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as Adam himself; since in a coimtry where even the royaldiligence conductor ranks as a state-dignitary, and the headwatcliman has somo polysyllabic titalar prefix to Ins name,it is evident that mere nominal nobility itself must sooncome to be regarded as ignoble, and that none but those whoare reckless of reputation will, eventually, consent to sufferthe indignity of having any social dignity thrust upon them.

Titles for the million are like pine-apples for the same mul-titudinous class,—the increase in the quantity of the article isaccompanied with a proportionate decline in " the quality;"and in illustration of the point we may add, that at the time ofthe last Coblenz Schützenfest (shooting-feast), one of the littlebecr-and-sausage booths outside the grounds was kept by theHeer Bakon von Ellenwttbst.*

" Great judgment," says Otto Friedrich Kammler, in his" Universal-Brief steller und Musterbuch? f " is required inaddressing people of rank — German titles being very criticalthings to deal with. Many persons, for instance, pretend tobe of higher birth than they really are; consequently, it isnecessary to be very careful when speaking with such arro-gants. Though there are some who have little or no title-vanity, there are others, again, with whom the passion is soextravagant, that they would feel insulted if one were to makethe slightest mistake as to their social dignity." The sameauthor farther assures us, that if a letter beginning with "Mostgracious Lord," were to end with " your most devoted servant,"instead of "your most suhmissive ditto," it would be highlyimproper; the term " gracious," he teils us, is applied only tothe characters and acts of "kings, emperors, and princes,"

* A fact—of course, with the exception of the name.

f We quote from the edition of 1846, by Dr. Wilhelm Hoffmann—this beingat present the work of reference upon all such subjects at the principal Prussianschools.