New-York tribune., 1902-11-06
La MALMAISON.
THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF JOSEPHINE
GIVEN TO THE NATION AS \ MI
scum OF THE FIRST EMPIRE.
Paris. October %.

ssyorite residence Of the Empress Josephine
N Osiris, the wealthy patron Of due arts who
purchased the property in 1896 for S3000A has
eince then expended S2g}0.ne0 in restoring il 10
rs original condition. for. owing to the neglect
of tts former owners. and through damages sus-
,alned during the Prussian war and the Com
r-ure-the estate is situated tho Seine near
Euen twelve miles from Psris--it had fallen
almost 70 ruin. 4 condition NJ the gift is that
a1aIInaison shall be kept up As = national mu-
scum of the Consulate and First Empire The
Minister Of Fine Arts Is already ransscking ali
The government palaces and Storehouses to col
'sct the furniture fresoos statuary. paintings
tapestry and objects OF art that were contained
i- tho chateau u hen the First Consul and Nine
Ponaparte lived there
There is nothing remarkable about the style
Of the chateau. which Josephine wished to con
,ert into sort Of Trianon, The rooms how
ever. are OF great interest to those who care
for souvenirs Of the Empire. The large square
reception room. beautifully decorated in white
and gold by Percier and Fontaine. ana contain
ing the white marble chfmneypiece presented
~ Plus VII to Napoleon on the occasion Of his
cremation. IS to-day lust ii vas when the
Emperor passed there the evening OF March
=, 1S04. when the Due d'EnghIen was under
going his mock trial a. Vinoennes previous 10
his execution It was also in this reception room
thar the ex-Empress Josephine received the visit
IN 1914 Of the Emperor Alexander Of Russia
,isit which cost Josephine her life for she had
heen confined 10 her bed Tor, 3 fortnight by
severe sore throat, and her effort in getting
ready 10 receive the Emperor Alexander brought
N ar ebsoess IN the lsrnyN which caused her
5eath three days later
II was in the autumn Of 1I9S ana the spring
and summer of 1879 that Aialmaison attained its
most interesting period Josephine had succeed
Il IN making i the foremost salon Of Europe
r was the rendezvous Of the most talented men
ard Of the brightest and prettiest women Of the
dsy. Public opinion as Legouve says, was
created there" The chateau may now be visit
sd by tourists if they go through the fornality
ot writing 10 II Osiris for a card of admission.
One may see the solitary little kiosk where
Bonaparte used 10 shut himself up alone, think
and study. and where he planned the events Of
the eighteenth Brunaire. by which ne became
First Consul. and afterward Emperor. There is
The oval music room where Talma acted. and
where Nehul led the orchestra. There is the
snug little lbrsry-now deprived of books
where Napoleon read wrote letters and mem
cranda, and signed orders and DEGREES. There
e the Httle bedchamber. with octagonal bath
room adjoining, and With q plain iron chest OF
drawers Il was IL this room that Napoleon
slept and from which he used TO descend into
the library by q concealed staircase, still intact.
One may visit the small reception room, also
used as billiard room. where Napoleon. after
the divorce. went 20 see Josephine. II was IN
this room only that such interviews took place,
hsckuse the Empress Marie Louise vas some
what jealous Of these visits. and the mirrors
were so arranged that the aides-de-camp IN at
tendance could see everything that transpired.
and were thus able 10 give evidence in case Of
necessity.
r. Felix DuqUesnel is authority for the state
nent that II was IN the garden OF Nalmaison
that dahias were for the first time cultivated IN
France. Dahlias were brought from Mexico In
179l and planted in Spain, and from there were
brought 70 Malmaison where they were planted
in $500 Nine Bonaparte was very proud OF
them All the vases Of the park contained
dahlias and Nine. Bonaparte. who was jealous
of them, gave strict orders 70 her gardeners 10
see that no stem or flower ever left her grounds.
50 that she might enjoy the monopoly Of those
bright exotic flowers II is curious TO note that
these orders were disobeyed on only one occa-
sion This happened in 1903. when Nile.
George. then charming girl Of seventeen, made
her debut al the Comede Francaise as Phedre.
Prince Zappia. rich Pole, became infatuated
with Nile. George. who al that period of her
life was g girl Of the purest character, and Of
fe7ed her q lu2.uriously furnished house. with
called upon Nile George, Who after the per-
Torrance at the Conedie Francaise. was dining
with her mother. and said: 4 am one of your
most devoted admirers. and am fully aware
hat you have consecrated yourself to your art
and to virtue. I am desirous Of honoring this
virtue, and ] am glad to do 50 in way that is
often adopted By others as a reward for vice.
Your supper table is laid in the house 1 have
given you. and your carriage is waiting 10 carry
YOU 70 your new home" When Mile. George and
her mother hesitated TO accept such a princeiy
gift. the prince replied "Oh, I ask nothing
whatever in return for the pleasure that de-
rive from rewarding virtue" Mile George and
her mother finally consented TO accept the gift
and five minutes afterward we're seated
st z magnificent supper table in their
new dwelling. This supper table was
beautifully ornamented with superb dahlias'
which Prince Zappia had obtained by bribing
the servants az Malmaison. AS no dahlias had
ever appeared On any other table but that OF
the wife OF the First Consul. Josephine. who
soon heard the story, became furious and the
irony OF fate would have it that only q few
weeks aftervard an side-de-camp Of the First
Consul appeared one evening at Nile. Georges
dressing room. at the Theatre Franeais, and
the capttvsting actress was driven on rapidly
n post chaise 70 St Cloud. where Bonaparte
vas az the time living. Josephine suddenly
svinced intense dislike 10 the oahliass and had
them all torn up by the roots and thrown into
she Seine The garden at Malmaison is now
provided with luxuriant parterres OF the nnest
dshlias. and the grounds are kept up with a
care and good taste that could not have been
surpassed al the brightest period OF MaIfnsisoh-
Another feature OF interest at Malmaison Is the
little chapel az RueiI, which contains the re-
ofvra and ~