Mrs. Wright's Travels 
save the awkwardness of Mr . Bona¬ 
parte,) soon came to us from his work¬ 
men, in an old coat, from which he 
had barely shaken off the mortar, and, 
-—•a sign of the true gentleman,—made 
no apologies. His air, figure, and ad¬ 
dress, have the character of the Eng¬ 
lish country gentleman—open, unaf¬ 
fected, and independent, but perhaps 
combining more mildness and suavity. 
Were it not that his figure is too thick 
set, I should perhaps say, that he had 
still more the character of an Ameri¬ 
can, in whom, I think, the last-enu¬ 
merated qualities of mildness and sua¬ 
vity are oftener found than in our 
countrymen. Ilis face is fine, and 
bears so close a resemblance to that of 
his more distinguished brother, that it 
was difficult at the first glance to decide 
which of the busts in the apartment 
were of him, and which of Napoleon. 
The expression of the one, however, is 
much more benignant; it is, indeed, 
exceexdingly pleasing, and prepares you 
for the amiable sentiments which ap¬ 
pear in his discourse. The plainness 
and urbanity of his manners for the 
first few moments suspended pleasure 
in surprise; and even afterwards, when 
smiling at myself, I thought, And what 
did I expect to see? I could not still 
help ever, and anon, acknowledging 
that I had not looked to see exactly 
the man I saw. I felt most strangely 
the contrast between the thoughts that 
were fast travelling through my brain, 
of battles and chances, ambition and 
intrigues, crowns and sceptres,—the 
whole great drama of the brother’s life 
passing before me, I felt most strangely 
the contrast between these thoughts and 
the man I was conversing with. He 
discoursed easily on various topics, but 
always with much quietness and mo¬ 
desty. He did and said little in the 
French manner, though be always 
spoke the language, understanding 
English, he said, but imperfectly, and 
not speaking it at all. He expressed a 
curiosity to become acquainted with 
otir living poets; but complained that 
he found them difficult, and enquired 
if there was not often a greater obscu¬ 
rity of style than in that of our older 
authors ; I found he meant those of 
Queen Anne’s reign. In speaking of 
the members of his family, he 
carefully avoided titles; it was mon 
frere Napoleon . ma soeur Hortense, 
&e. He walked us round his im¬ 
provements in-doors and out. When 
1 observed upon the amusement he 
in the United Stales, 611 
sbemed to find in beautifying his little 
villa, he replied, that he was happier 
in it than lie had ever found himself in 
more bustling scenes. He gathered a 
wild flower, and, in presenting it to 
me, carelessly drew a comparison be¬ 
tween its minute beauties and the plea¬ 
sures of private life; contrasting those 
of ambition and power with the more 
gaudy flowers of the parterre, which 
look better at a distance than upon a 
nearer approach. He said this so na¬ 
turally, with a manner so simple, and 
accent so mild, that it was impossible 
to see in it attempt at display of any 
kind. Understanding that I was a 
foreigner, he hoped that I was as much 
pleased with the country as he was ; ob¬ 
served that it was a country for the many, 
and not for the few ; which gave free¬ 
dom to all and power to none, in which 
happiness might better be found than 
any other, and in which he was well 
pleased that his lot was now cast. 
The character of this exile seems to 
be much marked for humanity and be¬ 
nevolence. He is peculiarly attentive 
to sufferers of his own nation—I mean 
of France; is careful to provide work 
for the poorer emigrants ; and to 
others affords lodging, and often money 
to a considerable amount. His kind¬ 
ness has, of course, been imposed upon, 
in some cases so flagrantly that he is 
now learning circumspection, though 
he does not suffer his humanity to be 
chilled. This I learned from his Ame¬ 
rican neighbours. I left Count Sur- 
villier, satisfied that nature had form¬ 
ed him for the character he now wears, 
and that fortune had rather spited him 
in making him the brother of the ambi¬ 
tious Napoleon. 
ALBANY. 
We have just made the passage up 
the magnificent Hudson (160 miles) 
from New York to this city, which has 
indeed but one, though that no unim¬ 
portant title to so grand a name, in be¬ 
ing the capital of the state. It is pro¬ 
bable, however, that the government 
will soon have to travel in search of the 
centre of the republic in like manner 
with that of Pennsylvania. Albany in 
deed seems to stand as in expectation 
of her falling honours, for though there 
are some well-furnished streets and 
many commodious and elegant private 
dwellings, the general appearance of 
the town is old and shabby. 
MILITARY ACADEMY. 
A few observations upon the military 
academy at West Point will perhaps 
interest 
