France in the Nineteenth Century

nd his protection, never afterwards prospers; and perhaps the most striking illustration of this theory may be found

the son of Lucien, were all ordinary men, inclined to the fast life of their period; while the

uring his short, sad life, he had received most kindness, and to whom, during his illness, he was indebted for almost maternal care, was the young wife of his cousin Francis, the Princess Sophi

ucien, the republican, was passed over, as well as his descendants; and Joseph failing of male heirs, the throne of France was to devolve

soldier and a very good general; but Louis had no enthusiasm for the profession of arms. He hated bloodshed, and above all he hated sack and pillage. He had no genius, and crooked ways of any kind were abhorrent to him. When a very young man he fell passionately in love with a lady, whom he called his Sophie. But his brother and the world thought the real name of the object of his affection was Emilie de Beauharnais, the Empress Josephine's niece by marriage. This l

rrold's Life of

tep-daughter, of whom he was very fond. But Louis would not marry Hortense, and Hortense would not have Louis. At last, however, in the excitement of a ball, a reluctant consent was wrung from Louis; then Hortense was coerced into being a good French girl, and giving up Duroc. She and Louis were married. A more unhappy marriage never took place. Husband and wife were separated by an insurmountable (or at least unsurmounted) incompatibility of temperament. Louis was a man whose first thought was duty. Hortense loved only gayety and pleasure. He particularly objected to her dancing; she was one of the most graceful

om their hopes were set, died of the croup at an early age. Hortense was wholly prostrated by her loss. She had still one

and wishes of his people, and satisfy his brother at the same time. He retired to Florence, where he lived for many years, onl

ough in 1811 he had completed his divorce, had marri

gmentary reminiscences of his child

my grandmother, the Empress Josephine, in her salon, on the ground floor, covering me with her caresses, and, even then, flattering my vanity by the care with which she retailed my bons mots; for my grandmother spoiled me in every particular, whereas my mother, from my tenderest years, tried to correct my fau

rival of the allied army in Paris, we were hurried by our tutor to a hiding-place, and passed on foot along the Boulevards, I felt the keenest sensations of happiness within my recollection. Like all children, though perhaps even more than most children, soldiers fixed my attention. Whenever at Malmaison I could escape from the salon, I was off to the great gates, where there were always grenadiers of the Garde Impériale. One day, from a ground-floor window I entered into conversation with one of these old grognards who was on duty. He answere

he boy saw the emotion in the emperor's face, he ran up to him, and burying his head in his lap, sobbed out: "Our governess says you are going to the wars,-don't go; don't go, Uncle." "And why not, Louis? I shall soon come back." "Oh, Uncle, those wicked allies wil

children at the last moment, with his foot upon the step of the carri

nd. There, after a while, Queen Hortense converted a gloomy old country seat into a refined and beautiful home. A great trial, however, awaited her. King Louis demanded the custody of their

nce again in after years, they were husband and wife no more. Indeed, charming as Hortense was to all the circle that surrounded her, tender as a mother, and devoted

th her sons being at that time in Florence with their father. Although the elder was newly married to his cousin, the daughter of King Joseph, both he and Louis were full of restlessness, and caught the revolutionary ferv

raw, and their mother went after them to Ancona. On her way she was met by her son Louis, who was coming to tell her that his brother was dead. There has always been mystery concerning the death of this young Napoleon. The accredited account is that he sickened with the measles, and died at a roadside inn on his way to Ancona. The unhappy mother went into that little town upon the Adriatic with her youngest son; but she soon found that the Austrians, having come to the help of the Pope, were at its gates. Louis, too, had sickened with the measles. She hid h

the head of the Napoleonic family. According to M. Claude, the French Minister of Police,

The Legitimists preferred them the house of Orleans, and the republicans of that period-judging from their writings as well as their acts-evidently believ

Queen Hortense knew her son's real destination, no doubt, for she took leave of him with great emotion, and hung around his neck a relic which Napoleon had taken from the corpse of the Emperor Charlemagne when his tomb was opened at Aix-la-Chapelle.

ne, upon his finger, Prince Louis Napoleon set out upon an expedition so rash that we can hardly b

people by a plébiscite,-i. e., a question to be answered yes or no by universal su

was to be the scene of his first attempt, and at Baden-Baden he had an interview with Colon

: Louis Bla

ocialist historian, writing in 18

ollow the eagle with enthusiasm the moment it appeared, borne, as of old, at the head of regiments, and heralded by the sound of trumpets. A twofold error! The things the bourgeoisie in 1836 remembered most distinctly about Napoleon were his despotism and his

husiasm that still lingered in France in Louis Philippe's reign, round memories of the glories of Napoleon. Men might not wish him back again, but they worshipped him as the national demigod. After Sedan he was pulled down lite

g to his affection for the emperor, the old general not only declined to join the plot, but warned the Prefect of Strasburg that mischief was on foot, though he did not mention in what quarter. The Government in Paris seems, however, to have concluded that it would be best to let a plot so very rash come to a head. There was a public singer, calling herself Madame Gordon, at Baden, who flung herself eagerly into the conspiracy. Louis Napoleon on quitting

pension of 10,000 francs to each of his two children, in case he should be killed. The colonel tore it up, saying, "I give, but do not sell, my blood." Major

appeal first to the third regiment of artillery; but other counsels prevailed. The fourth artillery, whose adhesion to the cause was doubtful, was chosen for t

drawn up addressed to the soldiers, to the city, and to France;

assemblée. They rushed, half-dressed, on to their parade-ground. Louis Napoleon, whose fate it was never to be ready, was not prompt eve

m to the troops as the nephew of Napoleon. He wore an artillery uniform. A cheer rose from the line. Then Louis Napoleon, clasp

d along them in the gray dawn of a cloudy day, Louis Napoleon made his way to the quarters of Genera

iment of artillery was bringing out its guns and horses, and the inhabitants of Strasburg, roused from their beds, were wat

fantry. On their road they lost their way, and approached the barracks in such a man

ddenly one of the officers, who had his quarters in the town, rushed upon the scene with his sword drawn, crying: "Soldier

or a few moments he was in danger from the adherents of the prince. His own soldiers rushed to his

or two of the conspirators, among them Madame G

ly half of the telegram reached the Tuileries, where the king and his ministers sat up all night waiting for more news. At daybreak of Octob

ortense had prematurely come to the conclusion that the prince was meeting with

ried to Paris, lodged for a few days in the Conciergerie, and then sent off, without being told his destination, to Cherbourg, where he was put on board a French frigate which sailed with orders not to be opened

prince, and after inquiring if he had funds enough to pay his expenses on

ed, to his very great relief, that all his fellow-conspirat

ehalf when she thought his life might be in danger, had proved too much for her. Louis Napoleon recrossed the ocean, landed in England, and

red the fortifications of Geneva, and made ready for a war with France; but Louis Napoleon of his own free will relieved the Swiss Government from all

head, but that she also needed extreme democratic principles. Therefore an empire ought to be founded on an expression of the will of the people,-in plain words, on universal suffrage. The mistake Napoleon III. made in his after career, as well as in his "Idées napoléoniennes," was in not perceiving that an empire without military glory would become a pool of corrup

some of them Carbonaro leaders, with whom he had been associated in Italy. Some were his personal friends; some were men whose devotion to the F

by a clique, "the members of which had been previously sounded; and in general

831, that if they helped him to ascend the throne of France, he would fight afterwards for the cause of Italy. This pledge he redeeme

d for want of a foundation. He had made his decision, and was resolved to adhere to

movement in the month of August, 1840. The prince calculated that the remains of his great uncle, restored by England to France, being by that time probably on their way from St. Helena, public enthusiasm for the great emperor would be at its height, and that he would have th

e interesting narrative of Count Joseph Orsi, an Italian

necessary that he should be very circumspect in making his preparations. A steamer, the "Edinburgh Castle," was secretly

t Orsi, who seems to have been the most business-like man of the party, shipped nine horses, a travelling carriage, and a large van containing seventy rifles and as

e more. At Blackwall some of the most important conspirators came on board. The boat reached Gravesend about two o'clock, where twelve more me

, touching, however, at Ramsgate before crossing the Channel. Those on board waited and waited, but no prince came.

the river police might take notice of the large number of foreigners on board, especially as the vessel claimed to be an excursion-boat, and not a petticoat was visi

saying that those on board were detestable. In vain Persigny and Orsi, who in the prince's absence considered themselves to be in command, assured him that to land was

lted Persigny on the advisability of letting him go on shore, with the dist

ving suspected the object of the expedition, he had some especial objec

hreds of meat. The eagle had a chain fastened to one of its claws. The major turned twice to look at it, and went on without saying a word. On our way back to the boat, however, we saw the boy within two yards of the landing-place. The major went up to him, and looking

e occasion, and that it was intended to perch on the Napoleon Column at Boulogne. It may well be supposed that this is not far from the truth, and that Major Parquin had the eagle waiting for him at Gravesend. Eagles a

overland to Ramsgate, where Count Montholon (Napoleon's fellow-exile at St. Helena) and two colonels were waiting the arrival of the

rgh Castle" steamed up to the beautiful Ramsgate pier; but it

r precautions as to his mode of leaving London. He found that the police were on the alert, and it was late in the day before

Ramsgate. It became necessary to put to sea, and to steam about aimlessly till night arrived. The captain and the crew had to be told the object of th

close to Boulogne. The disembarkation was begun at once. The steamer was ill provided with boats. She ha

en so important to reach Boulogne twenty-four hours earlier, was that a certain Colonel Piguellier, who was a strong republican, was sure to be against them. Some French friends of the prince, who were in the secret, h

f their beds. The few who were already afoot on different duties were soon made to understand who the prince was, and what his party had come for.

t moment Colonel Piguellier, in full uniform, appeared upon the scene. One of the prince's party threatened

poleon, or you may not. Napoleon, your predecessor, overthrew legitimate authority, and it is not right for

arracks, the gates of which were shut at once by Colonel Piguellier's order. The only concession the prince had been able to o

ut when they found he did not come, they had left the city. All that remained to be done was to attempt to save the prince. He w

them into the water. Colonel Voisin's arm was broken at the elbow, and Galvani was hit in the body. The prince and Persigny came up to the surface at some distance from the land. Colonel Voisin and Galvani, being nearer to the shore, were immediately rescued. Cou

r were sent to the fortress of Ham, on the frontier of Belgium, where they occupied the same quarters as Prince Polignac and the other ministers of Charles X. had done. Coun

, fearing they were parts of a trap laid for him by the authorities. It has always been believed, however, and it is probably true, that Louis Philippe would have been very willing to have the jaile

roceanic canal by the Nicaragua route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Government of Nicaragua proposed to him to become president of a company that wo

Philippe was willing to grant this; but his ministers demurred, unless Louis Napoleon would ask pardon loyalement. This Louis Napoleon refused t

am, it must be premised, was a man wholly uncorruptible. He was kind to his prison

twice a day, and at night to turn the ke

was suffered to go in and out of the fortress at his pleasure. On the 23d of May, 1845, Thélin went to St. Quentin, the nearest large town, and hired a cabriolet, which was to meet him the next day at an appointed place upon the high-road. The prince's plan depended on there being workmen in the prison, and he had been about

rly for the arrival of the workmen. A private soldier whose vigilance they had reason to dread ha

clothes a coarse shirt, a workman's blouse, a pair of blue overalls much worn, and a black wig. His hands and face he also soiled with paint; then, putting on a pair of wooden shoes and taking an old clay pipe in h

ince's way downstairs he met two warders. One Thélin skilfully drew apart, pretending to have something to say to him; the other was so intent on getting ou

ce let his pipe fall from his mouth. He stoope

as in his lodge, but his attention was given to Thélin, who was following the prince, accompanied by his dog Ham. The sergeant, whose duty it was to open and shut the gate, tu

ifted his board like a man weary of carrying a load upon one shoulder. The men appeared to eye him with suspicion,

othes, kicked off his wooden shoes, and seized the reins. The fifteen miles to St. Quentin were soon accomplished. The prince got out at some distance from the town, and Thélin entered it alone, to exchange the cabriolet for a postchaise. The mistress of the post-house offered him a large piece of pi

carriage approach, he stopped it, and asked the occupant if he had seen anything of a postchaise coming from St. Q

had to wait more than an hour at the station for the train. The prince had discarded his working clothes, but still wore his black wig. The train arrived

d in Florence before he could get permission

n, he wrote a letter to Louis Philippe, pledging himself to make no further attempt to disturb the pe

the influence of opiates was sleeping quietly. The governor insisted on remaining all day in the sitting-room, and finally upon see

le. A closer examination was insisted on, and the truth was discovered. Nob

PHIL

itizen-