_My Dear_,--I have been here two days. I am very glad that I did not bring you here; you would have suffered dreadfully in crossing Mont Cenis, where a storm detained me twenty-four hours.

I found Eugene in good health; I am very pleased with him. The Princess is ill; I went to see her at Monza. She has had a miscarriage; she is getting better.

Adieu, dear.

NAPOLEON.

_November 29th to December 7th.--At Venice (writes Talleyrand, "This land is a phenomenon of the power of commerce")._

No. 2.

TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.

_Venice, November 30, 1807._

I have your letter of November 22nd. The last two days I have been at Venice. The weather is very bad, which has not prevented me from sailing over the lagoons in order to see the different forts.

I am glad to see you are enjoying yourself at Paris.

The King of Bavaria, with his family, as well as the Princess Eliza, are here.

I am spending December 2nd[27] here, and that past I shall be on my way home, and very glad to see you.

Adieu, dear.

NAPOLEON.

No. 3.

TO THE EMPRESS, AT PARIS.

_Udine, December 11, 1807._

_My Dear_,--I have your letter of December 3rd, from which I note that you were much pleased with the Jardin des Plantes. Here I am at the extreme limit of my journey; it is possible I may soon be in Paris, where I shall be very glad to see you again. The weather has not as yet been cold here, but very rainy. I have profited by this good season up to the last moment, for I suppose that at Christmas the winter will at length make itself felt.

Adieu, dear.--Yours ever,

NAPOLEON.

_December 12th.--At Udine._

_December 14th.--At Mantua._

_December 16th.--At Milan (till December 26th)._

_December 17th.--His Milan decree against English commerce._

_December 27th-28th.--At Turin._

1808.

_January 1st.--At Paris._

FOOTNOTES

[27] His Coronation Day.

SERIES I

"The imbecility of Charles IV., the vileness of Ferdinand, and the corruption of G.o.doy were undoubtedly the proximate causes of the calamities which overwhelmed Spain."--NAPIER'S _Peninsular War_ (vol.

i. preface).

SERIES I

(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 267-269.)

LETTER PAGE

No. 1. _Bayonne_ 267

No. 2. _A country-house_ 267 _Everything is still most primitive_ 267

No. 3. _Prince of the Asturias_ 268 _The Queen_ 268

No. 4. _A son has been born_ 268 _Arrive on the 27th_ 269

LETTERS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE DURING THE STAY THAT HE MADE AT BAYONNE, 1808.

"This year offers a strange picture. The Emperor Napoleon was at Venice in the month of January, surrounded by the homage of all the courts and princes of Italy; in the month of April he was at Bayonne, surrounded by that of Spain, and the great personages of that country; and, finally, in the month of October he is at Erfurth, with his _parterre_ of kings."--_Memoires du Duc de Rovigo._