INDIAN UNREST.
[To TS. EDITOR 07 TEE " SPECTATOR"] SIR,—In connexion with the valuable series on "Indian Unrest" published in the Times, it may be of interest to note that nearly half-a-century ago a French author made a curious forecast of the position of to-day. "Les Exploits de Rocambole," by P01213011 de Terrail (Paris : Dentu, 1866), is a novel, or rather a series of romances running through many volumes. The hero, a magnificent scoundrel, commits every sort of villainy, escapes from prison, and, like Monte Cristo, becomes possessed of immense riches, and, again like him, revenges himself on his enemies in detail. The chief interest for us is in the concluding series, " Ls Resurrection de Rocambole." The scene is partly laid in India. Some important Indian nobles, "Thugs," conspire to turn the British out of India, and then comes a series of murders, tampering with troops, &c., followed by the adventures of the head-centre of the conspiracy in London and in Paris. In 1866 there was no Entente Cordiale, and the successes of the band are related with much glee by the French author The -incidents -are often fantastic, but it is curious that a French writer, at such a distant date, should have bethought himself for his romance of a plot that is being reproduced• in some of its details in the India, London, and Paris of our
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