New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-26
THE FRENCH ARISTOCRACy
HOW SOME PLEBEIAN NAMES ATTArxr,
THE PATRICIAN DECREE
From The Nineteenth Century.

From The Nineteenth Century
Under the Government of July. ard also -,
the Second Empire came. many OF tho "ea
families were ayerse II entering tie d,nln. "a
service, where their names would have pnaae
pledge Of welcome abroad. Resort was ,hla
fore had to what are called in France horn,naee'e '
carrlere. These had not. and could moi hs.a s
any other authority than their talents ave
them. This was not enough either for ina cSa'e
eminent or them. They were Therefore nov "'s'
barOns and counts. Some Of them acquired ,a'is
titles from foreign Governments The Com.
Rome. while not prodigal. rarely REFUSED
grant title Of count when asked for it. Ssv..9
French charges dafaires, and even amhasI.l
doris got their semblance u nobility from pn4
Some still exist which had 10 other origin 's
The operation was at time rendered awku..,
by the too plcbeian form Of the name. Ne cha.
pas de nom qui veut but with a little smar,nS
and the help of the ChaDcellOrs Office the ds'
Guilty could be got over. II the name began wiz.
De. which is the particle indicative Of nobIlt
it was an easy matter. the only thing necesS.s,
being the separation Of the initial syllable h.,
the rest of the name. For instance NJ ~
mare became NJ. de I.amare; NJ. Delestrada ~.
transformed into NJ. de Lestrade. and M n"
viley signed "DErviliey." But the opera,''
became a little more troublesome when the na-
was very commonplace one. such as Durans
Rcgnault. or Dupont. In that case the nams !.
a town or a political division was added and N.
gentleman called hims IF Dupont DE- rEure or
Nemours: Regnault de Saint-Jean d Angely NJ
rand de Romorantin. and so forth.
When no name Of a town or village was ay,a
able the would-be nobleman applied for perm
sion to add his mothers maiden name IN \.
own. especially if it had an aristocratic sound
In this way Il certain ambassador. whose faml,
name was a ridiculous one, but whose mother,
name, though plebeian. was easy TO disguise
dropped by degrees his own name and retains
only the maternal appellation. just prefxine M.
particle de" and the title OF baron conferred 4.
him under the Empire In the elevated circs 4,
which he moves. thanks to his Intelligence sri
superior education, no one suspects that his rsi
name. If he went by it. would associate him mo,
intimately with kitchens than with diploma,
salons.
A fair idea can be formed Of French society a,
it exists to-day. tenth part. II most consist,
OF old families that have survived the revolu.
tons. and who live generally in retirement "a,
from the busy. noisy world. Many have plaes
their sons in the army. and number cul,iya,
their land. some Of them with an energy worth,
If being initiated by professional farmer,
Nearly all their names can b. found in the ljv
Of the Agricultural Society % France. mnglJ
in equal proportion with the names " the ne,
most esteemed in scientific agriculture Threa
tenthS at least belong ID what is called al
nOblcSSe De Ia cCntrebdDde, while another ten.
are connected with the higher liberal profss
sions. literature. the sciences pure and appllsl
the different classes OF the nsttute. and the u.
per professorships. The remaining half consist
partly of politicians. many Of whom have h..
office. and partly Of great iinanciers larr|
number Of whom are Of foreign origin some Il
them occupying. owing 10 their intelgenu
their wise conduct. their generosity. or the cr
Gums pection they display in their delicate p0s,
ton a very high place in public estcem.'
Such are the elements forming French sOcerI
at he pres, INT time. II has no pronounced ykA
little pride enough vanity not 10 care to Il
caught in fault, a sufficiently moderate this
for pleasure to allow others. sprung from ,.:|
ranks. to take the lead. fairly broad principal
measured convictions. elevated judgment al
matters Of taste and intellect. love of countJI
that has nothing narrow about IT. and TO crOF,|
all a charity So beneficent. elcaciOus thai
slanderous tongues attribute il 10 q selfish q,
sire to satisfy oneself in helping Others. For oil
part we look upon this kind of egotIsm as bei,,
equal to virtue