The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-05-26

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she had been thrown, looked for the pie
turc of conjugal passion in captive {
victory. She was too unsophisticate
to affect love, when she only felt obed
ence, timidity, and resignation. Natur
will pity, though history may accuse hel
This is true portraiture of Marie-Lo
Use. wrote it in her presence ten year
afterwards. She had developed, at tha
period during her liberty and her widow
hood, all the hidden graces of her youth
They wished her to play a part ;-th
actress was wanting, but the woman re
mained. History should award her
what the partial verdict of Napoleon,
courtiers has rcfused-pity, tenderness
and grace.
She has been condemned for not hay
ing been the theatrical heroine of an af
fection she never felt Overlooking the
feelings of woman, her accusers forgo
that the heart will make itself hcarC
even i'll the drama of such an unparal
lelcd destiny and if the heart is not al
ways a Justification it is at least an ex
cuse. Justice should weigh such excu
ses even when she condemns.
Marie-Louise never loved Napoleon
How could she love him He had grow
old in the camps, and amidst the tolls Of
ambition she was only nineteen His
soldiers heart was cold and inhcxiblc Il,
the spirit of calculation which accom-
plished his greatness That of the fan
German princess was was gentle, timid
and pensive as the poetic dreams of hen
native land. She had fallen from The
steps of an ancient throne he had mount
ed upon his by the force of arms, and
by trampling hereditary rights under
foot. Her early prejudiccs and educa
tlon had taught her to consider Napolc
on as the scourge of God. the Attila OF
modern kingdoms, the oppressor of Ger
many. the murderer of princes, the rava
ger ofnations, the incendiary of capitals
in word, the enemy against whom hel
prayers had been raised to heaven from
her cradle in the palace of her ancestors
She regarded herself as hostage conce
ded. through fear. to the conqGcror. after
the ungrateful and tolerated Reputation
of Il wife who had been the very instru
ment of his fortunes She felt that she
had been sold, not given She lookeC
upon herself as the cruel ransom of hel
father and her country She had been re
signed to her fate as an immolation The
splcndors of an imperial throne were t.
her as the flowers decking victim fol
sacrifice. Cast alone and without
friend. into a court composed ofparre3ta
soldiers, revolutionary courticrs, ant
banterlng women, whose names, manner,
and language were unknown to her. hel
youth was consumed in silent etiquette
Even her husbands first addresses wer,
not calculated to inspire confidence
There was something disrespectful anc
violent in his affection; he wounded ever
when he sought to please. His very Low,
Young wife, aud even the birth of an ar
IDENTIFY desired son could not unite sucl
opposite natures. Maric-Louisc felt tina
to Napoleon she was only medium o
posterity-not a wife and a mother, bu
merely the root Of an hereditary dynas
ty. This master of the world could no
boast even the Inherent virtues of love-
faith and constancy to the one woman
his attachments were transient and NJ
merous. lie respected not the jcalousie
natural to the bosom of Il wife; an
though he did not openly proclaim hi
amours. like Louis XIV. neither did h
possess that monarchs courtesy and IT
finement The most noted beauties of h
own, and of foreign courts, were not
him objects of passionate love. but of i
resistible, transient desire; thus eve
mingling his contempt with his love. n;
poleon's long and frequent absences h
; severe and minute orders, so strictly o
; served by household of spies of friend
chosen rather to control than to eXocu
the will of the Empress his pcttishne
of temper on his frequent abrupt return
morose and melancholy after experie
! cling reverses (her only recreation BEN
ostentatious, tiresome, and frivolous &c
emonies )-nothing ofsuch life, of sun
: a character, Of such man, was calcul
ted to inspire Marie Louise with loy
;. Her heart ard her imagination, eXpat'
a atcd in France, had remained beyond Il
: Rhine. The splendors of the Empi
. might have consolcd another; but Mar
| Louise was better formed for the tend
:. attachment of private life, and the sil
. pie pleasures of a German homc.-L
HlarfiRc'S N0IO/cOH.