A Dislike Of Dukes

We may noto a peculinrity in tbo English l'eeling about titles of which we have liever geen a reasoiiable cxplanation. Tho political populaco dislikes the title of duke. Soma oí the ablest peers in politics havo been dukes, bufc to be a duko weights instead of lightcning a man in the great raco for power. Thero ia a widely diffused impression, the origin of which we cannot trace, that a duke is sure to be a little stupid, tbafc a brilliant duke is, in fact, an impossibility. The title is a positivo drawback to the Dnke of Devonshire, and a Duke of Derby would never havo been desciibed as a "Rupert of debate." The Dnke of Argyll, who is an intellectual athlete, would have been far more completely recognized as Earl of Argyll, and we are not sure that the dukedora bas not impeded one or two pronnsing politicians in the house of lords. Ortainly a duko rarely rises there nnless he has becomc known to the country before the title crushed bira. Is it that the rank overpowers the popular imagination till men cease to sce tbo person - a thing which constautly happons in tho case of kiugs - or is it that men can ncvcr forget the special rank by mergiug it in the simpler and more familiar titlo of "lord?" No peer cxcept a duke is invariably mentionod by the titlo which xnarks hia grado. Wo have not an idea of tho true explanation, but we know that a political earl whoacceptod adukedom would loso heavily in popular estimation, and tbat even a niarquis like Lord Salisbury, who would alter bis rank so little, would find that the coronet of 6trawberry leaves acted, to a certain extent, as an extiuguisher, whilo if his Bon never entered the house of commons he would have to strufigle agaiust somo inexplicablo weiht. The fact is ono of tho very oddest in the whole of the odd history of the influonce of rank, but of its reality wè entertain no doubt whatever. To say "that is a ducal opinión" is to sav it is an opinión that no one in