The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09
sTRAIGHTEyING OUT TITLES.
Rules that Govern the Many Titles Borne
by BrItiah People of RINK.

by British People of Rank.
The proper titles to apply to titled Britishers
have always been q vexed question in this coun-
try. We ourselves have so few and such simple
titles that the complications OF the British sys-
tenn have proved almost incomprchensible.
We here know perfectly well that all South
erners are Colonies or Judges. that the son OF
a Colonel Ia necessarily n Major. and the son Of
a Judge ipso JdctO Squire. We do not have the
necessary patience to unravel what IL reallya
difficult question. though certainly not too diff
fcult for the unrivalled powers Of perception
possessed by Americans. 1t must be admitted
that even the Britons sometimes. perhaps as
often as we. get tangled UP in the matter OF
titles. or at least In applying them 80, even IL
we should not difTcrentiate them properly. we
shall be in with the people who devised them
and have got caught in their own trap.
To begin with: A Duke is called your
grace" a Marques (which is the English title.
though the Scotch and Irish title is Marquisl. an
Earl. q Viscount and a Baron are all addressed as
your lordship' or my lord." The wife OF a
Duke is a Duchess and is your grace - the
wife OF any other grade Of peer is "A Marchioness.
a Countess. a Viscountcss or n Baroness and is
your ladyship' or " my lady" The two
terms my lord" and my lady are used al
most wholly by servants and "tradespeople."
This, 30 far. is all plain sailing; but now be-
gins the trouble. Practically every peer has
more than one title. A Duke generally is also a
MARQUES or at least an Earl a Marques is also
an Earl: an Earl is a Viscount or Baron; a
Viscount Ia a Baron, and a Baron very likely Is
two or more times a Baron. With Viscounts and
Barons we have nothing to do here. But the
eldest son OF a Duke. a Marques. or an Earl
takes his fathers second title. by courtesy"
as it Is called. and Is addressed as II he held the
actual rank. That Is where the Marquis OF
Lorne" comes in, he being the eldest son
OF the Duke Of Argyll. In everything except
social precedence and title this eldest son
p a ,commoner: the Marquis OF Lorne.
though married to a daughter OF the
OF Parliament. The wife Of such an eldest
son takes his title in its feminine form and in
the grandfather's third title. 80 until Earl
Percy succeeded his father as Duke OF North
composed of the Duke. the Earl Percy Henry
Was bis legal title, and the %latteT,s son Baron
commoniy called Lord WsrEwortI S"iS' "'
30 far for The eldest sons Of Dukes, Mar.
called "HonoTahle" md are 2Iso Esquire"
as a friend, Of America, was described as the
H2norabls William Pitt, Esquire there was no
misuse Of title in the case, Now forthe Younger
sons OF Earls we lind are simply honorable"
But The younger n som Of the two hish,st ranks
used with their Christian names. That is
where Lord Aigy comes in. in the play And
Mrs. Bob to her intimates). so Lord AlGernon's
wife becomes a iy Algernon. the Lady AlGy Of
Knights of whatever rank and Baronets. il
they have nc other titles. are called " Sirs. the
title being prehxed to the Christian name.
That Is where the wicked Dart comes in with
II peers daughter marrIcs a not!eman her
unmarried title disappears: but II she marries
a commoner she, retains her title. taking the
fortunate mans last name; so we IND Mr.. ard
LAZY Iadyy Alice Nice 'S wss INSTEAD ayiSan, 9r M tba ana Hni MT En- Jo m ,
Duke. a, Marques or an Earl. We also ind
this combination: Sir Charles and I.ady Alice
Jones, when, the wife is OF higher rank than
her husband. in spite of their titles being
One point the British rules as to titles do not
cover. the question of a woman once ths wife
Of a peer marrying a commoner. II il Gus.
so We find what James Payn said was the i'm
pr9pert,soqnding ar1sngrmHnt q Mr, jerks
daughter. Miss Mary jerks. We nnd Just now
that the Duchess of Marlborough is the wife Ct
it's ali right: when you don't. il sounds Pc
culiar. But some titled women have married
f3mm3 'Rens Pn ,ha have . s Is% ,n up ,n their hr, rrey,ous
One Of the mos: puzzling things Ia the way
q British titles is the chamGims That goes on.
took the additional nan," of McCiarel. so that
he became Mctarc,- HOgg: then the father.
after being knighted. became II peer. and Mr..
James became, tn. Hon; james. and then he
succeeded as Lord MaghernmOrne 4 worse
case is that OF the Duke OF Northumberland,
who began life as the Hon. Henry Percy. son OF
Lord Lovaine. eldest son Of the Earl OF Beveg-
became Lord I~ovaine. In 1851 his father be.
came Duke. and Lord Lovaine became Earl
Percy then for fourteen years before he sue
ceeded to the .Dukcdom he was Il peer as Lord
Lovaine. SO that he has held five different
names-and he IL only ~ now.
The present Mr.. Sothcru years ago acted in n
play called Lord Chimney" Tn" play turned
on the love adventures, not Of Lord Chumley.
but OF Lord George CholmOndclry. younger
son Of some Duke or Marques. To one who
liked to have things correct the mistake was
even more humorous than NJ. Suthrrn's act
ing. But the English max" almost as many
mistakes in the matter a, We, 10; only n"
uolice court instenl OF lord ChArLns Blank.