New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-31

gives in its later pages into the ways anu
aims of British and Austrian diplomacy
from Lelpsic to Waterloo, the book Is no
less worth while as portrait Oh
the vainglorious. dashing, Incompetent
brother-in-llw of Napoleon, the son oil
an innkeeper who became king. Ma
poleon knew him well, his merits ana MS
serious limitations. He hestated 10 De-
stow upon him a dignity that was but
grudgingly accepted. Joachim had ex-
pected the throne of Spain. His rule
was one long record of friction with the
F,mperor, of ridiculous regal airs ana
graces, of proscrastination, disopeoi-
encc. tardy compliances. and OF the
weaving of a net for the entanGling or
his own feet
Joachim made the cause OF Italian
unity his own, but only. NJ. Espitaiier
insists. for the furtherance OF his own
ends. He conspired bravely with Italian
leaders far more adroit than he, and Ma
! noleon's clear eye did not fail to discern
in tho end the influences behind him:
The defects of his character the the read IL
ness with which he suffered hiIscit W ~ 10
infnenced bv others swiftly became ap-
i il. Pooii7ing al once how weak his
will was and how insatate ms anioIttion,
the Italian patriots decided thaI' Sot
their policy demanded ngureheddu' , NuiiS
would suit their purpose well ms HdillS
knew no bounds, and upon his VANITY 'hGS
determined to play TIL they peTSuau . nm
that his vulgar ambitions were inc ~ nsppif
inCs of an exalted mind, and ne hinls ,i
!uSs baavnn.qert champion of noble
t [nT ne"'' Ndmirably adapted as he
was to become the tool OF the Ita I,,aH,
cabal. the completeness OF tnS sS over
him remains matter fer astonlShnient'
nm The leaven q; hai"cd against Na Ma,
poleon that these men contilnsn Use OF
in Murats mind was the Uililli@'0 O"
the betrayal of lSI+
Caroline, as great Il traitor TO her
brother as her husband was, ana having
no illusions about a united Italy uhucr
his fpCis. advocated breach WIN Nd
r,Icon long before Murat decided upon
chat stem. It was too late when he took
g after the capture of Paris by the
Allies. Yet he came near to success
for of all the enjoys it was the l'uS-
sian Balachoff alone who held aloof from
him and refused to sign the alliance 1or
which he had come specially to italy
And even he declared subsequently that
no c,ou;d have put his hand to the treaty
- the King of Naples had marched
against the Emperor twenty-four hours
earlier The author gives some curious
details of the treatment meted out 10
NAPOLEON by Joachim and Caroline In
the early days of his exile on Elba. To
III, nglyi hot n
an upholsterer. some furniture and books
be sent to him from Naples. Caroline
answered coolly that ii would not be
compatible with the position III which
they We're personally placed to comply
with these requests. Indeed. their POSI-
ton was a delicate one. Murats difficult
ties with the Powers gradually driving
, him irto better relations with the de-
posed ErnperCr--a rOlfe fGce forced upon
him by self-intercst once more. Meter
mich was Enthusiastically plotting against
him, Taleyrand aiding and abetting
the Austrian. Murat had knowledge
OF Napoleon's plotted escape from Elbd.
and hailed his landing as a deliver
ance. At a moment when statecratt
prescribed caution he blundered head
long once more. Napoleon must be used
TO deliver him Of Austria's irksome con-
troll! Caroline again had the better in
sight, but all she could accomplish was
a complete rupture with her stupid hus
band. The rickety odificc of his cree
ton came tumbling down about his ears,
and, last of all Napoleon, embttered
and justly indignant, refused his ser
vices with the army. Yet in after
years at ST. Helena" concludes VI
Espitalier, The would sometimes regret
his harshncss, and ask himself whether
if. that incomparahle 7sabretT had been
at hand to lead them, his cavalry might
not have forced the British to give way
at Waterloo"
When the German Emperor declared
some years ago, in an address TO one of
his regiments, that the Prussians had
saved Wellington from defeat on that
famous field, his words created a feeling
Of bitter Indignation in England, which
puzzled not only the Fatherland but oil !
the Continent as well. William IL had !
merely stated the version Of the battle |