It is an axiom that hereditary titles lose their value in proportion as they become com mon. In England this latter danger is obviated by the rule of primogeniture which insures that there shall be but one bearer of a title in a generation, while in France all the sons re ceive titles, the eldest the highest title, for in stance, that of duke, the second son, a mar quisate, and so on. In Mohammedan lands the only hereditary title is that of sherif, except in the ruling houses. Pasha and bey, at first purely military titles, are now conferred on civilians, but are not hereditary. Japan had a system of titles closely resembling that of Europe, and like the latter, based on her old feudal system. China, under the empire, en nobled the ancestors of the person to be honored and usually made the title hereditary for a stated number of generations. The Turk ish sultan is style padishah (lord king) and as head of Islam he is "the Commander of the Faithful." The ruling houses of India have a graduated system of titles closely akin to that of Europe. The Pope of Rome is distinguished by the title "His Holiness," and addressed as "Your Holiness"; cardinals by the title "His Eminence"; bishops as "Monsignor,' and in England as "My Lord." The title of bishops is "The Lord Bishop of —,' of archbishops "The Most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of —," deans are addressed as "Very Reverend,' and archdeacons as "Venerable." All clergy men and ministers of the Christian and Jewish faiths are now generally styled *Reverend."
Titles in the United States.— Hereditary titles and other titles of nobility are forbidden by the Federal Constitution and the citizen of another country who bears such a title when he becomes a citizen of the United States must relinquish his title. Various offices of dignity and trust carry with them certain forms of ad dress, but these forms of address pertain to the offices alone, and the holders of these offices have no claims to the prescribed form of ad dress after their terms of service have ex pired. The President, govcrnors of States, and nunisters of foreign nations are addressed, and spoken of, as your or his "Excellency,° save in the case of spealcing to the President, who should be addressed as aMr. President.° The vice-president, members of the Cabinet and members of Congress, heads of departments, assistant secretaries, comptrollers and auditors of the treasury, clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, State senators, law judges, mayors of cities, etc., are entitled "Honorable.x' Military, naval, ecclesiastical and other pro fessional dignities are distinguished by the titles common to the English-speaking peoples of the world. Consult the (Almanach de Gotha' ; 'Burke's Peerage' ; Cokayne, G. E., 'Complete Peerage' (new ed., 1910); Phillips, Walter Alison, 'Titles ot Honor' (in (Encyclo pedia Britannica,) Vol. XXVI, Cambridge 1911).