Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-06-16
40 remarkable was Napoleon's per-
u sonal appearance that all Of bis
associates who left records of

y -
% sonal appearance that all Of BIZ
W associates who left records OF
their contact with him were a
l'alhS to describe him infinitely. A
serving man naturally has the best ad
Van'agcs for observing his master. and
'he pen portraits drawn by Constant
VINO was attached 10 the person of the
emperor as first valot Dc chambre. have
especial interest because they depict
Napoleon under variety Of circum.
stances The quotation following is
from Walter Glark's translation of Con.
Stants memoirs, published in 1896:
ION his return from Egypt the EN-.
peror was very thin and sallow. his
SKIN was copper colored his ewes
suhkcn, and his figure. though perfect,
also very thin. The likeness is excel.
tent IN the portrait which Horace Yer.
net Grew in his picture called a Re.
view OF the First Consul on the Place
On Carrousel.' His forehead was very
nigh and bare; his hair thin especially
on the temples. but very fine and soft
ana a flch brown color; his eyes deem
| blue, expressing in an almost incredible
manner the various emotions hy which
he was affected, sometimes extremely
gentle ana caressing. sometimes severe
ana even fnflcxible. His mouth was
very fine. hs lips straight and rather
hrmiy closed, particularly when fri
taied. Ills teeth, without being regu.
lar. We're very white and sound, and he
never suffered from them. His nose
OF Grecian shape was we'll formed and
his sense OF smell was perfect. His
whole frame was handsomely propor-
tonod. though at this time his extreme
lcanneas prevented the beauty of his
features being especially noticed and
had an injurious effect on his whole
physiognonly.
IT would be necessary to describe
his features separately, one by one, in
order TO form correct idea OF the
whole AND comprehend the perfect reg.
uiarity and beauty Of each. His head
was very larse. being twenty-five
inches in circumference; it was little
longer than broad, consequently little
1attened on the temples; II was SO ex-
treInely sensitive that l had his hats
padded and took the trouble to wear
them several days in my room TO break
them. His ears were small perfectly
formed and well set The emperor's
feet were aleo very tender, and had
his shoes broken ny boy OF the ward
robe called Joseph, who wore exactly
the same size as the emperor
His height was 3 feet = inches 3
lines French measure and equal 10
. feet inches Englishl lie had
rather short neck, sioping shoulders
broad chest almost free from hairs
we'll shaped leg and thigh, small foot
and well formed fingers entirely free
from enlargcmcnts or abrasons. His
arms were finely nodded and we'll hung
70 his body. lis hands were beautiful,
and the nails did not dctrlct from
their beauty. He took the greatest care
OF them, as In fact OF his whole per
son, without feppishness. however. He
often bit his nails slightly which was a
sign Of impatienoe or preoccupation.
Later Oh he grew much -touter, but
without losing any of the beauty Of hi.
figure. On the contrary, he was hand
somer under the empire than under
the consulate, his skin had become very
white and his expression animated.
The emperor during his moments,
or, rather. during his long hours, Of
la Dor and meditation was subject 10 a
peculiar spasmodic movement, whicl
seemed to BE- Il nervous affection and
which chung TO him all his life. II con
sisted in raising his right shoulder fire.
quently and rapidly and persons who |
wero not acquainted with this habit !
sometimes interpreted this as gesture
Of disapprbatiOn and dissatisfaction |
and inquired with anxiety in what way |
they could have offended him. lie. how |
ever, was not at all affected by Il and |
repeated the same movement again and !
agal without being conscious of it,"
Less fatterng in some points is the !
impression given by the wife of one |
OF Napoleon favorite generals. the !
Duchcsse d'Abrantes Nine ,runot), in
whose family circle Napoleon Was an
intimate both in Corsica and in France
during boyhood and after hc became !
prominent. Describing him in 1893.
when he was only subordinate officer
without battle to his credit. the
Duchesse GAbrantes says:
at that period Of his life Bonaparte
was decidedly ugly. He aftrrward I'M
deiwcnt total change ! do not speak
If the Elusive charm which his glory
spread around him, but | mean to say
that gradual physical change took
place in him in the space of seven
years. His emacinted thtnncss was con
vcrtcd into fullness OF face, and his
which had been yellow
and apparently unhealthy, became
clear and comparatively fresh; his fea-
lures, which were angular and sharp,
became round and filed out. As to his
smile il was always agreeable. Tho
mode OF dressing his hair, which has
such a droll appearance as we see it III
The prints Of the passage Of tho bridge
IF Arcola, WAS then comparatively sim
Pile. for the young men Of fashion (thc
whom he used to rail Mt so
loudly at that time, wore their hair
very long. But he was very careless Of
his personal appearance, aud his hair,
which was Ill combcd and i'll powdered,
gave him the look of II slOven His lit
lie hands. too. underwent great meta
When first saw him they
xNarn thin 1onu o,A J,,i, A,4 L., .,...