ual writ of summons, or by
the fact that such a writ had been issued to one's ancestor, but this
method has long since been replaced by a formal grant of letters
patent, accompanied by bestowal of the requisite writ. With exceptions
to be noted, peerages are hereditary, and the heir assumes his
parliamentary seat at the age of twenty-one. Peers are of five
ranks--dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons. The complicated
rules governing the precedence of these classes are of large social,
but of minor political, interest.

[Footnote 139: The first peerage bestowed purely in
recognition of literary distinction was that of
Lord Tennyson in 1884, the peerages bestowed upon
Macaulay and Bulwer Lytton having been determined
upon in part under the influence of political
considerations. The first professional artist to be
honored with a peerage was Lord Leighton, in 1896.
Lord Kelvin and Lord Lister are among well-known
men of science who have been so honored. Lord
Goschen's viscountcy was conferred, with universal
approval, as the fitting reward of a great business
career. The earldom of General Roberts and the
viscountcies of Generals Wolseley and Kitchener
were bestowed in recognition of military
distinction. With some aptness the House of Lords
has been denominated "the Westminster Abbey of
living celebrities."]

[Footnote 140: Except that, under existing law, the
crown cannot (1) create a peer of Scotland, (2)
create a peer of Ireland otherwise than as allowed
by the Act of Union with Ireland, and (3) direct
the devolution of a dignity otherwise than in
accordance with limitations applying in the case of
grants of real estate.]

*103. Representative Peers of Scotland and of Ireland.*--A third group
of members comprises the representative peers of Scotland. Under
provision of the Act of Union of 1707, when a new parliament is
summoned the whole body of Scottish peers elects sixteen of their
number to sit as their representatives at Westminster. By custom (p. 099)
t