Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text 8, 1827.
[24] _Toute diablesse._
[25] Charles Napoleon, Prince Royal of Holland, died at the Hague, May
5, 1807.
[26] Presumed date.
SERIES H
"Napoleon was received with unbounded adulation by all the towns of
Italy.... He was the Redeemer of France, but the Creator of
Italy."--ALISON, _Hist. of Europe_ (vol. xi. 280).
SERIES H
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 264-267.)
LETTER PAGE
No. 1. _Milan_ 264
_Mont Cenis_ 264
_Eugene_ 264
No. 2. _Venice_ 265
_November 30th_ 265
No. 3. _Udine_ 265-7
_I may soon be in Paris_ 267
LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO
THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE
JOURNEY HE MADE IN ITALY, 1807.
_November 16th.--Napoleon leaves Fontainebleau._
_November 22nd-25th.--At Milan._
No. 1.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Milan, November 25, 1807._
_My Dear_,--I have been here two days. I am very glad that I did not
bring you here; you would have suffered dreadfully in crossing Mont
Cenis, where a storm detained me twenty-four hours.
I found Eugene in good health; I am very pleased with him. The Princess
is ill; I went to see her at Monza. She has had a miscarriage; she is
getting better.
Adieu, dear.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_November 29th to December 7th.--At Venice (writes Talleyrand,
"This land is a phenomenon of the power of commerce")._
No. 2.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Venice, November 30, 1807._
I have your letter of November 22nd. The last two days I have been at
Venice. The weather is very bad, which has not prevented me from
sailing over the lagoons in order to see the different forts.
I am glad to see you are enjoying yourself at Paris.
The King of Bavaria, with his family, as well as the Princess Eliza,
are here.
I am spending December 2nd[27] here, and that past I shall be on my
way home, and very glad to see you.
Adieu, dear.
NAPOLEON.
No. 3.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.
_Udine, December 11, 1807._
_My Dear_,--I have your letter of December 3rd, from which I note that
you were much pleased with the Jardin des Plantes. Here I am at the
extreme limit of my journey; it is possible I may soon be in Paris,
where I shall be very glad to see you again. The weather has not as
yet been cold here, but very rainy. I have profited by this good
season up to the last moment, for I suppose that at Christmas the
winter will at length make itself felt.
Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_December 12th.--At Udine._
_December 14th.--At Mantua._
_December 16th.--At Milan (till December 26th)._
_December 17th.--His Milan decree against English commerce._
_December 27th-28th.--At Turin._
1808.
_January 1st.--At Paris._
FOOTNOTES
[27] His Coronation Day.
SERIES I
"The imbecility of Charles IV., the vileness of Ferdinand, and the
corruption of Godoy were undoubtedly the proximate causes of the
calamities which overwhelmed Spain."--NAPIER'S _Peninsular War_ (vol.
i. preface).
SERIES I
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 267-269.)
LETTER PAGE
No. 1. _Bayonne_ 267
No. 2. _A country-house_ 267
_Everything is still most primitive_ 267
No. 3. _Prince of the Asturias_ 268
_The Queen_ 268
No. 4. _A son has been born_ 268
_Arrive on the 27th_ 269
LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO
THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE
STAY THAT HE MADE AT BAYONNE,
1808.
"This year offers a strange picture. The Emperor Napoleon was at
Venice in the month of January, surrounded by the homage of all
the courts and princes of Italy; in the month of April he was at
Bayonne, surrounded by that of Spain, and the great personages of
that country; and, finally, in the month of October he is at
Erfurth, with his _parterre_ of kings."--_Memoires du Duc de
Rovigo._
* * * * *
_January 27th.--Queen and Prince Regent of Portugal reach Rio de
Janeiro._
_February 2nd.--French troops enter Rome._
_February 17th.--French occupy Pampeluna, and_
_February 29th.--Barcelona._
_March 19th.--Charles IV. abdicates, and his son proclaimed
Ferdinand VII._
_March 20th.--Godoy imprisoned by Ferdinand._
_March 23rd.--Murat enters Madrid._
_March 27th.--Napoleon excommunicated._
_April 15th.--Napoleon arrives at Bayonne._
No. 1.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT BORDEAUX.
_Bayonne, April 16, 1808._
I have arrived here in good health, rather tired by a dull journey and
a very bad road.
I am very glad you stayed behind, for the houses here are wretched and
very small.
I go to-day into a small house in the country, about a mile from the
town.
Adieu, dear. Take care of yourself.
No. 2.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT BORDEAUX.
_Bayonne, April 17, 1808._
I have just received yours of April 15th. What you tell me of the
owner of the country-house pleases me. Go and spend the day there
sometimes.
I am sending an order for you to have 20,000 francs per month
additional while I am away, counting from the 1st of April.
I am lodged atrociously. I am leaving this place in an hour, to occupy
a country-house (_bastide_) about a mile away. The Infant Don Carlos
and five or six Spanish grandees are here, the Prince of the Asturias
fifty miles away. King Charles and the Queen are due. I know not how I
shall lodge all these people. Everything here is still most primitive
(_a l'auberge_). The health of my troops in Spain is good.
It took me some time to understand your little jokes; I have laughed
at your recollections. O you women, what memories you have!
My health is fairly good, and I love you most affectionately. I wish
you to give my kind regards to everybody at Bordeaux; I have been too
busy to send them to anybody.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_April 20th.--Ferdinand arrives at Bayonne._
No. 3.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT BORDEAUX.
_April 21, 1808._
I have just received your letter of April 19th. Yesterday I had the
Prince of the Asturias and his suite to dinner, which occasioned me
considerable embarrassment. I am waiting for Charles IV. and the
Queen.
My health is good. I am now sufficiently recovered for the campaign.
Adieu, dear. Your letters always give me much pleasure.
NAPOLEON.
No. 4.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT BORDEAUX.
_Bayonne, April 23, 1808._
_My Dear_,--A son has been born to Hortense;[28] I am highly
delighted. I am not surprised that you tell me nothing of it, since
your letter is dated the 21st, and the child was only born on the
20th,[29] during the night.
You can start on the 26th, sleep at Mont de Marsan, and arrive here on
the 27th. Have your best dinner-service sent on here on the 25th, in
the evening. I have made arrangements for you to have a little house
in the country, next to the one I have. My health is good.
I am waiting for Charles IV. and his wife.
Adieu, dear.
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_April 30th.--Charles IV. and the Queen arrive at Bayonne._
_May 1st.--Ferdinand gives back the crown to his father._
_May 2nd.--Murat subdues insurrection at Madrid._
_May 5th.--Treaty of Bayonne; Charles IV. and Ferdinand (May 6)
surrender to Napoleon their rights to the Spanish crown Previous Next |