What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards?
Alas! not all the blood, of all the Howards.

What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards?
Alas! not all the blood, of all the Howards.

Of what use are pedigrees, or to be thought of noble blood, or
the display of family portraits, O read more

Of what use are pedigrees, or to be thought of noble blood, or
the display of family portraits, O Ponticus?
[Lat., Stemmata quid faciunt, quid prodest, Pontice, longo,
Sanguine censeri pictosque ostendere vultus.]

He who boasts of his ancestry praises the merits of another.

He who boasts of his ancestry praises the merits of another.

Born is a Cellar, . . . and living in a Garret.

Born is a Cellar, . . . and living in a Garret.

Only kings, editors, and people with tapeworm have the right to use the editorial "we."

Only kings, editors, and people with tapeworm have the right to use the editorial "we."

I look upon you as a gem of the old rock.

I look upon you as a gem of the old rock.

Sire, I am my own Rudolph of Hapsburg.

Sire, I am my own Rudolph of Hapsburg.

He who boasts of his ancestry praises the merits of another

He who boasts of his ancestry praises the merits of another

Faith, I know nothing about it; I am my own ancestor.
[Fr., An, ma foi, je n'en sais rien; read more

Faith, I know nothing about it; I am my own ancestor.
[Fr., An, ma foi, je n'en sais rien; moi je suis mon ancetre.]