Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/381

 10 s. vii. APRIL 20, 1907.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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memorials have been recently affixed by the London County Council to houses possessing artistic and literary interest.

On 21 January a tablet was erected on the house in which Wilkie painted ' The Chelsea Pensioners' and others of his greatest pictures. This was formerly No. 24, Lower Phillimore Place, Kensington, and the number of the house remained unaltered till 1905, when Lower Phillimcre Place was incorporated in Kensington High Street, with the result that No. 24 became No. 144 in the latter thorough- fare. Wilkie took possession of this house on 30 Aug., 1813, after having resided for some months in apartments at No. 29, five doors off. In 1824 he moved to No. 7, The Terrace, Kensington ; and subsequently to a large detached house in Vicarage Row, which had been previously occupied by James Mill, the historian of British India. Neither of these houses is now in existence.

On 31 January a tablet was erected on the house, No. 22, St. James's Place, in which the poet Samuel Rogers lix r ed for fifty-three years, and in which he died on 18 Dec., 1855. No house in London, perhaps, possesses more intellectual memories than this, closely associated as it was with most of the literary glories of the first half of the nineteenth century. W. F. PRIDE AUX.

NAPOLEON'S CARRIAGE : JOSEPH BONA- PARTE'S CARRIAGE (10 S. vii. 170, 236). It may be well to add the reference for the extract from Siborne given by W. P. M., viz., ' History of the War in France and Belgium in 1815,' pub. 1846, vol. ii. p. 248.

Perhaps J. N. in his query confuses Napoleon's carriage with that of Joseph Bonaparte. The latter was captured after the battle of Vittoria. A squadron of the 10th Hussars under Capt. Wyndham pursued Joseph and overtook his carriage. Whether he had been in it or not appears to be uncertain. He, however, made his escape on horseback. Probably the 10th passed on in pursuit. Some of the 13th Light Dragoons under Capt. Doherty captured the carriage. I believe that one of the most treasured pieces of the messplate of the regiment (now the 13th Hussars) is a silver article taken from the carriage, intended originally for a use very different from that of a punchbowl.

A full and particular description of Napoleon's carriage appears in ' Tales of the Wars ' (London, William Mark Clark, 1836- 1838), vol. i. p. 300 a book issued in penny numbers : no reference for the description is given.

In the late Sir William Fraser's ' Words on Wellington,' 1889, is reproduced (pp. 318- 327) a letter of his which had appeared in The Daily Telegraph of 5 Sept., 1888. It contains the following :

" I have in my possession a splendid sword that was taken there [Genappe] by the Prussians from Jsapoleon's carriage, on the evening of Waterloo. The history of the sword is, I should say, un- rivalled. It belonged to Mourad Bey, the chief of the Mamelukes ; it was surrendered by him, in the midst of a fierce action in Egypt, to Murat, after- wards King of Naples, and is depicted in a large- painting by Gros at Versailles ; the sword was given by Murat to Napoleon Bonaparte. When the latter met the Directory, on his sudden return from Egypt,, not wishing to frighten them, he wore plain clothes ; but over them this beautiful sabre, as stated in Ireland's ' Life of Napoleon.' Intending, no doubt,, that it should adorn his triumphant entry into Brussels, the Emperor had it in his carriage at Waterloo. Prince Blucher presented it soon after- wards to the Duke of Wellington ; by him it was given to Lord Anglesey, who commanded the cavalry; and by him to my father, his A.D.C. during the campaign. The sword has a repousse silver-gilt scabbard ; and the blade, which is as sharp as when wielded by Mourad Bey, has jewels set in the upper part."

Where is this sword now ?

ROBERT PIERPOINT.

The carriage in question is, I presume,, the one exhibited at Madame Tussaud's. It was sent, with the officer who took it, to the Prince Regent (afterwards George IV.), and eventually sold by his Majesty to Mr. Wm. Bullock for 2,500/. A letter from Mr. Bullock is given in Madame Tussaud & Sons' catalogue, and embodies several interesting details concerning the relic. The site of its capture is mentioned as " about fifteen miles from Waterloo." JOHN T. PAGE.

Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

An officer of the 14th Hussars, formerly Light Dragoons, told me that it was his regiment that captured Napoleon's carriage when he fled from Waterloo.

C. J. DURAND.

Guernsey.

[CoL. DUBAND'S informant may be interested in MR. PIERPOIXT'S reply and the authorities referred to ante, p. 236.]

" GULA AUGUSTI " (10 S. v. 408, 499 ; vi. 15, 72, 135 ; vii. 257). MR. DODGSON wishes for " gula " instances applied to other months than August. " Gula " or " gule " is the Welsh " gwyl " (vigilia), and is applied now to St. Michael's Day (gwyl Fihangel) and St. John's Day, Midsummer (gwyl leuan, g. I fan). The word is the " eve " (not "first day") of a feast, or month beginning with a feast. For " first days "