The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-22
TIE ITCH FOR FORETGv ORDERS AND
DECORlTI TONS.

operated on French molars with profit and re-
nown, has been gratinrd with the cross OF tho
Legion Of Honor; SO. we believe hns Mr. Beck
with who WAS one Of the Commiss toner's to the
Exposition Of 1867. and we presume that our
representatives ~ the Worlds Fair OF 1873 will
hope for like establishment We know.
moreover. by ocular proof that George the
Count Joanncs IL entitled TO wear the
proud insignia OF an order OF knight
hood and we might cite few other citizrns of
the republic who have been similarly dstn-
guished. II IL probable, however. that the scant
roll " persons so exceptionally favored. by no
means gauges the real state Of American opin-
ion or the subject. We incline to think. II the
fiat lay with tho American colony In Paris. or
even with Washington society whore the native
masculine element il SO wofully out~hone. out
manpuvrcd and outmnrried by the spanglcd
brauN Of the d plomatic corps that an imposing
system OF crosses. medals roscttcs. and ribbons
would bo promptly organized in this country.
aud become the staple Of quito brisk and u-
crativc ON 'ia bus ness.
Our young men are occasionally nrprised
that this is II democratic age. and indeed some
wis"acrcs signaliz" n darker horror which they
call socialism. looming over the European
horizon. The Juvenile mind nimbly infers that
the spurious distinctions Of rank and title have
out Of them. and their outward emblems been
nune aside like the crwgnws and frppery Of a
dis arled play. We are constrained to tell tho
youth Of America that this inference is AN error.
and we would recommend perusnl Of the
Gotha Almanac Ms warranted to dispel the H.
fusion. There Is. however. a grave flaw in that
monument Of conservative institutions. and we
would essay 10 piece out with casual. eclectic in
formation the short 'omngs Of important
chapter. To the large topic Of orders and deco
rations. only ten pages are devoted. and some
OF the most pertinent questions touching their
comparative 'ope and ustr,. the circumstances
and purpose Of their creation. and the nature
Of their insignia are strangely left unanswered.
We learn from the dimdndch De Goihd one
capital fnDt-namely. that forty-thrce countries
now dispose Of one hundred and thirty-eight
orders. not including commemorative medals
and crosses Of divers sorts. Neither do we
reckon suniry suppr' ssed Kingdoms and
durhics in Germany and Italy. or the dcfunct
empire Of Mexico. whose decorations once a -
trihutrd with n lavish hand. may no longer bo
lawfully Haunted 10y the soured recipient The
valid and authentic list presents curious
diversity in point Of dignity and antiquity.
ranging "a IL does from the historic cross Of the
Hospitlllrrs the princely eNclusiveness Of the
Golden Fleece. and the splendid chvnlry Of the
Garter to the Niraraguan Order Of Greytown.
and that other founded 10y his Majesty. Kane
hameha V. Of the Sandwich Islands. We may
add that five Asatic monar'hs have imported
the INST tuition. that his Hghnoss the Boy Of
Tuuis has lntcly crowned il with his sanrt IN.
ani that In the Soudan exist twY orders re-
spectivey styled the Paim-trse and the Alli..a-
tor which are held TO bee the oftiest distinctions
20 which a mortal negro can aspire.
This fair array Of knightly brotherhoods Is
segregated by experts into three groups. or
categorrs. viz: The semi monastic. semi j.
tary bodies which date from the Crusadcs; the
close aristo'ratic creations ~ medieval courts
and the comllaisant. accessible. truly demo-
cratlc type which has been devised for the pres
ont century. In the former class tho orders Of
Calatrtva. Alcantara and Santiago. once IA
nous for their exploits against the Moons. have
osttheir ini'pcui"n -. AM their emblems are
become the somewhat cheap and mean nlslcss
gratu ties Of the spanish crown. The sole YER
table. sovereign order which is yet nominally
extant bears the great name Of st. John of Je-
rusal"m." The last public appearance. how
over " its white cross which waved over Acre.
Rhodes. and Malta was on the battlefield of See
dan. upon the top-coats Of two English Cntho-
lies engaged in tending the wounded. And
thus. after eight centuries OF glory and viciss
tude. the renowned society which began in IA
n"sp'rH seems 10 nave ended IN AN ambulance,
AMONG the "r's''crhu' orHers' whose mem
"rS"'p - III ,h'ory' 'ohnh'd 70 the hisher
/ s'"''e "' SCUM r"hN' anu whose eihulems are
''ss lnhrA OF pu'h' service IMAM the proof OF
| roy" 'aNor' lh'f' are elEh' whl'h' 10y the SUI
/ HaE" OF ule le"rhci In su'h matters, are held
/ 'o suthu alohn on Elily emin"n'e. These
s"'dly companies the Hover ~ men. whose
! r'h'Wh Is irN 10y the sovereigns who control
/ them Ia Ice lndi ssoluhly Knit with their personal
/ PRESSURE ana who's" precious insignia ara
! uer"'ore m"ted ou' with chnry hand. are tho
Golden Fleece founded hy Duke Of burgundy
! 10 lmnortaIAe MS m'str"ss's fair hair; the
Nhr'r' r'put'd 10 he tribute 10 the charms of
hN"uh'ess oil SALISBURY the Annonciade OF the
house "i SAVOY 10 whl'h ons legend assigns n
nN" curious oriSln' IN" SWEDISH Seraphim'
,ne pnn.sh Elephant, the Prussian Black
r"~l' Snh' Nhlr'W OF hussla, and SAINT
/ ""p"h "i huh-NrY othrr orders doubt
US uer' are whose dh'i'ht ana glitter NJ
''''7 may W." V""-'' inc eye 81 thr young
"'"i""'' su Il "s IN" '''llSh lh'st', th'
''""' 'I'-' ana ,he Ouri-V ot Portugal; oul
"'9' nave Il" ''"n u Uv ra''d III Tie lustrous