Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-03-24
"REMINISCENCES OF NAPOLEON THE SEC
0ND.
From the Knickerbocker Magazine.

Until my visit to Europe few years ago,
was firm believer in the stories that were in
circulation regarding the cruel treatment of the
son of the great Napoleon by the Austrians. A
hurried visit to Vienna enabled me to correct
these impressions, and threw new and more fa-
vorable light upon the history, talents and am
bition of this interesting young prince.
Our first visit was to the subtcrrancan cham
bcrs under the Church of the Capuchins, where
the cmbalmed and buried maesties of the house
of Hapsburg repose chtom their botceiS, as all
the interior arrangements OF Austrian royalty,
Theoretically sealed in silver vases, find rest
ing g-place in the Church Of st. Augustine, or in
the Cathedral of st. Stephens, the heart and
entrails being equally divided between them.
In these vaults below the Church of the Copu-
chins, are the ninety three imperial coflins, some
of silver and some of bronze Nothing in the
way of mausolcum could be finer than the
bronze tomb erected in one of the vaultcd
chambers of the celebrated Maria Theresa for
her husband, and within which she herself was
afterward entombed. 1t is an immense sarco-
phagus OF bronze, ornamented at the sides with
raised work of pure silver representing the
principal incidents of their lives. The half-rc-
clning figures in bronze of the royal pair upon
the top, are most beautiful, and characterized
by sharpness of outline and elegance of finish
not surpassed by any Of modern exccution.-
They are portrait-statucs and that noble pres
cnce and majestic look of the Empress, once so
provcrbial throughout Europe, are here most
admirably preserved. a large medal of solid
gold presenting the classic profile of one of her
daughters, ornaments the foot of the tomb
This sarcophagus stands upon lofty pedestal
in the centre of this vaullcd chamber, while
round it, in decent order placed, are the bronze
coiIns of their children and grand children
In the next crypt lie Francis Of Austria and his
Empress, the parents of Maria Louisa, in large
bronze sarcophagus; while near upon the floor
of the vault, may be seen the bronze cofIins of
Napoleon's second Empress, and that child of
such brilliant homes. hut such unhappv destiny.
tbo SON of NonoIeon bn ,yLo ,yos 70 s,usto;n tLe
reputation of that house which .the Rodolnh
of his race had founded Stronoe that thc
blood of the Injured insultod and persccu,cd
Joscnhine should no,y on;cLcr Tho nrlscs of
him who at this moment occnnies that throne
IN ohta;n an beir for ,bicL sbn was en- r,,Lloss'
ly and cruelty thrust aside 70 make room for n
DAUGHTER of the house of Uanshurg Lorraine
Thai Emnre,s and her son both died eIilrs from
France while the granJsor of tho Jcsr;scJ
Josenbine and # rumor lies not with moi ono
drop of the Napoleon blood in his veins now
vieIds the scentre of Nnnoeon' and restores
the ancient plnrips of ,ha nomc Who shall
saw that God is not inst or tha, ,bero il mo-
Nemesis in history
II was over the hr,,2o coffin of ,b;s sor of
so many bones. and Of ybnse l;f, ,ho worlJ
scens ,o l,o,y os T,,ln w. ,L,, - ,h, c,n,oJ
Iron MASK =" ,bot 7 learned from Nav ,he fol-
loving in,crc,ting incidents bad snoter
oui,n sevorelv Of ,bo ,,,no,,,r,I cr,,o,,r y;,L
which the young nrincc hod bren ,rcaied nv
those who wern 90 ro,rlv olliod 10 hin, uLon I
v,s mo, hv tho ;rd;,,,o,;, rro,os, or NJ ,,Lo
denounced oll tbnsn yenoyts ss tho sbscres, f,h.
r;c,,;ors
..Ue comc h, tho halls or b;s ,ro,orral orcos-
TORS after the downfall of his f,thcr :" said INV
Informant. viii, Nj, eduoa,ion ,o ho comr,ancod
and his character moulded. or course il was
the desire of his grandfather that he should he
educated as German prince. and if he mani
tested. as he grew older, any enthusiasm for the
military spirit, it should be encouraged: but
still il was held to be good policy to keen him
discovered from all communication or connec-
ton with the political agitators of France.
"When first saw the Prince. his frame had
all the slcnderncss and fragilitv of iufancv.-
There was paleness of the cheek, and Ian
guor in the expression Of his eve that clearly
Indicated great dclicacy Of constitution. Atthe
time first saw him. he was lust Swinging into
ndlllOOl. ana lpOk inc greatest Qcllgut III mil
itary exercises. of which he was cxtravagantly
fond, and in which he attained great proficiency.
His strict and unrcmitting attention to his mil
itury duties, soon dovoured his strength. and i,
was during the last month of his life. while
sinking beneath the ravages IF his disease. that
was called upon to attend him as his body ser.
want. and often did | wheel him about in his
garden-chair among the leafy rladcs and quie,
sotudes of Schronbrunn. attending him until
he breathed his last in the same apartment tha,
his father occupied when flushed with the glorics
of the conquest of Vienna. 1t was a cruel s,o.
ry: the Napoleonists circulated over Europo
that the Young Prince was poisoned by the or
der Of his grandfather. Never did behold
such affection as that which existed between the
aged Francis and his grandson. Never did a
day pass during the last wear of the grandson.
life, when time could be spared from his duties
that his grandfather was not by his side fol
hours lavishing ON him the most 'endearing cp.
ithets, and the most devoted attention. I'll,
Prince was evidently very fond Of his grand
father. and often used to speal, of his affection.
ate attentions with tears in his ewes. | have
said he took great delight in military exercises
1t was on the 10Th of June. 1881. that the
Prince was appointed Lieutenant Colonel. and
took the command of the Hungarian regiment
then in garrison at Vienna. | was present with
an immense crowd who had como nut from ths