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NAPOLEON'S LETTERS TO JOSEPHINE
NAPOLEON'S LETTERS TO JOSEPHINE
" When all the lesser tumults, and lesser men of our age, shall have passed away into the darkness of oblivion, history will still inscribe one mighty era with the majestic name of Napoleon. "— Lockhart (in Lang's "Life and Letters of J. G. Lockhart," 1897, vol. i. 170)....
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NAPOLEON'S LETTERS TO JOSEPHINE
NAPOLEON'S LETTERS TO JOSEPHINE
1796-1812 FOR THE FIRST TIME COLLECTED AND TRANSLATED, WITH NOTES SOCIAL, HISTORICAL, AND CHRONOLOGICAL, FROM CONTEMPORARY SOURCES BY HENRY FOLJAMBE HALL F.R.Hist.S. 1901 LONDON: J. M. DENT & CO. NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. At the Ballantyne Press...
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PREFACE
PREFACE
I have no apology to offer for the subject of this book, in view of Lord Rosebery's testimony that, until recently, we knew nothing about Napoleon, and even now "prefer to drink at any other source than the original." "Study of Napoleon's utterances, apart from any attempt to discover the secret of his prodigious exploits, cannot be considered as lost time." It is then absolutely necessary that we should, in the words of an eminent but unsympathetic divine, know something of the "domestic side o
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Difficulties of translation—Napoleon as lexicographer and bookworm—Historic value of his Bulletins—A few aspects of Napoleon's character—"Approfondissez!"—The need of a Creator—The influence of sea power—England's future rival—-Napoleon as average adjuster—His use of Freemasonry—Of the Catholics and of the Jews—His neglect of women in politics—Josephine a failure—His incessant work, "which knew no rest save change of occupation"—His attachment to early friendships—The Bonaparte family—His influe
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SERIES A
SERIES A
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 198 - 211 .) 1796. February 23rd.—Bonaparte made Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Italy. No. 1. Seven o'clock in the morning. My waking thoughts are all of thee. Your portrait and the remembrance of last night's delirium have robbed my senses of repose. Sweet and incomparable Josephine, what an extraordinary influence you have over my heart. Are you vexed? do I see you sad? are you ill at ease? My soul is broken with grief, and there is no rest for
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SERIES B
SERIES B
(1796-97) "Des 1796, lorsque, avec 30,000 hommes, il fait la conquête de l'Italie, il est non-seulement grand général, mais profond politique."— Des Idées Napoléonniennes. "Your Government has sent against me four armies without Generals, and this time a General without an army."— Napoleon to the Austrian Plenipotentiaries, at Leoben....
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SERIES B
SERIES B
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 211 - 223 .) No. 1. July 5th. —Archduke Charles defeated by Moreau at Radstadt. July 6th.—Sortie from Mantua: Austrians fairly successful. To Josephine, at Milan. Roverbella, July 6, 1796. I have beaten the enemy. Kilmaine will send you the copy of the despatch. I am tired to death. Pray start at once for Verona. I need you, for I think that I am going to be very ill. I send you a thousand kisses. I am in bed. Bonaparte. July 9th.—Bonaparte asks Kell
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SERIES C
SERIES C
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 223 - 225 .)...
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THE CAMPAIGN OF MARENGO, 1800.
THE CAMPAIGN OF MARENGO, 1800.
Events of 1798. Napoleonic History. — May 20th. — Napoleon sails from Toulon for Egypt. June 11th.—Takes Malta; sails for Egypt (June 20th). July 4th.—Captures Alexandria. July 21st.—Defeats Mamelukes at Battle of the Pyramids, and enters Cairo the following day. August 1st.—French Fleet destroyed by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. October 7th.—Desaix defeats Mourad Bey at Sedyman (Upper Egypt). General History. — January 4th. —Confiscation of all English merchandise in France. Commencement of
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SERIES D
SERIES D
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 225 - 231 .) 1801 AND 1802. Events of 1801. January 1st. —Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland. January 3rd. —French under Brune occupy Verona, and January 8th. —Vicenza. January 11th. —Cross the Brenta. January 16th. —-Armistice at Treviso between Brune and the Austrian General Bellegarde. February 9th. —Treaty of Luneville, by which the Thalweg of the Rhine became the boundary of Germany and France. March 8th. —English land at Aboukir. Ma
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SERIES E
SERIES E
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 232 - 237 .) Events of 1804. February 15th. —The conspiracy of Pichegru. Moreau arrested, Pichegru ( February 28th ), and Georges Cadoudal ( March 9th ). March 21st. —Duc D'Enghien shot at Vincennes. April 6th. —Suicide of Pichegru. April 30th.—Proposal to make Bonaparte Emperor. May 4th.—Tribune adopts the proposal. May 18th.—The First Consul becomes the Emperor Napoleon. May 19th.—Napoleon confers the dignity of Marshal of the Empire on Berthier, M
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SERIES F
SERIES F
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 237 - 243 .) Events of 1805. March 13th.—Napoleon proclaimed King of Italy. May 26th.—Crowned at Milan. June 8th.—Prince Eugène named Viceroy of Italy. June 23rd.—Lucca made a principality, and given to Elisa Bonaparte. July 22nd. —Naval battle between Villeneuve and Sir Robert Calder, which saves England from invasion. August 16th.—Napoleon breaks up camp of Boulogne. September 8th. —Third Continental Coalition (Russia, Austria, and England against
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SERIES G
SERIES G
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 243 - 264 .) 1806. January 1st.—The Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Wurtemberg created Kings by France. January 23rd. —Death of William Pitt, aged 47. February 15th.—Joseph Bonaparte enters Naples, and on March 10th is declared King of the Two Sicilies. April 1st.—Prussia seizes Hanover. June 5th.—Louis Bonaparte made King of Holland. July 6th.—Battle of Maida (Calabria. English defeat General Reynier. French loss 4000; English 500). July 12th.—Na
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SERIES H
SERIES H
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 264 - 267 .) 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 Eugène in good health; I am very pleased with him. The Princess is ill; I went to see her at Monza. She has had
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SERIES I
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). (For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 267 - 269 .)...
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LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE STAY THAT HE MADE AT BAYONNE, 1808.
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."— Mémoires du Duc de Rovigo. January 27th.—Queen and Prince Regent of Portugal reach Rio de Janeiro. February 2nd.—French troops enter Rome. F
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SERIES J
SERIES J
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 269 - 273 ) No. 1. To the Empress, at St. Cloud. Erfurt, September 29, 1808. I have rather a cold. I have received your letter, dated Malmaison. I am well pleased with the Emperor and every one here. It is an hour after midnight, and I am tired. Adieu, dear; take care of yourself. Napoleon. No. 2. October 9, 1808. My Dear ,—I have received your letter. I note with pleasure that you are well. I have just been shooting over the battlefield of Jena. We
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SERIES K
SERIES K
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 273 - 278 .) October 29th.—English enter Spain. October 31st.—Blake defeated by Lefebvre at Tornosa. No. 1. To the Empress, at Paris. November 3, 1808. I arrived to-night [30] with considerable trouble. I had ridden several stages at full speed. Still, I am well. To-morrow I start for Spain. My troops are arriving in force. Adieu, dear.—Yours ever, Napoleon . November 4th.—Napoleon enters Spain. No. 2. To the Empress, at Paris. Tolosa, November 5, 18
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SERIES L
SERIES L
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 278 - 295 .) Events of 1809. January 7th. —King and Queen of Prussia visit Alexander at St. Petersburg. January 12th. —Cayenne and French Guiana captured by Spanish and Portuguese South Americans. January 13th. —Combat of Alcazar. Victor defeats Spaniards. January 14th. —Treaty of Alliance between England and Spain. January 16th. —Battle of Corunna. Moore killed; Baird wounded. January 17th. —English army sails for England. January 22nd. —King Joseph
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SERIES M
SERIES M
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 295 - 304 .) December, 1809, to April 2, 1810. No. 1. To the Empress, at Malmaison. December 1809 , 8 P.M. My Dear ,—I found you to-day weaker than you ought to be. You have shown courage; it is necessary that you should maintain it and not give way to a doleful melancholy. You must be contented and take special care of your health, which is so precious to me. If you are attached to me and if you love me, you should show strength of mind and force yo
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SERIES N
SERIES N
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 304 - 310 .) No. 1. Letter of the Empress Josephine to the Emperor Napoleon. Navarre, April 19, 1810. Sire ,-I have received, by my son, the assurance that your Majesty consents to my return to Malmaison, and grants to me the advances asked for in order to make the château of Navarre habitable. This double favour, Sire, dispels to a great extent the uneasiness, nay, even the fears which your Majesty's long silence had inspired. I was afraid that I mi
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SERIES O
SERIES O
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 311 - 312 .) No. 1. To the Empress Josephine, at Navarre. Paris, January 8th, 1811. I have your New Year's letter. I thank you for its contents. I note with pleasure that you are well and happy. I hear that there are more women than men at Navarre. My health is excellent, though I have not been out for a fortnight. Eugène appears to have no fears about his wife; he gives you a grandson. Adieu, dear; keep well. Napoleon. February 19th. —Soult defeats
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SERIES P
SERIES P
(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 312 - 315 .)...
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1812.
1812.
Montgaillard sums up his tirade against Napoleon for the Russian campaign by noting that it took the Romans ten years to conquer Gaul, while Napoleon "would not give two to the conquest of that vast desert of Scythia which forced Darius to flee, Alexander to draw back, Crassus to perish; where Julian terminated his career, where Valerian covered himself with shame, and which saw the disasters of Charles XII." January 9th. —Suchet captures Valencia, 18,000 Spanish troops, and 400 cannon. The mars
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NOTES
NOTES
THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGNS, 1796-97 ( The numbers correspond to the numbers of the Letters. ) No. 1. Bonaparte made Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Italy. —Marmont's account of how this came to pass is probably substantially correct, as he has less interest in distorting the facts than any other writer as well fitted for the task. The winter had rolled by in the midst of pleasures—soirées at the Luxembourg, dinners of Madame Tallien, "nor," he adds, "were we hard to please." "The Directory often co
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APPENDIX (1)
APPENDIX (1)
Le Chien, le Lapin, et le Chasseur. Fable. — Composée a l'âge de 13 ans, par Napoleon I . César, chien d'arrêt renommé, Mais trop enflé de son mérite, Tennait arrêté dans son gîte Un malheureux lapin de peur inanimé. "Rends-toi!" lui cria-t-il, d'une voix de tonerre Qui fit au loin trembler les peuplades des bois. "Je suis César, connu par ses exploits, Et dont le nom remplit toute la terre." A ce grand nom, Jeannot Lapin, Recommandant a Dieu son âme pénitente, Demande d'une voix tremblante: "Tr
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APPENDIX (2)
APPENDIX (2)
GENEALOGY OF THE BONAPARTE FAMILY Many more or less fictitious genealogies of the Bonapartes have been published, some going back to mythical times. The first reliable record, however, seems to be that of a certain Bonaparte of Sarzana, in Northern Italy, an imperial notary, who was living towards the end of the thirteenth century, and from whom both the Corsican and the Trevisan or Florentine Bonapartes claim their origin. From him in direct line was descended Francois de Sarzana, who was sent
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REPUTED LETTERS OF NAPOLEON TO JOSEPHINE. TAKEN FROM THE MEMOIRS OF MADAME DUCREST.
REPUTED LETTERS OF NAPOLEON TO JOSEPHINE. TAKEN FROM THE MEMOIRS OF MADAME DUCREST.
The author asked the advice of Monsieur Frédéric Masson about these Letters, to which he at once received the courteous reply, "Il faut absolument rejeter les Lettres publiées par Regnault Varin [94] et reproduites par Georgette Ducrest; pas une n'est authentique." No one who has read much of Napoleon's correspondence can in fact believe for a moment in their authenticity. They are interesting, however, as showing the sort of stuff which went to form our grandfathers' fallacies about the relatio
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NOTES:
NOTES:
[6] Sometimes he is perhaps more to be trusted than the leading lexicographer, as for example when, the day after Wagram, he writes his Minister of War that the coup de Jarnac will come from the English in Spain. Now, when the Jarnac in question was slain in fair fight by La Chateignerie by a blow au jarret , it was an unexpected blow, but not surely, as Littré tells us, manœuvre perfide , déloyale . Nothing was too disloyal for perfidious Albion, but for 30,000 English to outmanœuvre three mars
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