The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-31

spare only few minutes, you will favor me with
an answer. beg OF you, to command me and
my services In any matter whatsoever which may
be usefnl or agreeable to you, here or at Paris.
Now that learn you are at New York, hope
to have tho privilege of writing to you now and
hen, so as to keep you informed OF what is doing
or rather of what is not doing, by our good
old woman here-Madame Europe.
Sketch OF tho Life Of the Ex-Empress Maria
Louisa, tho last Wife Of Napoleon.
From the London Times, Dec. 271
or the Empress, Maria Louisa, 1t may be said,
that nothing 10 her life became her ike the leav-
ing it; and with a view to the completion of the
arrangements recently made In certain portions
the demise of the archduehess OF Parma is at
least opportuue. She had lived to be very nearly
the longest reigning sovereign, In Europe, for
nearly thirty-four years have elapsed since she
exchanged, for the portion OF an archduchess,
her share in the throne of the French empire
In that period, she has done little more than in
dulge the obscure passions and narrow feelings
which formed singular contrast to the glare OF
transltOry splendor thrown over her marriage,
and her French reign. There Is nothing In the
life or character of Maria Louisa to detain for
instant the curiosity or sympathy OF posterlty.
But the most worthless objects may sometimes
be displayed in snch vivid and changing lights
that the accidents and circumstances about them
dwell upon the eye, and almost interest the
mind by the splendor Of delusion, orthe variety
Of a contrast. Of all such dreams of human
greatness, suddenly thrust by the caprice of for
tune upon youthful princess, none certainly
was ever more gorgeous or surprising than that
which made Maria Louisa, then In her nine
teenth year, the bride of the great soldier of for
tune. who seemed to be not only the sovereign
paramount of France, but the master of continent
tai Europe. itwss in lsl0,. when the military
glores of the Empire had rlPened into all that
conquest and luxury could bestow, Paris was the
capital ofan European empire. The spoils OF all
nations, save one, were collected In her halls; the
princes of all nations, save one, formed the circle
of the imperial court And within 10 years OF that
fatal and atrocious day when the innocent blood
cf Marie Antoinette had flowed on the Place de
Ia Revolution, amidst the Infatuated cries OF the
French populace, another Austrian Archduchess
past that spot, hailed by the acclamations OF that
same people as the bride OF Napoleon, and the
future mother of a race of Empsrors. A year
elapsed, and the heir OF these great hopes, the
child of ambition, soaring IN Its pride OF
to have been bestowed. They were bestowed
even to exhaustion. Those feyerlsh years were
spent III unbounded excuses. The limits OF lite
and nature, the laws of the world, and OF the
seasons, seemed to be forgotten. Yet, amidst
these preternatural and extravagant demenstra-
tons of mighty power and OF Unsuitable desires,
it was scarcely possible to conceive that three
short wears would dissipate this meteoric vapor,
and place the darkest lesson OF human mutabill-
~ so close to the most daring efforts OF human
pride. The recklessness with which these gifts
were throwa away Was equal to the boldness by
which they had been won.
The personal share of Marie Louisa in these
extraordinary scenes was, indeed, that OF a pas
sive instrument, rather than voluntary agent
and little OF the glory or shame OF that period
attaches to herself. 1t cannot, however, be
forgotten, that her marriage was the imme-
diate consequence, IL not the cause, of the
scandalous and ungrateful reputation OF
Josephine; and the Austrian Princess knew that
the rights and dignitiss she assumed as
wife and an empress, were unlawtully pluadered
from another Nor will it bs less remembered
that the marriage which decked The daughter OF
Francis in these trapplnes, covered the house
from which she sprang with humiliation; that
her lnauspcous nuptials were preceded by the
defeat Of the land of her birth, and followed by
the defeat of that of her adoptlon; and that the
marriage itself was deslgned to be the link which
should riyet the policy OF Austria to the ascen
dancy of France. These considerations might,
indeed, have been disguised from inexperi-
enced Princess, and it would be unjust to Judge
her In prosperity by very strict standard OF du,
ty. But In adversely there are no DISCUSSES; and
If she had been possessed of any feeling OF dgni-
ty or generosity, the abrupt changes which
pressed upon her gave her ample occasions for
the display of higher virtues than those which
surrounded her throne. She seems, on the con-
trary, never to have excited the respect or the
compassion of any one In Europe. The allied
soverelgns themselves, on reaching Paris, mark
ed their cons deration for Josephine by their
visit to MalmalsoD; but Maria Louisa sought not
even to share the fortunes of her husband in the
mild Punishment of Eliza Her son became
hostagetn the hands OF her father, and every tie
the greatness or the mlsfortunes of him who had
shared with her his sslt-won throne. strange
insensibity T. the past, selfish nature, and an
ignoblc second marriage, completed the bathos OF
her unequal life which ended as II the sole pur-
pose for which she had ever existed was to dwell
at ease IN the little Court of Parma, and to obey
the Italian policy of Prince Metternich Her ad-
minlstration of these principatles was of course
Austrian. But she had introduced many Of the
institutions which have proved most beneficial
in Lombardy, and her subjects were at least free
from onerous contributions to the finances of
the empire.
The change in dynasty which now takes place
in Parma is, however, matter of great interest
to Italy, because the consolidation Of the Italian
Customs league would be much advanced by the
addition Of that rich and important territory
which lies between the irontiers OF Piedmont
and the Romagna. In describing the nature of
upon the abdication OF the Duke of Lucca, We re-
Gently had occasion to quote the precise nature
OF the provision made for the Empress Maria
Louisa during her life. Upon her demise, Par
ma, Placenza and Guastalla devolve upon the CT
deU0nt Duke OF Lucca, who has thus not been
long aepriyed Of the exercise Of sovereign pow
er we sincerely hope that in assuming the 60
vernment OF these fine countries, he will display
| the same moderation and frmness which has
marked the policy of many other Italian Princes,
and more than he himself displayed in his former
dominions. In exchanging Lucca for Parma,
this offset of the Spanish Bourbons no doubt con-
graduates itself on the greater proximity of the
Austrian forces, and the probability that Austri-
an ascendancy, north of the Apennines, will long
survive the authority (Which, indeed, it has al
ready lost) south OF that chain. But the courts
of Modena and Parma will not be able with safe
ty 70 offer wlful and suicidal resistance 70 the