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WORDS AND MUSIC
Hortense's romance which became the French national anthem during the Second Empire, Partant pour la Syrie. Download the music and play it at home.
THIS MONTH'S PAINTING
Costume ball at the Tuileries Palace, by Carpeaux
During the Exposition universelle of 1867, there were numerous fêtes and balls at the imperial court. On that occasion, the sculptor Carpeaux revealed his talents as a painter of remarkable small paintings.
CORRECTION
Contrary to what was published last week in the letter, the church of Saint-Honoré d'Eylau, is in fact in the 16th arrondissement in Paris (and not in the 8th), and the concert which will take place on Friday 14 June, at 8-45pm is to be for the deaf children's charity, ADELC, the Association for the Development of the Establishment Laurent Clerc.
The works to be performed are the coronation mass of Napoleon 1, by Paisiello, and the mass written by Cherubini for the coronation of Louis XVIII.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
7 June, 1802 (18 Prairial, An X), caught in a trap set by General Brunet, Toussaint-Louverture was arrested.
8 June, 1802 (19 Prairial, An X), in Neuilly (on the outskirts of Paris) Talleyrand organised a sumptuous fête in honour of the King and Queen of Etruria, at which Bonaparte was present. On 22 May, Bonaparte had sent a letter to Talleyrand concerning the behaviour of General Clarke, the French Plenipotentiary minister to the King of Etruria, and concerning the rumours which he was spreading concerning the mental health of Louis I: "The King of Etruria is not at all insane. [...] Far from declaring that the King is mad, the cabinet has on the contrary denied it. We must go with this and take no notice of such gutter rumours. Insanity cannot be confirmed by one day, not by an attack of infirmity. If, however, something unexpected happened [...], it is the the Queen who must assume control of the government. [...] So, send a special letter to General Clarke, [...] and have him understand that he is ambassador to Florence, not governor of Tuscany." The last line of the letter reads: "If the King's illness continues to deteriorate, General Clarke should intimate gently to the Queen that we desire her to take control of the government, he should try to ensure her goodwill, and he should avail himself of a suitable credit."
Correspondance, n° 6092.
12 June, 1802 (23 Prairial, An X), the Préfet de police posted once again bills bearing the Ordonnance of 5 September, 1801, (18 Fructidor, An IX), on the unification of weights and measures: the definitive alteration was to place on 1 Vendémiaire, An X". Article III stated that the only legal weights for commerce were those bearing the stamp of the Republic, a clear and distinct mark showing the names of those to whom they belonged, and an indication of their value, including the maker's trade mark. [...]. Article VIII stated that balancing pieces and all other elements for equalising weights had each to bear a specific mark. This mark will be cut by the Préfecture de police on a brass plaque designed for that purpose."
Furthermore, it would be illegal for any foreign weights to receive an authentication mark in France. (article VI)
Le Moniteur universel, 30 Prairial, An X
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- 'Monsieur N', film about Napoleon on Saint Helena
- Online Exhibition: «Great Emperors of Europe: Napoleon I and Alexander I»
Press Review
- Online article: 'British Revolution in the early 19th century: How close?'
What's on
- Concert: Napoleon's coronation mass
- Conference: Forum Marengo IV: 'Middle class' 'space' and government of territory in Napoleonic Italy
- Re-enactment in Lithuania of Napoleon's crossing of the Niemen
- Re-enactment: 4th Napoleonic Bivouac - Genappe (Belgium)
- Television: Wellington, the Iron Duke
- Study day: First ever Ajaccio Napoleonic Days
Web sites
- The Monaco delegation of the Association du Souvenir Napoléonien (under Associations)
- Uniformology (under Militaria)
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: The French Second Empire: An Anatomy of Political Power, by Roger Price
- This month's picture, Costume ball at the Tuileries Palace, by Carpeaux
- Article of the Month, The Cinco de Mayo and French Imperialism, by Peter Hicks
- In the Collectors Corner, the Star of the Légion d'Honneur
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