THE

NAPOLEON ANECDOTES.

NAPOLEON AND GENERAL RAPP.

ALTHOUGH the emperor exacted the most profound respect in public, he, nevertheless, admitted in private, the most boundless familiarity, and thus frequently led those who were intimate with him, to risk themselves beyond the boundary of propriety.

General Rapp was devotedly attached to the emperor, but extremely careless in his address and conversation with him. This veteran was standing one morning in the antiroom of Napoleon's private apartment, when he perceived one of the gentlemen in waiting, conducting a man of very equivocal character into the imperial cabinet. This person remained a considerable time closeted with the emperor. Rapp grew impatient, and, anxious for the safety of Napoleon, repeatedly thrust his rough head in at the door to see whether all was right, and as suddenly withdrew it. The suspected stranger at last took his leave, and Rapp obtained his

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audience. "Que diable," exclaimed Napoleon, as Rapp entered, “ que diable voulez-vous donc, en mettant votre tête à la porte comme cela?"- "What the devil do you mean, by putting your head in at the door in that manner?" "C'est que je tremblai pour vous. "It is because I trembled for your safety," replied Rapp, "for perhaps you do not know, that the person with whom you have been closeted is a traitor, a rogue, a swindler, in a word, he is a Corsican!”

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ALEXANDER AND FREDERICK; OR THE MILITARY TAILORS.

A VERY amusing account, in Napoleon's own words, of the talents and pursuits of those redoubted heroes, Alexander of Russia and Frederick of Prussia, is thus given by Mr. O'Meara.

"Alexander is the only one of the three [Alexander, Francis, and the King of Prussia], who has any talent. He is plausible, a great dissimulator, very ambitious, and a man who studies to make himself popular. It is his foible to believe himself skilled in the art of war, and he likes nothing so well as to be complimented upon it, though every thing that originated with himself relative to military operations, was ill judged and absurd.

At Tilsit, Alexander and the King of Prussia used frequently to occupy themselves in contriving dresses for dragoons; debating upon what button the crosses of the orders ought to be hung, and such other fooleries. They fancied themselves on an equality with the best generals in Europe, because they knew how many rows of buttons there were upon a

dragoon's jacket. I could scarcely keep from laughing sometimes, when I heard them discussing these coglionerie with as much gravity and earnestness as if they were planning an impending action between two hundred thousand men.

"I was the most ignorant of the three in military affairs. These two sovereigns, especially the King of Prussia, were completely au fait, as to the number of buttons there ought to be in front of a jacket, how many behind, and the manner in which the skirts ought to be cut. Not a tailor in the army knew better than King Frederick, how many measures of cloth it took to make a jacket. In fact," continued Napoleon, laughing, “I was nobody in comparison with them. They continually tormented me with questions about matters belonging to tailors, of which I was entirely ignorant, though, in order not to affront them, I answered just as gravely as if the fate of an army depended upon the cut of a jacket. When I went to see the King of Prussia, instead of a library, I found he had a large room, like an arsenal, furnished with shelves and pegs, in which were placed fifty or sixty jackets of various modes. Every day he changed his fashion, and put on a different one. He was a tall, dry looking fellow, and would give a good idea of Don Quixote. He attached more importance to the cut of a dragoon, or an hussar, uniform, than was necessary for the salvation of a kingdom. At Jena, his army performed the finest and most showy manœuvres possible, but I soon put a stop to their coglionerie, and taught them, that to fight, and to execute dazzling manoeuvres and wear splendid uniforms, were very different affairs. If," added

he, "the French army had been commanded by a tailor, the King of Prussia would certainly have gained the day, from his superior knowledge in that art; but as victories depend more upon the skill of the general commanding the troops, than upon that of the tailor who makes their jackets, he consequently failed."

Mr. O'Meara having at another time, asked Napoleon if the King of Prussia was a man of talent. "Who!" exclaimed the emperor," the King of Prussia?" He burst into a fit of laughter. "He a man of talent! The greatest blockhead on earth. Un ignorantaccio che non ha nè talento, ne informazione. A Don Quixote in appearance. I know

him well. He cannot hold a conversation for five minutes. Not so his wife. She was a very clever fine woman, but very unfortunate, Eribella, graziosa, e piena d'intelligenza.”

THE BRIDGE OVER THE PO.

THIS bridge is one of the finest raised during the French occupation of Italy. As there is a medal of Napoleon buried beneath its arches, the King of Sardinia lately proposed having it removed and replaced with one of his own, that posterity might never know that an upstart had possessed the dominions of the oldest royal house in Europe. But upon its being represented that it would be difficult to get out the medal without destroying the bridge, his majesty of Jerusalem, Sardinia, and Piedmont had the moderation to give up the scheme!

NAPOLEON CHALLENGES A FELLOW STUDENT.

WHILST Napoleon was at the military school of Auxoune, the Prince of Condé one day communicated his intention of visiting the pupils; and the cadets considered it as a high honour to be examined by that military prince. The commandant, in spite of the hierarchy, placed young Napoleon at the head of the polygon, in preference to others of superior rank.

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"On another occasion," Napoleon used to relate, one of my comrades, who lodged above me, unluckily took a fancy to learn to play the horn, and made such a hideous noise as completely disturbed the studies of those who were within hearing. We met each other one day on the stairs;— 'Are you not tired of practising the horn?' said I.

Not at all,' he replied. At any rate you tire other people. I am sorry for it. It would be better if you went to practise elsewhere.'—' I am master of my own apartment.'-' Perhaps you may be taught to entertain a doubt on that point.'—I scarce think any one will be bold enough to attempt to teach me that.'"

A challenge ensued; but before the antagonists met, the affair was submitted to the ponsideration of a council of the cadets, and it letermined the that the one should practise the h it a greater distance, and that the other should be more accommodating.

In the campaign of 1814, the emperor again met his horn player in the neighbourhood of Soissons or