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saddlers； carriage…makers； lacemen； embroiderers； and others。 By these
positive interests were created more partisans of the Empire than by
opinion and reflection； and it is but just to say that trade had not been
so active for a dozen years before。 The Imperial crown jewels were
exhibited to the public at Biennais the jeweller's。 The crown was of a
light form； and； with its leaves of gold； it less resembled the crown of
France than the antique crown of the Caesars。 These things were
afterwards placed in the public treasury； together with the imperial
insignia of Charlemagne； which Bonaparte had ordered to be brought from
Aix…la…Chapelle。 But while Bonaparte was thus priding himself in his
crown and his imagined resemblance to Charlemagne； Mr。 Pitt； lately
recalled to the Ministry； was concluding at Stockholm a treaty with
Sweden； and agreeing to pay a subsidy to that power to enable it to
maintain hostilities against France。 This treaty was concluded on the 3d
of December； the day after the Coronation。
＇The details of the preparation for the Coronation caused many
stormy scenes between Napoleon and his family。 The Princesses； his
sisters and sisters…in…law； were especially shocked at having to
carry the train of the Imperial mantle of Josephine； and even when
Josephine was actually moving from the altar to the throne the
Princesses evinced their reluctance so plainly that Josephine could
not advance and an altercation took place which had to be stopped by
Napoleon himself。 Joseph was quite willing himself give up
appearing in a mantle with a train； but he wished to prevent his
wife bearing the mantle of the Empress； and he opposed his brother
on so many points that Napoleon ended by calling on him to either
give up his position and retire from all politics； or else to fully
accept the imperial regime。 How the economical Camberceres used up
the ermine he could not wear will be seen in Junot tome iii。 p。
196。 Josephine herself was in the greatest anxiety as to whether
the wish of the Bonaparte family that she should be divorced would
carry the day with her husband。 When she had gained her cause for
the time and after the Pope had engaged to crown her； she seems to
have most cleverly managed to get the Pope informed that she was
only united to Napoleon by a civil marriage。 The Pope insisted on
a religious marriage。 Napoleon was angry； but could not recede； and
the religions rite was performed by Cardinal Fesch the day； or two
days； before the Coronation。 The certificate of the marriage was
carefully guarded from Napoleon by Josephine； and even placed beyond
his reach at the time of the divorce。 Such at least seems to be the
most probable account of this mysterious and doubtful matter。
The fact that Cardinal Fesch maintained that the religious rite had
been duly performed； thirteen of the Cardinals （not； however
including Fesch） were so convinced of the legality of the marriage
that they refused to appear at the ceremony of marriage with Marie
Louise； thus drawing down the wrath of the Emperor； and becoming the
〃Cardinals Noirs；〃 from being forbidden； to wear their own robes；
seems to leave no doubt that the religious rite had been performed。
The marriage was only pronounced to be invalid in 1809 by the local
canonical bodies； not by the authority of the pope。＇
It cannot be expected that I should enter into a detail of the ceremony
which took place on the 2d of December。 The glitter of gold； the waving
plumes； and richly…caparisoned horses of the Imperial procession； the
mule which preceded the Pope's cortege； and occasioned so much merriment。
to the Parisians； have already been described over and over again。
I may； however； relate an anecdote connected with the Coronation； told me
by Josephine； and which is exceedingly characteristic of Napoleon。
When Bonaparte was paying his addresses to Madame de BEAUHARNAIS； neither
the one nor the other kept a carriage； and therefore Bonaparte frequently
accompanied her when she walked out。 One day they went together to the
notary Raguideau； one of the shortest men I think I ever saw in my life；
Madame de Beauharnais placed great confidence； in him； and went there on
purpose to acquaint him of her intention to marry the young general of
artillery；the protege of Barras。 Josephine went alone into； the
notary's cabinet； while Bonaparte waited for her in an adjoining room。
The door of Raguideau's cabinet did not shut close； and Bonaparte plainly
heard him dissuading Madame de Beauharnais from her projected marriage。
〃You are going to take a very wrong step；〃 said he； 〃and you will be
sorry for it； Can you be so mad as to marry a young man who has nothing
but his cloak and his sword？〃 Bonaparte； Josephine told me； had never
mentioned this to her； and she never supposed that he had heard what fell
from Raguideau。 〃Only think； Bourrienne；〃 continued she； 〃what was my
astonishment when； dressed in the Imperial robes on the Coronation day；
he desired that Raguideau might be sent for； saying that he wished to see
him immediately； and when Raguidesu appeared； he said to him； 〃Well； sir！
have I nothing but my cloak and my sword now？'〃
Though Bonaparte had related to me almost all the circumstances of his
life； as they occurred to his memory； he never once mentioned this affair
of Raguideau； which he only seemed to have suddenly recollected on his
Coronation day。
The day after the Coronation all the troops in Paris were assembled in
the Champ de Mars the Imperial eagles might be distributed to each
regiment； in lieu of the national flags。 I has stayed away from the
Coronation in the church of Notre Dame； but I wished to see the military
fete in the Champ de Mars because I took real pleasure in seeing
Bonaparte amongst his soldiers。 A throne was erected in front of the
Military School； which； though now transformed into a barrack； must have
recalled； to Bonaparte's mind some singular recollections of his boyhood。
At a given signal all the columns closed and approached the throne。 Then
Bonaparte； rising； gave orders for the distribution of the eagles； and
delivered the following address to the deputations of the different corps
of the army：
Soldiers； Soldiers！ behold your colours。 These eagles will always
be your rallying…point！ They will always be where your Emperor may
thank them necessary for the defence of his throne and of his
people。 Swear to sacrifice your lives to defend them； and by your
courage to keep them constantly in the path of victory。Swear！〃
It would be impossible to describe the acclamations which followed this
address； there is something so seductive in popular enthusiasm that even
indifferent persons cannot help yielding to its influence。 And yet the
least reflection would have shown how shamefully Napoleon forswore the
declaration he made to the Senate； when the organic 'Senatus…consulte'
for the foundation of the Empire was presented to him at St：