Part 8 (1/2)

LETTER XXV

PARIS, August, 1805

MY LORD:--Although the seizure of Sir George Ruht in your country, as well as everywhere else, inspire indignation, it could nowhere justly excite surprise We had crossed the Rhine seven hien; and when any prey invited, the passing of the Elbe was only a natural consequence of the fore, of audacity on our part, and of endurance or indifference on the part of other Continental States Talleyrand's note at Aix-la-Chapelle had also informed Europe that we had adopted a new and ht, would respect no privileges at variance with our ambition, interest or, suspicions, nor any independence it was thought useful or convenient for us to invade

It was reported here, at the time, that Bonaparte was much offended with General Frere, who coe's servant to accompany his master, as Fouche and Real had already tortures prepared and racks waiting, and after forcing your agent to speak out, would have announced his sudden death, either by his own hands or by a coup-de-sang, before any Prussian note could require his release The known morality of our Government must have removed all doubts of the veracity of this assertion; ajourney, or from other causes, expire suddenly; but the exit of two, in the saht at least extraordinary, even by our friends, and suspicious by our enemies

The official declaration of Rheinhard (our Minister to the Circle of Lower Saxony) to the Senate at Hae on the subject of the capture of Sir George Rurace Thisby birth, is one of the negative accomplices of the criminals of France who, since the Revolution, have desolated Europe He began in 1792 his diplomatic career, under Chauvelin and Talleyrand, in London, and has since been the tool of every faction in power In 1796 he was appointed a Minister to the Hanse Towns, and, without knohy, he was hailed as the point of rally to all the philosophers, philanthropists, Illuminati and other revolutionary amateurs, hich the North of Germany, Poland, Den--or rather, of the world--of the na, bestowed on hih he is not accused of avarice, some of the contributions extorted by our Government from the neutral Hanse Towns are said to have been left behind in his coffers instead of being forwarded to this capital Either on this account, or for so in January, 1797, and remained unemployed until the latter part of 1798, when he was sent as Minister to Tuscany

When, in the sun his place as a Minister of the Foreign Department, he had the adroitness to procure Rheinhard to be noer nominally the Minister, he still continued to influence the decisions of our Governh not without parts, Rheinhard has neither energy of character nor consistency of conduct He is so overned, that in 1796, at Harants, Madame de Genlis and General Valence, directed him, when he was not ruled or dictated to by his wife or brother-in-law

In 1800 Bonaparte sent him as a representative to the Helvetian Republic, and in 1802, again to Ha, where he was last winter superseded by Bourrienne, and ordered to an inferior station at the: Electoral Court at Dresden Rheinhard will never beco diplomatic banditti whom revolutionary Governments always eh not religious, is rather scrupulous He would certainly sooner resign than undertake to remove by poison, or by the steel of a bravo, a rival of his own or a person obnoxious to his employers He would never, indeed, betray the secrets of his Government if he understood they intended to rob a despatch or to atop a er; but no allurements whatever would induce hi these acts of our(Bourrienne) is far fro of the Revolution, he shared, with the partisans of La Fayette, iration Recalled afterwards by his friend, the late Director (Barras), he acted as a kind of secretary to hi known hi all Bonaparte's caypt, and Syria, he was his sole and confidential secretary--a situation which he lost in 1802, when Talleyrand denounced his corruption and cupidity because he had rivalled hi by the information which his place afforded him He was then made a Counsellor of State, but in 1803 he was involved in the fraudulent bankruptcy of one of our principal houses to the amount of a million of livres--and, from his correspondence with it, some reasons appeared for the suspicion that he frequently had coainst histhe Counsellors of State, had him conveyed a prisoner to the Temple, where he ree of the Consular Court, made its appearance about that tiave Bonaparte reason to suppose that Bourrienne was its author On being questioned by the Grand Judge Regnier and the Minister Fouce, before whom he was carried, he avowed that he had written it, but denied that he had any intention offound its way to the press during his confinement, that could only be ascribed to the ill-will or treachery of those police agents who inspected his papers and put their seals upon them ”Tell Bonaparte,” said he, ”that, had I been inclined to injure him in the public opinion, I should not have stooped to such trifles as Le Livre Rouge, while I have deposited with a friend his original orders, letters, and other curious docu history of our ns of Italy and Syria all authentic testi French soldiers”

After the answers of this interrogatory had been laid before Bonaparte, his brother Joseph was sent to the Teotiate with Bourrienne, as offered his liberty and a prefecture if he would give up all the original papers that, as a private secretary, he had had opportunity to collect

”These papers,” answered Bourrienne, ”are ainst your brother's wrath and his assassins Were I weak enough to deliver theer be counted a; but I have now taken my measures so effectually that, were I inals would be printed to-morrow If Napoleon does not confide in my word of honour, he may trust to an assurance of discretion, hich my own interest is nearly connected If he suspects ed him, he is convinced also of the eminent services I have rendered hih his present suspicion Let hiain employ me in any post worthy of him and of ain his confidence”

Shortly afterwards Bourrienne was released, and a pension, equal to the salary of a Counsellor of State; was granted hiny's being appointed a Minister of the Home Department, the embassy at Vienna was demanded by Bourrienne, but refused, as previously promised to La Rochefoucauld, our late Minister at Dresden When Rheinhard, in a kind of disgrace, was transferred to that relatively insignificant post, Bourrienne was ordered, with extensive instructions, to Ha The Senate soon found the difference between a tiuer New loans were immediately required from Hanover; but hardly were these acquitted, than fresh extortions were insisted on In some secret conferences Bourrienne is, however, said to have hinted that soour of his instructions

This hint has, no doubt, been taken, because he suddenly altered his conduct, and instead of hunting the purses of the Gerrated countrymen; and, in a memorial, deistered and protected by him, under pretence that every one of the a subject of Bonaparte, ainst the French Government and his country

Bourrienne is now stated to have connected himself with several stock-jobbers, both in Gerland; and already to have pocketed considerable suotten that several houses have been ruined in this capital by the profits allowed him, who always refused to share their losses, but, whatever were the consequences, enforced to its full amount the payment of that value which he chose to set on his communications

A place in France would, no doubt, have been preferable to Bourrienne, particularly one near the person of Bonaparte But if nothing else prevented the acco familiarity with all the Bonapartes, whom he always treated as equals, and even noith the exception of Napoleon) does not think his superiors, will long remain an insurmountable barrier

I cannot coe ofconfide in Bourrienne, ith the usual presuree that borders on indiscretion, and, by an artful questioner, may easily be lead to overstep those bounds Most of the particulars of his quarrel with Napoleon I heard hireat consequence, in a company of forty individuals, many of ere unknown to him On the first discovery which Bonaparte made of Bourrienne's infidelity, Talleyrand co suffered from it ”Do you not see,” answered Bonaparte, ”that it is also one of the extraordinary gifts of ood fortune?

”Even traitors are unable to betray me Plots respect me as much as bullets” I need not tell you that Fortune is the sole divinity sincerely worshi+pped by Napoleon

LETTER XXVI

PARIS, August, 1805

MY LORD:--Joseph Bonaparte leads a much more retired life, and sees less company, than any of his brothers or sisters Except the uests, nor has Madaular assemblies and circles which Madame Napoleon and Madareater at his countryseat Morfontaine than at his hotel here Those whom he likes, or does not mistrust (who, by the bye, are very few), may visit hi their stay, according to their own inclination or discretion; but they must come without their servants, or send thereeable visitor presents himself, it is the etiquette of the house to consider him as an inmate; but to allow him at the same time a perfect liberty to dispose of his hours and his person as suits his convenience or caprice In this extensive and superb ned hiroom, and a jockey, all under his own exclusive co horses, if he prefers such an exercise A catalogue is given hi he is informed what persons compose the company at breakfast, dinner, and supper, and of the hours of these different repasts A bill of fare is at the same time presented to hiives the preference, and to declare whether he chooses to join the co the summer season, players from the different theatres of Paris are paid to perfor to the period of his arrival, is asked, in his turn, to coedy, a farce or a ballet Twice in the week concerts are executed by the first performers of the opera-bouffe; and twice in the week invitations to tea-parties are sent to sohbours, or accepted froae et Noir, Trente et Quarante, Faro, La Roulette, Birribi, and other ga men from Corsica, to whoain, while he alone suffers the loss

Those who are inclined , without interruption, as no one interferes Should Joseph hear that any person has been too severely treated by Fortune, or suspects that he has not , some rouleaux of napoleons d'or are placed on the table of his dressing-rooes proper

The hours of Joseph Bonaparte are neither so late as yours in England, nor so early as they were formerly in France Breakfast is ready served at ten o'clock, dinner at four, and supper at nine Before ht he retires to bed with his family, but visitors do as they like and follow their own usual hours, and their servants are obliged to wait for them

When any business calls Joseph away, either to preside in the Senate here, or to travel in the provinces, he notifies the visitors, telling them at the same time not to displace themselves on account of his absence, but wait till his return, as they would not observe any difference in the economy of his house, of which Madame Joseph always does the honours, or, in her absence, some lady appointed by her

Last year, when Joseph first assumed a military rank, he passed nearly four land on the coast or in Brabant On his return, all his visitors were gone, except a young poet of the naenius, but who is rather too fond of the bottle Joseph is considered the best gourmet or connoisseur in liquors and wines of this capital, and Montaigne found his Chaundy so excellent that he never once went to bed that he was not heartily intoxicated But the best of the story is that he e out to abhorrence the disgusting vice of drunkenness, and presented it to Joseph, requesting permission to dedicate it to him when published To those who have read it, or only seen extracts fro conteh he has made the author a present of one hundred napoleons d'or, and procured him a place of an a resolved never to accept any dedication, but wishi+ng also not to hurt the feelings of the author by a refusal

In a chateau where so many visitors of licentious and depraved morals meet, of both sexes, and where such an unliues must occur, and have of course not seldom furnished materials for the scandalous chronicle Even Madaallant or calumniated Report says that to the nocturnal assiduities of Eugene de Beauharnais and of Colonel la Fond-Blaniac she is exclusively indebted to the honour of ht a duel concerning the right of paternity Eugene de Beauharnais never was a great favourite with Joseph Bonaparte, whose reserved reat a contrast to his noisy and blundering way to accord with each other Before he set out for Italy, it ell known in our fashi+onable circles that he had been interdicted the house of his uncle, and that no reconciliation took place, notwithstanding the endeavours of Madame Napoleon To humble him still more, Joseph even nominated la Fond-Blaniac an equerry to his wife, who, therefore, easily consoled herself for the departure of her dear nephew