Great Napoleons Mother

GREAT N APOLEON ’ S M OT H E R BY C L A R A T S C H U D I J UTE DRI SE D TRANSZAN ON FROM THE NORWE GM N BcY M fl P E . O E mm) a c olouteb 130mm. N EW YORK N O . E , P B U TTO C ’ ‘ CO; LlM . TR ’ ANSLATORS PREFACE. No apology can be needed on the part of either au tho r or translato r for b ringing before the a a public a sketch of the life of Letitia Bon p rte, whose chequered career is so deeply interesting , and yet so little known . It commends itself to the study of women of all nations and of every cast of thought, while an insight into the a a m an ch r cter of the mother of a remarkable , a a a wh tever our person l , political , or p triotic at a a feeling may be, ought the least to w ken our curiosity . The fact that N apoleon was a terror to every E a nation of urope , a verit ble scourge of God , E a need not be ignored by the nglish re der, fiome w whose inherent love of will , ho ever, help him to understand that the conqueror “ ’ ” could at the same time be a mother s pride , and it is mainly in this light that he is to be contemplated in the following sketch . ’ TRAN SLA OR S RE F CE . vi . T P A The translator does not consider herself wanting in loyalty to her own country or in condemnation of the all -absorbing ambition of a O s h e N poleon , while publishing the pinions has translated ; they are those of the Norwegian “ a and uthoress , not her own , the other side of a position has also points of interest for the historical student . To quote the words of J . A . “ Symonds : The translator pretends to no has a a discoveries , t ken no brief for or gainst a a the ch r cter it is his duty to reproduce . ’ N apoleon s Moder w as published at the 1 8 8 and has a a close of 9 , been f vour bly reviewed a a a has in sever l Norwegi n p pers , one of which the gratifying words in reference to the gifted “ authoress : Clara T s c hu di har fo rm aae t at skab e a en bog, som til lle tider vil veere under ” h o lde nde o l se nde o o dra e nde m a , p y g p g , which y “ be rendered ' She has created a work which a a a an c nnot f il to be entert ining , instructive, d ll edifying for a time . Those who have been interested in the ’ “ E nglish translation of Clara T sc hu di s Marie ” “ , and a E e E Antoinette th t of ug nie , mpress ” m a a of the French , y cert inly look for similar ’ a enjoyment in the study of N poleon s Mother . E . E M CO P . A THOR'S PREFACE U . S ome of my readers will recall my work on I Marie Antoinette, in which described the last u days of Louis XV . , the stormy reign of Lo is ' XV I and the Revolution , which washed away in streams of blood every vestige of the old throne and constitution . This book is the first of a series of monographs treating of the women ’ of Napoleon s family , which will form a fitting continuation of my former work , and represent the powerful character that seems to emerge from the Revolution , the great and victorious E mperor. I as I n Marie Antoinette, chose the centre a of my study one single wom n , the Queen , who, a in spite of her many f ults, stood out in the years of her sorrow as an example of patience and courage ; but in the sketches which treat E I a of the First mpire , sh ll not be able to as adopt the same course , women played a far greater part in the life of Napoleon than people are generally inclined to credit, although not one of them possessed the influence at Court that Louis XVI . conceded to his Consort . ’ RE F A UTH OR S P A CE . viii . At the same time the women of the French E mpire are not of less interest than the con spic u o u s characters whom we meet with in the closing years of the old Monarchy . I do not a E llude to the Mistresses of the mperor, or a the clever women like Madame de St el , who Opposed his influence ; I am thinking only Of his a m the members of own f mily, his other, his a a a ttr ctive wife , Josephine , the Austri n Arch a a and duchess, whom he lso m rried, who , in spite of her personal i nsignific anc e is yet known as and the mother of the King of Rome , for her a heartless conduct tow rds the defeated ruler . I am thinking too of his beautiful frivolous a E a a sister P uline, of lis , of designing C roline, - a and - in -law and of his step d ughter sister , Queen a H ortense , bout whom it is my intention to s ix a a write biogr phic l studies, beginning with and the mother, continuing the series with the a a a a a e rly d ys of Josephine Be uh rn is , J osephine as E a a d mpress of Fr nce , P uline Borghese an a and her sisters , M rie Louise H ortense . This present work and the one on the Princess Borghese will naturally touch upon the c hildho o o d and a a e rly youth of N poleon , those on Josephine will treat of the Consulate and the “ ” E and a First mpire , in M rie Louise and Queen H ortense I intend to consider some of the details connected with the fall of the E mpire . As I particularly W ish that each volume shall I am a be complete in itself, nxious to avoid d repetitions an allusions in these biographies ; A UTH OR ’ S RE F CE . P A ix . there are therefore some points respecting Letitia and her children which will be taken in my book on Pauline , while in that, as well as in the work a on Queen H ortense , I sh ll refer to numerous circumstances connected with the Bonaparte family in their exile . There is but little reference to Letitia in the a a w as biogr phies of her son , and lthough she no a a a ordin ry wom n , she has left so little m rk on the a a a history of her day , th t m ny books tre ting of the Consulate and the E mpire almost ignore her even Thiers ’ work of twenty volumes has but ’ a and one page devoted to N poleon s mother, her name has been but imperfectly preserved in a few memoirs We have to rely chiefly on the testimony of her s o n to understand her character and and h influence , even he t ought but little of a and her when in the heyd y of his power glory , though adversity made him realise his indebted an d a a ness to her ; her person l cour ge , her a domestic virtues, her patriotism , her c re for her and children , her modesty in prosperity , her unshaken resignation under trial place her in the da foremost ran k among the women of her y. ’ a d A b rantes a Never, s ys the Duchesse , her l dy a a a in w iting, did her cour ge f il her, even in her bitterest sorrows ; she is the most remarkable woman I have ever known as regards her a a and strength of mind , her f ith in dversity, her dignified reserve under the griefs that crushed her to the earth during the last twenty years of her life . H istory shews u s that there have been few ’ E A UTH OR S PRE FAC . a great men without remark ble mothers , from whom they inherited a large share of their e and g nius, virtue , and renown, Napoleon never hesitated to confess the power of his mother ’ s influence . Michelet has unjustly remarked that she " n seemed to realise all her dreams in her so . is Letitia w as no dreamer. Neither it fair like S te ndahl to compare her with women like — Cornelia and Portia the Mother of Napoleon - a f. st nds alone , she is pre eminently hersel I have c u lled my information about her a u person lity from n merous sources , and a list of the works which have especially assisted me will be found at the end of my book ; but I am mainly indebted to the excellent work by ! - in - Baron Larrey (Surgeon Chief), and to the valuable archives and documents which I have been allowed to study under kind and intelligent guidance . I t has been my aim to interest my readers a in the individuality of Letiti , and few women in my opinion have been freer from hypocrisy and pretence than the Mother of Napoleon add there is nothing to , nothing to alter in her portrai ture.

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