Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 2, Vol. I, January 12, 1884

No. 2.—Vol. I.
Price 1½ d.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1884.
Judging from casual remarks often heard in ordinary conversation, it would seem that not a few persons believe every man who is styled ‘Lord So-and-so’ to be a peer. The notion indicated, though prevalent, is wholly erroneous; and as the peerage of this realm, unlike that of other countries, is a matter of substantial importance, not only in a social but in a constitutional sense, an answer to the question, ‘What is a peer?’ may not prove uninteresting.
The word ‘peer’ itself, etymologically, in no way denotes superiority of position; on the contrary, strange to say, it denotes equality, being simply a form of the Latin par , equal, and comes to us through the French word pair , bearing the same meaning. How comes it, then, that an ennobled person should be designated by a term which signifies ‘an equal?’; and of whom is such person an equal? One statement will answer these questions—namely, that every peer of the realm is the equal of every other peer of the realm—that is, of the United Kingdom; just as the members of all other classes of the community are the peers of each other in regard to citizen rights. We say ‘peer of the realm,’ because all peers are not entitled to be so styled. Thus, a member of only the Irish peerage is not the equal of an English peer or a peer of the realm, for the reason that he is not, by the mere reason of being a peer of Ireland, entitled to a seat in the House of Lords. In other words, he is not a peer or lord of parliament unless he is elected to be such; a remark which requires explanation.
As to peers of Scotland only, they also are entitled to elect representatives out of their general body to sit in the House of Lords. The number so elected is sixteen; but, unlike the Irish representative peers, they sit only during the existence of the parliament for which they are elected. On the other hand, a Scotch peer of any grade, unlike an Irish peer, is a peer of Great Britain, and he cannot, therefore, sit in the House of Commons for any constituency whatever. The only difference between a Scotch peer and a peer of the United Kingdom is, that the former cannot as of right—that is, unless elected a representative peer—sit in the House of Lords; in all other respects he is the peer of a peer of the realm.