writings of Lord Acton.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> (thanks to Mike<\/a> 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<\/p>\n
Dalberg-Acton<\/b> baron Acton<\/b> — Shropshire<\/i> (Baronet, 17 janv. 1643\/44; baron, 11 déc. 1869.) . . . .<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Now I need not finish reading the Wikipedia piece, ha ha. Acton’s arms, by the way, are given thus (my free translation):<\/p>\n
Quarterly: I and IV Acton<\/i>: gules semy of crosses crosslet fitchy or, two lions passant in pale argent; II and III subquarterly: 1 and 4 Kämmerer von Worms<\/i>: azure, six fleurs-de-lis argent and a chief indented or; 2 and 3 Dalberg<\/i>: or, a cross ancry sable; and over the subquarters an inescutcheon, azure, a tower argent. Crest<\/strong>: within a torse argent and gules, a human leg in armor, couped at the thigh and dripping blood. Supporters<\/strong>: two lions gardant proper, each collared of a chain or, and hanging therefrom a cross ancry gules.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
No motto given here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 … Continue reading