Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-06-01
NAPOLEON.

Prom tnS WSSlIilHSlcT hcEic" lux hpIh.J
"Ne2oleoa (ssys Madame DURANGO used to
battle every day. ribbed his person all over
with Eau de Cologne, and sometimes change
his linen several times in the course OF the "a
hours. His f,vori,e custunie was The undres, of
of the Horsel Guards: While travelling e.e'y
thirr was good enough; DO lodging too bad,
provided the smallest possible quantity of light
was not admitted iGto his bed chamber: he
could no, even support feeble night lamp.
His table was covered with the most curiou'
dishes, which he never touched: breast Of
mutton gtil'ed, mutton chops, roast chicken,
and beaus, were the food he preferred above all
others, and from some one of these he would
dine. He was particular in the quality Of his
bread, end never dtank any but he best wine,
bu, vt ,h~, -u enc. eJingiy Small quantity Much
ha, been said OF his abuse Of coffee; il is ia
bic TO he classeC WI h the Dumh.'lrss Others
which have been told concerning him: he
never took more than a single Small cup after
his hreakfss,, and the same quantity after his
dinner H eat with great rapidly, and rose
from table tue momen, he nad finished, with
out giving himself any care whether hose who
were a6mnIed 10 dine with him had time
to flush their dinner. II, has bren said
thai he ito>k the grcaest pr~oautcn :gainss
poison new it turns out that he did 20 even
take enough, in the opinion Of MS friends.
Every morning his breakfast IVES carried into
an anti CHAMBER. into which rvery BODY was
admitted who had OBJ alnad rend zvous
these persons had Of en- 20 wait there a long
time and the dishes, KEEP, hot remained often
there several hours, until he gave ne order 10
have them served. They were carried by foot
men in covered baskets but nothing in he
world appears 10 have been more r,sy than 10
sli3 poison IN them, if such had been design
ed,
I" He used 10 talk louI; and, when he was
in good spirits, his bursts of laughter nigh
be heard at a great distance. He was fond
OF singing, although he had no voice, and
Wa, never known to sing in tune. His ia
marie > or, Isl le roi in'avalt donnie Parissa
erandyille.' = DuIand, SO.
Napoleon never wrote good hand, and lat
terly il hid become ilegibe 1t was, NO euver,
so excessively blutted, that Mademoiselle Du.
crest who only saw the letters H. used TO " rie
10 Josephine IT a distance, faucied that he
wrote upon paper adorned with vignet,es. HIS
secretaries alone could make out whs, he me an,
His signature degenerated SO, that il wss al
length only possible distinguish the three
Er>t letters. The place Of first secretary to Ma
poleon, was place Of incredible fatigue. NJ
de Menneval al ed this office f,r 10 years: at
leugt' the Emperor handed him over 20 the
Empress Maria Louise, saying that he was
the most faithful and es,imabe man in the
world, bnt that he had killed HIM with labor
In fact, there never passed a night that he did
not call him up to dictate something to him
and frequently many times in the night.
IN confirmation of he proverb mat grea,
events depend upon small oauses," it may be
remarked that Napol1on's extraordinary facul-
u Of sleeping when he pleased gave him the
power Of devo'ing great part Of the night to
intellectual exeriion, at moments when time
was Of the utmost importance. He ordinarily
wrnt to bed al len o'cloCk k, and rose FROM one
or two, worked till FIVE or six, batbed, DIRE ssed,
gave audience 20 some persons, breakfasted at
.tiis affection for the bath greet he was in
bath when his child was born, and came running to
the room, almost without Visiting to dress. Persons
who visited his house Elbs found that he had lust
taken bath before is departure.
this was certainly not polish but he esteemed
yer, lightly the pleasures of the table, and did not
consider that he depr' ing any of pleasure
he used tn say say De Bsussei ." that he who eats
sny dinner at MI, eats too much" he re3koned Of
essrss. sesa meat sssakiast