nd vulgar _names_, were new named on the occasion, lest the former
one should disgrace the dignity.[21]

When _Burlier_, a French wit, was chosen for the preceptor of Colbert's
son, he felt his _name_ was so uncongenial to his new profession, that
he assumed the more splendid one of _D'Aucour_, by which he is now
known. Madame _Gomez_ had married a person named _Bonhomme_; but she
would never exchange her nobler Spanish name to prefix her married one
to her romances, which indicated too much of meek humility. _Guez_ (a
beggar) is a French writer of great pomp of style; but he felt such
extreme delicacy at so low a name, that to give some authority to the
splendour of his diction, he assumed the name of his estate, and is well
known as _Balzac_. A French poet of the name of Theophile _Viaut_,
finding that his surname pronounced like _veau_ (calf), exposed him to
the infinite jests of the minor wits, silently dropped it, by retaining
the more poetical appellation of _Theophile_. Various literary artifices
have been employed by some who, still preserving a natural attachment to
the names of their fathers, yet blushing at the same time for their
meanness, have in their Latin works attempted to obviate the ridicule
which they provoked. One _Gaucher_ (left-handed) borrowed the name of
_Scevola_, because Scevola, having burnt his right arm, became
consequently left-handed. Thus also one _De la Borgne_ (one-eyed) called
himself _Strabo_; _De Charpentier_ took that of _Fabricius_; _De Valet_
translated his _Servilius_; and an unlucky gentleman, who bore the name
of _Du bout d'Homme,_ boldly assumed that of _Virulus_. Dorat, a French
poet, had for his real name _Disnemandi_, which, in the dialect of the
Limousins, signifies one who dines in the morning; that is, who has no
other dinner than his breakfast. This degrading name he changed to
_Dorat_, or gilded, a nickname which one of his ancestors had borne for
his fair tresses. But by changing his _name_, his feelings were not
entirely quieted, for unfortunately his daughter cherished an invincible
passion for a learned man, who unluckily was named _Goulu_; that is, a
shark, as gluttonous as a shark. Miss _Disnemandi_ felt naturally a
strong attraction for a _goulu_; and in spite of her father's
remonstrances, she once more renewed his sorrows in this alliance!

There are unfortunate names, which are very injurious to the cause in
which they are engaged; for instance, the Long Par