The New York herald., 1879-12-12
The Great Napoleon Sketched by jose
phine'S Dame du Palais.
NINE. DE REMUSAT'S MEMOIRS
Emperor and Conqueror Viewed
as Husband and Man.
THE UNDRESS OF HISTORY.

Mondes from 'Mme de Remusat's Memoirs" have
only whetted the public appetite for the book whose
publication followed close upon their appearance.
The first volume of these memoirs has proved the
most important book that has been issued in France
in many years and to d. Appleton Co. belongs the
glory of having presented it to the American public
The book is edited by NJ. Paul de Remusat, the
grandson the author. whose father boqueathed
to him the manuscript Of these "Memoirs."
Nine. do Romusat the daughter of
Charles Gravier de Vergennes. gentleman
who held many offices of public trust IN France
in the eighteenth century. Mile. dc Vergennes mar
ried III. de Remusat in 179G, when she was sixteen
years old. NJ. de Remusat became an officer OF the
government. and his wife held the most intimate
relations with Nine. de Beauharnais who afterward
became the ill-fated wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Quite unexpectedly N. de Remusat was appointed
prefec of the palace i'll 1902 and shortly afterward
AIme de Remusat became lady -in-waiting to Nine.
Bonaparte. a title which was soon changed into the
better sounding one Of lady of the palace
In her .AIemoirs' Nine. de Remusat gives an exact
record life at the court of the first Napoleon
and the history in the early years of the present
century Upon the downfall of Josephine her faith
full lady of the palace left the court. and her
band gave himself up to the management OF the
Theatre Francais. 1t will be readily ho& in,-
portant it is historically to have full knowedg of
the man in his aatime, that may fll out and
,vitalize the portrait which. far history has
carved it has much more of the stone god than Of
heliving The years of Mme de Re
musat's residence in the Imperial court cover
most important period i'll Napoleon's life. They
the budding and bloom OF the En-
pire, its inception and its eforescence of
glory. Nine. de Remusat begins her
memoirs" with chapter Of anecdotes and portraits
which will be found exceedingly interesting To
tell the exact truth. she says. was her object in
writing these memoirs. Her gallery Of portraits
opens with Napoleon.
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
Napoleon Bonaparte is OF low stature and rather
i'll proportioned his bust is too long, and SO
shortens the rest OF his ngure He has thin chest
nut hair: his eyes graylsh blue. and his skin,
which was yellow while he was slight. became in
4 later years dead white. without any color. His
all that is beautiful and reminds OF an antique
medallion. His mouth, which is thin Tipped,
becomes agreeable when he laughs; the teeth
regular. His chm is short and his jaw heavy and
square. lie has well formed hands and eet; men,
tion them particularly, because he thought good
deal of them
de has hab.ual slight stoop His eyes are dull,
giving to his face when in repose melancholy and
aiedatlve expression When he is excited with anger
his looks are fierce and menacing Laughter be-
comes him; it makes him look more youthful aud
less formidable 1t is difficult not to like him when
he laughs his countenance improves much. lie
always simple III ais dress, and generally
the uniform of his own guard. de was cleanly
rather from habit than from liking cleanliness
he bathed often, sometimes i'll the middle OF the
night because he thought the practice good for his
health. But apart from this. the precipitation with
which he did everything did not admit of his clothes
being put on carefully; and on gala days and full
dress occasions his servants Obliged to consult
together as to when they might snatch moment to
dress him.
In his youth he was dreamer; later in life he be-
came moody. and later still habituay i'll tenn
pered man. When first began to know him well
he exceedingly fond of all induces revere-
Ossian. the twilight, melancholy music. l have
sSe Seh wnd % hpvo heard him aR s eo ol
thusiasm OF the moaning of the sea. and
lie was tempted sometimes to believe that
nocturnal apparitions were not beyond the bounds
OF posslbility in fact. he had leaning certain
superstitions. When. on leaving his study in the
evening. he went into Nine. Bonapartes drawing
room. he would sometimes have the candles shaded
with white gauze. desire us to keep profound silence
himself telling hearing ghos st stories
would listen to soft. sweet music executed
by Italian singers, accompanied only by
would fall into reverie which all respected,
lao one venturing to move stir from
his or her place. When he aroused himself from
that state. which seemed to procure HIM a sort of
reposc he generally more serene and more COM
muuicative He liked then to talk abont the
music had upon him he always preferred that
OF Pasielo because he SAID it was monotonous, and
that impressions which repeat themselves the
only ones that take possession of US.
ELEGANCE.
Bonaparte deficient i'll education and in man.
ners; 1t seemed os II he must have been destined
either to live iii tent, where all men equal,
upon throne where everything is permitted. He
did not know how either to enter or to leave room;
he did not know how to make bow, how to rise
or how to sit down. His questions were abrupt, and
so also his manner OF speech. Spoken by him,
Italian loses all its grace and sweetness. Whatever
language he speaks it seems always to he u foreign
tongue to him. he appears to force it to express his
"a PRINCE CAN HAVE NO FRIENDS" -
Although very remarkable for certain intellectual
qualities, man. it must be allowed less
lofty OF soul There was no generosity. no true
greatness in him. have never known him ad-
Ia
action. lie always regarded every indication of good
feeling with suspicion. lie did not value sincerity.
lie did not hesitate to that he recognized the
superiority of man by the greater less degree
OF cleverness with which he used the art of lying.
On the occasion OF his saying this he added with
great compacency. that when he was child one Of
his uncles mad predicted that he should govern tho
world, because he an habitual liar.
INCAPABLE OF GENEROUS COURAGE.
ole dreaded the ties of affection" Nine. de R6mu-
sat tells us, and 'endeavored to isolate every one
She also says that ho was incapable OF generous
courage by his own admission and quotes the follow.
ing anecdote III proof:-One day. alter the ut
Lcipsic, he talking NJ. dc TaIleyrand OF the i'll
success OF the Spanish and of the difficulty in
which IL had involved him. At this interview. in tho
midst OF his plain speaking NJ de Tailcyrand said TO
him suddenly, 'But, how is it? You consult me as
II We had not quarrclled. Borapartc answered. "Ah
circumsancesl circumstances! Let leave the
past ana the future alone. want to hear what you
think OF the present moment"
WELL" replied NJ. de Taileyrand. '.therc is only
one thing you can do. You have made a mistake:
you must say so; try TO say SO nobly Proclaim,
therefore, that being king by the choice peo'
pic citctcu Dy tnc HatlOHs, AZ has never been
design to set yourself against thcn. Say that when
you began the war with spain you believed YOU
about TO deliver the people from the yoke OF
All odfous Minister. who encouraged w the
weakness OF his prince; but that on closer
observation, you perceive that the SpaniarIs.
although of the faults OF thcir KING are
none the less attached to his dynasty which Won arc
therefore about to restore thom so that il may
not be said you ever opposed national aspiration
After that proclamation. restore King Ferdinand 10
liberty and withdraw your troops. such avowal,
made a lofty tone. and when the enemy are still
bcsitating our frontier, can only do you honor;
and you st too strong FOR IL to be regarded as
cowardly act"
"A cowardly act!" replied Bonaparte "what does
that matter TO me? Understand that should not
fail TO commit IL il useful 70 In reality,
there is nothing really noble or base in this world;
have in my character all that contribute to
cure my power and to deceive those who think they
know me. Frankly am base, essentially base.
give you my word that should feel repugnance
to commit what would be called by tho world
dishonorable action; my secret tendencies, which
are, all, those OF nature, opposed certain