Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-01

writer now living in exile and disgrace
on the continent, where he was in a
fair way of being forgotten until this
drama at the Royalty Theatre recalled
him to popular memory. That people
insist upon associating his name with
the play is not so much because of the
brllltancy of the epigrams with which
the piece abounds as by reason of the
fact that its lines indicate an ac-
uuaintance with the usages of fashion,
able society-the society composed of the
titled and untitled aristocracy Of Great
Britain-and are entirely free from
those ridiculous solecisms which
coupled with the lamcntablc efforts of
actors-without breeding or refine
ment, sometimes even without educa-
tion-to portray gentlemen and great
mobiles. create an altogether false i'm
preston as to what constitutes good
form. PlaywriShts. and with rare ex-
ceptions novelists. in England belong
to what are known as the middle
classes. Inasmuch as the caste dis
tinctions are strictly drawn and
strongly defined in the Old World. il
naturally follows that when writer's
start out to portray the life usages
and social ethics of aristocracy, they
either draw upon their imaginations
or depend upon mere heresay. having
no personal or direct knowledge of the
class which they undertake to picture
Playwrghts and novelists in England
are not the rule in the fashionable
drawing rooms and among the house
parties gathered at the great country
seats of the nobility. and there are so
few points of contact between the
world of letters and what is known as
the great WOO 4 that the light in which
the latter is u presented by the former
is many time untrue to life. Ouda,
Marie Corefi and Hall Game are
among the worst sinners in this re-
spect. The works of the ostracized
playwright to whom the new piece at
the Royalty Theatre is credited by
society were cCnspicuously free from
mistakes of this kind and that is why
the authorship Of Mr.. and Mrs. Dav-
entry" is laid at his door rather than
at that of Mr.. Harris. whose name
figures on the plly bills. I
This, coupled with the / ct that
am continually rece. wing M.itten re-
quests for Information as tt how this
OF llldt tllltu PtlspAitf g va SteioNi SiNN
Of the Atlantic should be addressed
leads me to believe that ed y notes
on the subject may be thatnterest
What is known as good ffroi in this
respect is very much Ii boIEnglish
grammar in that there are ner D excep-
tons than rules. con
Thus. generally speaking. is a
soecism to address a peer of tffas realm
as MY Lord" in social intercourse,
and the same may be said of the use
of the phrase My Lady" in speaking
to any titled woman. But where the
| lady rs ''grande dame of the old
school. and is advanced in years, 1t
sounds we'll to address her as MY
Lady" when joining thereto courtli-
! ness of speech and manner. since 1t
| implies a veneration and Difference
which fell to the share of women when
! the world was younger. 1t is likewise
| no solecism for a young attache or
! secretary of an embassy to use the
phrase MY Lord in his intercourse
| with his chief in cases where the latter
| happens to be veteran, white haired
| peer and there are few members of the
| foreign office staff in London VINO
would think themselves in any way
demeaned or guilty of bad form IN ad-
dressing the present premier CT the
british empire as My Lord On the
| other hand no one save tradeSman
or q servant would ever dream of con-
ceding this form of address to young
mon such as. for instance. Lord Ross
lyn or Lord Yarmouth.
Your Lordship" and Your Lazy
: IN social inter
course. The former, however. is N
vogue in courts of law among the
members of the bar and witnesses anc
officials in addressing the presi'ihs
Judge when he belongs to a hish c"ur'
of iudicature. In that instance now
i ever. the word is pronounced Lun
shin" while the judge is spoken 70 dS
Me lud.'
If is hardly necessary to say tha'
maruuises. earls, viscounts ana paFo"'
are all addressed in social ntercourS'
as Lord" SO and so. the wife OF eacf
bejng spoken to as Lady Blank
ONLY dukes and duchesses are au'
dressed by their titles. duke belhs
spoken to as duke" and his Wile 'S
duchess" lust as in this country one
would address a man as 'gener" -
as Judge" Dukes and duchesses arr
entitled to be addressed as 1o u
Grace" But this, like the phrase'
Your Lordship' and Your Ladyshp
is only used by people whose RANK l.
On far fnferior as to preclude all ldea'
of social intercourse. .,.o
Younger sons Of dukes ana marquiSe
have the title Lord prehXed by cou'
tesv to their Christian names, as. lor u,
stance the seventh Duke OF Mar
borough's son. Lord Randolph Churchi''
and their wives. when not already pos
sessed of a title of their own. oeco",
known by the Christian names OF '"e'
husbands with the prefix Lady. a.. ~
instance. Miss Jerome. of New 10, =,
who became Lady Randolph Churcn,l
The Younger sons Of earls. and all III vi,
sons of viscounts and barons: haNe thai
the prefix The Honorable 10 bare
Christian names. and this Is no no.
by their wives. Thus, Lord ~ IIonor
Younger brother Bill is the li hmer
able" William Darlington. but nls n
lean wife is merely Mrs. CarIins 'o, n
The daughters of dukes. marqulses N
earls all are entitled by courtesy ~ ia
prefix Of Lady to their CaH,,nt
names. while the daughters or Niss' ooT 70
and barons have to content Thes
with the prefix of Honorable: m.T
nrefixes are retained even after '' me