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The marginal note by Bonaparte on Bourrienne’s letter (f. 8) is not his signature or paraph but an abbreviation of the word ‘Recommandé’.

(Undated. Each entry is in the form ‘Bon pour x actions dans l’emprunt contre l’Angleterre’ (each action, or share, being equal to 1000 livres), and each is in the hand of, and sub-scribed by, the contributor in question. There are seventy-seven contributors in all, in-cluding Napoleon Bonaparte; Jean-Barthélémy Le Couteulx de Canteleu et Cie; Alex-andre Barrillon; Jacques-Rose Récamier; Lang-Hupais Gelot et Cie; Pierre-Joseph-Fleury Jubié; Jean-Baptiste Decrétot; Dominique-Vincent Ramel-Nogaret; Fulchiron et Cie; Joseph Fulchiron; Doyen, Durieux et Cie; Paul Barras; Louis-Marie de la Ré-vellière-Lépeau; Philippe-Antoine Merlin de Douai; Nicolas François de Neufchâteau; Jean-François Reubell; Jean-Joseph Johannet; Pierre Lenormand; Jacques-Louis Saus-say; François-Bernard Boyer-Fonfrède; Louis-Ghislain de Boute-ville du Metz; Florent Guyot; Olry-Hayem Worms de Romilly; Jean-Charles Joachim Davillier et Cie; Nicolas Jean-Baptiste Gobin; and Amelin van Robais et Cie.)

Asks him to grant his brother Savinien Edme Fauvelet a place in the agency for providing fodder for the expedition to England (l’agence des fourrages de l’armée d’Angleterre).

(Undated. A similar request for a citizen Benoit(?) is appended in another hand. The requests have been authorised by an inscription apparently in Napoleon’s hand.)

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Transcript

No. 591

Je prie le citoyen Tallien de vouloir bien m’accorder une place dans l’agence des fourrages de l’armée d’angleterre, pour mon frère le C[itoy]en Savinien Edme fauvelet.

Et une pour le Citoyen benoit {1}, Jeune homme plein de valeur et de patriotisme et a qui je dois beaucoup.

Le secrétaire du gènéral {2} Bonaparte
fauvelet Bourrienne

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The second paragraph of this note is in a different hand to the first. In the margin is written, in Bonaparte’s hand, something like ‘Recom’, i.e. recommandé. The word has been marked with an asterisk referring to the following footnote: ‘ceci est la signate ou le paraphe de Bonaparte.’ But see the note inserted in the back of the book.

{1} The end of this name is indistinct.

{2} The last two letters are written above the line and are indistinct. They may have been added slightly later.

Farney Close, Peaslake, Guildford. - Thanks Bob for the book of poems ["From the Shiffolds"]; thinks they have 'a sort of Chinese simplicity' and that the 'complete absence of "pose" makes them rare & infinitely consoling'. Recommends "In Search of Two Characters" by Dormer Chreston, which he got from the library after it was praised by Dr G. P. Gooch; it is largely about Napoleon though his son is also mentioned. Sure that Bessie would be interested; sends his love; will write to her later; there 'is so much to do'.

Following the question 'What is your opinion of the comparative merits of John Morley & "Charlie" Hammond" [perhaps Charles Frederick Hamond, and referring to them competing for the Newcastle-on-Tyne seat in the 1892 or 1895 general election], lines under the title "Honest John" describe Morley 'A good sound freethinker to judge from his books', while 'Charlie' is 'not half as bad as he looks'; though 'John P. Robinson' says that 'really Jehovah deserves a big G'.

Limerick on the other side about the 'Rev. Sydney Smith, when at Acre' [the 'Rev' is emphasised, perhaps to distinguish Smith from Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith, who fought at the Siege of Acre] meeting Napoleon 'Buonaparte dressed like a fakir'.

Epigram which won the Browne Medal in 1959, to the set subject "Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi" [Horace, "Epistles" 1.2.14; 20/67 is another copy]. Explanation that it refers to Louis Napoleon's comment to the Austrian ambassador Baron Hübner at the New Year's day ambassadorial levee [1859], which presaged war with Austria and recalled his uncle [Napoleon]'s attack on Lord Whitworth [March 1803]. Note at the end of the poem saying that Hübner himself, at the age of over eighty, saw the epigram and liked it.

Epigram which won the Browne Medal in 1858, when, as noted by Trevelyan he was a freshman, to the set subject "Versat / Saxum sudans nitendo neque proficit hilum" [a quotation from Cicero, "Tusculan Disputations" 1.10, perhaps quoting Ennius' "Annales"; 20/68 is a printed copy]. Addressed to 'Cotilus' [a name used in Martial's epigrams], who was a school-friend of Trevelyan's at Harrow and is now studying at Oxford.

Hôtel Timeo, Taormina:- Returned here on Sunday, and is expecting the Frys back from Palermo this evening; he himself did not want to stay there more than two or three days, so left them. They went to see Monreale, which is ‘even finer’ than he remembered, only to be compared with Ravenna. As far as he can tell, the Frys are ‘going along as well as any one could wish’, though they ‘seem to think… that they are very poor’ and are starting to cut down travelling expenses as much as possible. Expects ‘they will stay in Italy most of this year’, since they do not yet have a London house. The weather has been beautiful; today it is ‘quite perfect’. Is keeping well, and ‘getting along’ with his work; hopes to start back before long. Is glad Aunt Margaret [Holland?] is coming to Welcombe to ‘see the plays’; would also like to do so, ‘if it is convenient’. Wonders what she thinks of ‘the Cretan business’; does ‘not quite understand why we can’t let Greece have the place’ , but supposes it is ‘the emperor of the Scythian barbarians who seems to be chief man in Europe now. Napoleon said that in a hundred years Europe would either be Republican or Cossack’. Hopes his father is well.

Enclosing note on Crewe family ancestors by Emma Blackburne (1 sheet).

pp. 115-116: Notes by Annabella Hungerford Milnes entitled 'At Ketteringham': Dean Milman quoting Rogers, Guizot on Napoleon etc.

Trinity:- Not sure when he is coming up to London; probably on Friday. Expects he will go to the theatre in the evening and stay with his parents next morning. Was 'very glad to see Charlie'; expects he will be in Scotland next Friday so Robert will not see him then. The government 'seems to have had a great victory on Thursday and... succeeded in putting the Lords in a very awkward dilemma. The best thing they can do to educate the electorate is to throw out the clause'.

He, George, and two others read Othello this morning, and decided 'it was the best play all round [they] had ever read'. George 'acted Desdemona with great pathos, and the Iago was splendidly done by [Maurice] Amos'. Kitson [Robert or Sydney?] is here today; says that Charlie visited him last Friday, when he was 'looking after a very deaf old aunt' and so not able to see him properly. Has been reading a story by F[red] Benson in the English Illustrated [Story of a Mazurka?], which was 'very poor'. Hopes Dodo will be better; they are 'all waiting' for the six shilling edition, due to come out in the winter.

Hopes his father is well and 'not too busy'; supposes he does not have much time for reading, and has not come across any new interesting books. Sees there is a 'new French book about Napoleon', but has not had time to read it.

Bound manuscript by an unidentified author. Full title: "Pensées diverses, dont plusieurs dénotent un Royaliste entête, qui s'obstine à croire qu'un Roi vaut mieux qu'un Consul, et qu'un Souverain légitime eclairé par le malheur doit être préfére à un Usurpateur aveuglé par la fortune. 1802"

21 Grande Rue, Boulogne Sur Mer. - Remorse after sending letter last summer; encloses pamphlet [no longer present] on Hayti [sic]; would Milnes draw Palmerston's attention to his own copy? Bathurst's father Robert was the eldest nephew of Henry Bathurst, bishop of Norwich [in fact he seems to have been a younger brother]; he made a fortune in India and bought Bream Lodge, near Lydney Park; died there in 1822 [actually 1821] when Edward Bathurst was four. Describes disposal of estate. Bathurst's uncle Charles ran the Indian business but ruined the family and 'died of a champagne surfeit in 1832' [1831?]. Bathurst himself went to India in 1835 but was unable to recover anything; accuses James Weir Hogg and Elliott Macnaghten of profiting from Indian crash.

Travelled in India; sailed to St Helena and witnessed the exhumation of Napoleon: 'the massy chest unclosed, and behold - such was the skill of the embalmer - the features of the Emperor in all their well-remembered beauty; features over which corruption seemed to have no power'. Returned to England and entered Lincoln's Inn before obtaining Vice-Consulship at Copenhagen through Lord Bathurst; his labours there; accepted posting to Cape Haytien on Sir Henry Wynn's advice but was unable to obtain any details; criticises 'esoteric mysteries of the Foreign Office; problems in Jamaica and Haiti; expense of building and other privations; abolition of post without recompense; creditors include Copeland, who unfairly supplied an expensive crockery service; has snubbed Haytians but otherwise gained approval; has not asked for promotion but for reinstatement; pleads case rhetorically.

Enclosure: 'Copy from a manuscript of the Character of the late Robert Bathurst [Junior?] Esq. originally taken from the Cawnpore Advertiser' [c May 1822], copy dated 23 Dec. 1833.