Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-02
rnLss or ENGLISH WOMEN.


Bssf.nrfisas That -lay Seea Rather Corn
plIratcsl to an Amcr;cnn-
II Is little wonder thst foreigners our
gle owe. orr titles as they do. when in
our own public speeches and newsra-
pers it is often n;:la plain that many q
not understand how 10 aSe English titles
For instance, i marquis daughter xhs
/ married h man without title keeps tic
title Of lady and her own Christian
name and adds TO these the husband
surname.
Thus. when Lssiy Evelyn Fitznaurice
the daughter of the Marquis OF Lands
downe, married Mr.. Victor Cavendist
she became Lady Evelyn Cavendish
but the London dailies spoke of Lady
Victor Cayendish's going away dress
The only case in which lady OF title
is called by her husbands Christian
| name MS well as his surname is in tile
| case of the wives of the younger sons OF
dukes and marqu,ses.
These ,.en bear courtesy titles o!
| ..lord" before their Christian names
and surnames. as Lord George Harnil-
| 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" il the place 81
| lord"
To call the wives of younger sons
Lady Hamilton, Lady Beresford, OF
whatever is the surname, without the
male Christian name, is as incorrect as
! 10 call Lady Evelyn Cayendish by her
husbands full name.
On the other hand, the wife of IA bar
onet or of knight is lady with his
surname alone after it.
| Confusion grows IN many minds from
the fact that any peerless tnnder the
rank Of duchess) is also spoken of, and
to. by her equals us merely Lady So
and-so'-tle name added, however, not
| being the family name, but the title OF
I the husband.
Thus no equal would say. "Isaw the
( Warehouses of Salisbury or There is
the Countess of Lathom," it wonld IL
Lady Salisbury and Lady Lathom.
a duchess, the highest rank in The
peerage, is the only reeress 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 1.-The Duchess of So-and-so'
i'll 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 a
real title, right away up to a march
ioness, is equally my lady to her SO
| 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. and 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
Smithville.
If you think that she will not snub
you as too familiar, you may call her
simply duchess" You may say, Ouch.
ess, may l get you some tea:' for ex-
ample. But till you know her well, or
feel on quite friendly terms, it had bet
ter be, "Will your grace take cup of
teal
Finally, the oldest thing of all, if fate
should make You acquainted with Il
prince or princess of the blood royal,
you will seem very second rate if yoa
keep saying, your royal highness."
You must say ''sir' and "ma'am.'
Not, if goa please. madam" but
''ma'am," as your housemaid says to
your own meek better half, Mrs. Smith.
Even a duchess calls a princess
ina am. London Letter.