As to the necessity of an heir, I must speak out, at the risk of appearing in the character of a mother prejudiced in favour of her son; ought I, in fact, to be silent when I consider the interests of one who is my only delight, and upon whom alone you had built all your hopes? That adoption of the 12th of January 1806 was then another political falsehood! Nevertheless the talents, the virtues of my Eugène are no illusion. How often have you not spoken in his praise? I may say more; you thought it right to reward him by the gift of a throne, and have repeatedly said that he was deserving of greater favours. Well, then! France has frequently re-echoed these praises; but you are now indifferent to the wishes of France.
I say nothing to you at present of the person who is destined to succeed me, and you do not expect that I should make any allusion to this subject. You might suspect the feelings which dictated my language; nevertheless, you can never doubt of the sincerity of my wishes for your happiness; may it at least afford me some consolation for my sufferings. Great indeed will be that happiness if it should ever bear any proportion to them!
No. 4.
PART OF A LETTER SAID TO BE DATED BRIENNE, 1814.
"... On revisiting this spot, where I passed my youthful days, and contrasting the peaceful condition I then enjoyed with the state of terror and agitation to which my mind is now a prey, often have I addressed myself in these words: 'I have sought death in numberless engagements; I can no longer dread its approach; I should now hail it as a boon ... nevertheless, I could still wish to see Josephine once more!'"
No. 5.
TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, AT MALMAISON.
_Fontainebleau, 16th April 1814_.
_My dear Josephine_,--I wrote to you on the 8th instant (it was on a Friday). You have perhaps not received my letter; fighting was still going on; it is possible that it may have been stopped on its way. The communications must now be re-established. My determination is taken; I have no doubt of this note coming to your hands.
I do not repeat what I have already told you. I then complained of my situation; I now rejoice at it. My mind and attention are relieved from an enormous weight; my downfall is great, but it is at least said to be productive of good.
In my retreat I intend to substitute the pen for the sword. The history of my reign will gratify the cravings of curiosity. Hitherto, I have only been seen in profile; I will now show myself in full to the world. What facts have I not to disclose! how many men are incorrectly estimated! I have heaped favours upon a countless number of wretches; what have they latterly done for me?
They have all betrayed me, one and all, save and except the excellent Eugène, so worthy of you and of me. May he ever enjoy happiness under a sovereign fully competent to appreciate the feelings of nature and of honour!
Adieu, my dear Josephine; follow my example and be resigned. Never dismiss from your recollection one who has never forgotten, and never will forget you! Farewell, Josephine.
NAPOLEON.
_P.S._--I expect to hear from you when I shall have reached the island of Elba. I am far from being in good health.
FOOTNOTES
[94] _Memoires et Correspondance de l'Impératrice Joséphine_, par _J. B. J. Innocert Philadelphe Regnault Varin_. Paris, 1820, 8^o. This book is not in the British Museum Catalogue.
[95] _Josephine Impératrice et Reine_, Paris, 1899.
INDEX OF PERSONS
_Excluding_ NAPOLEON _and_ JOSEPHINE, _which occur on nearly every page_.
Abercromby, Sir Ralph, 49
Abrantès, Mdme. Junot, Duchesse d', 190, 199, 229, 230, 231, 242, 247, 254, 261, 265, 266, 278, 312
Achille. (_See_ Murat)
Agrippina, 312
Ainger, Canon, 298
Albufera, Duke of. (_See_ Suchet)
Aldobrandini, Prince, 149
Alexander the Great, 185
Alison, Sir A. (historian), 74, 119, 255, 264, 272, 286
Alvinzi, Marshal, 30, 34, 35, 218, 221, 318
Amand, Saint, _see_ S. Imbert de (author), 4, 172, 199, 212, 221, 223, 243, 245, 251, 256, 257, 267, 269, 302, 304, 307, 308, 312
Amelia (daughter of Eugène), 313
Angoulême, Duc d', 190, 196, 197
Anhalt, Prince of, 270
Arberg, Mdme. d', 176
Arch-Chancellor. (_See_ Cambacérès)
Argenteau, D', 9
Arnault (author), 212
Artois, Comte d', 196, 197
Aubenas, 172, 200, 201, 216, 225, 226, 228, 241, 257, 259, 260, 297, 299
Audenarde, D', 162, 302 ---- Madame Lalaing, Viscountess d', 302, 307
Augereau, Marshal, 24, 38, 57, 70, 90, 154, 196, 214, 254, 255, 267
Auguié, Mlle. Aglaé Louise, 231
Auguste, Princess of Bavaria (then wife of Eugène). (_See_ Beauharnais, Auguste)
Augustus, Emperor, 52, 228
Austria, Emperor of, 186, 197, 218, 223, 240 ---- Empress of, 186
Avrillon, Mlle, d', 82, 174, 225, 233, 256, 297, 299, 302, 305, 311, 312
Baccioli, Eliza (Bonaparte), 63, 122
Baden, Princess Wilhelmina of, 77, 236, 295 ---- Grand Duchess of. (_See_ Beauharnais, Stephanie) ---- Prince of, 242, 243, 245, 270
Bagration, General, 187, 188
Baird, General Sir David, 42, 49, 143
Bajazet, 272
Barante, De (Prefect of Geneva), 309, 310
Barbier (Napoleon's librarian), 307
Barras, Count de, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 38, 199, 205, 207, 221, 247, 248
Bathurst, Benj., 154
Bausset (Prefect of Imperial Palace), 267, 269, 273
Bavaria, Elector, then King of, 77, 122, 144, 159, 161, 242, 243, 265, 266, 270, 299 ---- Electress, then Queen of, 70, 161, 243, 265 ---- Prince Royal of, 281
Bayard, Chevalier, 235, 243
Beauharnais, Eugène (Viceroy of Italy), 6, 21, 31, 44, 51, 58, 59, 60, 63, 66, 68, 78, 106, 121, 140, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 152, 159, 162, 164, 170, 171, 172, 179, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 216, 224, 228, 229, 234, 242, 243, 244, 254, 256, 264, 265, 266, 276, 277, 282, 286, 287, 290, 297, 299, 305, 308, 310, 311, 312, 313, 318, 320, 321
Beauharnais, Auguste (wife of Eugène), 121, 186, 242, 264, 265, 266, 299 ---- Hortense, 6, 10, 11, 12, 31, 44, 50, 51, 52, 53, 59, 66, 68, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 93, 111, 112, 113, 127, 137, 140, 144, 147, 149, 150, 151, 159, 160, 165, 172, 173, 175, 176, 180, 216, 226, 227, 228, 229, 231, 235, 237, 244, 247, 254, 259, 261, 262, 263, 268, 269, 288, 289, 296, 300, 308, 313, 314 ---- Stephanie, 78, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 89, 242, 243, 244, 254, 271, 295 ---- Fanny (daughter of Count), 243
Beaujon (financier), 302
Beaulieu, General, 6, 7, 10, 11, 38, 204, 205, 208, 209
Becker, General, 81
Bellegarde, General, 49, 195, 197
Bennigsen or Beningsen, General, 90, 188, 193, 254
Bentinck, General, 193
Bentley, 227
Berg, Napoleon Louis, Grand Duke of, 82, 137, 144, 147, 148, 150, 172, 173, 263, 308
Bernadotte, Marshal, 38, 41, 57, 80, 81, 83, 95, 106, 113, 174, 185, 188, 192, 193, 246, 254, 255, 257, 279, 291, 292 ---- Desirée (_née_ Clary), 38, 246, 313
Berthier, Marshal, 33, 57, 141, 214, 224, 229, 246, 251, 259, 265, 270, 280, 292, 302, 303
Bertrand, General, 259, 287, 288, 290
Bessières, Marshal, 57, 106, 128, 136, 139, 149, 165, 190, 260, 290, 303
Bignon, Baron (historian), 55, 75, 255, 258, 262
Billington, Mistress, 224
Bingham, Captain D. A., 204, 208, 256
Blake (Field-Marshal and Spanish General), 135, 136, 148, 181
Blucher, Field-Marshal, 83, 192, 193, 194, 195, 246, 250, 278, 291
Bonaparte, Joseph (King of Spain), 21, 38, 77, 128, 143, 150, 187, 191, 196, 199, 200, 201, 228, 237, 258, 265, 266, 273, 296, 305 ---- Louis, 50, 53, 59, 77, 172, 173, 214, 220, 228, 261, 263, 268, 269, 279, 300, 302, 308, 309, 314 ---- Jerome (King of Westphalia), 117 118, 160, 161, 242, 261, 270, 301 ---- Lucien, 228, 229, 230, 247, 253, 265, 266, 297, 314 ---- Caroline. (_See_ Murat, Madame) ---- Eliza. (_See_ Lucca, Princess of)
Bonaparte Family, The, 317. (Appendix 2)
Bonpland, Aimé, 226
Borghèse, Prince, 99, 115 ---- Pauline, 99, 303
Boubers, Countess de, 308
Bouillet (lexicographer), 74, 248
Bouillon, Duke of, 304
Bourbon, Duchesse de, 302
Bourlier, Bishop of Evreux, 311
Bourrienne, L. de, 30, 31, 61, 155, 226, 228, 229, 230, 237, 239
Boyer (French general, "Pierre le Cruel"), 196
Brizzi, 89
Brock, General, 187
Brotonne, L. de, 190, 238, 260, 310
Browning, Oscar, 47
Bruix, Admiral, 232
Brune, Marshal, 34, 41, 43, 49, 57, 118, 221
Brunswick, Duke of, 245
Brutus, 294
Bulow, General von, 192, 194, 196
Burdett-Coutts, Mr., 218
Burke, Edmund, 38
Buxhowden, General, 72, 90
Byron, Lord, 183, 314
"B----" (probably Bourrienne), 60, 175
Cabarrus, M. de, 248
Cadoudal, Georges (Vendéen chief and conspirator), 57
Cæsar, Julius, 232, 281, 286, 293
Calder, Sir Robert, 63
Cambacérès, Arch-Chancellor, 108, 114, 150, 188, 192, 236, 269, 271, 281, 284, 291, 292, 293, 296, 300, 302, 303, 310
Campan, Madame, 191, 242
Caracci, 209
Carnot (member of the Directory and "organiser of victory"), 200, 204, 205, 206, 208, 209, 210, 217, 223