Napoleon's Letters to Josephine, 1796-1812
to her husband; but I was very polite, and yet held firmly to my
policy. She is very charming. I shall soon give you the details, which
I could not possibly give you now unless at great length. When you
read this letter, peace with Prussia and Russia will be concluded, and
Jerome acknowledged King of Westphalia, with a population of three
millions. This news is for yourself alone.
Adieu, dear; I love you, and wish to know that you are cheerful and
contented.
NAPOLEON.
No. 85.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Tilsit, July 8,[26] 1807._
The Queen of Prussia is really charming; she is full of _coquetterie_
for me; but don't be jealous; I am an oil-cloth over which all that
can only glide. It would cost me too much to play the lover.
NAPOLEON.
No. 12,875 of the _Correspondence_ (taken from Las Cases).
* * * * *
_July 9th.--Peace signed between France and Prussia, the latter
resigning all its possessions between the Rhine and the Elbe._
No. 86.
TO THE EMPRESS, AT ST. CLOUD.
_Dresden, July 18, 1807, Noon._
_My Dear_,--Yesterday I arrived at Dresden at 5 P.M., in excellent
health, although I remained a hundred hours in the carriage without
getting out. I am staying here with the King of Saxony, with whom I am
highly pleased. I have now therefore traversed more than half the
distance that separates us.
It is very likely that one of these fine nights I may descend upon St.
Cloud like a jealous husband, so beware.
Adieu, dear; I shall have great pleasure in seeing you.--Yours ever,
NAPOLEON.
* * * * *
_July 25th._--Plot of Prince Ferdinand of Asturias against his
parents, the King and Queen of Spain.
_July 27th.--Napoleon arrives at St. Cloud,_ 5 A.M.
_August 19th.--Napoleon suppresses the French Tribunate._
_August 20th.--Marshal Brune captures Stralsund from the Swedes._
_September 1st.--The Ionian Isles become part of the French
Empire._
_September 5th to 7th._--Bombardment of Copenhagen by the
English.
_September 7th.--Occupation of Rugen by Marshal Brune._
_October 6th._--War between Russia and Sweden.
_October 16th.--Treaty of alliance between France and Denmark._
_October 17th.--Junot with 27,000 men starts for Portugal, with
whom France has been nominally at war since 1801._
_October 27th.--Treaty of Fontainebleau signed between France and
Spain. (Plot of Prince Ferdinand against his father discovered at
Madrid the same day.)_
_November 8th._--Russia declares war against England.
_November 15th.--Napoleon constitutes the kingdom of Westphalia,
with his brother Jerome as king._
_November 26th.--Junot enters Abrantes, and on_
_November 30th, enters Lisbon._
_December 9th._--Trade suspended between England and the United
States (_re_ rights of neutrals).
_December 23rd.--France levies a contribution of 100 million
francs on Portugal._
FOOTNOTES
[22] Murat and Borghese.
[23] Eugene's eldest daughter, the Princess Josephine Maximilienne
Auguste, born March 14, 1807; married Bernadotte's son, Prince
Oscar, June 18, 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._
_May 13th.--Spanish Junta ask for Joseph Bonaparte to be their
king._
_June 6th.--King Joseph proclaimed King of Spain and the Indies by
Napoleon, in an imperial decree, dated Bayonne._
_June 7th.--French, under Dupont, sacked Cordova._
_June 9th.--Emperor of Austria calls out his militia._
_June 15th.--French fleet at Cadiz surrender to the Spanish._
_July 4th.--English cease hostilities with Spain, and recognise
Ferdinand VII._
_July 7th.--Spanish new constitution sworn to by Joseph and by the
Junta._
_July 9th.--Commences the siege of Saragossa._
_July 14th.--Bessieres defeats 40,000 Spaniards at Medina de Rio
Seco._
_July 15th.--Murat declared King of Naples._