Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-10-09
ITALIAN TITLES REFORM.
Hereafter They Must Mean Something
More Than an Esquire"

announced a decision which will be
highly unpopular among those who,
in theory at all events, ought to be
bound by it. 1t has declared that the
most inmemorial custom Of a noble
man Of many titles ceding the in
ferior ones TO his sons for their life
or until succession to the higher dig
nifty is illegal. These grants have
usually taken place on the sons mar
riage. The younger members Of
the family have learned to look for
them, and the certainty of bearing a
picturesque, and perhaps a historic
title, if only by courtesy, may reason
ably be supposed to count for some
thing in their matrimonial arrange
ments. The Roman Heraldic coun-
ell ha, probably been moved by de-
sire to limit, as far as possible, the
excessive employment Of nobilary
distinctions, but the usage it con-
dennis is so universal in Italy that
the new rule. probably, will be with
out much, if any, effect How is the
prohibition to be carried into effect?
Legally, it may be enforced. But
society makes it, own laws. Italy is
not only a country with a very nu-
merous nobility, but some Of its great
old families cumulate dukcdoms,
marquisates and countships in great
variety. They cannot, of course,
compete in this direction with Spain,
shosc titles are so frequently inher-
tied on the distaff side that a family
may own dozens, with several
grandceships of the first class.
1t Is not easy to understand why
the Italian nobility should be deemed
guilty Of improperly in adopting
this method Of keeping their sub
sidiary distinctions practically alive.
Exactly the same system. in so far
as regards eldest sons, j. followed
blythe English peerage, from earls up
ward. save that there is no formal
ces,ion of the complimentary title
it Is used as a matter of course.
In France a usage exists even more
closely akin 10 that which has been
condemned at Rome. each of the
son, Of the houses more richly dow
cred with parchcminS prefxing an
inferior title TO the family or terri
torial name In England. in one re-
spcct, We 60 even further than they
do in Italy. If, a. occasionally hap
pens, owing to an accident of heri-
tagc an English earl possesses no sec
ond title he does not ,cruple to in
vent one for the bchoof of his heir.
who would otherwise be in an anoma-
lous position. There Is no sound
reason why it should not be so-the
whole matter Is one Of convention
al courtesy, differing only in degree,
but not in kind. from the universal
attribution of the word esquire"
which not one man in 10000 bears
by the strict letter Of the law.
Famous historical titles are, in
deed, so often merged in newer ones
of a higher degree that. without such
customs as these many of them would
never be heard, and their very exist
ence be forgotten This is especially
The case in Italy. where possessors Of
the greatest medieval countships
and marqui>ates are usually quite
ready toadd to them a modern prince
dom or dukedcm, often from the
Even the proud Spanish
nobleman does not di,dain "a step in
the peerage," but, quite as often as
not, he prefers to call himself count
n marquis OF some creation which has
made It's mark in the history Of his
country to employing a much higher
modern distinction which has not vet
lad time to achieve !u,ter. At the
anne time. the Encouragement of too
many courtesy titles is an ineligible
policy, especially in a country where
ltolati are so numerous as in Italy.
The counts of the north and the
princes of the south may each be
counted by the hundred, and if We
i'd the grades between the two and |
hose above and below, respectively, |
he total is unquestionably very large. |
But it is not so easy to become !
noble" in Italy as once it was. The |
'atican, no doubt. still exhibits con-
iderable activity in the manufacture |
# blue blood, but it rarely issues a
patent above the rank Of count, and |
large proportion of its creations
re for foreign consumption, and |