Tea at Trianon: Titles

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Titles

From Southern Lady Magazine:

As we continue our etiquette series, we thank you for the wonderful questions you have sent our way. It is interesting to note the similarities of situations in which we find ourselves and the questions we all seem to ponder. This week, we resume our discussion on the proper uses of titles, signatures, and addresses. Gentle reminders help us all carry on our tradition of being kind and gracious ladies.

Q: Are titles for children still used today?

A: In the South, many of us continue to use this wonderful tradition. “Miss” is the title given to a girl at birth and remains with her until she is 21. At that time, she may choose to use “Ms.” instead. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use “Miss” until she is married, if she prefers to do so. “Ms.” was a somewhat controversial title associated with the Women’s Movement of the 1960s. Today, however, “Ms.” has come to be accepted as a title for an unmarried woman or a divorced woman. “Ms.” is also used in business when the marital status of a woman is unknown and a salutation for a letter is needed. If “Ms.” is not accurate or acceptable to the woman, she can sign the title she prefers when responding to the letter.

“Master” is the term used for a little boy after the age of eight. He keeps that title until he is 18 years old, at which time his title changes to “Mr.” (Read more.)