ON WEARING ORDERS.]

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.

11

Ribband and Star, and most commonly with both. The custom has now,however, become entirely changed, and (except Knights of the Garter, whousually wear their Ribband and Lesser George, pursuant to the Statutes), theKnights of Orders seldom wear their Decorations, unless when at Court, atparties where a Member of the Royal Family is present, or at splendid assem-blies. Though this may be partly assigned to the alteration which has takenplace in the customs of society, and the assimilation in dress of all ranks, it wasin some degree produced by another cause.

By the Extension of the Order of the Bath, and the Institution of thatof the Guelphs in 1815, Decorations became multiplied to, comparativelyspeaking, a great extent in this Country; and the value of the few previouslybestowed, consequently became lessened in the opinion of their possessors.Some of the old Knights of the Bath shewed their feelings on the subject, bydiscontinuing to wear the Order; while many of the newly invested KnightsGrand Cross refrained from wearing their Distinctions, because the example wasnot set them by their senior brethren. The Knights Commanders naturallyconsidered it indecorous to wear their Badge and Star, when the highestDignitaries of the Order appeared without their Ensigns; and the Companionswere, of course, influenced by the example of the Knights Grand Cross, andKnights Commanders. The Members of the inferior Order of the Guelphs,imitated those of the Bath; and it was soon considered mauvais ton, andunfashionable, if not vulgar, to wear those very Honours which, in manycases, were the reward of years of toil and danger, and which had been eagerlysought, as the most gratifying objects of ambition.

Thus, the laws of Fashion have alike superseded a sense of duty to theSovereign, and the indulgence of a rational pride; and so absolute are thosedecrees, that, to judge from the absence of Decorations in general society(more especially of the highly valuable distinction of Companion of the Bath),it might almost be inferred that they were deemed by their possessors to bemarks of disgrace, rather than of honour. The Statutes of the Garter directthat some part of its Ensigns shall always be worn by the Knights, when theyappear in public; 1 and those of the Bath ordain, that every Knight, after hisInstallation, “ shall constantly wear the Badge, Cognizance, or Ensign, pendant

1 History of the Order of the Garter, p. 352. Ashmole, pp. 233, 234.