NAPOLEON AS LOVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 49, 27 February 1935, Page 11

NAPOLEON AS LOVER.

HIS LETTERS TO LOUISE. INTIMATE AND ARDENT. LONDON, January 20.

Intimate, passionate love letters that were written by Napoleon to his second wife, the Empress Marie-Louise, are revealed to-day. The originals from which piquant extracts arc given here are shortly to be offered for sale at Messrs. Sotheby's in London. They show with remarkable frankness both Napoleon the man of indomitable courage and Napoleon the tender father.

Here is the first letter ever written by Napoleon to Marie-Louise at the time of his betrothal:

"Rambouillet, February 23, 1810: My Cousin —The brilliant qualities that distinguish your person have inspired us with the desire to servo and honour her and to beg your father, the emperor, to entrust us with the happiness of your imperial highness. May we flatter ourselves that she will not be determined in her choiee by a mere feeling of dutiful obedience to her parents? .Should your imperial highness feel somewhat partial towards us, in however small a measure, we mean to cultivate such partiality assiduously, and set our hearts so constantly towards your highness' happiness that we flatter ourselves to succeed in time to please her . . ."

Then the ardent lover, in a letter dated March 10, 1810, before the marriage:

'•I am counting the minutes, days iseem so long . . . and will be until I am happy enough to receive you. My people share in my impatience. I told them you would be a tender-hearted mother to the French people, and you will find them, madame, loving-minded children. I hope you trust in the sincerity of my affections. . . ." l- I have received your portrait (this in a letter dated March 20). It seems to me a reflection of that beautiful and grand soul that makes you so sweat for all those that approach you. . . ." Honeymoon Tenderness. After the marriage follow a dozen letters full of honeymoon tenderness while the couple were touring northern France. They show a lover's consideration, and arc full of intimate and charming phrases. The address all through is in the second person, the "tu" that is the hallmark of complete intimacy to the French. "I can never be cross with you,' , he writes, "as you arc good and perfect and because I love you. . . . Stars shine and my day on board my squadron will be line. I hope you are a sensible girl and soundly asleep at the time I write. ... I see with pleasure there line been some rain. It will lay the. dust, which you hate, I know, and the journey won't be so tiring for you. You know how I love you. You are wrong to think that other subjects of occupation may weaken, however so little, my feelings for you. Good-bye, darling; to-morrow I shall be near you. I love you. . . ."

Then comes the expedition to Russia. Among all his anxieties he finds time to enter into the domestic detail? of her life in Paris:

"I stop a minute to lunch and find a minute to write to you. Do not be sad; keep gay and remember all my promisee will be fulfilled. . . . Two days without news from you! I am sorry to hear you are sad."

Then, after Borodino, a grim touch (September, 1812) : "I come from the Borodino battlefield. I defeated yesterday the whole Russian army of 120,000 men. It has been a stiff fight . . . the victory has been enormous. I made several thousand prisoners . . . had also many dead and wounded ... I was not personally in the least danger. The little king, you say, is very naughty . . . I have seen his portrait on the eve of the battle of Moskowa. I showed it to all the army, who found it admirable. It is a masterpiece. . . " Moscow and After. Then a first description of Moscow (September 16) : "This town is as large as Paris, with more than a thousand fine residences and every kind of luxuries. The nobility has all gone . . . only the low class remains." Important letters follow giving news of' the burning of Moscow. Here is the first, dated September 18, ISl2:— "I had no idea that this town could disappear with its 500 palaces, furnished in the French style, several Imperial resiliences, its barracks, magnificent hospitals . . . for the last two days a raging fire has burned everything, and as the middle class houses are all made of wood they flare up like so many matches. It is the Czar and the Russians who, infuriated to be vanquished, have set fire to the town. . . Enough, however, remains for the army, which has found all kinds of rich treasures, for in this confusion all is sacked. It is an immense loss for Russia! . . . To-day I went round all districts . . . only the walls of houses remain. ..."

On October 22 he writes: "I left Moscow to itself after blowing up the Kremlin; 20,000 ■ men were needed to guard that destroyed city and, as it was, it was a burden and an obstacle to my operations. ... I share your desire to see the end of all this and you know how happy I shall be to embrace

After a gap in the correspondence there follow some pathetic letters during the famous "campaign in France" for the defence of French territory. "I ran to defend Paris," says one, "but it was too late. The town had surrendered in the evening. I gather my army near Fontainebleau. I suffer with you." Two later letters record the political arrangements of the allies and ehow the emperor's courage: "They give me Elba Island," he writes, "and for you, Parma. You will at least have a house and a fine country. I approve of all arrangements for the little king. Your anxieties and your state of health tear my heart. My own health is very good and I am full of courage. I would willingly give you half of mine." The correspondence ends with a cheerful description of Elba.