ON DISTINCTIONS, ORDERS AND DIGNITIES. HE subject turned upon the nature of societies, ranks, orders, and distinctions, amongst men. A GENTLEMAN of spirit, and of the popular faction, had been long declaiming against any kind of honours that tended to elevate a body of people into a distinct species from the rest of the nation. Particularly titles and blue ribands were the object of his indignation. They were, as he pretended, too invidious an ostentation of superiority, to be allowed in any nation that styled itself free. Much was said upon the far as they were coun subject of appearances, so tenanced by law or custom. The bishop's lawn; the marshal's truncheon; the baron's robe; and the judge's peruke, were considered only as necessary substitutes, where genuine purity, real courage, native dignity, and suitable penetration, were wanting to com complete the characters of those to whom they were assigned. It was urged that policy had often effectually made it a point to dazzle in order to enslave; and instances were brought of groundless distinctions borne about in the glare of day by certain persons, who, being stripped of them, would be less esteemed than the meanest plebeian. HE acknowledged, indeed, that kings, the fountains of all political honour, had hitherto shewn no complaisance to that sex sex whose softer dispositions rendered them more excusably fond of such peculiarities. THAT, in favour of the ladies, he should esteem himself sufficiently happy in the honour of inventing one order, which should be styled The most powerful order of beauties. THAT their number in Great Britain should be limited to five thousand; the dignity for ever to be conferred by the queen alone, who should be styled sovereign of the order, and the rest the companions. THAT the instalment should be rendered a thousand times more ceremonious, the dresses more superb, and the plumes more enormous, than those already in use amongst the companions of the garter. THAT the distinguishing badge of this order should be an artificial nosegay, to be worn on the left breast; consisting of a lily and a rose, the proper emblems of complexion, and intermixed with a branch of myrtle, the tree sacred to Venus. THAT instead of their shields being affixed to the stalls appointed for this order, there should be a gallery erected to receive their pictures at full length. Their portraits to be taken by four painters of the greatest eminence, and he whose painting was preferred, to be styled a knight of the rose and lily. THAT when any person addressed a letter to a lady of this order, the style should always be To the Right beautiful Miss or Lady such-a-one. HE HE seemed for some time undetermined whether they should forfeit their title upon marriage; but at length, for many reasons, proposed it should be continued to them. AND thus far the gentleman proceeded in his harangue; when it was objected that the queen, unless she unaccountably chose to mark out game for her husband, could take no sort of pleasure in conferring this honour where it was most due: That as ladies grew in years, this epithet of beautiful would burlesque them; and, in short, considering the frailty of beauty, there was no lasting compliment that could be bestowed upon it. AT this the orator smiled; and acknowledged it was true: But asked at the same time, why it was more absurd to style a lady right beautiful, in the days of her deformity, than to term a peer right honourable when he grew a scandal to mankind? THAT this was sometimes the case, he said, was not to be disputed; because titles have been sometimes granted to a worthless son, in consequence of a father's father's enormous wealth most unjustly acquired. And few had ever surpassed in villany the right honourable the earl of A THE company was a little surprised at the sophistry of our declaimant. However, it was replied to, by a person present, that Lord's title being fictitious, no one ought to instance him to the disadvantage of the p-rage, who had, strictly speaking, never been of that number. |