New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-14
INTRICACIEs OF BRITISH TITLES.
Even the English Often Use Incorrect Form,
Says q Writer.


Now that so many Americans have married into
the British peerage and many scions OF the
British nobility are constantly minglng in Ameri-
can society. the intrcacies OF British titles have
become serious stumbling block TO the unacCus-
toned American tongue and Iudicrous mistakes
constantly being made. When Lady Henry SOmer-
set first came 10 this country the White Ribboners.
not to speak OF the newspapers nearly all took it
for granted that she should be addressed Lady
Somerset, a title which belongs entirely DIFF.
ferent person, and even when they were told that
the correct form OF address was Lady Henry it
sounded queer that they hestated TO say it. and
sometimes preferred 10 cut the Gordian knot bJ
Using the appellation Mrs. Somerset Many other
mistakes OF the kind might he mentioned,
and that Americans should make them is
prising. for Britshers belonging TO the same
social set as the persons under discussion some
times get tangled up their titles This fact is ad
nIteG IN a recent number OF The LADIES' Field
eio two or three columns are devoted TO the task
or stragh tening out the British public IN regard TO
one of the points emphasized in tllis article is
the sacredness OF the word the In addressing
the name, and slightly above IT,. and rom the
SHOULD never be omitted A great authority has re-
Gently lad down the law that this word shoaI9
CT dukes marquises and earls. but the fact remains
q of 2 Fsea and 3na ex8 8eef4 1e e letters 70
be addressed The Lord Arthur Vane' The Lacy
European titles DO not can toT the ths ana d,d let
stein" "Comtesse d'Avesne' ''Aarchesa Flora.'
In letters TO peers and peeresses. the lord, ana
LADY which are used in addressing lAeIh must f1I
title must appear. such as The Duke of North
shire The Marehioness OF NeWo9Iy;; rliIs ls
But when it comes to barous and baronesses ne
not apply Their letters should be addressed: not
The Baron X Wes or The r B9ro4 ON, VIZ the
Peers widow nHst be sJyed either me jrE1i6g
ess of Newoury." according as she herself prefers
In strict correctness. woman should styit hf b
title and prefix her Christian name 10 her u{Le
When the present holder Is nor ner lone
above the title in the same manner as a the
people-chiefy of the OLD fashioned persuasi2P-
write His Grace the Duke of Northsn her
Grace" or Her Grace slightly above the name
In beginning letters TO all these people their
friends ana equals address them Simply as lear
The titles borne BY the sons and daughters Of
The subject OF the most frequent mistakes among
and ear bear the second title Of their fathers but
they are not peers, but eSqiIres ne datshIIer5
and younger sons Of dukes and marqu!ses are called
! are only plain Arthur South or Joan West The
daughters Of earis also take the title Of lady,
tx the title honorable 70 their names ana all
the sons and daughters Of discounts and barous
scribed The Hon. John South The Hon. Violet
ply "Nr South" and Miss Vane" Persons
S9iIs me Goarte5y S'!e @[ Qf6 ana
Joan not Lord south or "Lady Wes;.' which
not fd AFThT h1s | fo she Is FeaeT2y nt
the use Of titles in the case OF marriages between
the sons and daughters OF peers are the very acme
OF complication. II Lord Arthur South marries
she IS Of higher or equal rank she retains her own
Of the Duke OF Rutland married last wear
PrcIeIrb She Is now stvIe sd n y,'7 Fzaftb
Scott. and not Lady George Scott II the daughter
baron however. she drops her own title although
TIE gmarT r., Of are peer Is SPT he name q :, bis
simply NorfolA II the title is double one. y IS
chelsea and Nottingham" etc. a peeress usually
Is not considered correct 10 do otherwise, though
some peeresses prefer 70 write their Christian name
General ~ Canada. always signs Mary Mimic"
and Lady Aberdeeu's signature IS Isabel Aber-
In society. among their friends and equals. peer
Of ther % asBu H W erfor ' Burso 5Ii
etc To an inferior they would say. LORD So and
ably speak Of and TO them as Tom Dick or
Addressing letter 10 = man bearing the tide Of
Sir is no simple matter for he may be either a
64roHet or knight and II a knight mig: he may be
these things must be religiousIy inscribed on the
John Vernev. X C. b. The wife OF a barouet or
knight is simply Lady verney." not Lady John
Verney," some people appear to imagine
Ecclesiastical titles also presen. cOnsidera bic DIFF
hcuty. letter 20 the Archbishop Of Canterbury
or York should be addressed 10 His Grace thu
Archbishop OF SO-1ud- So A bishop should be ad-
dressed The Right Reverend the Bishop OF Bath
and Wells and "a letter addressed 10 him socially
should begin Dear Lord Bishop \ dean is ad-
dressed 8 The Very Reverend John Jones Dean
Of Watford," and letter 70 him should begin
Dear Mr.. Dean" An archdeaCun Is styled The
Venerable Archdeacon Jones' and Dear Mr.
ArchdeaCou'' Is the correct opening sentence of
letter. II "A peer the son OF peer. happens to
a clergyman. his clerical stvle usually precedes
his mundane title The Rev the Marquis ~ Nor
manly The Rev the Lord Theobald Butler"
The wives Of bishops and other ecclesiastical dig
nitares derive dignity Of from the
spiritual precedence OF their husbands.