THE FRENCH PRETENDERS.
[To THE Eopros op TES "SPECTATOR."1 Sip_—Nothing is more interesting for a Frenchman than the attention you pay in your articles on France to the somewhat shabby and ridiculous intrigues of our national Pretenders. They do not deserve, certainly, so large a part of your valuable columns. However, since you honour them with your interest, allow me to point out a curious confusion I noticed in your "Notes of the Week" of February 25th. The twenty votes which were treated as spoiled paper—their happy beneficiary being legally ineligible—were not given to the Due d'Orleans as you state, but to his cousin, the young explorer of Central Asia and Abyssinia, who accepted three years ago the cross of the Legion of Honour from the Radical Cabinet of M. Bourgeois. The latter, the Prince Henri d'Orleans, who lives in Paris, is a son of the Due de Joinville; the former, the Duo Philippe d'OrbSans, who lives anywhere except in France, is a son of the Comte de Paris. For we are lucky enough to possess two Bonapartes, many d'Orleans, and a large supply of Bourbons. As a matter of fact, the total number of our various Pretenders is perhaps greater than the total number of their supporters. And you may be absolved for your venial confusion. Bat, as we say, "il-y-a d'Orleans et d'Orleans, comme il-y-a fagot et fagot."
—I am, Sir, &c., MA.17RICE KUHN. 296 Ambient Road, N., February 26th.
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