THE DEATH OF MARSHAL NET.
[To TEE EDITOR OF THE "8PECTATOR:]
have some recollection of having seen a picture or read some story representing an Englishman riding at a gallop over the corpse of Marshal Ney after his execution near the Paris Observatoire on December 7th, 1815, but I am unable to say when and where. I therefore cannot throw any light on- the question put by J. J. S." in the Spectator of June 8th. However, I think we may form an opinion and set at rest the mind of your correspondent by consulting history; for, if true, such an action could not have escaped, the eye of French historians, who, no doubt, would have remonstrated against it in some way or other. I have accordingly consulted the following works on the said tragedy, namely,—" Histoire de la Restauration," Lamartine ; " Histoire de France," Henri Martin; " Histoire du Consulat et de rEmpire," Thiers ; " Histoire de Napoleon," Laurent de l'Ardich. I have consulted "La Grand Dictionnaire Universel," Laronsse ; and "La Grande Encyclopedie." I have also looked at Bonillet's "Dic- tionnaire d'Histoire et de Geographie." And finally President Henault's " Chronologie de l'Histoire de France." In not one of them have I found anything referring or alluding to the mysterious English rider.—I am, Sir, &c., ALF. H.
[We cannot publish any more letters on this subject.— ED. Spectator.]
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