Ebook Works of J. Fenimore Cooper

We believe that, in some countries, a woman's name is not properly considered to be changed by marriage, but she be comes a Mrs. Only in connection with the name of her husband. Thus Jane Smith becomes Mrs. John Jones, but not Mrs. Jane Jones. It is on this idea we suppose that our ancestors the English — every Englishman, as a matter of course, being every American's ancestor — thus it is, we suppose, therefore, that our ancestors, who pay so much more attention to such matters than we do ourselves, in their table of courtesy, call the wife of Lord John Russell, Lady John, and not Lady — whatever her Christian name may hap pen to be. We suppose, moreover, it is on this principle that Mrs. General This, Mrs. Dr. That, and Mrs. Senator T'other, are as inaccurate as they are notoriously vulgar.