Napoleon's Letters to Josephine, 1796-1812

NAPOLEON. No. 65. TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS. _Finckenstein_, _April 24, 1807_, 7 P.M. I have received your letter of the 12th. I see from it that your health is good, and that you are very happy at the thought of going to Malmaison. The weather has changed to fine; I hope it may continue so. There is nothing fresh here. I am very well. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 66. TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS. _Finckenstein_, _May 2, 1807_, 4 P.M. _My Dear_,--I have just received your letter of the 23rd; I see with pleasure that you are well, and that you are as fond as ever of Malmaison. I hear the Arch-Chancellor is in love. Is this a joke, or a fact? It has amused me; you might have given me a hint about it! I am very well, and the fine season commences. Spring shows itself at length, and the leaves begin to shoot. Adieu, dear; very best wishes.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 67. TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS. _Finckenstein, May 10, 1807._ I have just received your letter. I know not what you tell me about ladies in correspondence with me. I love only my little Josephine, sweet, pouting, and capricious, who can quarrel with grace, as she does everything else, for she is always lovable, except when she is jealous; then she becomes a regular shrew.[24] But let us come back to these ladies. If I had leisure for any among them, I assure you that I should like them to be pretty rosebuds. Are those of whom you speak of this kind? I wish you to have only those persons to dinner who have dined with me; that your list be the same for your assemblies; that you never make intimates at Malmaison of ambassadors and foreigners. If you should do the contrary, you would displease me. Finally, do not allow yourself to be duped too much by persons whom I do not know, and who would not come to the house, if I were there. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 68. TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS. _Finckenstein, May 12, 1807._ I have just received your letter of May 2nd, in which I see that you are getting ready to go to St. Cloud. I was sorry to see the bad conduct of Madame ----. Might you not speak to her about mending her ways, which at present might easily cause unpleasantness on the part of her husband? From what I hear, Napoleon is cured; I can well imagine how unhappy his mother has been; but measles is an ailment to which every one is liable. I hope that he has been vaccinated, and that he will at least be safe from the smallpox. Adieu, dear. The weather is very warm, and vegetation has begun; but it will be some days before there is any grass. NAPOLEON. No. 69. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Finckenstein, May 14, 1807._ I realise the grief which the death of this poor Napoleon[25] must cause you; you can imagine what I am enduring. I should like to be by your side, in order that your sorrow might be kept within reasonable bounds. You have had the good fortune never to lose children; but it is one of the pains and conditions attached to our miseries here below. I trust I may hear you have been rational in your sorrow, and that your health remains good! Would you willingly augment my grief? Adieu, dear. NAPOLEON. No. 70. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Finckenstein, May 16, 1807._ I have just received your letter of May 6th. I see from it how ill you are already; and I fear that you are not rational, and that you are making yourself too wretched about the misfortune which has come upon us. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 71. TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN. _Finckenstein, May 20, 1807._ I have just received your letter of May 10th. I see that you have gone to Lacken. I think you might stay there a fortnight; it would please the Belgians and serve to distract you. I am sorry to see that you have not been rational. Grief has bounds which should not be passed. Take care of yourself for the sake of your friend, and believe in my entire affection. NAPOLEON. No. 72. _May 24th.--Dantzic surrenders to Lefebvre after two months' siege, with 800 guns and immense stores._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN. _Finckenstein, May 24, 1807._ Your letter from Lacken just received. I am sorry to see your grief undiminished, and that Hortense has not yet come; she is unreasonable, and does not deserve our love, since she only loves her children. Try to calm her, and do not make me wretched. For every ill without a remedy consolations must be found. Adieu, dear.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 73. TO THE EMPRESS, AT LACKEN. _Finckenstein, May 26, 1807._ I have just received your letter of the 16th. I have seen with pleasure that Hortense has arrived at Lacken. I am annoyed at what you tell me of the state of stupor in which she still is. She must have more courage, and force herself to have it. I cannot imagine why they want her to go to take the waters; she will forget her trouble much better at Paris, and find more sources of consolation. Show force of character, be cheerful, and keep well. My health is excellent. Adieu, dear. I suffer much from all your griefs; it is a great trouble to me not to be by your side. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _May 28th.--Lefebvre made Duke of Dantzic by Napoleon._ _May 29th._--Selim III. deposed in Turkey by Mustapha IV., his nephew. _June 1st.--22,000 Spanish troops, sent by Charles IV., join the French army in Germany._ No. 74. TO THE EMPRESS, AT MALMAISON. _Dantzig, June 2, 1807._ _My Dear_,--I note your arrival at Malmaison. I have no letters from you; I am vexed with Hortense, she has never written me a line. All that you tell me about her grieves me. Why have you not found her some distractions? Weeping won't do it! I trust you will take care of yourself in order that I may not find you utterly woebegone. I have been the two past days at Dantzic; the weather is very fine, my health excellent. I think more of you than you are thinking of a husband far away. Adieu, dear; very kindest regards. Pass on this letter to Hortense. NAPOLEON. No. 75. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Marienburg, June 3, 1807._ This morning I slept at Marienburg. Yesterday I left Dantzic; my health is very good. Every letter that comes from St. Cloud tells me you are always weeping. That is not well; it is necessary for you to keep well and be cheerful. Hortense is still unwell; what you tell me of her makes me very sorry for her. Adieu, dear; think of all the affection I bear for you. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _June 5th.--Russians defeated at Spanden; Bernadotte wounded._ No. 76. _June 6th.--Russians defeated at Deppen by Soult._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Finckenstein, June 6, 1807._ _My Dear_,--I am in flourishing health. Your yesterday's letter pained me; it seems to me that you are always grieving, and that you are not reasonable. The weather is very fine. Adieu, dear; I love you and wish to see you cheerful and contented. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _June 9th.--Russians defeated at Guttstadt by Napoleon, and_ _June 10th.--At Heilsberg._ _June 14th.--Battle of Friedland, completing the "Campaign of Ten Days."_ No. 77. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Friedland, June 15, 1807._ _My Dear_,--I write you only a line, for I am very tired, by reason of several days' bivouacking. My children have worthily celebrated the anniversary of the battle of Marengo. The battle of Friedland will be as celebrated for my people, and equally glorious. The entire Russian army routed, 80 pieces of cannon captured, 30,000 men taken or slain, 25 Russian generals killed, wounded, or taken, the Russian Guard wiped out. The battle is worthy of her sisters--Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena. The bulletin will tell you the rest. My loss is not considerable. I out-manoeuvred the enemy successfully. Be content and without uneasiness. Adieu, dear; my horse is waiting. NAPOLEON. You may give this news as official, if it arrives before the bulletin. They may also fire salvoes. Cambaceres will make the proclamation. No. 78. _June 16th.--Koenigsberg captured by Soult--"what was left to the King of Prussia is conquered."_ TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Friedland_, _June 16, 1807_, 4 P.M. _My Dear_,--Yesterday I despatched Moustache with the news of the battle of Friedland. Since then I have continued to pursue the enemy. Koenigsberg, which is a town of 80,000 souls, is in my power. I have found there many cannon, large stores, and, lastly, more than 160,000 muskets, which have come from England. Adieu, dear. My health is perfect, although I have a slight catarrh caused by bivouacking in the rain and cold. Be happy and cheerful.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. * * * * * _June 17th.--Neisse, in Silesia, with 6000 men, surrenders to the French; also_ _June 18th--Glatz._ No. 79. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, June 19, 1807._ This morning I despatched Tascher to you, to calm all your fears. Here all goes splendidly. The battle of Friedland has decided everything. The enemy is confounded, overwhelmed, and greatly weakened. My health is good, and my army is superb. Adieu, dear. Be cheerful and contented. NAPOLEON. * * * * * _June 21st.--Armistice concluded at Tilsit._ No. 80. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, June 22, 1807._ _My Dear_,--I have your letter of June 10th. I am sorry to see you are so depressed. You will see by the bulletin that I have concluded a suspension of arms, and that we are negotiating peace. Be contented and cheerful. I despatched Borghese to you, and, twelve hours later, Moustache; therefore you should have received in good time my letters and the news of the grand battle of Friedland. I am wonderfully well, and wish to hear that you are happy.--Yours ever, NAPOLEON. No. 81. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, June 25, 1807._ _My Dear_,--I have just seen the Emperor Alexander. I was much pleased with him. He is a very handsome, young, and kind-hearted Emperor; he has more intelligence than people usually give him credit for. To-morrow he will lodge in the town of Tilsit. Adieu, dear. I am very anxious to hear that you are well and happy. My health is very good. NAPOLEON. No. 82. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, July 3, 1807._ _My Dear_,--M. de Turenne will give you full details of all that has occurred here. Everything goes excellently. I think I told you that the Emperor of Russia drinks your health with much cordiality. He, as well as the King of Prussia, dines with me every day. I sincerely trust that you are happy. Adieu, dear. A thousand loving remembrances. NAPOLEON. No. 83. TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, July 6, 1807._ I have your letter of June 25th. I was grieved to see that you were selfish, and that the success of my arms should have no charm for you. The beautiful Queen of Prussia is to come to-morrow to dine with me. I am well, and am longing to see you again, when destiny shall so order it. Still, it may be sooner than we expect. Adieu, dear; a thousand loving remembrances. NAPOLEON. No. 84. _July 7th.--Peace signed between France and Russia._ TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD. _Tilsit, July 7, 1807._ _My Dear_,--Yesterday the Queen of Prussia dined with me. I had to be on the defence against some further concessions she wished me to make