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NAPLES 



NAPOLEON I. 



CMtel dell' Oyo. The most ancient and populous 

 part of the city lies in the eastern crescent, and 

 is intersected from north to south by the Via Toledo 

 (now Via di Roma), the main historic street of 

 Naples, more densely peopled than any other of 

 equal space in Europe. Numerous broad streets 

 have lately been built on this side of the city. 

 A fine quay extends eastward to the Castel del 

 Carmine. To the back of this lies the poorest and 

 most popnlous quarter, now being dismantled. 

 Westward runs the less ancient city, smaller in 

 extent, but freer as to air and prospect, and fre- 

 quented by the more favoured classes, resident and 

 migratory. Along the sea-margin extend the royal 

 gardens and the Riviera di Chiaja, the lower 

 boundary of the comparatively new quarters built 

 against the slope. On the Voniero Hill, in the 

 north-west, house-construction is busily going on 

 to accommodate the inhabitants of the dismantled 

 4 rookeries ' near the harbour, for whom dwellings 

 have also been built beyond the railway station to 

 the east of the city. Naples U three miles long 

 and two broad. It lias a modern look, but in spite 

 of external change still presents the same noisy, 

 vivacious, mercurial life so astonishing and ere 

 long so oppressive in its monotony to the new- 

 comer from the north. From the precocious street 

 arab to the gray-haired and vociferous mendicant, 

 with a whole army of importunate pedlars, cabmen, 

 newsvendors, llower-girls, and touts between, there 

 is no pause night or day that ' Naples never goes 

 to bed' is indeed a scarcely exaggerated saying : 

 The historic interest of the suburban quarters along 

 the shore is greater than in the city. But its poverty 

 in Grivco- Roman antiquities is made up for by its 

 National Mii.-eum, Incoming daily richer in arclue- 

 ologicul treasure-trove from Pompeii, while its 

 splendid aquarium teems with typical specimens 

 of the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean, and 

 forms the exhibition-room of its Zoological Station. 

 Of architectural interest Naples has but little. 

 Besides her five forts and four gates of mediaeval 

 construction, she has upwards of 300 churches, 

 including the cathedral ( 1272-1316) of St Januarius 

 (q.v. ), whose blood is said to liquefy in the phials 

 containing it on three yearly festivals. The 

 university ( 1224 ), with nearly 100 teachers and 4150 

 students, the royal palace, the catacombs, and, still 

 more, the law-courts are worth visiting. Naples is 

 excellently equipped with libraries : the National 

 Library ( 1804) has 275,000 books and 8000 MSS. ; 

 the University Library (1812), 150,000 books; and 

 the Brancacciana (167.3), 150,000 books and 3000 

 MSS. The San Carlo Theatre (chiefly for opera) 

 is one of the largest in Italy, though much less 

 popular than the San Carlino, sacred to ' Pulcinella* 

 (the Italian Punch). In fine art Naples is poor 

 her music, in spite of her devotion to opera, adding 

 nothing to the European repertory ; tlie plaintive 

 songs of her fishermen are as distinctive of the 

 Mediterranean as the Venetian barcariiole are of 

 the Adriatic. -The province has an area of 336 

 q. m., and a population ( 1889) of 1,060,032. 



\ilpolroil I., emperor of the French. Napo- 

 leon Bonaparte, the second son of Charles Bona- 

 parte ami his wife Letizia de Ramolino, was born 

 at Ajaccio, in Corsica, on the lath August 1769. 

 In 1779 he entered the Royal Military School of 

 Brienne ! ChAtean : there he remained till the 

 autumn of 17H4, when he was transferred to the 

 Military School of Paris, according to the usual 

 routine. An official report on him by the In- 

 spector of Military Schools in this year speaks 

 highly of his conduct, and notifies his great pro- 

 ficiency in mathematics and fair knowledge of 

 history and geography, but says he is not well up 

 in ornamental studies or in Latin, and, curiously 

 enough, add* that he will make on excellent 



sailor. Napoleon lost his father in 1785, and the 

 same year he was commissioned as second lieu- 

 tenant f artillery, in which rapacity lie served 

 at Valence and other garrisons. He upent his periods 

 of leave in Corsica, and appears to nave wished to 

 play the leading part in the history of his native 

 island, showing the first signs- of his ambitious and 

 energetic character. During the critical times 

 following the first French Revolution, he at first 

 joined the moderate party of Paoli ; but. trying for 

 military power, though 'by untiring activity and 

 reckless audacity he succeeded in being elected 

 lieutenant-colonel of the National Volunteers of 

 Ajaccio, he failed in an attempt to seize that town 

 and was obliged to return to France. Although 

 he had forfeited his French commission by over- 

 staying his leave, the second Revolution of 1792 

 was now in progress, and the new government 

 could not spare the few trained otlicers whom 

 emigration had left, ami his rank was restored to 

 him. He returned to Corsica and accompanied an 

 expedition which unsuccessfully tried to get posses- 

 sion of Sardinia, The French government soon 

 made an endeavour to crush Paoli and do away 

 with Corsican privileges, and the islanders rallied 

 round the patriot. Napoleon now turned against 

 him and attempted to seize the citadel of Aiaceio 

 for the French ; but failing again, with all his 

 relatives he lied a second time to France. 



From this time onwards Napoleon looked to 

 France for his career. The narrow horizon of his 

 native island was no longer wide enough for 

 him, but from its bracing mountain air and from 

 the quick blood of his race he drew a magnetic 

 force which imparted to his decisions- and actions 

 a rapidity and energy that carried all before 

 them, while at the same time a power of calm 

 calculation, of industry, and of self-control enabled 

 him to employ his genius to the best advantage. 

 The force of his personality was so overwhelm- 

 ing that in considering his career the regret must 

 ever l>e present that the only principle that re- 

 mained steadfast with him, and is the key to 

 his conduct throughout, should have been the 



care for his own advai ment, glory, and power. 



Napoleon now joined the army under Carteaux, 

 which acted against the Marscilhiis who had de- 

 clared against the National Convention and occu- 

 pied Avignon. At this time he became attached 

 to the younger Kobespienv. who was a commis- 

 sioner with the army, and embraced his Jacobin 

 principles. He was shortly promoted Chef de 

 Bataillon, and commanded the artillery at the 

 siege of Toulon, where he highly distinguished 

 himself, and is generally believed to have been 

 the author of the plan of attack which led to the 

 fall of the place. He was then promoted general 

 of brigade. 



On the fall of the Rol>e8pierre, Napoleon in- 

 curred serious danger, but was saved by powerful 

 influence enlisted in his favour. He was, how- 

 ever, ordered to take command of an infantry 

 brigade in the Army of the West. This he con- 

 sidered would stifle h'is military career, and neglect- 

 ing to obey the order, he was in consequence 

 removed front the list of employed general officers. 

 Disgusted with his apparent lack of prospect*, 

 he was now anxious to be sent to Turkey to re- 

 organise the Turkish artillery. But on the eve of 

 the 13th Vcndcmiaire (5th October 1795) he was 

 appointed second in command of the Army of the 

 Interior under Barms, and did the National Con- 

 vention good service next day in repelling the 

 attack of the Sections of Paris. Influenced partly 

 by fear and partly by appreciation of his talents, 

 the Directory appointed General Bonaparte to the 

 command of the Army of Italy on 23d February 

 1796. On 9th March he married Josephine Toscher 



