January 1st, Paris:

1810

Hereafter the Popes shall swear allegiance to me, as they did to Charlemagne and his predecessors. They will not be inducted until after my consent, as the use was for the Emperors of Constantinople to confirm them. But from the present Pope I demand nothing; I ask him for no oath, not even to recognise the annexation of Rome to France; I have no need for it.

17th, Trianon:

(To Josephine.) D'Audenarde, whom I sent to you this morning, tells me that since you reached Malmaison all your courage has gone. And yet the place is full of our love, which must and can never change, at least on my side. I want to see you very much; but I must be sure that you will be strong and not weak; I feel the same way, a little, myself, and it makes me suffer horribly. Good-bye, Josephine, good-night; you would be ingrate to doubt me.

February 6th, Paris:

A council was held a few days back at which opinions were divided as to the Russian and Austrian princesses.

(To Champagny.) I must ask you to get the courier off to Russia, according to my instructions, before going to bed. Do not mention to-night's session. To-morrow night, after you have concluded with Prince Schwarzenberg, you will send off a second one, announcing that I

have decided for the Austrian. Come to my levee tomorrow, and bring me the contract of Louis XVI with the documents.

7th. So people are pleased that I am marrying, are they?

(Decrès: Yes, sire, very much so.)

I understand! - they think the lion is going to sleep. Well, they are mistaken. He might perhaps enjoy sleep as much as any one. But can't you see that although I always appear to be attacking, yet what I am doing is defending myself all the time?

(To Champagny.) Kindly transmit the following instructions to M. Otto. As the courier carrying the marriage contract may reach Vienna on the 13th, he can send one back on the 14th to confirm the ratification; we shall get this in Paris on the 21st. The Prince of Neuchâtel, who has been designated as Ambassador Extraordinary for requesting the hand of the Princess, could start on the 22d; he would reach Vienna on the 28th or 29th, and present his request on the following day. Before his arrival M. Otto must have settled all the questions of ceremonial for celebrating the marriage by procuration. The marriage might be fixed for the 2d of March. The Princess could finish the Carnival in Vienna, and start on Ash Wednesday.

23d, Rambouillet:

The convention for the contract of marriage between me and the Archduchess Maria Louisa was ratified at Vienna on the 16th.

(To the Archduchess Maria Louisa of Austria.) My Cousin: the brilliant qualities that mark you have made

me wish to serve and honour you. May I hope that you will look favourably on the step I have taken in begging the Emperor your father to intrust your happiness to me? May I flatter myself that your approval will not be wholly determined by duty and obedience to your parents? If only Your Imperial Highness will manifest some little partiality for me I am determined, by making it my constant effort to please you in all things, to succeed in making myself agreeable to you sooner or later; that is my object, one for which I beg the favour of Your Imperial Highness.

March 4th. (To the Deputation of the Senate.) Senators, I am touched by the sentiments you have expressed. The Empress Maria Louisa will be a tender mother for the French Nation, and in so doing will make my happiness. I rejoice that Providence has called me to reign over this loving and responsive Nation that I have ever found so faithful and so good to me through the events of my life.

11th. (To Fouché.) I had told you to prevent the newspapers from writing about the Empress Josephine, yet they do almost nothing else: to-day again the Publiciste is full of it. See to it that the papers to-morrow don't republish the Publiciste's news.

16th. (To Champagny.) Make up the courier's bag for St. Petersburg. Inform the Duke of Vicenza that the grievances of Russia appear ridiculous to me; that he must talk to the Emperor straight; that the Emperor does me an injustice in believing that there was a double negotiation; that I know enough not to have done such a thing; that it was only when it became clear that the

Emperor was not master in his own family, and that he was not acting up to our agreement of Erfurt, that we opened a negotiation with Austria, a negotiation begun and concluded in twenty-four hours, because Austria had sent her Ambassador full powers that covered the

case.

20th. I am starting for Compiègne.

28th, Compiègne:

(To Francis I, Emperor of Austria.) Monsieur mon Frère et Beau Père: Your Majesty's daughter arrived here two days ago. She fulfils all my expectations and during these two days I have not ceased to give and to receive from her the proofs of the tender sentiments that unite us. We suit one another perfectly. I shall make her happiness, and shall owe mine to Your Majesty.

To morrow we start for Saint Cloud, and on the 2d of April we will celebrate the ceremony of our marriage at the Tuileries.

(To the Archduke Charles.) My Cousin: I owe many thanks to Your Imperial Highness for having consented to act as my representative at my marriage with the Archduchess Maria Louisa. She arrived here two days ago, and I have very sincerely renewed to her the promises that you made in my name.

Your Highness knows that my high regard for you dates back many years, and is founded on your high qualities and actions. I am anxious to mark it by some substantial token, and so beg you to accept the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour. I also beg you to accept the medal of the Legion of Honour, which I myself wear, and which is worn by twenty thousand soldiers who have

been mutilated or distinguished on the field of battle. The one is a tribute to your talent as a general, and the other to your rare courage as a soldier.

April 21st, Compiègne:

It

(To the Empress Josephine.) Dear friend: I have received your letter of the 19th of April; it is in bad taste. I am always the same; men like me never change. pleases me to hear that you propose going to Malmaison, and that you are happy; it would make me so to hear from you and to reply. I leave you to judge who is the better and more friendly, you or I. Good-bye, dear friend; keep well, and be fair to yourself and to me.

28th. (To the Empress Josephine.) Don't listen to the gossips of Paris; they are good-for-nothings who are far from knowing the real facts. My sentiments for you are unchangeable and I am anxious to hear that you are happy and contented.

May 20th, Bruges:

(To Josephine.) I want to see you. If you are at Malmaison at the end of the month I shall come to see you. I expect to reach Saint Cloud on the 30th. My health is excellent, all I need is to have you happy and well. 23d, Lille:

(To Louis, King of Holland.) It is time I should know whether you really intend being an affliction for Holland, and by your folly bringing that country to ruin. I will not permit you to send a minister to Austria. I will not allow you to dismiss the Frenchmen who are in your service. I shall not maintain an ambassador in Holland any longer, but leave only a chargé d'affaires. Don't write me any more of your platitudes; I have been listen