The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-15
MARaUIsE DE FoNTESOY.

III LA MAftGUlSE DE FOSTESOE.
is not quite correc, TO state that
Professor Edward c. Pickering,
director OF the Harvard University
observatory, who has Just received
the Prussian Order OF Merit. Is to- day
the only American knight OF tina body,
and 1t is equally erroneous TO state
that the late Professor Alexander
Americans 10 have received this dis
tinetion in the past. For the painter.
John 5. Sargent. is one of the living
American members OF the order, while
another member was the historian
Bancroft. The Right Hon. James
Bryce. British ambassador at Wash
inRton, also has the Prussian Order OF
Merit. as we'll as that OF England.
How highly the distinction is priced
abroad. may be gathered from the fact
that although Thomas Carlyle refused
Bath, and even a peerage. AT the hands
OF Queen Victorin. for his services to
literature. he readily accepted. With
f heen appreciauon. MS election TO me
was founded By that Frederick the
Great Of whom he remains the most
popular biographer.
There had previously been orus-
sian military order, styled the order
Of Generosity which came into cN!s-
tcnco In 1865. Frederick the Great re
organized 1t IN lTi0. and rebaptized II
In the French language which he so
much affected, as Pour lie Mcrite.i
But he restricted it to military men.
thirty in number.
Frederick William IN, acting under
the advice of Alexander Won Humboldt.
added the civil division, the statutes
OF which differ from those OF the mill
tary members For the military order
is solely and entirely i'll the gift of
the Kings or Prussia: whereas In the
case OF the civil division. the monarch
merely ratifics the choice OF the chap
ter. in which his military knights have
y lnN- . lTI n ~ 4 1ltfllH
idea In suggesting this addition TO the
order. was based largely upon the
principles OF the Academy OF France.
1.-THE relations OF Cardinal Richeiieu in
connection with the latter's founda-
ton. Humboldt being eager TO emu
late
Ills views. however. about the cren-
ton Of the civil division OF the order
did not meet with the approval of the
famous German poet Ludwig INLAND,
! who, taking the ground that there
should be no question of Hierarchy IN
the world of letters was the first TO
decline the order. His example In this
respect was followed by several others,
the most notable instances being Pas
tour and the late Herbert Spencer.
While there are therefore two III
visions OF this Prussian order. there
is but one class The membership OF
tho order carries with it no title or
nobliary rank. In factlt the majority
OF he thirty native members OF the
civil division belong 10 the boNrgeoisic.
But they conStitute the very cream of
the science nr, and literature OF Ger
many. The foreign knights are re-
strictcd TO the number OF twenty-five,
and arc elected by the civil German
knights. e
The insignia consists OF an eight
l5pointed. blue enamel cross. mounted In
| gold, between tho branches OF which
there are four Prusslan eagles. spread
wise The cross is s sur, by "a, an
tary insignia. That of the civil d.
vision Is slightly different. the cross
being environed with blue. enameled,
gold bordercd band, which has he
effect OF framing the badge into sort
OF medallion. In both instances, the
insignia is worn suspended from the
neck by ribbon OF black MORE, with
a narrow border Of silver.
Sir Francis Bacon's fine statue, by
| L. w. Pomeroy, of the Royal Academy,
is one of the features Of the Royal
don; and In view of the fact that Sir
Francis is the Inventor OF that method
OF preserving meat by the frozen pro-
cess. to which the Argentine Republic
eminently fitting that tho. efigy should
have found n purchaser In one Of the
English stockyard Bnrons of Argen-
tina, and that Its future nome will be
in his house. or rather palace. MT Bue-
nos Ayres In this connection 1t Is
! we'll to recall that New Zealand has
already erected monument to Sir
| Francis Bacon. popularity, but 6errone-
| ousiy known as 1.-THE great Lord Ba-
con- In recognition of his services,
not In writing the works of Shakes
pcare, as some people nllege, hut for
! inveIiting that method of preserving
meat by tho frozen process to which
Now Zealand. like Argentina, owes SO
| much of her prosperity.
lEIt seems that Sir Francis was not
only the poinner' of the freezing pro-
cess, but actually brought about his
/ death by his enthusiasm in experiment
| Ing with the notion. Driving In High
collect some snow. with which to stuff
a fowl. BY way Of noting tho effect OF