Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
subject of conversation between the First Consul and me. "You remarked
it, Bourrienne?" . . . "Yes, General." . . "The fools! . . . They shall
see! They shall see!" We did indeed see. Not content with making kings,
Bonaparte, when his brow was encircled by a double crown, after creating
princes at length realised the object he had long contemplated, namely,
to found a new nobility endowed with hereditary rights. It was at the
commencement of March 1808 that he accomplished this project; and I saw
in the 'Moniteur' a long list of princes, dukes, counts, barons, and
knights of the Empire; there were wanting only viscounts and marquises.
At the same time that Bonaparte was founding a new nobility he
determined to raise up the old edifice of the university, but on a new
foundation. The education of youth had always been one of his ruling
ideas, and I had an opportunity of observing how he was changed by the
exercise of sovereign power when I received at Hamburg the statutes of
the new elder daughter of the Emperor of the French, and compared them
with the ideas which Bonaparte, when General and First Consul, had often
expressed to me respecting the education which ought to be given youth.
Though the sworn enemy of everything like liberty, Bonaparte had at
first conceived a vast system of education, comprising above all the
study of history, and those positive sciences, such as geology and
astronomy, which give the utmost degree of development to the human
mind. The Sovereign, however, shrunk from the first ideas of the man of
genius, and his university, confided to the elegant suppleness of M. de
Fontaines, was merely a school capable of producing educated subjects
but not enlightened men.
Before taking complete possession of Rome, and making it the second
city of the Empire, the vaunted moderation of Bonaparte was confined
to dismembering from it the legations of Ancona, Urbino, Macerata, and
Camerino, which were divided into three departments; and added to the
Kingdom of Italy. The patience of the Holy See could no longer hold out
against this act of violence, and Cardinal Caprara, who had remained
in Paris since the coronation, at last left that capital. Shortly
afterwards the Grand Duchies of Parma and Piacenza were united to the
French Empire, and annexed to the government of the departments beyond
the Alps. These transactions were coincident with the events in Spain
and Bayonne before mentioned.
After the snare laid at Bayonne the Emperor entered Paris on the 14th of
August, the eve of his birthday. Scarcely had he arrived in the capital
when he experienced fresh anxiety in consequence of the conduct of
Russia, which, as I have stated, had declared open war with Sweden,
and did not conceal the intention of seizing Finland. But Bonaparte,
desirous of actively carrying on the war in Spain, felt the necessity of
removing his troops from Prussia to the Pyrenees. He then hastened the
interview at Erfurt, where the two Emperors of France and Russia
had agreed to meet. He hoped that this interview would insure the
tranquillity of the Continent, while he should complete the subjection
of Spain to the sceptre of Joseph. That Prince had been proclaimed on
the 8th of June; and on the 21st of the same month he made his entry
into Madrid, but having received, ten days after, information of the
disaster at Baylen, he was obliged to leave the Spanish capital.
--[The important battle of Daylen, where the French, under General
Dupont, were beaten by the Spaniards, was fought on the 19th of July
1808.]--
Bonaparte's wishes must at this time have been limited to the
tranquillity of the Continent, for the struggle between him and England
was more desperate than ever. England had just sent troops to Portugal
under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. There was no longer any hope
of a reconciliation with Great Britain: The interview at Erfurt having
been determined on, the Emperor, who had returned from Bayonne to Paris,
again left the capital about the end of September, and arrived at Metz
without stopping, except for the purpose of reviewing the regiments
which were echeloned on his route, and which were on their march from
the Grand Army to Spain.
I had heard some time previously of the interview which was about to
take place, and which was so memorable in the life of Napoleon. It
excited so much interest in Germany that the roads were covered with
the equipages of the Princes who were going to Erfurt to witness the
meeting. The French Emperor arrived there before Alexander, and went
forward three leagues to meet him. Napoleon was on horseback, Alexander
in a carriage. They embraced, it is said, in a manner expressive of the
most cordial friendship. This interview was witnessed by most of the
sovereign Princes of Germany. However, neither the King of Prussia nor
the Emperor of Austria was present. The latter sovereign sent a letter
to Napoleon, of which I obtained a copy. It was as follows:
SIRE, MY BROTHER,--My Ambassador in Paris informs me that your
Majesty is about to proceed to Erfurt to meet the Emperor Alexander.
I eagerly seize the opportunity of your approach to my frontier to
renew those testimonials of friendship and esteem which I have
pledged to you; and I send my Lieutenant-General, Baron Vincent, to
convey to you the assurance of my unalterable sentiments. If the
false accounts that have been circulated respecting the internal
institutions which I have established in my monarchy should for a
moment have excited your Majesty's doubts as to my intentions, I
fatter myself that the explanations given on that subject by Count
Metternich to your Minister will have entirely removed them. Baron
Vincent is enabled to confirm to your Majesty all that has been said
by Count Metternich on the subject, and to add any further
explanations, you may wish for. I beg that your Majesty will grant
him the same gracious reception he experienced at Paris and at
Warsaw. The renewed marks of favour you may bestow on him will be
an unequivocal pledge of the reciprocity of your sentiments, and
will seal that confidence which will render our satisfaction mutual.
Deign to accept the assurance of the unalterable affection and
respect with which I am, Sire, my Brother, Your imperial and royal
Majesty's faithful brother and friend,
(Signed) FRANCIS.
PRESBURG, 8th September 1808.
This letter appears to be a model of ambiguity, by which it is
impossible Napoleon could have been imposed upon. However, as yet he
had no suspicion of the hostility of Austria, which speedily became
manifest; his grand object then was the Spanish business, and, as I have
before observed, one of the secrets of Napoleon's genius was, that he
did not apply himself to more than one thing at a time.
At Erfurt Bonaparte attained the principal object he had promised
himself by the meeting. Alexander recognized Joseph in his new character
of King of Spain and the Indies. It has been said that as the price of
this recognition Napoleon consented that Alexander should have Swedish
Finland; but for the truth of this I cannot vouch. However, I remember
that when, after the interview at Erfurt, Alexander had given-orders
to his ambassador to Charles IV. to continue his functions under
King Joseph, the Swedish charge d'affaires at Hamburg told me that
confidential letters received by him from Erfurt led him to fear that
the Emperor Alexander had communicated to Napoleon his designs on
Finland, and that Napoleon had given his consent to the occupation. Be
this as it may, as soon as the interview was over Napoleon returned
to Paris, where he presided with much splendour at the opening of the
Legislative Body, and set out in the month of November for Spain.
CHAPTER XVI.
1808.
The Spanish troops in Hamburg--Romana's siesta--His departure for
Funen--Celebration of Napoleon's birthday--Romana's defection--
English agents and the Dutch troops--Facility of communication
between England and the Continent--Delay of couriers from Russia--
Alarm and complaints--The people of Hamburg--Montesquieu and the
Minister of the Grand Duke of Tuscany--Invitations at six months--
Napoleon's journey to Italy--Adoption of Eugène--Lucien's daughter
and the Prince of the Asturias--M. Auguste de Stael's interview with
Napoleon.
Previous to the interview at Erfurt an event took place which created
a strong interest in Hamburg and throughout Europe, an event which
was planned and executed with inconceivable secrecy. I allude to
the defection of the Marquis de la Romans, which I have not hitherto
noticed, in order that I might not separate the different facts which
came to my knowledge respecting that defection and the circumstances
which accompanied it.
The Marquis de la Romans had come to the Hanse Towns at the head of an
army corps of 18,000 men, which the Emperor in the preceding campaign
claimed in virtue of treaties previously concluded with the Spanish
Government. The Spanish troops at first met with a good reception in
the Hanse Towns. The difference of language, indeed, occasionally caused
discord, but when better acquainted the inhabitants and their visitors
became good friends. The Marquis de la Romans was a little swarthy
man, of unprepossessing and rather common appearance; but he had a
considerable share of talent and information. He had travelled in almost
every part of Europe, and as he had been a close observer of all he saw
his conversation was exceedingly agreeable and instructive.
During his stay at Hamburg General Romans spent almost every evening
at my house, and invariably fell asleep over a game at whist. Madame
de Bourrienne was usually his partner, and I recollect he perpetually
offered apologies for his involuntary breach of good manners. This,
however, did not hinder him from being guilty of the same offence the
next evening. I will presently explain the cause of this regular siesta.
On the King of Spain's birthday the Marquis de la Romans gave a
magnificent entertainment. The decorations of the ballroom consisted of
military emblems. The Marquis did the honours with infinite grace, and
paid particular attention to the French generals. He always spoke of the
Emperor in very respectful terms, without any appearance of affectation,
so that it was impossible to suspect him of harbouring disaffection. He
played his part to the last with the utmost address. At Hamburg we had
already received intelligence of the fatal result of the battle of the
Sierra Morena, and of the capitulation of Dupont, which disgraced him
at the very moment when the whole army marked him out as the man most
likely next to receive the baton of Marshal of France.
Meanwhile the Marquis de la Romans departed for the Danish island
of Funen, in compliance with the order which Marshal Bernadotte had
transmitted to him. There, as at Hamburg, the Spaniards were well liked,
for their general obliged them to observe the strictest discipline.
Great preparations were made in Hamburg on the approach of Saint
Napoleon's day, which was then celebrated with much solemnity in every
town in which France had representatives. The Prince de Ponte-Corvo was
at Travemunde, a small seaport near Lübeck, but that did not prevent
him from giving directions for the festival of the 15th of August. The
Marquis de la Romana, the better to deceive the Marshal, despatched a
courier, requesting permission to visit Hamburg on the day of the fete
in order to join his prayers to those of the French, and to receive, on
the day of the fete, from the hands of the Prince, the grand order of
the Legion of Honour, which he had solicited, and which Napoleon had