Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-09-02

meath, Frappe avec PArgent de Mines PiIano-
vre Fan. 4, Gle Bonaparte.
His medal, OH assuming the purple has his
portrait, Napoleon Emperor, by Audrien, who has
executed nearly all the portraits on his medals
on the reverse, he is in his imperial robes, eleya
| ted by two figures, one armed, inscribed sic
Senat etlc PeupIe.''-the Senate and people.
The battle OF Austerlitz has, on the reverse,
simply a thunderbolt, with small figure of Boz
| naparte, enrobed and entlroned on the upper end
OF the shaft of the thunder
In 1904, he struck medal with 3 herculean
| figure on The reverse, contining the head OF the
English Leopard between his knees, whilst pre-
pairing cord to strange HIM, inscribed, g In
Pan MI. 1000 barques font construitus )" this
vas Ill contemplation OF the invasion and con-
quest of England.
The reverse OF the medal on the battle of jena,
presents Bonaparts on an eagle in the clouds, as
warning with giants on the earth, whom he blssts
with thunderbolts.
TIE medal on the confederation of the Rhine
has, for its reverse, numerous warriors in ancient
srinor, swearing, with their right hands on. an
altar, formed of an immense tasces, with the I'M
Perial eagle projecting from it.
Not the least characteristic is medal, with
| the usual head, Napoleon, Emp. ct Rci,' ON the
exergue, with this remarkable reverse, atlrone,
with the imperial robes over the hack and across
escep,re which is IN thee chair; before the throne
| and dignity, and some sceptres with them lying
upon it three crowns on the ground, one Bro
ken and two upside down an eagle with ias-
ces hovers i'll the air The inscription IS, Sou
yerainetcs donnes NDcccvI.'
The reverse of the last four in succession,
struck during the rem of Napoleon, are, /. rhe
Wolga, rising with astonishment from his bed
| At the sight or the French eagle g A represent
taton ofle Batailie de la AIoskwa, Z. Septem-
Der, 1912; 8, 4 view of Moscow, with the
I, French flag flying on the Kremlm, and an ensign
or the French bearing the letter II. loEtly eieya
ted above its towers and minarets, dated sept
14th, 1879 9. A figure in the ar, directing 3
| furions storm against al armed warrior resenl-
bling Napoleon, who unable 10 resist the attack,
is sternly looking back, whilst compelled TO fly
before 1t /; q dead horse, cannon dlsmounted, and
Wagon full oftroops standing stiil, periShiug
in the fields of STOW the inscription is, Retrate
de PArmee, November, 1872
The nextnstional medals struck, were in hon.
| or ofthe Emperor Alexander, who entered Paris
with the other allied soyereiSns and the name
| OF Audrlen, whose portraits OF Bonaparte are ex-
quisitey beautiful, next appears OH :, medal with
| reverse, representing France crowned, eagerly
welcoming the arrival of ship, inscribed a.
| bove, IL porte la pax du lnoade, 1914 > bearing
on the eXerSue aportrait of LOUIS 18th.
The Workmanship of the preceding medals is
admirable, but most OF them are SURPASSED IN that
| ISSpSSl ny SOIlG u VI can 90 lLlkG iiOIc
| than allude.
| A finely executed medal, two inches and five
eshtlis IN diameter, represents Napoleon enthron-
| ed in ms full imperial Costume, holding lau-
| rel wreath on the reverse IS a hand of Minerva,
| surrounded by laurel and various trophies OF the
fine arts, with this inscription, /" Ecole Francaise
| des Beaux Arts Rome, retabhe ct augmentcc
| par Napoleon en- 1912" The revcrses-of the
| cathedral at Paris--a warrior sheathing his sword
| (on the battle Of jena land Bonaparte holding
up the king of Rome, presenting him to The peo-
| pie, are amongst the most highly finished and
| most inestimable specimens OF art.
| PROFESSIONALLY, the worst in hejcollection is
! the consular medal, which ON that account de-
| serves description; 1t is, III sIZe, about hair
| crown piece Oh the exergue over small head
| OF Bonaparte, IS inscribed, Bonaparre premier
consul :" beneath IL, CainbacereS, second consul
lie Brun troisieme consul de IL repubnque Fran
| calse !" on the reverse, lie peupie Franchise,
ses defenseurS premiere pierre de la coionne ma
| ton posse par Lucien Bonaparte, mlnistre de
Pmtereur, 25 Messidore, An. 3, II Juliet, 1907"
| One other medal only appears with the name OF
| Luc:en Bonaparte IT Is that struck in honor of
| marshal TuF6nne, upon the translation du corps
de Turenne, gu temple dc mars par les ordres du
| premier consul BOnaParte and bearing The head
OF Iurenne, with, beneath 1t, "Sa gloIre apper-
/ tent au peuple Francois" Several III honor
| of General Dessaix, whose memory Bonaparte APP
| pears to have held in great esteem. Those on
his marriage with the lovely and Inflated Mara
! Louisa, bear her head beside his own and a
small one on that occasion has for Its reverse,
| CUPID carrying with difficulty a thunderbolt-
| Those Oh The birth of their child bear the same
| heads on the exergue, with the head Of infant
on the reverse, inscribed, Napoleon, Francis, Jo-
| seph, Charles, sRoi, de Rome, Xxx Mars
| AiDCCCXI
These grand medals offer memento appalling
| to rulers, and truly beneficial to mankind.
However much we may be disposed to admire
Bonaparte for having left such fine monuments of
ART and taste to the admiration Of posterIty, We
must not forget that with such means and bee
| ter prOpenslties, he night have left more. With
greater opportunity TO confer happiness than ever
before fell 10 the lot OF man, he prosecuted sci
tsh career OF Wild ambition, and preferred the
imitation OF Alexander and Cesar ,at all times,
to that of Trajan and Antoninus at fmy time
Hence, only very few of this fine series of me-
dals commemorate the exercise Of those charities
that cmsnate from true greatness.