The Washington herald., 1912-04-03
NAPOLEON AND MURAT COMPARED
IN AN INTERESTING MANNER

II is a well-knowu fact that the great
Napoleon had a passion for fine clothes'
but all absorbing as this is said to havs
been. II was no circumstance TO the van
ity-aImost effemlnacy. strange as this
may sound, OF the Beau Sabreur," the
fierce fighter, Murat, his brother-in-lax,
Leger. however. Napoleon's tailor. held
very poor opinion OF his imperial
clients taste. consistently ignoring the
Emperor's suggestions concerning clothes
Bonaparte, for instance, wished TO have
the skirts of his tunic turned back, like
those OF Frederick the Great. The tailor
told him that he should not think OF
allowing such a thing. He said: The
eyes of the entire world are upon you,
Sire, would not make you such tunic
II you offered me the whole OF youf
empire"
Napoleon knew when he was beaten,
He laughed heartily and gave In. But
this was all after 1910 Before that epoch
he was so very parsimonious that his
whole outfit, exclusive OF the lace and
trimmings. was not worth SEQ In that
year he gave a standing order for siS
gray great coats in the winter and like
number each summer. He also had a
new pair Of trousers and Kerseymere
English waistcoat once fortnight
The character of Murat as King OF
Naples has been long known TO the stu.
dent of history. But perhaps II has not
received all the attention II merited be
cause II was SO closely interviewer with
that OF Bonaparte. AS generally is the
case. the greater glory dimmed the less
shining light.
Only few persons are able TO think OF
Napoleon. despite his failings, as only a
human being He undoubtedly was a
meteor OF genius. Not SO Murat The
Incompatible "sabreur." the fearless sol
der who helped Napoleon in the conquest
Of Spain. who was with him at Tim
Jena, Auerstaedt. and Friedlsnd. pos.
sessed no attribute that could lift him
out of the category of a very frail hu-
manity. His was not the brain that could
plan an AusterIitz battle at one moment
and compile civil code the next. Murat
was wanting in the majestic breadth OF
vision; he was crafty but without genius,
intriguing without foresight.
A ''marechaI' of France, the brother.
in-law of the Emperor he had set his
heart upon the throne OF Spain, but
scarcely had he begun to picture TO him.
self such aggrsndizement, when a let
ter arrived from Napoleon. assigning
Sardinias'D and adding the contempt he
felt, in these words: with n wife such
as yours CNapoIeOn's sister, you could
absent yourself II war should summon
you to my side, for she is well able tC
be at the head Of a regency"
BerthIer, another of Napoleon's great
aids used TO say: 'Murat was not to be
his peoples king. but his emperor's vice
roy" This was a charitable ana digni'
s-T.Na
that the King of Naples was designed tC
play. Murat must have known-his in.
stinct as a soldier must have told HIM
that as far as his own interests were
concerned he was confronted with q
man of indomitable will asd that he wa
to be a pawn on the European chess
board. of which. OF course, Napoleon
then had control.
Yet there was a vanity and a vaultinE
ambition in .he man which always over
came his judgment. This was not tht
first disappointment which he was q
suffer. From this time forth he was tc
be reminded constantly by the Emperor
OF the empty glory OF the position that
had been conferred upon him. In fac
that his hollow dignity was solely dut
to his marriage with Caroline Bona
parte. and to the designs of her brother
but not as a reward for his services IN
the field.
Murat knew his false position. he re.
sented Il. but he was far too shrewd a
diplomat to show this openly. 1t made
a hypocrite of what once had been a
fearless soldier and a great leader in the
field. He took to subterfuge and dissem.
ination. find in the memoirs OF Ber.
thier, who knew his ex-coIleague Mural
better perhaps than even Napoleon. a
letter which speaks volumes. IL was