and of the old
wooden-armed semaphores, to employ the telegraph to order what I should
have designated by no other name than the assassination of the Caesar
of modern history.

MARSHAL NEY AND WELLINGTON

As an illustration of the false impressions which are always
disseminated concerning public men, I must record the following
fact:--The Duke of Wellington was accused of being implicated in the
military murder of Ney. Now, so far from this being the truth, I know
positively that the Duke of Wellington used every endeavour to prevent
this national disgrace; but the Church party, ever crafty and ever
ready to profit by the weakness and passions of humanity, supported the
King in his moments of excited revenge. It is a lamentable fact, but
no less historical truth, that the Roman Catholic Church has ever
sought to make the graves of its enemies the foundations of its power.
The Duke of Wellington was never able to approach the King or use his
influence to save Marshal Ney's life; but everything he could do was
done, in order to accomplish his benevolent views. I repeat, the
influence of the ultra-montane party triumphed over the Christian
humanity of the illustrious Duke.

THE PALAIS ROYAL AFTER THE RESTORATION

France has often been called the centre of European fashion and gaiety;
and the Palais Royal, at the period to which I refer, might be called
the very heart of French dissipation. It was a theatre in which all
the great actors of fashion of all nations met to play their parts: on
this spot were congregated daily an immense multitude, for no other
purpose than to watch the busy comedy of real life that animated the
corridors, gardens, and saloons of that vast building, which was
founded by Richelieu and Mazarin, and modified by Philippe Egalite.
Mingled together, and moving about the area of this oblong-square block
of buildings, might be seen, about seven o'clock P.M., a crowd of
English, Russian, Prussian, Austrian, and other officers of the Allied
armies, together with countless foreigners from all parts of the world.
Here, too, might have been seen the present King of Prussia, with his
father and brother, the late king, the Dukes of Nassau, Baden, and a
host of continental princes, who entered familiarly into the amusements
of ordinary mortals, dining incog. at the most renowned restaurants,
and flirting with painted female frailty.

A description of one of the houses of the Palais Roya