v. In addressing a letter to two or more unmarried ladies, write

"The Misses Johnson," and not "The _Miss Johnsons_;" and, lastly, always write an address clearly and legibly, so that it may not be delayed in delivery, nor be missent.

237. Addresses of Persons of Rank and Distinction [1]:

238. The Royal Family.

_Superscription_.--To the Queen's (_King's_) Most Excellent Majesty.

_Commencement_.--Most Gracious Sovereign; May it please your Majesty.

_Conclusion_.--I remain, with the profoundest veneration, Your Majesty's most faithful subject and dutiful servant.

239. Princes of the Blood Royal.

i. _The Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters, Uncles and Aunts of the Sovereign_.--_Sup._--To His (_Her_) Royal Highness the Prince of Wales (_Princess Beatrice_).

_Comm_.--Your Royal Highness.

_Con_.--I remain, with the greatest respect (I have the honour to be), your Royal Highness's most obedient servant.

ii. _Other branches of the Royal Family_.--_Sup._--To His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge.

_Comm_.--Your Royal Highness.

_Con_.--I remain, with the greatest respect, your Royal Highness's most humble and obedient servant.

240. Nobility and Gentry.

i. _Duke or Duchess.--Sup._--To His Grace the Duke (_Her Grace the Duchess_) of Northumberland.

_Comm_.--My Lord Duke (_Madam_).

_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord Duke (_Madam_), Your Grace's most devoted and obedient servant.

ii. _Marquis or Marchioness.--Sup._--To the Most Honourable the Marquis (_Marchioness_) of Salisbury.

_Comm_.--My Lord Marquis (_Madam_).

_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord Marquis, Your Lordship's (_Madam, Your Ladyship's_) most obedient and most humble servant.

iii. _Earl or Countess.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Earl (_Countess_) of Aberdeen.

_Comm_.--My Lord (_Madam_).

_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's (_Madam, Your Ladyship's_) most obedient and very, humble servant.

iv. _Viscount or Viscountess.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable Lord Viscount (_Lady Viscountess_) Gough.

_Comm_. and _Con_. same as Earl's.

v. _Baron or Baroness.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable Lord (_Lady_) Rowton.

_Comm. and Con_. same as Earl's.

vi. _Younger Sons of Earls, and all the Sons of Viscounts and Barons.--Sup._--To the Honourable Arthur Hamilton Gordon.

_Comm_.--Honoured Sir.

_Con_.--I have the honour to be, Honoured Sir, Your most obedient and very humble servant.

vii. _Baronet and His Wife.--Sup._--To Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart. (_Lady Northcote_).

_Comm_.--Sir (_Madam_).

_Con._--I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most humble and obedient

viii. _Knight and his Wife_.--_Sup._--To Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott (Lady Truscott).

_Comm._ and _Con._ as preceding.

ix. _Esquire._--This title is now accorded to every man of position and respectability, but persons entitled to superior consideration are distinguished by "&c., &c., &c.," added to their superscription.

The wives of Gentlemen, when several of the same name are married, are distinguished by the Christian name of their husbands, as Mrs. _John_ Harvey, Mrs. _William_ Temple.

x. _Privy Councillors_.--These have the title of _Right Honourable_, which is prefixed to their name thus:

_Sup._--To the Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone, M.P.

_Comm._--Sir.

_Con._--I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient very humble servant.

[Footnote 1: Adapted from the "Dictionary of Daily Wants," published by Houlston and Sons, Paternoster Square, E.C., in one volume, half bound, at 7s. 6d., or in three separate volumes, cloth, each 2s. 6d.]

241. The Clergy.

i. _Archbishop_.--Sup.--To His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.

_Comm._--Your Grace.

_Con._--I remain, Your Grace's most devoted obedient servant.

ii. _Bishop_.--_Sup._--To the Right Reverend the Bishop of Winchester.

_Comm._--Right Reverend Sir.

_Con._--I remain, Right Reverend Sir, Your most obedient humble servant.

iii. _Doctor of Divinity_.--_Sup._--To the Reverend James William Vivian, D.D., or, To the Reverend Dr. Vivian.

_Comm._--Reverend Sir.

_Con._--I have the honour to be, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient servant.

iv. _Dean._--_Sup._--To the Very Reverend The Dean of St. Paul's; or, To the Very Reverend Richard William Church, M.A., D.C.L., D.D., Dean of St. Paul's.

_Comm._--Mr. Dean; or, Reverend Sir.

_Con._--I have the honour to be, Mr. Dean (or Reverend Sir), Your most obedient servant.

v. _Archdeacon_.--_Sup._--To the Venerable Archdeacon Hessey, D.C.L.

_Comm._--Reverend Sir.

_Con._--I have the honour to remain, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient servant.

vi. _Clergymen_.--_Sup._--To the Reverend Thomas Dale.

_Com._ and _Con._ same as the preceding.

vii. _Clergymen with Titles_.--When a Bishop or other Clergyman possesses the title of _Right Honourable_ or _Honourable_, it is prefixed to his Clerical title, but Baronets and Knights have their clerical title placed first, as in the following examples:--

_Sup._--To the Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells.

_Sup._--To the Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Norwich.

_Sup._--To the Right Honourable and Reverend Lord Wriothesley Russell, M.A.

_Sup._--To the Honourable and Reverend Baptist Wriothesley Noel, M.A.

_Sup._--To the Reverend Sir Henry R. Dukinfield, Bart, M.A.

No clerical dignity confers a title or rank on the wife of the dignitary, who is simply addressed _Mistress_, unless possessing a title in her own right, or through her husband, independently of his clerical rank.

242. Judges &c.

i. _Lord Chancellor_.--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable Roundell Palmer, Lord Selborne, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

ii. _Master of the Rolls._--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Master of the Rolls.

iii. _Chief Justice_.--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice; or, the Right Honourable Lord Coleridge, Lord Chief Justice of England.

The Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas is addressed in the same form, and are all styled _My Lord_.

iv. _Lords Justices of Appeal_.--The Lords Justices of Appeal are Knights, and should be addressed thus:

_Sup_.--To the Right Honourable Sir W. Milbourne James, Knt.

v. _Judge of County Courts._--_Sup_.--To His Honour John James Jeffreys, Judge of County Courts.

[A DIRTY GRATE MAKES DINNER LATE.]

243. Officers of the Navy and Army.

i. _Naval Officers._--Admirals have the rank of their flag added to their own name and title thus:

_Sup_.--To the Honourable Sir Richard Saunders Dundas, Admiral of the White.

If untitled, they are simply styled _Sir_.

_Commodores_ are addressed in the same way as admirals.

_Captains_ are addressed either to "Captain William Smith, R.N.;" or if on service, "To William Smith, Esquire, Commander of H.M.S.--"

_Lieutenants_ are addressed in the same way.

ii. _Military Officers._--All officers in the army above Lieutenants, Cornets, and Ensigns, have their military rank prefixed to their name and title.

_Sup_.--To _General_ Sir Frederick Roberts.

_Subalterns_ are addressed as _Esquire_, with the regiment to which they belong, if on service.

244. Municipal Officers.

i. _Lord Mayor.--Sup_.--To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (_The Lady Mayoress_) of London, York, Dublin; The Lord Provost (_The Lady Provost_) of Edinburgh.

_Comm_.--My Lord (_Madam_).

_Con_.--I have the honour to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's (_Madam, Your Ladyship's_) most obedient humble servant.