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PROM A RESIDENT IN PARIS TO A NOBLEMAN IN LONDON, WRITTEN

DURING THE MONTHS OF.A
AUGUST, SEPTEMBER

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PRINTED FOR AND PUBLISHED BY BRISBAN AND BRANNAN,

NO. I, CITY HOTEL, BROADWAY

1807

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BE District of} E IT REMEMBERED, That on the thirteenth

SS. day of February, in the thirty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America, BRISBAN & BRANNAN, of the said District, have deposited in this Office, the Title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words and figures following, to wit:

"The Secret History of the Court and Cabinet of St. Cloud; in a series of Letters from a Resident in Paris to a Nobleman in Lon"don, written during the months of August, September and Octo"ber, 1805. Fourth American Edition, with considerable and interesting Additions."

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IN CONFORMITY to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors "of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an Act, entitled, " An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for "the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, "Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits there"of, to the Arts of Designing, Engraving, and Etching historical and "other prints."

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EDWARD DUNSCOMB, Clerk of the District of New-York.

CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

Buonaparte's political character contrasted with his military education and life governed by courtiers and favourites: General Duroc : his character: the causes of his advancement: his military exploits in Italy and Egypt, and political missions to Berlin, and St. Petersburgh: visits to Madame Boncil, a female intriguer : his blunder in consequence: the Polish Count S.......tz: his character: dupes Duroc : Duroc's marriage.

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LETTER II.

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Joseph Buonaparte his character as a negotiator: the puppet of Talleyrand: Talleyrand's intrigues, and motives for employing the brothers of Buonaparte: Lucien's embassy to Spain: Joseph's rapacity, connection with an army contractor, and stock-jobbing: cret articles of the treaty of Luneville: Buonaparte's offence at them: reproaches Talleyrand: departure of Lord Whitworth' in 1803 Buonaparte's rage and speech to Talleyrand on the occasion, and violent conduct towards his mother, wife, &c.

LETTER III.

Debates on the religious concordat : opposed by different factions Buonaparte's mother, how far instrumental in procuring the restoration of religious worship. Cardinal Gonsalvi and Bishop Bernier : their intrigues and characters. Madame Buonaparte's astonishment on being ordered to attend mass, &c. : her hypocrisy watched by spies her mode of passing her time at chapel discovered: regulations in consequence conversation at Viscount de Segur's, on the religious principles of the French: imprudent remark of a young officer the cause of his transportation to Cayenne.

LETTER IV.

The assumption of the Imperial dignity, long determined on by Buonaparte delayed by the rupture with England: his good fortune mistaken for political foresight; the disgrace of Moreau, the murder of the Duke d'Enghien, Pichegru, and Georges, and the treachery towards Mr. Drake, not necessary steps to his elevation: Moreau not dangerous as a rival to Buonaparte: why not assassinated : honorable conduct of Pichegru, the day before his death: Murat the executioner of the Duke d'Enghien.

LETTER V.

The characters of the principal emigrants well known to the French government: Mehee de la Touche: his perfidy and ingratitude: his mission and intrigues in England: refused the wages of his infamy by Talleyrand Real, a forgery committed by him in 1788: strange

mixture of society at his house: Madame de Soubray; her severe reproof of Mehee de la Touche.

LETTER VI.

Unhappiness of Madame Napoleone on the day of her coronation : dis cipline of the Court of St. Cloud entirely military formation of the household entrusted to Madame Napoleone: consequent embarrassment extricated by an expedient proposed by De Segur: Madame Napoleone confined: released at the intercession of her daughter.

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LETTER VII.

Religious discussion tolerated: why: remonstrance of Cardinal Caprara on the subject: two authors transported to Cayenne : Pigault Le Brun owes his escape to Madame Murat: Cardinal Caprara's influence over Buonaparte: defeats a cabal formed against him, and turns it to his advantage : employed by the Pope in his secret negotiations at Paris: teazes Buonaparte, and is confined by him, but obtains his object : trick attempted to be played upon him, ends unfortunately for the contrivers.

LETTER VIII.

Grave dress and puritanical demeanour of the company at Madame Napoleone's last levee previous to meeting the Pope: Buonaparte surrounded by Cardinals and Priests: remark of General Kellerman, occasions his disgrace conduct of the company on quitting the levee Princess Borghese's idea respecting a parrot and an almoner, monkeys and chaplains.

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LETTER IX.

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The reception of Buonaparte as Emperor by the army of England, not flatte ring ascribed by him to the adherents of Pichegru and Moreau his conduct in consequence : orders. a grenadier to be shot, and disbands a regiment. Effect produced on the military by the distribution of the ribands, &c. of the Legion of Honour the French ports declared to be in a state of blockade by the English : Buonaparte's rage and agitation: fires at some British cruizers breaks six officers of artillery, and assaults another: quits the camp in disgust.

LETTER X.

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Count Cobentzel advises his sovereign to assume the title of Emperor of Austria: his political employments and character: his passion for women: Talleyrand's opinion of him invited by. Buonaparte to visit the camps of the army of England: Talleyrand's note, proscribing all British agents and ambassadors: Buonaparte's arrival at Aixla-Chapelle is met there by the foreign ambassadors : presented with the relics of Charlemagne, and punishes a German professor for proving them forgeries.

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LETTER XI.

Buonaparte finds his wife involved in gambling debts, and surrounded by Jews and other creditors: Talleyrand's mode of settling their demands: Count de Segur completes Buonaparte's household estab lishment his character, and public employments: his domestic misfortunes: character of the members of Buonaparte's civil list : methods adopted to augment it with Prussian and German nobles :

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LETTER XII.

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Buonaparte's intention to seize on the empire of Germany: his secret treaties with the petty German Princes at Mentz: the French revolution not looked on as dangerous in Germany: why the Elector of Bavaria : his character and obligations to Louis XVI: governed by Montgelas, the idol of illuminati, and patron of atheists: the progress of illumination in Bavaria Montgelas concerned in the plot against Mr. Drake his character.

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LETTER XIII.

Attendance of German Princes and Princesses on the Empress Josephine at Mentz, and rich presents to her bribery and corruption openly practised there disappointment of the German Princes: high price demanded by Talleyrand for indemnities: his intrigue with the Countess de L....... and the Baroness de S.......z: repulsed by the Princess of H........ Buonaparte's jealousy mistakes the object of Count de L.......ge's attention to the Empress Josephine : his proceed. ings in consequence the avarice of the Empress.

LETTER XIV.

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Former intimacy of the writer with Madame Napoleone and her daughter: their friendly behaviour on his first introduction to them since their elevation: subsequent change the writer declines the offer of a public situation: arrested: interview with General Murat: sentenced to be transported to Cayenne on the report of Fouche, but protected by Princess Louis: cause of Fouche's enmity : his infamous character, and unbounded authority: the oubliettes, his invention: his immense property: Buonaparte's reasons for employing him.

LETTER XV..

The poverty and dependent situation of the foreign ambassadors at Paris: invited by Talleyrand to a diplomatic dinner: his manœuvre to obtain their declarations respecting the pretended correspondence of Mr. Drake: servility of the Danish and American ambassadors : their characters: Baron de Dreyer's reasons for wishing to maintain his situation. Count de Haugwitz: his birth, political life, and character.

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LETTER XVI.

The writer accepts an invitation from Princess Louis Buonaparte to dinner the conquest of Great Britain the subject of conversa tion different opinions respecting the proper mode of treating the inhabitants when vanquished: imprudent observations of Marquis de F........ exiled to Blois in consequence, and saved from severer punishment only by the interference of Princess Louis: her good-nature character of Louis.

LETTER XVII.

Violent debates in the sacred College, on the journey of the Pope to France the members bribed by Cardinal Fesch: birth of Cardinal Fesch his life and adventures: his marriage, and desertion of his wife her application to the Pope : his libertinism at Lyons: his wealth, dignities, and expectations.

LETTER XVIII.

The Margrave of Baden made an Elector by the intrigues of Talley rand and Baron Edelsheim character and political life of Edel

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