1800. CHARACTER IN HANDWRITING. 371 the frequent separation of the letters in his words. Like Mazarin, too, he runs several words together: a mark of the deductive logician, of the positive, practical man who tends rapidly and directly towards the realisation of his aims. His strong will, his masterful and despotic nature, are denoted by the forcible manner in which he crosses his high up. Wonderful tenacity is shown by the "harpoons," or horizontal pot-hooks which terminate the last stroke of many words: they are, as it were, the claws of the eagle. A profusion of club-like strokes shows indomitable resolution and obstinacy, which may be seen to have been intractable by the implacable hardness and angular rigidity of the whole writing. The dash of meanness which was always present in the man who gave a name to "caporal" tobacco is shown in the little crooks which sometimes commence or terminate the letter m, and in his signature, which was not royal like that of Louis XIV. Until he became Emperor he always wrote his name Buona- or Bona Parte, or abbreviated it BP. Afterwards he wrote NaPoléon or NP. The numerous facsimiles of signatures, monograms, and specimens of writing attach a special value to M. Michon's book, and they are accompanied not alone by his own views but by those of the German “graphologist" Henze. One, from the Memorial, looks, the Abbé says, as if the hand felt the grip of Hudson Lowe; and there is much that is melancholy in another-the profoundly discouraged, utterly beaten, misspelt and indecipherable rough scrawl of his submission to the Prince Regent, written in the island of Aix on the 14th of July 1815. The next day he surrendered himself at Rochefort to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon.1 1 A facsimile of the abdication of Bonaparte in 1814 will be found in the third volume of this work, and, like the note of his submission mentioned above, betrays manifest traces of the disagreeable nature of the task. We may, at the risk of irrelevance, perhaps quote a contrary instance in the case of one of Bonaparte's biographers:-Mr. Ruskin was on one occasion showing to a friend the original manuscripts of several of Scott's novels. "I think," he said, taking down one of them, "that the most precious of all is this. It is Woodstock. Scott was writing this book when the news of his ruin came upon him. Do you see the beautiful handwriting? Now look, as I turn towards the end. erasures than before? Is the writing one jot less beautiful? Or are there more CHAPTER XXXV. 1800. The Memorial of St. Helena-Louis XVIII.'s first letter to Bonaparte-Josephine, Hortense, and the Faubourg St. Germain-Madame Bonaparte and the fortune-teller-Louis XVIII.'s second letter-Bonaparte's answer-Conversation respecting the recall of Louis XVIII.-Peace and war-A battle fought with pins-Genoa and Melas-Realisation of Bonaparte's military plans-Ironical letter to Berthier-Departure from Paris-Instructions to Lucien and Cambacérès—Joseph Bonaparte appointed Councillor of State— Travelling conversation—Alexander and Cæsar judged by Bonaparte. IT sometimes happens that an event which passes away unnoticed at the time of its occurrence acquires importance from events which subsequently ensue. This reflection naturally occurs to my mind now that I am about to notice the correspondence which passed between Louis XVIII. and the First Consul. This is certainly not one of the least interesting passages in the life of Bonaparte. But I must first beg leave to make an observation on the Memorial of St. Helena. That publication relates what Bonaparte said respecting the negotiations between Louis XVIII. and himself; and I find it necessary to quote a few lines on the subject, in order to show how far the statements contained in the Memorial differ from the autograph letters. in my possession. At St. Helena Napoleon said that he never thought of the princes of the House of Bourbon. This is true to a certain point. He did not think of the princes of the House of Bourbon with the view of restoring them to their throne; but it has been shown, in several parts of these Memoirs, that he thought of them very often, and that on more than 1800. LETTER FROM LOUIS XVIII. 373 one occasion their very names alarmed him.1 The substance of the two letters given in the Memorial of St. Helena is correct. The ideas are nearly the same as those of the original letters. But it is not surprising that, after the lapse of so long an interval, Napoleon's memory should somewhat have failed him. However, it will not, I presume, be deemed unimportant if I present to the reader literal copies of this correspondence, together with the explanation of some curious circumstances connected with it. The following is Louis XVIII.'s letter: February 20, 1800. SIR-Whatever may be their apparent conduct, men like you never inspire alarm. You have accepted an eminent station, and I thank you for having done so. You know better than any one how much strength and power are requisite to secure the happiness of a great nation. Save France from her own violence, and you will fulfil the first wish of my heart. Restore her King to her, and future generations will bless your memory. You will always be too necessary to the State for me ever to be able to discharge, by important appointments, the debt of my family and myself. (Signed) LOUIS. The First Consul was much agitated on the reception of this letter. Though he every day declared his determination to have nothing to do with the Princes, yet he hesitated whether or no he should reply to this overture. The numerous affairs which then occupied his mind favoured this hesitation. Josephine and Hortense conjured him to hold out hope to the King, as by so doing he would in no way pledge himself, and would gain time to ascertain whether he could not ultimately play a far greater part than that of Monk. Their entreaties became so urgent that he said to 1 The Memorial states that "A letter was delivered to the First Consul by Lebrun, who received it from the Abbé de Montesquieu, the secret agent of the Bourbons in Paris." This letter, which was very cautiously written, said : "You are long delaying the restoration of my throne. It is to be feared you are suffering favourable moments to escape. You cannot secure the happiness of France without me, and I can do nothing for France without you. Hasten, then, to name the offices which you would choose for your friends." The answer, Napoleon said, was as follows: "I have received your royal highness' letter. I have always taken a lively interest in your misfortunes, and those of your family. You must not think of appearing in France; you could only return here by trampling over a hundred thousand dead bodies. I shall always be happy to do anything that can alleviate your fate and help to banish the recollection of your misfortunes."-Bourrienne. me, "These devils of women are mad! The Faubourg St. Germain has turned their heads! They make the Faubourg the guardian angel of the royalists; but I care not; I will have nothing to do with them." Madame Bonaparte said she was anxious he should adopt the step she proposed in order to banish from his mind all thought of making himself King. This idea always gave rise to a painful foreboding which she could never overcome.1 In the First Consul's numerous conversations with me he discussed with admirable sagacity Louis XVIII.'s proposition and its consequences. "The partisans of the Bourbons," said he, "are deceived if they suppose I am the man to play Monk's part." Here the matter rested, and the King's letter remained on the table. In the interim Louis XVIII. wrote a second letter, without any date. It was as follows: You must have long since been convinced, General, that you possess my esteem. If you doubt my gratitude, fix your reward and mark out the fortune of your friends. As to my principles, I am a Frenchman, merciful by character, and also by the dictates of reason. No, the victor of Lodi, Castiglione, and Arcola, the conqueror of Italy and Egypt, cannot prefer vain celebrity to real glory. But you are losing precious time. We may ensure the glory of France. I say we, because I require the aid of Bonaparte, and he can do nothing without me. General, Europe observes you. Glory awaits you, and I am impatient to restore peace to my people. (Signed) LOUIS. This dignified letter the First Consul suffered to remain unanswered for several weeks; at length he proposed to dictate an answer to me. I observed, that as the King's letters were autographs, it would be more proper that he should write himself. He then wrote with his own hand the following: SIR-I have received your letter, and I thank you for the compliments you address to me. You must not seek to return to France. To do so you must trample over a hundred thousand dead bodies. 1 A strong impression of the fate that awaited her had been made on her mind during Bonaparte's absence in Egypt. She, like many other ladies of Paris, went at that time to consult a celebrated fortune-teller, a Madame Villeneuve, who lived in the Rue de Lancry. This woman had revealed her destiny as follows: “You are,” said she, “the wife of a great General, who will become still greater. He will cross the seas which separate him from you, and you will occupy the first station in France; but it will be only for a short time."-Bourrienne. 1800. BONAPARTE'S ANSWER. 375 Sacrifice your interest to the repose and happiness of France, and history will render you justice. I am not insensible to the misfortunes of your family. I shall learn with pleasure, and shall willingly contribute to ensure, the tranquillity of your retirement. (Signed) BONAPARTE. He showed me this letter, saying, "What do you think of it? is it not good?" He was never offended when I pointed out to him an error of grammar or style, and I therefore replied, "As to the substance, if such be your resolution, I have nothing to say against it; but," added I, "I must make one observation on the style. You cannot say that you shall learn with pleasure to ensure, etc." On reading the passage over again he thought he had pledged himself too far in saying that he would willingly contribute, etc. He therefore scored out the last sentence, and interlined, "I shall contribute with pleasure to the happiness and tranquillity of your retirement." The answer thus scored and interlined could not be sent off, and it lay on the table with Bonaparte's signature affixed to it. Some time after he wrote another answer, the three first paragraphs of which were exactly like that first quoted; but for the last paragraph he substituted the following: "I am not insensible to the misfortunes of your family; and I shall learn with pleasure that you are surrounded with all that can contribute to the tranquillity of your retirement." By this means he did not pledge himself in any way, not even in words, for he himself made no offer of contributing to the tranquillity of the retirement. Every day which augmented his power and consolidated his position diminished, he thought, the chances of the Bourbons; and seven months were suffered to intervene between the date of the King's first letter and the answer of the First Consul, which was written on the 2d Vendémiaire, year IX. (24th September 1800) just when the Congress of Luneville was on the point of opening. Some days after the receipt of Louis XVIII.'s letter we were walking in the gardens of Malmaison; he was in good humour, for everything was going on to his mind. "Has my wife been saying anything more to you about the Bour |