A fellow who rejoices in the name of Hogg, and who resides at a village near Barnsley, the other day took in his finished work to the manufacturers in that town, leaving his wife in such a state of health that she was not expected to survive until he returned. When he had finished his business at his employer's, he called upon the Registrar of Births at Barnsley, for the purpose of registering his wife's decease. The disgusted Registrar, on hearing the circumstances, ordered the unfeeling wretch about his business, when he skulked away, muttering that he had called beforehand, as he thought it would save him a journey. (Leeds Intelligencer, August 18th, 1838)
It took me a while to understand the opening phrase. Apparently to "rejoice in the name of" (meaning to have a silly sounding name) is a British idiom. Is it also an antiquated idiom, or can it still be heard in Britain?
ReplyDeleteIt's VERY antiquated. I seem to remember even Lewis Carroll poking fun at the phrase in 'Through The Looking Glass'.
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