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a green mound), and Norham-once the northern stronghold of the mitred lords palatine of Durham.

Of Alnwick Castle we are told:

In the long and disastrous interval before the ancient honours of the Percy family were revived with the ducal coronet of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle suffered great dilapidation, and in the latter half of the last century it was still more injured by alterations in what was at that time supposed to be the Gothic style. The towers clustered in the central keep were then converted into large reception rooms, and the whole castle underwent such an injurious transformation that it lost its ancient feudal dignity of aspect without acquiring either comfort or fitting splendour. The present duke, who may be called the third great builder in the Percy family, therefore formed, and is now completing, a magnificent design for the purpose of restoring to the exterior of his castle its medieval dignity, and providing a new and sumptuous interior, which is being enriched with carvings and decorations designed from churches and palaces of Italy. These costly works are naturally attracting much attention to Alnwick, and the fitness of a Renaissance style of ornament for the interior of a feudal castle in Northumberland has been much debated; but at all events the architecture of former times really worthy of preservation has been carefully preserved, and Alnwick Castle is acquiring the splendour which the greatest historical edifice in the north of England should display.

There is only one fault to be found with this Memoir-and that is a rare one-it is not long enough. True, we have many ponderous tomes devoted to the northern land, from Wallis's old work to Ridpath's " Border History," Hutchinson's "View" to Hodgson, and thence to Mr. White's pleasant lucubrations; but we want now-a-days a condensed and illustrated little book, in which the past and the present shall be philosophically welded together. New materials present themselves in the Illustrations of Alnwick, Prudhoe, and Warkworth, in MacLauchlan's Surveys of the Roman Wall, the Memoirs of the Archæological Institute, the Pipe Rolls, the Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club, and other memoirs, not to omit our author's own publications, the History of Tynemouth," and "Visits to Northumbrian Churches and Castles.' The system adopted by this Memoir is especially a sound one, and would just form the basis for such a book. It is not a mere discursive, gossiping ramble; it goes from geological substracture to natural features, and to the diversity these entail in the antiquities, the resources, the progress, and the industry of the region. It is one thing to arrive at Bamborough or Holy Island by modern railway; it is another to get there by the natural sequence of a series of basaltic crags jutting out upon a glorious coast-line.

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THE EARLY LIFE OF KING JEROME.*

JEROME, the last of the children of Charles and Letitia Bonaparte, was born at Ajaccio, on November 9, 1784, fifteen years after Napoleon. He never knew his father, who died at Montpellier in the same year that Jerome came into the world. He spent the first nine years of his life in Corsica, enjoying the tender affection of a family of which he was the Benjamin. The French revolution, however, rekindled the civil war in Corsica, which the retirement of Paoli had terminated in 1769. Paoli was appointed lieutenant-general in the French army, and commander of the Corsican forces; but three years later he revolted, and called the English to his aid. The whole of the Bonaparte family sided with the French, and the struggle broke out in May, 1793, when Paoli, proscribed by the Convention, raised the standard of revolt, and was nominated president of the Insurrectionary Consulta assembled at Corte. Bonaparte, at the head of the republican forces, and under the direction of Salicetti, attempted resistance; but an attack on Ajaccio failed. In consequence, the Bonapartes were compelled to fly; and in July, 1793, Madame Letitia, being in a most precarious position, landed in France with her youngest children, Caroline, Pauline, Louis, and Jerome.

She settled at Marseilles, where she lived in great retirement till 1797, when, as Joseph had been nominated deputy for Corsica, she proceeded to Paris, and lodged in the house of her eldest son in the Rue du Rocher. Since the 13th Vendémiaire, however, the position of the family had gradually improved with the fortunes of Napoleon, and through his influence Jerome was sent to the college of Juilly, where he received his education till the end of 1799. This period of his life offers no salient points for the historian; we merely find the young student, during his holidays, imparting the lively and turbulent gaiety of youth into the brilliant circle already forming round his relatives. Caroline Bonaparte, Eugène and Hortense de Beauharnais, Mademoiselle de Permon-presently Duchesse d'Abrantès-were of nearly the same age as Jerome, and the house in the Rue Chantereine re-echoed with their merry pranks. Jerome, spoiled by his mother, whose favourite he always was, and by Josephine, found affectionate censors in his elder brothers, Lucien and Joseph, who constantly held up before him Eugène Beauharnais—a remarkably steady lad-as worthy of imitation. After the 18th Brumaire the First Consul called his young brother to him; and from February 19, 1800, when Napoleon installed himself with almost regal pomp in the Tuileries, Jerome's entrance into the world dates.

Jerome, then fifteen years of age, had apartments on the ground floor, beneath those occupied by the First Consul, and for more than a year lived in that society of clever men and charming women, who were soon to form the nucleus of a brilliant court:

The company were far removed, not from republican simplicity, but from that affected coarseness which had been fashionable before the Directory. At no period had Madame Josephine Bonaparte-an eminently elegant woman-de

Mémoires et Correspondance du Roi Jérome et de la Reine Catherine. Tome Ier. Paris: E. Dentu.

parted from those habits she possessed by birth. As for the First Consul and his brothers, their education and good sense had always preserved them from those vulgar forms, and that language of conventional rudeness, which many patriots regarded for a lengthened period as one of the elements of pure civism. Hence the house of the First Consul had no effort to make, and needed no change in its habits and manners, in order to form an elegant, polite, and witty society, which soon became the model for all the salons ready to reopen in Paris, under a régime of security and liberty. . . . Jerome, educated from his entrance into the world in such a school, retained its imprint throughout life. It was here he learned the secret of that worthy and charming affability, that art of receiving, of which he offered in his old age the most perfect model to a generation too disdainful of these essential elements of sociability.

The First Consul, foreseeing that his family would soon have to undertake the weight of the highest destinies, watched all the symptoms which might enlighten him as to the aptitudes, character, and future of his brother. With many good points he possessed serious defects: an extreme vivacity often degenerating into levity, and a love of pleasure which he could not always master, often paralysed his better feelings. He loved luxury and display, and attached too great importance to externals; but the dominating trait of his character was a profound feeling of his personal dignity. Gifted with an agreeable exterior, elegant, amiable, and full of excitement, Jerome at fifteen was the spoiled child of the First Consul, whose paternal surveillance was, however, foiled by his madcap freaks. Here is one instance from a thousand:

One day Jerome escaped from the Tuileries and took a walk on the Boulevards, where he went into a dressing-case shop and examined the objects displayed for sale. Finding nothing handsome enough for him, he asked to be shown the finest things in the shop, both in price and artistic design. The tradesman, astonished at such coolness on the part of a boy, at length showed him a case worth 16,000 fr. "That will do," said Jerome; "send it to the Tuileries, and the aide-de-camp on duty will pay for it." Duroc, believing that General Bonaparte had bought the article, paid for it, and the next morning entered the amount in the accounts he daily laid before the First Consul. The latter, astounded, asked what this meant: Duroc explained what had happened, a messenger was sent to the shopkeeper, and all came out. At dinner-time the First Consul entered the room where the company were assembled: taking Jerome by both ears, he said, "So it is you, sir, who think proper to buy a dressing-case for 16,000 fr." "Yes; that's my way," the lad replied, not at all disconcerted. "I only like handsome things."

Such incidents as these decided Napoleon on selecting a military career for his brother, and on his return from Italy the boy entered the army. Jerome had hoped to be with him during that glorious campaign, but he left him behind, and took Eugène instead. On his return, the First Consul asked for his brother, who came in pouting, and refused to kiss Josephine. Bonaparte reproached him kindly, and at length drew from him that the cause of his vexation was at not having gone to Italy, like Eugène. "Look here," the First Consul said; "if you will make peace I will give you something." "What is it to be?" "Whatever you like." "Very good, then, give me the sabre you wore at Marengo." The First Consul gave it to his brother, who never parted with it, but left it to his son in his will. A few days after this little scene, Jerome was enrolled in the mounted chasseurs of the Consular Guard as private, but did not remain there long. Having quarrelled with a young man of his own age, a

brother of General Davoust, he had with him a most extraordinary and dangerous duel. They agreed to meet in the Bois de Boulogne, armed with a brace of cavalry pistols, and a packet of cartridges in their pocket. They sat down on the ground, twenty-five yards apart, and blazed away till one of them was wounded. Jerome was struck by a bullet, which lodged in his breast-bone, and sixty years after, when his body was being embalmed, it was taken out. The First Consul was much affected at the news of the duel, withdrew his brother from the Guard, and looked him out another profession. At this period the First Consul saw the possibility of changing the continental coalition against France into a maritime coalition against England. His imagination, which was as lively as his genius was profound, rushed impetuously in the new direction, and from 1800 to 1805 his thoughts turned from the battle-fields of Europe exclusively on the sea. He constantly repeated that no glory was to be achieved except in the navy. It required four years of miscalculation, reverses, and failures to undeceive him, and it was only when he gave orders to raise the camp of Boulogne that he bade farewell to his dearest dream. Governed by these thoughts, the First Consul decided that Jerome should be a sailor, and on November 29, 1800, he received his appointment as second-class aspirant on board the Indivisible, 80, Admiral Ganteaume, who was placed in command of the squadron destined to succour the French army in Egypt, and which took a relieving force on board, under General Sahuguet. Had we space, it would be interesting to follow the author through the narrative by which he strives to account for the failure of the expedition, but the plain truth appears to be that the French ships ran away whenever they saw an English vessel. After beating off the coast of Egypt for some time, the Indivisible and the Dix Août, 74, cut off the English man-of-war the Swiftsure, and actually managed to take her. This was the first time Jerome was under fire. With this sop for Cerberus, Ganteaume returned to Toulon. It was a poor compensation, however, for the capitulation of the French army in Egypt. On August 16, 1801, the First Consul wrote his brother the following letter:

"I learn with pleasure that you are growing used to the sea, for it is only there that a great reputation can be achieved in the present day. Climb up the rigging, and study the various parts of the vessel, so that on your return I may be told that you are as active as any sailor. Allow no one to do your duty for you, and strive, on all occasions, to distinguish yourself. Remember that the navy will be your profession. I hope that you are at present in a position to keep your watch and ship's reckoning."

Jerome was next engaged in the disastrous expedition to St. Domingo, and, promoted to be a first-class aspirant, embarked on board the Foudroyant, flag-ship of Latouche-Treville. On reaching the island, Portau-Prince was bombarded, and the black general, Dessalines, retired, taking with him three hundred white people, whom he killed with the utmost torture. At Cape Town, Jerome found his sister and brother-inlaw, Leclerc, and was selected at the end of the first campaign to carry home despatches. He reached Paris in April, 1802, and had his swing of pleasure, which the First Consul, however, cut short at the expiration of a month, by ordering him to join the Epervier brig, appointed to the West India station, as enseigne de vaisseau. As the vessel was not fully

equipped, Jerome had two months' racketing at Nantes, over which the editor passes discreetly, though he finds room for the following anecdote :

Among other anecdotes still told at Nantes about Jerome and Halgan (his captain), is one about the burlesque entrance into the town after landing from the Cisalpine. When a few leagues from Nantes, the postilion refused to go further, and his Breton obstinacy resisted all promises and threats. Jerome all at once leaped into the saddle, and started at full speed, leaving the postilion on the high road dumb with anger and surprise. An hour later a post-chaise might be seen entering Nantes occupied by a captain in uniform, and driven by a midshipman with bare head, wearing epaulettes and silk stockings.

On Jerome reaching his station, Villaret de Joyeuse, captain-general of Martinique, did a little bit of jobbery. He made the young midshipman a lieutenant, and hinted to Captain Halgan that, if he would resign his command, the First Consul would not forget him. He did so, of course, and Jerome was appointed in command of the Epervier at the ripe age of eighteen. He sailed to Santa Lucia, where he nearly ended his days: having gone to visit a sulphur-spring during the heat of the day, he was attacked by yellow fever, and his officers set sail for Saint Pierre, when he gradually recovered. He was most anxious to resign his command, for his crew was reduced one-half by fever and desertion; but Villaret would not listen to this, and the Epervier presently sailed for Guadaloupe, where Jerome was hospitably entertained by RearAdmiral Lacrosse.

Jerome, on returning to Martinique, put into Dominica, then occupied by the British. He courteously expressed to General Prevost, commander of the island, his desire to land and pay him a visit. The governor answered with equal politeness, called out the garrison, and received Jerome with honours paid to the brother of the First Consul. In April, 1803, the Epervier received orders to return to France, but several causes delayed it: first, a serious illness of Jerome's, and then the desertion of the crew. It was not till the end of May that he set sail, and Villaret fancied him half way across the Atlantic, when he turned up again at Saint-Pierre. Jerome had met out at sea an English man-ofwar, and made her heave-to, and there would be probably a row about this. The admiral begged him to be off at once, but Jerome declined: he did not like the look of things between England and France, and had no desire to be a prisoner. Hence, he laid down his command, and the Epervier was really captured by the British on July 27.

Jerome, unable to get away, resolved to go to the United States, and try to reach France on board a neutral. He landed at Norfolk, in Virginia, from a pilot-boat, and started at once for Washington, to consult with Pichon, consul-general of France, as to the means of freighting a vessel and raising the wind. As there was some difficulty about both these points, and Captain Murray, commanding the Chesapeake station, had vowed that Jerome should not escape him, the young lieutenant went for a trip to Baltimore. Pichon was in a terrible state of alarm with this troublesome visitor, who would have his own way, and would not listen to reason, and tried all he knew to get rid of him. It was proposed, for instance, that Jerome should go out to sea in an open boat, and board a merchantman after she had been overhauled by the British,

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