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exhibited in the shop…windows。 The police received orders to suppress
these prints； and the order was implicitly obeyed； but it was not
Fouche's police。 Fouche saw the absurdity of interfering with trifles。
I recollect that immediately after the creation of the Legion of Honour；
it being summer； the young men of Paris indulged in the whim of wearing a
carnation in a button…hole； which at a distance had rather a deceptive
effect。 Bonaparte took this very seriously。 He sent for Fouche； and
desired him to arrest those who presumed thus to turn the new order into
ridicule。 Fouche merely replied that he would wait till the autumn； and
the First Consul understood that trifles were often rendered matters of
importance by being honoured with too much attention。
But though Bonaparte was piqued at the interest excited by the engravings
of Madame de Genlis' romance he manifested no displeasure against that
celebrated woman； who had been recommended to him by MM。 de Fontanes and
Fievee and who addressed several letters to him。 As this sort of
correspondence did not come within the routine of my business I did not
see the letters； but I heard from Madame Bonaparte that they contained a
prodigious number of proper names； and I have reason to believe that they
contributed not a little to magnify； in the eyes of the First Consul； the
importance of the Faubourg St。 Germain； which； in spite of all his
courage； was a scarecrow to him。
Bonaparte regarded the Faubourg St。 Germain as representing the whole
mass of Royalist opinion； and he saw clearly that the numerous erasures
from the emigrant list had necessarily increased dissatisfaction among
the Royalists； since the property of the emigrants had not been restored
to its old possessors； even in those cases in which it had not been sold。
It was the fashion in a certain class to ridicule the unpolished manners
of the great men of the Republic compared with the manners of the
nobility of the old Court。 The wives of certain generals had several
times committed themselves by their awkwardness。 In many circles there
was an affectation of treating with contempt what are called the
parvenus； those people who； to use M。 de Talleyrand's expression； do not
know how to walk upon a carpet。 All this gave rise to complaints against
the Faubourg St。 Germain； while； on the other hand； Bonaparte's brothers
spared no endeavours to irritate him against everything that was
calculated to revive the recollection of the Bourbons。
Such were Bonaparte's feelings； and such was the state of society during
the year 1802。 The fear of the Bourbons must indeed have had a powerful
influence on the First Consul before he could have been induced to take a
step which may justly be regarded as the most inconsiderate of his whole
life。 After suffering seven months to elapse without answering the first
letter of Louis XVIII。； after at length answering his second letter in
the tone of a King addressing a subject； he went so far as to write to
Louis； proposing that he should renounce the throne of his ancestors in
his； Bonaparte's； favour； and offering him as a reward for this
renunciation a principality in Italy； or a considerable revenue for
himself and his family。
＇Napoleon seems to have always known； as with Cromwell and the
Stuarts； that if his dynasty failed the Bourbons must succeed him。
〃I remember；〃 says Metternich； 〃Napoleon said to me； 'Do you know
why Louis XVIII。 is not now sitting opposite to you？ It is only
because it is I who am sitting here。 No other person could maintain
his position； and if ever I disappear in consequence of a
catastrophe no one but a Bourbon could sit here。'〃 （Metternich； tome
i。 p。 248）。 Farther； he said to Metternich； 〃The King overthrown；
the Republic was master of the soil of France。 It is that which I
have replaced。 The old throne of France is buried under its
rubbish。 I had to found a new one。 The Bourbons could not reign
over this creation。 My strength lies in my fortune。 I am new； like
the Empire； there is； therefore； a perfect homogeneity between the
Empire and myself。〃〃However；〃 says Metternich； 〃I have often
thought that Napoleon； by talking in this way； merely sought to
study the opinion of others； or to confuse it； and the direct
advance which he made to Louis XVIII。； in 1804 seemed to confirm
this suspicion。 Speaking to me one day of this advance he said；
'Monsieur's reply was grand； it was full of fine traditions。 There
is something in legitimate rights which appeals to more than the
mere mind。 If Monsieur had consulted his mind only he would have
arranged with me； and I should have made for him a magnificent
future'〃 （Metternich； tome i； p。 276）。 According to Iung's Lucien
（tome ii。 p。 421）； the letter written and signed by Napoleon； but
never sent； another draft being substituted； is still in the French
archives。 Metternich speaks of Napoleon making a direct advance to
Louis XVIII。 in 1804。 According to Colonel Iung （Lucien Bonaparte；
tome ii。 pp。 4211…426） the attempt was made through the King of
Prussia in 1802； the final answer of Louis being made on the 28th
February 1803； as given in the text； but with a postscript of his
nephew in addition； 〃With the permission of the King； my uncle； I
adhere with heart and soul to the contents of this note。
〃（signed） LOUIS ANTOINE； Due d'Angouleme。〃
The reader will remark that there is no great interval between this
letter and the final break with the Bourbons by the death of the Duc
d'Enghien。 At this time； according to Savory （tome iii。 p。 241）；
some of the Bourbons were receiving French pensions。 The Prince de
Conti； the Duchesse de Bourbon； and the Duchesse d'Orleans； when
sent out of France by the Directory； were given pensions of from
20；000 to 26；000 francs each。 They lived in Catalonia。 When the
French troops entered Spain in 1808 General Canclaux； a friend of
the Prince de Conti； brought to the notice of Napoleon that the
tiresome formalities insisted on by the pestilent clerks of all
nations were observed towards these regal personages。 Gaudin； the
Minister of Finance； apparently on his own initiative； drew up a
decree increasing the pensions to 80；000 francs； and doing away with
the formalities。 〃The Emperor signed at once； thanking the Minister
of Finance。〃 The reader； remembering the position of the French
Princes then； should compare this action of Napoleon with the
failure of the Bourbons in 1814 to pay the sums promised to
Napoleon； notwithstanding the strong remonstrances made at Vienna to
Talleyrand by Alexander and Lord Castlereagh。 See Talleyrand's
Correspondence with Louis XVIII。； tome ii。 pp。 27； 28； or French
edition； pp。 285； 288。＇
The reader will recollect the curious question which the First Consul put
to me on the subject of the Bourbons when we were walking in the park of
Malma