The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-30


Motions for new hearings are now constantly
being made. Whether the new verdicts will
stand is another question.
Nero whom we were all accustomed to
regard as synonymous with wickedness, has
received very fine coat Of wbitewashing of
late years, and the story that his grave was
frequently covered with flowers is by no
means overlooked in those who ask for a
favorable opinion of his character. Henry
WILL frequently designated as the wife killer
has also been taken in hand, and another and
quite different idea of his character given by
NJ. Froude. A nice contention is even yet
going on between the adherents, or rather the
admirers, of Mary, Queen of Scotland, and
her opponents-the discovery of some letters
of hers in casket, now generally admitted to
be genuine, having impaired more favorable
opinion. Julius Cesar, taken hold of by Louis
Napoleon, who to certain extent, inculcates
Bopapartism, or rather a justification for
sundry acts of Bonapartism by psrallelisms
with that period of Roman history, is also
undergoing severe investigation from which
some good to historical truth may yet result.
So difficult is the truth of history to be got at
that if ever the allegations against certain
historians are true that they sometimes sacr-
fee little for effect, we think there is abur-
dant cause for tbankfulness even for this; for
we must get some truth, some real facts of
history in the midst of this fine word painting.
II we reflect on the difficulties of attaining
correct account of what is passing sometimes
under our eyes, we think the worth of our ob
seIvation is evident. When Sir Walter Raleigh
was writing his history of the world in the
Tower, happening to hear disturbance out
side he asked the cause. All his informants
told the story differently. He was so disap-
pointed that he threw down his pen, saying
it was impossible to write correct history of
the world when it was impossible to get a
correct account of what is passing under my
own observation. Even some of the sayings
of history which have become household
words, merciless investigation has shown to
be fables. Thus the famous La Garde ('La
Garde meurte ct ne Sc rend pas'O attributed
to Cambronne at Waterloo, was a few years
ago, shown by Frenchman to have been
inserted by NJ. Rougement, and published in
the pages of the IndEpenddnt. Talleyrand's
saying that speech was given to man to con-
ceal his thoughts" has been traced to Vol
taire in one Of his dialogues, and also
couplet by Young
when pature's end OF langusg ge is disguised
And men talk only 10 conceal their mind,"
a similar saying, is to be found in "Southy's
Sermons" and in Colds mith's "Citizen of the
World" The younger Pitt was for long
time supposed to have said on his dying bed.
20, my country! !" Lord Macaulay says it is
certainly fable. One of the wittiest of Tai.
leyrand's sayings, that Louis Philippe having
asked Talleyrand if he suffered; "Yes, like
the damned" DJa9 which the dying man re-
vepged by giving to some one near him some
startling revelations. Yet the same repartee
is contained in one of LIE Bruins epigrams,
and has been attributed, among others, to the
physician of Cardinal de Retz.
Everybody has heard of the words of the
Abbe Edgeworth to Louis XVI on the scaffold
''Son of st. Louis, ascend to heaven''-and
yet when the late Lord Holland asked the Abbe
he told him that he had no recollection of
having said them Even the pretty story of
the English and French commanders bowing
to each other and saying, "You commence
firing first, sir" has been despoiled of its ro-
nance. The Duke of Wellington's Sup,
Guards, and at them !" was also never uttered.
He said 80, we are told by the Chaplain Gene
raj, to the S5th Regiment, "You must keep
your ground, my lads, for there is nothing
behind you"
1t seems hard, but even the verses attri-
buted to Mary, Queen of Scots, beginning,
"Adieu, adieu, PLEASANT pays de France!"
which all romantically inclined people 30
much admire, have by the perseverance of
diligent inquirers been brought home to a M.
de Querton. The dreadful last crossing over
the "Bridge of Sighs," so profitable to the
writers of the grotesque and horrible, is also
undergoing considerable revision, and palace
and prison on each hand, disenchanted of
much of its old fearful romance.
Richard the Third has been, by the active
exertons of many recent explorers, relieved
OF the hump on his back, and also of great
deal of the wickedness imputed to him; but if
we 60 on in this strain, example on example
crowd on US so rapidly that we shall hardly
know when to stop. So we shall reserve
great deal more of like gossip for future
article.
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