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The Upper Rhine : Mayence to the Lake of Constance
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182

DOMKSTIC MANNEKS OF THE TliUSSIANS.

and the proper designation for ourselves, in juxtaposition withsuch personages, is " most submissive," or " most humble."

Kammler, moreover, favours us with several curious speci-mens of the various modes of addressing the different gradesof rank, " down to our own equal"—as he says, with exquisitesnobbishness.

To a prince, he teils us, we must begin by saying, " Thegreat Benevolence and Grace with which your Serenity hasfavoured me," &c. &c., and wind up our epistle by protesting(even though we be in the most robust health at the time)that we " die," or are " extinguished," " with the deepest awe,submissiveness, and humility,"— for the groschenless nabob.

To lesser nobles, such as barons, &c, we are, however,to write, " I shall be proud to follow the commands withwhich your high-and-nobly-born-ship," or " your high-and-well-born-ship," or eise " your (mere) high-born-ship (as thecase may be)—-has deigned to honour me;" and to concludewith, " I commend myself to the high kindness and condescen-sion of your nobleness, and remain, with the deepest regard,"or " tremendous respect," or " with the highest consider-ation, Your devoted," &c. &c.

To our equals and relatives, however, we are to begin with," Honoured, true, and never-altering friend," and finish byremaining " with the sincerest," or " unchanging," or " ever-enduring esteem," &c. &c.

Again, under the head of " State-titles," the same epistolaryauthority inforas us, that in writing to a high military officerwo should address him as " Dread" or " Most powerful Mr.Lieutenant-General" (even if the bugaboo have never beenexposed to any fire severer than that of bis own pipe).

The Rector of a University is, on the other hand, to bestyled " Magnificent ;" and even the burgermeisters of thecities to be dubbed "Your MacjnifLcences'''' also.