NOBLE LORDS
Snt,—I was amused to see, in Mr. Clinton-Baddeley's review of Miss Steen's novel, Rose Timson, that he has fallen into the pit that he dug for her ; for of the three solecisms he quotes, two are on his part.
A duke's son can quite well, in certain circumstances, be a viscount ; the eldest son of a duke would have, as his courtesy title, his father's second title, provided that it was not of the same place as the dukedom itself. For example, the Duke of Manchester is also Earl of Manchester, Viscount Mandeville, and Baron Montagu ; his eldest son is consequently styled Viscount Mandeville, not Earl of Manchester.
The implication that a duke's eldest son is inevitably a marquess is without foundation. Of the twenty-seven people (excluding Royal dukes) who hold dukedoms at the moment, the heirs-apparent of sixteen are, or would be, styled marquess ; of the remainder, nine are, or would be, styled earl ; that of one is a viscount, and of one (Somerset), a baron.
A lady in her own right marrying a peer by courtesy is entitled to retain, if she wishes, during her father-in-law's lifetime, her own courtesy title. For example, Lady Jane Palliser, marrying the Marquess of Barset, eldest son of the Duke of Omnium, though normally styled Marchioness of Barset, would be entitled to call herself Lady Jane Barset.—I am, yours, &c., J. A. GERE. The Lawn, Holybourne, Alton, Hants.
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