72 



most of its impressions, once unanimously abominating and reviling, 

 has turned to admiring and applauding the hero and his family, long 

 blasted by almost universal European dread of a conqueror, of whom 

 abhorrence only changed to unmerciful contumely, when Europe's 

 master, reduced to be their captive, was chained to an African rock 

 and tortured to death. In our imitative country, counteraction of his 

 hatred has become so strong, that the American press now flashes 

 with even extravagant vindication of the not lon^^ since monster in 

 Anglo-American apprehension. 



Though time, the greatest of innovators, was gradually rectifying 

 these prejudices; still, but for the revolutions, wars, alliances, and 

 revulsions which have nearly clarified public sentiment, no one now 

 would be patiently suffered to assert that all the much abused and ad- 

 ulated eight Bonapartes, five men and three women, extraordinary 

 offspring of an excellent mother and respectable father, were every 

 one of them endowed with uncommon talents, and no one of them de- 

 graded by a depraved or malignant nature. Lucien, a fine scholar, poet, 

 and ardent republican, pertinaciously rejected, and at last actually 

 fled beyond the sea from a throne, rather than surrender the humble 

 wife of his affection. Louis, with fine literary acquirements and per- 

 formances, religious, strictly conscientious, and nobly independent, 

 after reluctantly submitting to the crown imposed on him, indignantly 

 cast it away, rather than subject his adopted country to the sway of 

 his imperious brother. Joseph and Jerome, the only two who sub- 

 mitted to be kings, invariably administered justice with mercy, and 

 promoted liberal principles with beneficial reforms. Eliza and Caro- 

 line displayed on thrones masculine abilities for government. Pau- 

 line, declining principalities, proved herself a most affectionate wife 

 and sister. Napoleon's step-children, brought up in his family, Eu- 

 gene Beauharnais, as Viceroy of Italy, was a prudent and accepta- 

 ble ruler; as commander of armies, a brave, faithful, and incorrupti- 

 ble lieutenant of his imperial constituent. His brilliant sister, histo- 

 rically known as Queen Hortensia, shone among the brightest female 

 ornaments of her time, whose lyrical poetry is now chanted with en- 

 thusiasm in the capitals of France, England, Italy, Greece, and Tur- 

 key. Few born royal have done more honour to diadems than these 

 extraordinary upstarts. 



Far, however, from designing to present the family of Bonapartes 

 in one mere strain of eulogy, to hide or gloss their faults, I own their 

 infirmities — though much exaggerated by malevolent dread and elo- 

 quent vituperation. Of their amiable and affectionate dispositions, 



