Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-02
TITLES OF ENGLISH WOMEN
Distinctions That May Seem Rather Com
plicatcd to an American.

Distinctions That May Seem Rather Con-
plicatcd to An American.
1t is little wonder that foreigners bum
gle over our titles as they do, when in
our own public speeches and newspa-
pers it is often made plain that many do
not understand how to use English titles.
For instance, marquis daughter who
married a man without title keeps tire
title of lady" and her own Christian
name and adds TO these the husbands
surname.
Thus, when Lady Evelyn Fitzmaurice,
the daughter of the Marquis of Lands
downe, married Mr.. Victor Cavendish
she became Lady Evelyn Cavendish;
but the London dailies spoke of ''Lady
Victor Cavendishs going away Dress"
The only case in which a lady Of title
is called by her husbands Christian
name as well as his surname is in the
case of the wives of the younger sons of
dukes and marquises.
These men bear courtesy titles Of
"lord" before their Christian names
and surnames, as Lord George Hamil-
ton, Lord Charles Beresford, and so on.
and the only correct way of addressing
or speaking Of their wives Is the same
way, putting. "lady" in the place of
lord"
To call the wives Of younger sons
Lady Hamilton, Lady Beresford, or
whatever is the surname, without the
male Christian name, is as incorrect as
to call Lady Evelyn Cavendish by her
husbands full name.
On the other hand, the wife Of bar
onet or Of knight is ''lady," with his
surname alone after it.
Confusion grows in many minds from
the fact that any peeress (under the
rank of duchess) is also spoken of, and
to, by her equals as merely Lady So
and-so"-the name added, however, not
being the family name, but the title of
the husband.
Thus no equal would say, 81 saw the
Marchioness of Salisbury" or There is
the Countess of Lathom," it would be
Lady Salisbury and Lady Lathom.
A duchess, the highest rank IN the
peerage, is the only peerless who escapes
this equality Of title in the everyday
language Of her equals in society. She
is never called ''lady" only, but is
spoken Of as "the Duchess of So-and-eo"
in full always, and is addressed in con-
versation by her friends as duchess"
the name of the peerage not added.
Moreover, every other lady of title,
from a knights wife (which is not q
real title), right away up to q march
ioness, is equally my lady" to her 90
cial interiors.
Sir John Smiths wife is Lady Smith.
The wife Of Lord John Smith, who is a
peers younger son, is Lady John Smith,
and If you know her on terms of equal
ity you may call her Lady John, but
never Lady Smith. Lady Mary, daugh-
ter of either the earl or the marquis, or
the duke Of somewhere, aud the wife of
Mr.. John Smith, is Lady Mary Smith;
call her Lady Mary if she seems friend
iy, but not Lady Smith or Lady John
Smith.
The wife of Lord Smith, or the earl
or the marquis of Smithville, you may
call Lady Smith or Lady Smithville, as
the case may be, but If Smithville is a
duke on no account call his wife Lady
Snithviile.
If you think that she will not snub
you as too familiar, You may call her
simply duchess" You may say, "Duch-
ess, may / get you some tear for ex-
ample. But till you know her well, or
feed On quite friendly terms, it had bet
ter be, viii your grace take cup of
tear
Finally, the oldest thing Of all, il fate
should make you acquainted with q
prince or princess of the blood royal,
you will seem very second rate If you
keep saying, your royal highness."
You must say ''sir" and ''ma'am.~
Not, II you please. madam but
"ma'nm," as your housemaid says to
your own meek better half, Mrs. Smith.
Even q duchess calls q princess
.'mam. --London Letter.