The morning news., 1894-10-08
NAPoLEoN's LETTERS.
What They Show of His Character and
Moods-Hortense to the Prisoner at
st. Helena.
From the New York Tribune.


From the New York Tribune.
The literary and artistic revival Of Ma
poleonism gives more than purely his
torical interest TO the sale at the Rue
Drouot auction rooms, Paris. The objects
brought TO the hammer are a collection of
autographs OF Napoleon, his relatives, chief
ministers and marshals, with few others
Of persons who went with him TO ELba
and st. Helena. The psychologist and the
caligraphst would find much that is sug-
gestive in the different signatures of Ma
poleon. To begin with, the early ones show
him to have been tormented with self-con-
sciousness, the root of malehcent ambition.
The earliest is letter written from the
military school at Brienne, which
he signs "Buonaparte fills, ca
det, gentilhomme" This might
be translated "Buonaparte junior-younger
brother, esquire" He is next "Buonn-
parte, lieutenant of artillery, gentleman"
The revolution takes a Jacobin character.
He becomes "Buonaparte, citizen of the
French republic, lieutenant of artillery"
He cannot do without handle Of some
sort to his name. When he is attacking
the English at Toulon he Frenchifes his
name becoming "Bonaparte," but contin-
ues TO write his military rank in Italy he
is Gen. Bonaparte," or General of Divis-
ion Bonaparte." In Egypt he is "Gen.
Bonaparte, Member of the Institu te," a
learned scientific body that had then been
recently founded. When emperor he is
simply Napoleon" to resemble the other
sovereigns who in signing only used their
Christian names. The signature from the
date Of 1906 is scarcely legible beyond the
initial letter. AS his empire grows older
it grows wider. and IL all pivots on
him. His will is supreme, and
is, indeed. the sole will The
bloodshed of the political guillotine has un-
.
cleared off all the heads which could have
withstood that of the domineering and
semi -barbarious Corsican. There is abso-
lutely no French check on his power A
counterpoise is only TO be found In England,
for the continental blood lettings accompa-
MED by his armies leaves the nations that
withstood him as fabby as the one which
he has made the basis of his operations.
He tires out a dozen secretaries a day TO
whom he dictates and having no longer
time to sign his name in full, merely
scrawls an n. This letter appears at the
bottom Of most of the DEGREES He fails
and goes to Elba' There he had 10 try 10
make work for himself and did not
always succeed. The signature is again
Napoleon" but scribled and nervous.
A letter of Queen HorteDse, written at
Areneberg in Switzerland, and dated May
IS, 1921, is addressed TO the captive ep
peror She speaks Of her sadness at never
Ceiycd box she sent him two years pre-
viously, containing portrait Of her mo-
ther, the Empress Josephine. She runs on
in a feminine and chatty manner, but with
a touch Of melancholy, about the current
of her own daily life. Her great task is
the education OF ber son. Napoleon, who
was destined 10 be shot in heading a revolt
at Ancona against the papal authority.
She sacrifices all she can sacrifice 30 Ma
poleon, VINO is now with his father (the ex-
King Of Holland) at Rome. IL have" she
adds, "lately sent an artillery olficer a
man OF worth and ability, 70 stay there
with him aud TO serve as his prccoptor /
greatly hope that he will stay with him,
for Napoleon has much imagination and re-
quires hard study TO correct IL. u would
not be endurable for one bearing his name
TO turn out Il mediocrity. Madame Marie
sends me word that Napoleon IS charming
and that he is being we'll looked after.
am greatly consoled by the reflection. sire,
that children brought up in misfortune
turn out better than those nursed In the
lap Of prosperity Al any rate love for you
will be always the great motive for exer-
tion In my sons. Louis Is sweet and affec-
tionate. He lives more according 10 the
heart than 10 the head and, fear always
will. This sensibility in q cold, hard world
Is likely 70 prove a misfortune, but IL rem
ders the boy so lovable."