NOTES FROM THE DIARY OF A SUB-EDITOR. 



If, however, our Gallic friends should launch a political tirade at 

 our ministry, for " suffering" such language as that above quoted, we 

 shall not blame them. Such words from the mouth of a reverend divine 

 ought not to pass unnoticed ; but when he adds the impiety of quoting 

 scripture as Liston makes faces to cause "loud laughter," the. facetious 

 Doctor deserves the highest reprehension, in fact, we will go so far as 

 to advise the Doctrinnaires to ask Lord Melbourne to ask the Attorney- 

 general to demand an explanation from the political parson. 



A " FEELER" a la Francaise. When the fanatic Ravaillac, in 1610, 

 assassinated Henry the Great, described as the best of kings, the image 

 of God upon the earth, the first of the Bourbons who wore the crown of 

 France, the fury of the people knew no bounds. The monster whose 

 name has passed into execration, was born at Angouleme, of decent 

 parents. He was a clerk, a valet, a schoolmaster, and a visionary. He 

 whetted his knife at the foot of the cross, which struck the royal Henry 

 to the heart. The dark pages of history furnish, perhaps, no instance of 

 a case of regicide so horrible, and at the same time so outrageously 

 wicked as this ; in like manner, no malefactor ever suffered the penalty 

 due to his crime with such exaggerated and brutalizing severity as was 

 practised on the fanatic Ravaillac. His flesh was torn with red -hot pin- 

 cers ; they poured melted lead into his wounds, then bathed them after- 

 wards with scalding oil ; his right hand was burned off in fire of sulphur ; 

 he was torn in pieces alive by four horses ; his members burned in dif- 

 ferent parts of the city, and his ashes given to the winds, the populace, 

 in their fury, performing the part of executioners. All Paris was in 

 tears, and the whole nation put on mourning for their murdered King. 

 Before the regicide expired, he is said to have thus expressed himself: 

 " If I had known the affections of the people for their prince, the good 

 Henry would have been still alive." This sentence was pronounced and 

 executed en the 27th day of May, 1610. He endured the torture for 

 the discovery of his accomplices more than once, and died, nevertheless, 

 without implicating any one. 



BATTLE OP WATERLOO. In some accounts of the battle it is said, that 

 the Duke frequently looked at his watch, and then anxiously in the 

 direction of his left wing, in expectation of seeing the Prussians. No 

 wonder, indeed ! for having on the previous morning apprised Blucher 

 of his intention to give battle at Waterloo, he had every reason to expect 

 them early in the day. Not so Napoleon, who, whatever he may have 

 pretended, could not possibly expect Grouchy on the field, as I have 

 already explained, I think, to the satisfaction of all persons. During the 

 crisis of the battle, when our men were falling in numbers, I have been 

 told that a general officer of some eminence, who was at the Duke's elbow, 

 kept saying it was impossible we could hold our ground for half an 

 hour longer ; till at length the Duke, losing all patience, turned sharply 

 round and said, " Do you think it will take only half an hour to kill all 

 these fellows ?" I cannot answer for the fact ; but it is characteristic, 

 and I believe it. It showed the firm resolve of a brave and determined 

 ; and it showed the just confidence he had in the stamina of his 



