The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-10
KNIoHTHooD GROWING CHEAP.
Titles Bestowed So Lavlshly In England
That They Are In Disrepute.


consequently, it seems to have become
an admitted principle that anybody
and everybody has prima facie claim
to it. In the last twenty years many
more than 1000 knights have been
dubbed, and, as we noted last week,
"the last batch of persons to receive
the royal accolade and the right of pre-
fixing Sir to their names consisted
mainly of professional musicians of by
no means high class, among them the
music-master formerly at Elton college,
now of the Guildhall, the leader Of the
queens private band, and an organist
at Windsor" Against these gentlemen
personally we have nothing whatever
to say. In every moral and social quality
we have no doubt they are all that can
be desired, and that, so far their ad-
mission into the order to which they now
belong was perfectly justified. But that
bandmasters, organists and teachers OF
music are proper persons to be lxnighted
can hardly be maintained on the as
sumption that knighthood is to con-
tinue to be regarded as the appropriate
reward of public services in whatever
capacity they may be rendered. More
especially is this obvious in relation to
the art with which they themselves are
connected for assuredly, if knighthood
Is sufficient recognition of the emf
hence of Sir Arthur Sullivan and Sir
Charles Halle, it is infinitely more tlan
a tni. r Al
OF Mr.. Parratt, DR.. Barnby and Mr..
Cusins.
1t is true that simple knighthooi, as
distinguished from knight commander
ship of the Bath, St Michael and st.
George and the Star of India, o say
nothing of the Garter, the Thistle and
st. Patrick, is not and can scarcely be
expected to be, held in any greatvener-
alton. Custom has made it imperative
on the sovereign to confer it on num-
Der of persons whose social statls is al
together different from that Of those
who are admitted to the royal orders.
But, however promiscuously enjoyed,
the honor, such as it is, is invariably
shared by the Judges of the land and
the law officers of the crown; and even
city sheriffs and provincial mayors have
some reason to complain when it's value
is still further deprecated. No doubt
the disrepute of knighthood is no new
thing. Heralds are accustomed to date
its commencement from the reign of
James l., who created 800 knights in
six weeks and that of his son, Charles l.,
who knighted among others Sir Jeffrey
Hudson, the queens dwarf. But it
reached climax under George w., who
discovered in the mere threat of admin
istering the royal accolade an effectual
protection against the presentation Of
unwelcome addresses; and under Will
liam w., who knighted everybody who
would allow him to do so, matters in
this respect were not much mended In
the earlier years of the queens reign,
however, when the counsels of the
lamented prince consort were in the
ascendant, knighthood was very spar
ingly conferred, and its position as a
social distinction was proportionately
raised. But it is not too much to saw
that of late it has been distributed with
so little circumspection that it has be-
come almost valueless for the purpose
for which it is supposed and ought to
exist.
So far, indeed, as knighthood is to be
regarded as a mark of eminence in lit
erature, science or art, the result ap-
pears pretty much the same as that
which Thackeray describes in one of his
Roundabout Papers" as likely to have
ensued if George III had instituted the
order of merit, which he once had in
serious contemplation. That order was
to have been dedicated to Minerva, and
DR.. johnson himself was to have been
the first president or grand cross or
grand owl of the society. The members
were to be adorned with star of six
teen points and yellow ribbon, and all
the recognized luminaries of the lit
erary, scientific and artistic worlds
were to be enrolled among them But
how, Thackeray asks when they had
all of them been admitted, could the
door be shut against inferior claim
ants? How could you have ex-
cluded Sir Alexis Sever, Sir Ales-
sandro Tamburini, Sir Agostino Vel
luti, Sir Anton 10 Paginnini (vioinist),
Sir Sandy McGoffog piper to the most
honorable the marquis of Farintosh),
Sir Alcide Flicfac premier danseur of
Her Majesty's theater), Sir Harley Quin
and Sir Joseph Grimaldi from Covent
garden). They" he adds, "have all
yellow ribbon. They are all honorable,
clever and distinguished artists. Let us
elbow through the rooms, make bow
to the lady Of the house, give nod to
Sir George Thrum, who is leading the
orchestra, and go in and get some cham
payne and settler water from Sir Rich
ard, who is presiding at the buffet
This was intended to be a caricature
when Thackeray wrote it. But it GER
tainly reads great deal more like
prophecy now.-London World.
supply of Emeralds Decreasing.
Emeralds are said to be steadily dis
appearing. In the sos and sos emer-
aids were the favorite jewel, and were
worn strung on thread like pearls
Such string of emeralds was exhibited