The history of Hortense, daughter of Josephine, Queen of Holland, mother of Napoleon III . ure and perfect for this world, andwhose excellence helps to reconcile us to hu-man nature. In the high station to which theEmperor had wisely raised him, the grandmarshal retained all the qualities of the privatecitizen. The splendor of his position had notpower to dazzle or corrupt him. Duroc re-mained simple, natural, and independent; awarm and generous friend, a just and honora-ble man. I pronounce on him this eulogy with-out fear of contradiction. It is not strange that Hortense, a beautifulgirl of
The history of Hortense, daughter of Josephine, Queen of Holland, mother of Napoleon III . ure and perfect for this world, andwhose excellence helps to reconcile us to hu-man nature. In the high station to which theEmperor had wisely raised him, the grandmarshal retained all the qualities of the privatecitizen. The splendor of his position had notpower to dazzle or corrupt him. Duroc re-mained simple, natural, and independent; awarm and generous friend, a just and honora-ble man. I pronounce on him this eulogy with-out fear of contradiction. It is not strange that Hortense, a beautifulgirl of eighteen, should have fallen deeply inlove with such a young soldier, twenty-nineyears of age. It would seem that Duroc wasequally inspired with love and admiration forHortense. Though perhaps not positively en-gaged, there was such an understanding be-tween the young lovers that a brisk corre-spondence was kept up during one of Durocsembassies to the north. Bourrienne, at that time the private secreta-ry of Napoleon, says that this correspondence i ii \ !l;i !ii( 1., Iiljiilip##|. THE LOVE-LETTER. 1804.] HORTENSE AND DUROC. 105 Family complications. was carried on by consent through his the rapidly rising greatness of the family,there was little retirement to be enjoyed at theTuileries or at Malmaison. The saloons of theFirst Consul were every evening crowdedwith guests. Youthful love is the same pas-sion, and the young heart throbs ^ith the sameimpulses, whether in the palace or in the Bourrienne whispered to Hortense thathe had a letter for her from Duroc, and slippedit unperceived into her hand, she would imme-diately retire to her room for its perusal; andthe moistened eyes with which she returned tothe saloon testified to the emotions with whichthe epistle from her lover had been read. But Josephine had the strongest reasonswhich can well be imagined for opposing theconnection with Duroc. She was a very lov-ing mother. She wished to do every t
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