Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-09-03
TITLES in FRANCE.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Perhaps the fact that the republic
OF France does not recognize a nobility
accounts for its excess of citizens with
titles over any other country in the
world. There was a time when the
Government amiably gave permission
to its subjects to change their names
to any that seemed more euphonious
or more impressive. Now that such
means Of legally acquiring a title are
no longer possible-the authorities
are said to have grown weary OF the
absurdities countenanced by this
recognition Of the changes-it is still
no more difficult for the fngenioI.
subject TO ennoble himself by acqulr-
ing gradually just about the sort Of
name he wants An example OF the
aid that the idiom OF the language
lends to any such ambitions may be
found in a typical case. II Jean
Durand-both the commonest kind
of French names-desires to add
some distinction to his patronymic he
need only write it Jean du Rand
and there is at once the suggestion
of feudal nobility in the change.
Since he is at liberty to add the name
of his birthplace or any ruined castle
in its vicinity to his name. he can
readily sign himself Jean du Rand
de Villiers." for example 1t will not
take more than year or two for him
to have reduced this title on his Wis
iting card to Jean de Rand" or to
drop altogether the family name, and
identifying himself solely by the
place of his birth go through life as
IN. Jean de Villlers." There are
nine chances out of ten that a crown
will soon be found swimming above
the name on the carte de visite
There is sturdier sound perhaps
In the designation of nobility adopted
lately by some of the Frenehmen in
public life who call themselves di-
rectly from the names of their ma
tive towns This method is especial
ly popular with members and depu-
ties who spurning the prefix de"
which has come to be regarded with
suspicion in even the least sophisti-
Gated circles, write themselves simply
"Bansard des Bots" "Gauthier de
'Clagny." or "Guyot de Villeneuve."
with no other authority than the fact
that they came from. those places.
How impatient is the. English Ian
guage ofsany such exploitation may
be understood from the lack of i'm
pressiveness that the addition Of his
native town would add to the name
Of an American. legislator.
One way Of becoming noble, at
least in name, in France, is somewhat
more familiar to New Workers. II
is this method that has created the
hyphen aristocracy of France We
have known the overworked bvobsS
to distinguish in the mind of its pos
SCISSORS some American fam, -.
although thew -, s-.-.,s'.t- =.
them ..z,.ssssy - 80 on
american naniiitv I51iching Nv
means of the hvphen the name ola
distinguished ancestor to ones own
family name brought into existence
such uncommon products as Casimfr-
Perier. Aristide-Briant. and in artis-
tic professions. Abel-Truchet .Ferdi-
nand-Raffin and Gilbert-Langueyin
Even the painters and writer's in
France are seized with the passion
for enrolling their patronymies as
far as possible. Else why should
the daughter of a former French
President who married an author
named Goyau sign her writings Lucie
Felix-faure-Goyau? Is Paris on the
verge of accepting the Fictitious
grandeur of the rasta who by means
Of the connecting y" joins the names
Of as many of his immediate ances-
tors as it is possible to stretch across
bis card?
How the French Government has
aided its subjects to raise themselves
above the state of life to which they
had been born is shown in a recent
booklet on the subject of the newer
aristoeracy published in Paris.
Among the many applicants to bear
names of noble sound made to the
authorities before they grew weary
of the absurdity of the process. the
majority came from officers in the
army. They knew the advantage that
the possession Of name with a
specious suggestion of noble birth
can confer To the rich rnerchant or
broker who felt that noble name