March 14, 1757

March 14, 1757, is the date assigned to Admiral Byng’s shooting in a contextual note accompanying Candide. Its significance here is documentary: the note fixes the execution to a specific day rather than presenting it only as a general historical reference.

Historical Reference

The date appears in note 32, which identifies Admiral Byng as having been shot on March 14, 1757. The note is part of the book’s explanatory apparatus, not a narrated scene, so it supplies historical context rather than an event within the story’s immediate action.

Significance

By attaching an exact date to the shooting, the note gives the reference a verifiable historical point of connection. The evidence establishes that date and the execution, but does not provide further circumstances of the event.