lease of a Bourbon,-diamonds retained by a member of that very same Bourbon family, who has since plunged his country into war, on behalf of the man for whom poor Kolli was made to undergo such poignant misery, and robbed withal of his diamonds. Can there be greater contradiction, -less of generosity,-less of honour,-less of honesty? Count Beugnot originally admitted the justice of De Kolli's claim, and proposed, as he should have to wait some time for the king's decision, to pay him a sum of 3000 francs; this bait was artfully covered by expressions of warm interest, but it did not succeed. He answered politely, that whatever might be his wants on coming out of a dungeon, it could not be long before he should recover the whole that was owing to him. But neither the justice of his cause, nor the eloquence of his advocate, could procure for him his property. In 1817, he received a letter from the Count Decazes, then minister of police, in answer to his renewed applications for the restoration of what was due, informing him that "his majesty, persisting in his ordonnance of the 30th of June, 1814, had decided, and decides, that the diamonds which he had placed in deposit at Paris, are and remain confiscated." In 1821, the baron sent a copy of the manuscript of the work from which these facts, so discreditable to Louis XVII., are taken,

to the French ministry, with a letter expressive of the pain he felt at being obliged to introduce into it a part that must be disagreeable to their feelings. The Prince de Montmorency Laval, by order of the Duke de Richelieu, sent him a complimentary letter, in which the only notice taken of his pecuniary demands was expressed as follows:-"I am authorized, by the duke, to tell you, that Count Augustus de Talleyrand, French minister in Switzerland, is instructed to reply satisfactorily to every thing connected with your different applications to the ministry." This shuffling answer, as might be expected, produced nothing.

In 1823, the baron applied, once more, to the new ministry, but, having his MSS.. returned to him, we are indebted for these interesting, although scandalous, details*. It would be in vain to guess what has become of the diamonds; sure it is that De Kolli will never more possess them; Louis has most delicately availed himself of an act of Napoleon's government to enrich his diadem,-probably the treasure now glitters in that useless head-piece, the delight and wonder of every miss who visits the Garde Meuble; little does it matter wherever are the baubles, they shine the shine of corruption, and would, were, as in good Æsop's days,

* Memoirs of the Baron de Kolli, p. 235 and following.

pebbles orators, speak to kingly ears a language which, to the upright mind at least, could not fail to cover the hearer with shame.

We willingly here take leave of the subject; more than enough has been advanced to show. that one great personage may have his foibles as well as another:

"Use every man according to his desert, and who shall escape whipping."

Infallibility is not of this world; humanum est errare, and the truth of the maxim may be as well illustrated by a Bourbon as a Napoleon. He who has lived longest will, we imagine, agree with us, that to be always gentlemanly, always honourable, and always honest, is of more difficult performance than the generality of people will either believe or allow; perhaps Napoleon found it so; of a certainty his majesty of France has experienced the difficulty.

CHAP. XVI.

THE ABDICATIONS OF NAPOLEON.

"The Emperor,' says the Edinburgh reviewer.

"It is the etiquette of the liberal school, always to call their run-away hero' the Emperor.'

"After two abdications, Buonaparte was certainly not an Emperor."-New Times, September, 1822.

OUR thanks are due to the Editor of the New Times for not denying the right of Napoleon to the title of Emperor previous to his abdications, because it saves us the trouble of proving what would, at this day, be very uninteresting to most persons, and indeed to every body, save to that young prince, who, should he ever attain the throne once filled by his father, will, we do not doubt, find no lack of arguments to make his name and his authority respected and acknowledged.

We have then only to consider the late Emperor as he was affected by the two abdications.

The surprising results of the campaign of 1814 having, in a great measure, placed Napoleon in the hands of the allies, a note verbale was deli

S

vered to him from them, on the 5th of April, by the Marshals Ney and Macdonald and M. de Caulincourt, offering to secure, in full sovereignty for life, the island of Elba to his Majesty, with a revenue of six millions a-year for himself and family:

In consequence of this note verbale, a treaty was entered into between the Emperor of the French, and the Emperors of Austria and Russia and King of Prussia.

We find in this treaty the following articles:Art. 2. Their Majesties the Emperor Napoleon and Empress Maria Louisa shall retain their titles and rank, to be enjoyed during their lives; the mother, brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces, of the emperor, shall also retain, wherever they may reside, the titles of princes of the Emperor's family.

Art. 3. The Isle of Elba, adopted by his Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, as his place of residence, shall form, during his life, a separate principality, which shall be possessed by him in full sovereignty and property.

Art. 4. All the powers promise to employ their good offices in causing to be respected, by the Barbary powers, the flag and territory of the Isle of Elba.

Memoirs of the Operations of the Allied Armies in 1813-14; Lord Burghersh: p. 301.