The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

192 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
scripture.’—‘A foolish pique indeed, (cried Mrs. Tabby) and even
sinful, to fall out with your name because it is taken from holy
writ.—I would have you to know, you was called after great-uncle
Matthew ap Madoc ap Meredith, esquire, of Llanwysthin, in
Montgomeryshire, justice of the quorum, and crusty ruttleorum, a
gentleman of great worth and property, descended in a strait line,
by the female side, from Llewellyn, prince of Wales.’
This genealogical anecdote seemed to make some impression
upon the North-Briton, who bowed very low to the descendants of
Llewellyn, and observed that he himself had the honour of a scrip-
tural nomination. The lady expressing a desire of knowing his
address, he said, he designed himself Lieutenant Obadiah Lisma-
hago; and, in order to assist her memory, he presented her with
a slip of paper inscribed with these three words, which she repeated
with great emphasis, declaring, it was one of the most noble and
sonorous names she had ever heard. He observed that Obadiah
was an adventitious appellation, derived from his greatgrandfather,
who had been one of the original covenanters; but Lismahago was
the family surname, taken from a place in Scotland so called. He
likewise dropped some hints about the antiquity of his pedigree,
adding, with a smile of self-denial, Sed genus et proavos, et quæ non
fecimus ipsi, vix ea nostra voco, which quotation he explained in
deference to the ladies; and Mrs. Tabitha did not fail to com-
pliment him on his modesty in waving the merit of his ancestry,
adding, that it was the less necessary to him, as he had such a con-
siderable fund of his own. She now began to glew herself to his
favour with the grossest adulation.—She expatiated upon the anti-
quity and virtues of the Scottish nation, upon their valour, probity,
learning, and politeness.—She even descended to encomiums on
his own personal address, his gallantry, good sense, and erudition.
—She appealed to her brother, whether the captain was not the
very image of our cousin governor Griffith—She discovered a sur-
prising eagerness to know the particulars of his life, and asked a
thousand questions concerning his atchievements in war; all which
Mr. Lismahago answered with a sort of jesuitical reserve, affect-
ing a reluctance to satisfy her curiosity on a subject that concerned
his own exploits.
By dint of her interrogations, however, we learned, that he and
ensign Murphy had made their escape from the French hospital
at Montreal, and taken to the woods, in hope of reaching some