Napoleon's Letters To Josephine Part 59

FOOTNOTES

[38] So _Collection Didot_, followed by Aubenas. St. Amand has "ton infortunee fille."

[39] Josephine's chief maid-of-honour.

SERIES O

1811

"Nun steht das Reich gesichert, wie gegrundet, Nun fuhlt er froh im Sohne sich gegrundet.

Und sei durch Sie dies letzte Gluck beschieden-- Der alles wollen kann, will auch den Frieden."

--GOETHE (_Ihro der Kaiserin von Frankreich Majestat_).

SERIES O

(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 311-312.)

LETTER PAGE

No. 1. _The New Year_ 311 _More women than men_ 311 _Keep well_ 311

No. 2. Birth of the King of Rome 311 _Eugene_ 311

No. 4. _As fat as a good Normandy farmeress_ 312

No. 1.

TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, AT NAVARRE.

_Paris, January 8th, 1811._

I have your New Year's letter. I thank you for its contents. I note with pleasure that you are well and happy. I hear that there are more women than men at Navarre.

My health is excellent, though I have not been out for a fortnight.

Eugene appears to have no fears about his wife; he gives you a grandson.

Adieu, dear; keep well.

NAPOLEON.

_February 19th._--Soult defeats Spaniards at the Gebora, near Badajoz.

_February 28th._--French occupy Duchy of Oldenburg, to complete the line of the North Sea blockade against England. This occupation embitters the Emperor of Russia and his family.

_March 10th._--Mortier captures Badajoz after a siege of 54 days.

_March 20th._--Birth of the _King of Rome_--"a pompous t.i.tle buried in the tomb of the Ostrogoths."

No. 2.

TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, AT NAVARRE.

_Paris, March 22nd, 1811._

_My Dear_,--I have your letter. I thank you for it.

My son is fat, and in excellent health. I trust he may continue to improve. He has my chest, my mouth, and my eyes. I hope he may fulfil his destiny. I am always well pleased with Eugene; he has never given me the least anxiety.

NAPOLEON.

_April 4th._--Battle of Fuentes d'Onoro. Ma.s.sena attacks English, and is repulsed.

_June 18th._--Wellington raises siege of Badajoz, and retires on Portugal.

_June 29th._--French storm Tarragona, whereupon Suchet created Marshal.

No. 3.

TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, AT MALMAISON.

_Trianon, August 25th, 1811._

I have your letter. I see with pleasure that you are in good health. I have been for some days at Trianon. I expect to go to Compiegne. My health is very good.

Put some order into your affairs. Spend only 60,000, and save as much every year; that will make a reserve of 600,000 in ten years for your grandchildren. It is pleasant to be able to give them something, and be helpful to them. Instead of that, I hear you have debts, which would be really too bad. Look after your affairs, and don't give to every one who wants to help himself. If you wish to please me, let me hear that you have acc.u.mulated a large fortune. Consider how ill I must think of you, if I know that you, with 125,000 a year, are in debt.

Adieu, dear; keep well.

NAPOLEON.