31 OCTOBER 1891, Page 14

FUSTEL DE COULANGES.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:']

SIR,—The reviewer of Mr. Ashley's translation from Con- langes, in the Spectator of October 24th, writes as if he were under the impression that the distinguished author of the original is still living. Fustel de Coulanges died, in fact, two years ago, deeply regretted by all scholars who interested themselves in the history of institutions, not only in France but elsewhere, and not least by those who, like myself, were not prepared to accept his theories off-hand. Notices appeared about the beginning of 1890 in the English Historical Review and the Law Quarterly Review. The fact is also mentioned in Mr. Ashley's prefatory note, and alluded to in his introduc-