ANECDOTES OF THE INTERIOR OF NAPOLEON'S PALACE*. THE Comte de

BAUSSET had already published two volumes re-

specting the private life of NAPOLEON, which embraced numerous interesting particulars illustrative of the character of that extraor- dinary man, and the secret history of his reign. The two additional volumes which have just made their appearance relate chiefly to the fortunes of MARIE-LOUISE after the abdication of her imperial spouse; when she returned once more to her paternal halls, with

her little charge, the petit rol, the offspring of the grand adven- turer. Besides the history of the Ex-Empress MARIE-LOUISE at Vienna, to which place M. de BAUSSET accompanied her, we have the memoirs of the buildings of Paris, which were executed under the direction of NAPOLEON : we have his conversations with his architects, his notions of magnificence, and numerous anecdotes

respecting his great designs. The book is excessively miscella- neous, and contains much that would not have been recorded, had not the Ancien Prefet du Palais considered that everything which related to such eminent personages was worthy of universal attention.

The first object of M. de BAussn's interest as well as that of

his reader, is thepetit roi, as the Allied Sovereigns used to call him. The early character of this little fellow is extremely promising. The anecdotes that are told of him in the Mimoires Contemporains and

other works are very amusing. I t is well known that it was only by violence that he could be taken from the Tuileries ; and it would have been well for the interests of himself and his imperial mother had they not been able to take him off in their flight to Blois. When they arrived at Bale, he cried out, " see well I am not a king now, for I have not any pages." Being accustomed to play with those in waiting, he had felt their absence. Happy age ! exclaims M. de BAUSSET, when his sports were the only ob- jects of his regrets. The abode of the Ex-Empress was fixed at Schcunbrun, a beautiful palace in the neighbourhood of Vienna.

While her husband was revolving his grand designs at Elba, MA- atE-LOUISE was leading a placid existence, une vie de chtiteau, at Schcenbrun : her mornings were divided between her child, her music, her drawing, varied with the study of English and italian; the evenings were either spent in the society of her own little court the Imperial family, or in a favourite amusement of Vienna, that of

representing by persons of the company, dressed in proper cos- tume, the action of the most celebrated paintings. It was in the midst of one of these representations at the Empress of Austria's, that the news was brought of the flight of NAPOLEON from Elba. The Congress was sitting at the time.

"The great picture in the middle represented an interview of Maximi- lian the First with Mary of Burgundy, painted by Potter, a living artist at Vienna. The most beautiful women of the court, the Duchess of Sagan, the Countess of Fuchs, the Duchess of Dino, &c. excited by turns the ad- miration of the spectators, who went from picture to picture examining the beautiful copies presented to them. Pleasure bad, up to a certain

point, banished etiquette. All of a sudden, a low rumour, grave.and mys- terious, confined in the first instance to the principal personages, threw

a confused coldness over the pleasures of the evening. Groups of heads were inclined together in a confidential manner, till communications less secret began to spread from one corner to another. Maximilian the First and Mary of Burgundy grew uneasy. The bishop, the ladies, the cheva- liers, the grand-mistress, all were in a state of agitation : each of the actors forgetting the immobility of his picture, approached the nearest spectator, and demands the intelligence. Re embarked the 28th of the last month. Who embarked ? Bonaparte? Impossible, they answered. But the English cruisers will give us a good account of him. Where do you think he has gone, another would demand. Who knows ? To France—Perhaps

to America—Perhaps better still . . . . I think with you, 8s.c. 80-c. 85c. All the company was strangely moved. An indifferent observer would have

had a fine opportunity of studying the human heart; for in the first emotion of surprise no one was on his guard, against so lively an impression no one could prepare his behaviour. Some feigned a lively satisfaction, and showed beforehand all the evils that this step might produce on France—other persons were much more alarming by their serious and phlegmatic physiognomies, who appeared to be calculating tlpe advantage of another congress still more lucrative than the pre-

sent one. The two Emperors and the Kings formed a group apart. Respect kept a multitude of highnesses at a distance, whose regards

were fixed upon the visible divinities : thence we perceived were to spring the thunder which was to shake the world. The countenance of Francis appeared full of good faith and veritable astonishment. That of some other sovereigns appeared more studied and less natural. There was a hasty separation, and each carried home matter for reflection."

The news of the events subsequent to the battle of Waterloo, the surrender of NAPOLEON, and his consignment to St. Helena, were communicated to his wife, MARIE-LOUISE, by the Empress of Austria, her mother-in-law. She detested BONAPARTE, and these unpleasant communications appear to have been reserved for her.

She spent the morning in disclosing this intelligence to her daughter : when they came to dinner, M. de BAussEr sat opposite to them, and remarked their physiognomies. The Empress of Austria ap- peared in high spirits, while her daughter was struggling with an emotion she with difficulty contained.

Among other parts of M. de BAUssET's book calculated to attract the attention of the curious reader, is a description of some inter- views between the Empress MARIE-LOUISE and the late Queen CAROLINE, then Princess of Wales. M. de BAUSSET gives a lively sketch of the manners of the last unfortunate person, and con- trasts the difference of temper and of character. He observes, that had MARIE-LouIsE had the spirit and talent of the Princess of Wales, the Bourbons never would have resumed the throne of France ; she would have stood up for the rights both of herself and child.

We do not know that these two volumes are so well worth translation as the first two ; but they certainly contain a fund of information, and are well worth the perusal of the historian at

least. M$ir.oires Anecdotiques ear t'Interieur du Palais et sur quciques Evenemens de l'Empire, depuis 1805 jusqu'en 1816; pour servir a l'Histoire Sc Napoleon. Par L. F. J. de I3ausset, Aacien ?Wet du Palis Jispedal. Tames 3 a 4. Paris, 1829.