St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-14
TO PEOPLE GOING ABROAD.
A Slight Insight Into the Matter
of Precedence in England.

or Prec e0ence In England.
The following items from an English
letter may be of service to those who
are going abroad:
"Yes, indeed, my dear l. have
had very good time of it in London
for the last six weeks; every one has
been most kind, and have met SO many
charming-thrice charming-people! l
hope it is not vain to say that | feel
know-that they like me, and | return
the liking. and possible admiration, with
compound interest. just at flrSt, now
ever, found some things rather hard
to understand, for the unwritten laws
are many. and 1t behooveS the American
maiden to study and inwardly digest
them before she makes her debut in
London society. A damsel may be un-
conventional, possibly little vulgar
perhaps mere or less slangy, without
forfeiting the admirrtion of her British
cousins; but if she Ignores the time
honored etiquette and distinctions or
Burke and Debrett she will be voted an
INBRED young woman from Yam
keeland VINO ought to have known
better. And O., what a puzzle 1t IS!
When we began to receive invitations
to dinner or to spend few days i'll the
country, or some equally delightful Sug-
gestion, half the pleasure was gone for
fear of making some glaring error in
the address of the answering notes.
You say you are coming soon to have
look at all these grand folk wonder If
few hints on the subject knowledge
that has come to me through rather hard
work and one or two notifying little
experiences would help you. OF course
duchesses, marchionesses, and count
esses are easily managed. inside
the letters they are your dear
Duchess or Lady B., or Lady O., and
outside the envelope they become the
Duchess of A. (only tradespeople and
such ilk use words her graceO, the
Marchioness of b. and the Countess of
c. the ViscOunteSs d. etc. Still it is
well to remember this, as Americans
are apt to address an envelope simply
to Lady This or That. But the rocks
and whirlpools begin when the sons
and daughters of these august person.
ages have to be considered. Remember
that the younger children of dukes and
marquises (the oldest sons, of course.
have their individual titles are Lord
John Smith or Lady Mary Smith. never
never Lord or Lady Smith. If you
know them tolerably well begin your
Dear Lady Mary but address
the envelopes to 'The Lord john
Smith in full. The sons wives take
their husbands titles, as Lady John
Smith, while the daughters,if they mar
ry man of inferior rank, take their
husbands name. but retain their own
title, thus Lady Mary Smith becomes
by marrying Mr., Brown Lady Mary
Brown and it sounds odd to American
ears to hear people announced as they
enter room as Mr.. and Lady Mary
Brown If lady with title of her
own marries a barOnet she retains her
own, as the couple becomes Sir Henry
and Lady Hilda HigginsOn,' otherwise
she would be plain Lady Higginson.'
But if, on the other hand, Ladies Mary
and Hilda marry men Of superior rank
their titles merge into those OF their
husbands.
II have not half done yet, although l
dare say you are weary enough, for we
now come to very puZZling lot. Surely
one might be excused for forgetting
that the younger sons of earls are not in
the same position as the younger Sons of
marQulseS or dukes. 1t seems obsurdly
arbitrary that they are only honorables,
while their sisters are Lady Susan and
Lady Betty. In writing to these hon
CRADLES you begin your note as Dear
Mr.. Turner for instance, but address
the envelope to the The Hon. Thomas
Turner When we come to the
progeny of the viscounts or barons,
sons and daughters are alike hon.
CRADLES, only they are not so
honorable as the sons of marquises or
dukes, and their wives would have TO
give precedence to the wives of the lat
ha 10
never can get used to them; it seems so
rude to send letter to The Honorable
Jane Jenkins without Miss to round
her off. And here is another diStinc-
ton, which you must not fail to remem
Der, and that is the difference between
the address of barOnet's wife and the
baron's Lady, The latter is The
Lady F. and the other merely Lady
F. Isn't 1t all intricate? And yet,over
here, every one seems to understand
what they ought to do by intuition. AS
for precedence, however. and the proper
arrangement of guests at dinner,
and all that kind of thing, don't waste
your time over the puzzle. Life is too
short. But it all seems very badly ar
ranged to our democratic ideas. A
dukeling just out of school will be
given the place of honor, while states
men full of years and honors follow
meekly in his grace's boyish footsteps.
Frisky young women whose husbands
happen to be the eldest sons of dukes
will precede mothers in Israel who may
be cOuntesses themselves, and the as
sorting of the various couples appears
to me absolutely grotesque. However,
it is all part of the machinery of what it
must be confessed is a wonderfully
well organized society; and, suppose,
in accepting their hospitality, it is only
well bred for us to try to learn their