Family Mottos

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7136, 20 April 1933, Page 10

Family Mottos

REMARKABLE EXAMPLES

Samuel Johnson defines a mofto to be “A sentence or word prefixed to any thing written, or added to a device.” The latter sense of the term alludes chiefly to the words or sentences accompanying the armorial bearings of different families.

Some of the mottoes of the peerage aro remarkable in that they pun. Some of the plays on words are good; others detestably bad. One of the best is the motto of the Vernons —‘ ‘ Ver non semper viret,” which may either be read “Vernon always flourishes,” or “Spring does not always flourish,” in which latter truism there is little appropriateness, unless we regard :it. as «■ warning to “make hay while the sun shines.” A better motto of the species is that which the family of Onslow selected. It is “Festina lento,” an old Latin proverb signifying “On Slow,” or “Hasten slowly”—advice at once to progress, and a caution at the same time to beware of imprudent haste. The Scottish Barons Fairfax have a pithyquibble for their family motto—“ Fare fac, ” which, being translated, signifies “Speak do.” It has generally been held that a better rule is “Faire sans dire,” “to act without much talking,” which is the motto of the Fox family. iTho motto of the Nevilles is “No vile velis,” “Incline to nothing base.” Similar is the motto of the Fanes, Earls of Westmoreland, which runs thus, “No vile gano” —“Bring nothing base to the fane,” or temple. The ducal house of Cavendish has the words “Caveudo tatus,” signifying “Safe by caution.” “Forte scutum salus ducum” is a piece of bad Latin, intended to express that a “strong shield is the safety of commanders,” and embodying in its first syllables the name of Forteseue, of which family it is the motto. Another ot the kind is that of the noble Irish family of Maynard —‘ ‘ Manus justa nardus,” “The just hand is a precious ointment.” Worse is the device of tho Barons Hcnniker, whoso family name is Major—“ Dens major colv na,” “God is the great support.” With a little more skill, though at the cost of employing an obsolete Latin word, t.iic family of Aston contrived to get its name nearly hitched into a line of <1 decent kind as regards sense. Their motto is “Numini et patriae asto, “I stand to God and my country. The weakest invention exhibited in this way occurs in the case of the Temples, or at least the Buckingham branch of that family. “Templa quam dilccta,” in .English, “Temples, how beloved,” is the sentence. The second meaning, or double entendre, is nothing else than, “What an amiable family the lemplcs are!” From such armorial mottoes it is pleasing to turn to that borne by the line of Bruce, once royal and yet noble. This dignified and pathetic motto is a- single word—- “ Fuimus, *’ “V c have been. One of the most apt and perfect, of all witty mottoes was that suggested by Henry Erskinc for the family arms of Gillespie, who had made a fortune by dealings in snufi. Inc lines Wha could hae thought it, That noses had bought if? were proposed by witty Inwyei.-.