New-York tribune., 1880-02-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NAPOLEON AND HIS COURT.

her Grandson PAUL DE REMusAr Translated pas, ~ ~
Mrs. CAsHEL HOEY and Mr.. JOHN LILLE fars IL
$40. pp. 80. Harper Brothers.
fsecond Notiee.l
The present instalment of Madame de Remusats
interesting Memoirs extends from the conspiracy Oh
| Georges Cadouda in 1904 to the arrival OF the
Emperor in Paris in 1906, including succession OF
singulary brilliant sketches of the private life OF
Napoleon and the organization of the Imperial
Court. Prior to the coronation. which was cee-
brated In December of the former year, Josephine
was exceedingly anxious that her marriage, which
had been only o civil contract, should be confirmed
bv n religious ceremony on the arrival of the Pope.
The Emperor was at first averse to the arrange
ment, on the ground that it could not be accom-
plished with sufficient secrecy to conceal the fact
that they had been previously married in accord
ance with the sanctions of the Church. But the
consent of Napoleon was finally obtained, and the
ceremony was performed in the Emperor's cabinet
by Cardinal Fesch day or two before the corona
tion.
The entire court was now occupied in prepara-
tions for the ceremony Of the coronation. The En-
press was continually rounded bv all the best
artists in millinery In Paris and the vendors of the
most fashionable wares. W lth their assistance she
decided on the form of court dress, and on her
| own costume. As may be supposed there was no
| thought of resuming the hoop worn under the old
regime it merely proposed that to our ordinary
garments the long mantle (which; aIter the return
| OF the King, was still worm should be added ana
| also very becoming ruff of blonde, when was at
tached to the shoulders and came high up at tne
back of the head. as we see u In portraS % yoa oa
| afterward discontinued, although 1t was, IN ny
opinion very pretty, and lent dignity ana grace 10
the whole costume; Ihe Empress mf tc EmpsTor
| not only made costly additions to her Jewei case
| but also placed the diamonds belonging 10 me ha-
tiona treasury in her hands, and desired that she
should wear them on the great day. diadem OF
| brilliants, above which the Emperor was Win ms
own hands, to place the closed crown upon l.i nGl
| head was made for her. and the ceremony was pr,
vately rehearsed. David, who afierward panied
the great picture of the coronation OF the Emperor
| and Empress, attended these rehearSals, and ar
ranged the positions of EACH The coronation oi the
Emperor had been eagerly discussed. The hrst ldea
was that the Pope should place the diadem upon
the head of the Emperor; but Bonaparto refused 10
| receive the crown from any hand but his own, and
uttered. on that occasion, the sentence which Nine
| de StaGl has quoted IN her work found the
| crown Of France upon the ground, and picked IL
| up"
At length, after great deal of discussion, it was
| arranged that tho EmperOr was TO crown himself
and that the Pope shOnld only give his benedictlon
| Everything was done to make the fetes brilliant
| and popular, and people began to 1ock INTO
Paris. Considerable bodies OF tro ops were ordered
up to the capital all the chief authorities of the
| provinces invited the Arch-C Chancellor OF the
| Germanic Empire and great number of foreigners
arrived Party spirit slumbered for the time being
and the whole city gave itself to the excitement
and curiosity of so novel an ncideut and speeta-
! Gle which would doubtless be magnificent me
| SnOpkcelfrS drove tDIlNlnR lIdut VI an
| kinds were employed, aud reiOced in the occasion
| that procured them such n stroke of luck; the
| population OF the city seemed to he doubled; com
| mcTce, public establishments, ana theatres All
proted by the occasion, and all was hustle and ac-
| tivity.
During the first days OF his residence at Paris the
! Pope was not treated by the inhabitants with all
the respect that might have been anticipated BY
degrees however, the dignity of his bearing and the
| kindness of his manners produced decided change
even among the lower classes of the people. Every
morning the terrace of the Tuieries was covered with
a vast multitude, who waited on their knees to re-
ceiye his blessing The whole city resounded with
praise of the Pope and the Emperors jealousy was
greatly excited.
| THE CORONATION.
On the 2d Of December the coronation took place.
IL would be difficult to describe its spendor or TO
enter into the details of that day. The weather was
cold but dry and bright the streets of Paris were
| crowdcd with people more curious than enthusas-
! tic the guard under arms presented hne spec
| tacle.
| and waited with admirable patience for the long
delayed arrival of the procession lie sat upon the
throne erected for him in the church, aud made no
| complaint either of cold or WEAKNESS Tho Cathe-
| dral of Notrc Dame was decorated with taste and
| magnfcence. Al the far end was splendid throne
| for the Emperor, which he was To appear sur
reminded by bis entire Court Before setting out for
| Notrc Dame. we admitted To the apartment of
! the Empress. Our attire very brilliant. hut II
nailed before the maguccnce OF the costumes OF the
| imperlal family The Empress especially, sparkling
with diamonds, and wearing her hair IN countless
curs style OF the time of Louis WI, did not look
! more than twenty-five. She wore satin gown, and
Court mantle of the same material, both proiusely
| embroidered in mingled gold and silver. Her orlia-
| mcnts consisted of di1dem, necklace, earrings.
and "A giTde of diamonds of immense value. aud III
| tins gorgeous attire was worn with her customary
| casy grace Her s,ters-in-aw were also adorned
! with n vast quantity of jewels. The Emperor in
spectcd each of us III our turn smiling at TINS lux
ury which was, Ike all the rest sudden creation
| of his sovereign Will.
| HIS own costume was brilliant. He was to assume
the Imperial robes at Notre Dame but for the pres
| cnt he wore a French coat ot red velvet embrold-
| cred I'M gold white sash. "A short cloak sOWn with
| bees "A plumed hat turned mp IN front with dia-
| mond buckle, and the collar of tho Legion of Honor
| IN diamonds This superb dress became him ,well J..
The whole Court wore velvet clOaks embroidered In
! gold Ii must be acknowledged that we paraded
| ourselves a little for our mutual amusement; but
| the spectacle was really beautiful
| The Emperor got into his carriage-it had seven
| glasses and was gOrgcOusly gllded-with his wife
| and his two brothers, Joseph and Louis. Then we
all took appointed places III the carriages which
we're to follow and the splendid cOrtfge proceeded at
a foot-pace to NOtrc Dame There was no lack of
shonting on our way aud although the acclama-
tions OF the people had not that ringOf enthusiasm
which sovereign jealous of his peoples love long'
10 recognize they suficed 10 crafty the vanity of
naughty master, but one who was not sensitive.
| On his arrival at NOtrc Dame. the Emperor en-
tered the archepiscopal palace. and there assumed
his robes of state They seemed almost to crush him.
IL sI,gbt frame collapsed under the enormous man
rio of ermine simple laurel wreath encIrcled his
| bead ne looked like an antique medallion but he
was extremely pale, and genuinely affected. The
exnression of his countenancc was stern. and some
what distressed.
The ceremony was grand and impressive. A gen.
oral movement of admiration noticeable at the
moment when the Empress crowned. She was
so unaffected, graceful, M she advanced toward
the altar she knelt down with such simple ele
gance that all eyes were delighted with the picture
She pre sented When she had to walk from the altar
70 the throne there was slight alteration witt
her sisters-in-aw who carried hermantIe with such
on III grace that | observed at one moment the
neyvmode Empress could not advance a step. The
Fmpcror perceived this, and spoke few sharp
sLnrt words TO his sisters which speedily brought