General—­Suffer me to write to you and call you by the name of brother.  My first child was born at a time when you were much incensed against us.  I trust she may soon caress you, and so make you forget the pain my marriage has occasioned you.  My second child was still-born.  Obliged to quit Paris by your order,

   —­[Napoleon had written in August 1796 to Carnot, to request that
   Lucien might be ordered to quit Paris; see Iung, tome iii.
   p. 223.]—­

I miscarried in Germany.  In a month’s time I hope to present you with a nephew.  A favourable time, and other circumstances, incline me to hope my next will be a boy, and I promise you I will make a soldier of him; but I wish him to bear your name, and that you should be his godfather.  I trust you will not refuse your sister’s request.

Will you send, for this purpose, your power of attorney to Baciocchi, or to whomsoever you think fit?  I shall expect with impatience your assent.  Because we are poor let not that cause you to despise us; for, after all, you are our brother, mine are the only children that call you uncle, and we all love you more than we do the favours of fortune.  Perhaps I may one day succeed in convincing you of the love I bear you.—­Your affectionate sister,

ChristineBonaparte.

—­[Madame Bacciocchi went by the name of Marianne at St. Cyr, of
Christine while on her travels, and of Eliza under the Consulate.—­
Bourrienne.]—­

P.S.—­Do not fail to remember me to your wife, whom I strongly
desire to be acquainted with.  They told me at Paris I was very like
her.  If you recollect my features you can judge.  C. B.

This letter is in the handwriting of Lucien Bonaparte.’

—­[Joseph Bonaparte in his Notes says, “It is false that Madame Bonaparte ever called herself Christine; it is false that she ever wrote the letter of which M. de Bourrienne here gives a copy.”  It will be observed that Bourrienne says it was written by her brother Lucien.  This is an error.  The letter is obviously from Christine Boyer, the wife of Lucien Bonaparte, whose marriage had given such displeasure to Napoleon. (See Erreurs, tome i. p. 240, and Iung’s Lucien, tome i p. 161).]—­

General Bonaparte had been near a month at Passeriano when he received the following autograph letter from the Emperor of Austria: 

   To monsieur le general Bonaparte, general-in-chief
   of the army of Italy.