Warwick Square, Belgravia.
["To sham Abraham" is a cant expression, having reference to the
practices of a class of vagabonds and cheats once common in this
country. In Decker's _English Villanies_ there are many curious
particulars of the habits of this class of impostors. "She's all
Abram," that is, quite naked. "What an Abram!" an exclamation for
a ragged fellow. "An Abraham-man" was an impostor who personated a
poor lunatic called Tom of Bedlam: one of this class is described
by Shakspeare in his _Lear_, Act II. Sc. 3.:
"The basest and most poorest shape,
That every penury, in contempt of man,
Brought near to beast."
Among sailors, "An Abram" is being unwell, or out of sorts. When
Abraham Newland was Cashier of the Bank of England, it was sung--
"I have heard people say,
That sham Abraham you may,
But you must not sham Abraham Newland."]
_Author of "Le Blason des Couleurs."_--Can you give me the date of, or
any account of the author of a small black-letter French work on
heraldry entitled, _Le Blason des Couleurs en Armes_, &c. The author
introduces himself as "Je Sicille Herault a tres puissant roy Alph[=o]se
Darragon: de Sicilie: de Vallence de Maillaque: de Corseique et
Sardeigne: Conte de Barselonne," &c.; and at the end of the first part
it is said to be "compose par Sicille Herault du roy Alph[=o]se
daragon."