Father—Son

It is a common observation that a father above the common rate of men has usually a son below it. Witne King John son of Henry II.; Edward II. son of Edward I.; Richard II. son of the Black Prince; Henry VI. son of Henry V.; Lord Chesterfield’s son, etc. So in French history: Louis VIII. was the son of Philippe Auguste ; Charles the Idiot was the son of Charles le Sage ; Henri II. of François I. Again, in German history: He in rich VI. was the son of Barb a ro a; Albrecht I. of Rudolf; and so on, in all directions. Heroum filii noxæ is a Latin proverb. My trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood, in its contrary as great As my trust was. Shakespeare, The Tempest , act i. sc. 2 (1609).