| |
|
|
|
|
| |
DEATH OF COLONEL EMILE GUEGUEN
It was with sadness that we learned of the death of Colonel Gueguen last week in the US, where he had lived for the past few years. He was 77. A war hero of several campaigns (French resistance, liberation, Indochina), Colonel Gueguen had also commanded the Bataillon de Joinville at the beginning of the Sixties. He was particularly active in his retirement writing, most notably on Napoleonic history in concert with Ben Weider. Despite the marked opposition and often 'lively' debates which his positions sparked, the Colonel was nevertheless very goodhearted and frank as befits a good paratrooper, and as such was greatly liked by all those who knew him.
The Fondation Napoléon presents its deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
THIS MONTH'S OBJECT
The Prince Impérial and his dog Néro
Carpeaux was the sculptor of this the best known effigy of the Prince impérial, a sculpture of moving simplicity, a child and his dog.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
France
For several days, the Théâtre Français was the forum for a battlr royal between the supported of Mademoiselle George and those of Mademoiselle Duchesnois: the former was boo-ed as soon as she came on stage, and the latter was called upon to replace her, theatregoers jumped onto the stage attempting to get to the dressing rooms, whilst fights broke out in the auditorium: "if we're not careful" jokingly remarked the chronicler of the Gazette de France, 4 Ventôse, An XI (23 February, 1803), "the stalls of the will soon become an arena for gladiators".
For more on the theatre of the period, see the article 'Napoleon and the theatre'.
In this time of Carnaval (before Lent), many masked balls were organised in theatres after the plays were finished, not to mention in cabarets, dance halls and also in private houses, the latter of which of course raised the spectre of 'noisy neighbours'. In his report of 4 Ventôse, An XI (23 February, 1803), the Préfet de police noted the following 'bad behaviour' which occurred on the night of the 3/4 Ventôse: during a dance, a neighbour who lived below one such party "drilled three holes in the ceiling, and with a syringe, covered the clothes of those dancing with ink and terebinthine. The matter was referred to the Police Correctionnelle".
5 Ventôse, An XI (24 February, 1803), the funeral procession for General Leclerc reached Villers-Cotterêts, the coffin being laid in the church. The General, who had wanted to be buried on his land at Montgobert, was to be buried there on 9 March. On Saint Helena, Napoleon described Leclerc as an "officer of the first rank, as good in the office as on the battlefield".
Publiciste, 9 Ventôse, An XI
8 Ventôse, An XI (27 February, 1803), Bonaparte gave an audience to Cardinal Caprara and four French Cardinals (Fesch, the First Consul's uncle and Archbishop of Lyons, de Belloy, Archibishop of Paris, Boisgelin de Cucé, Bishop of Tours, Cambacérès, brother of the Second Consul and Archbishop of Rouen, who had all be appointed by Pope Pius VII on 8 July, 1802 and then presented to the Consistoire Français on 17 January, 1803).
During this audience, The First Consul also received members of the Paris Consistory of the Reformed Church.
International - from The Times
21 February, Colonel Despard and five other conspirators were executed. The Times noted: 'That Atheism should be the foundation, and treason the superstructure, of Jacobin revolution, can excite no amazement; we have the experience of France, that irreligion is the cause and prompter of ever crime and disorder; and the aweful, terrible example of yesterday only confirms the old observation of the Psalmist, that "the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God".'
24 February - Two anecdotes concerning Dr Warren
Lady Ashburnham's heirs complained she was eating away at their inheritance by having Dr Warren visit her every day, 'and not gratis'. Lady Ashburnham 'vindicated herself by saying, she believed it might be true that she was well without Doctor Warren's assistance, but she was always better for his telling her that she was well.'
As for the marshal De La Motte, 'he seems to have carried the point still farther... it happened that one day being taken ill, his servants ran with great dispatch for the Doctor, whose arrival being notified, the Marshal, to their infinite surprise, bid them tell him he was sorry he could not see him that day, being indisposed.'
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
|
|
|
|
|
|
THIS WEEK:
Just published
- Wellington and Napoleon: Clash of Arms, 1807-1815, by Robin Neillands
What's on
- Exhibition: Napoleon and Alexander I in Hildesheim (Germany)
- Exhibition: The first Italian Republic, 1802-1805
- Exhibition: Seat of Empire
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: Napoleon's Medaillen, by Lisa Zeitz and Joachim Zeitz
- This month's picture, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and his children in 1853, by Courbet
- Article of the Month, Napoleon and the Theatre, by Peter Hicks
- In the Collectors Corner, The Prince Impérial and his dog Néro, by Carpeaux
<<
|
|
