TRYING ON A CROWN. UNKNWON Great Bonaparte.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 2

TRYING ON A CROWN. UNKNWON Great Bonaparte.

Anx revelaiSons bearing on the coronation} of Napb|eoir 3 by Pius VII, will be, interesting to the general reader. A writer in the*- " Musee dcs families " has just' given tltepublica series 'of interesting details, whicfc he has compiled froßt^ the best original, sources, and which are, by the by, of quite? a valuable kind. s People who havo followed, in spirit the fortunes pi the " Little Corporal " need hardly- be>. told that on the eventful 24th of December, 1802, Napoleon is generally represented, as feeling rather agreeably surprised- tii'a* the crown Avas such a good fit for His bead ; and he is, moreover, reported ac- havwng said : " This crown is all right, bu^woa'to the man who w;ill dare to touch it !"" That these words, ,or words to that • effect,, were used by the Eimperor on the occaskmu'^fesrred to is little doubted, but the writerin the " Musee dcs Families " disposes altogether of the fallacy of Napoleon's agreeable surprise. One morning in the monih of Jfovember, 1802, according to this authority-;; M. Nitot, the Emperor's silversmith, was seen entering the Tuilleries palace, carrying a round package on his right arm* Addressing one of the imperial lackeys, he*asked if he could ! not see his Majesty. " His Majesty is not yefc oat of bed," was the reply. "Please announce to his s 'said' said M. Nitot, " that I should like to speak with him." The silversmith was soon afterward ushered into the imperial bediroom, where Napoleon and his wife Josephine were still enjoying their repose, the former wearing a kerchief around his head and the latter a nightcap. ! "Oh ! 'tis you, Papa Nitot t" exclaimed Napoleon. "Good day, Papa.Nitot ; any news ?" " Sire, I come to try it.'.' " Try what, Papa Nitot ?" " The crown for your coronation,' sire." Whereupon Napoleon flung tile kerchief to the other end of the chamber, raised himself on his arms and was crowned there and then most respectfully by the silversmith. "It goes well," said his Majesty j " doesn't it, Josephine ?" " Yes, my friend, very wall," was Josephine's reply. "But you must see if it fits you also," l*e exclaimed to his wife, taking off the crown from his own head and placing ifc tenderly on hers, after having relieved his hhperial spouse of the rather democratic cap she had been wearing. The crown proved to be as good a fit Tor the Empress as for the Emperor, and both Were delighted with Papa Nitot's dexterity -in its manufacture. " The writer in the " Musce dcs Families 1 " happened on sevei'al unpublished manuscripts of the silversmith, in which he discovered the foregoing anecdote. It may be added that Nitot confirms the statement that Napoleon took the crown at Notre Dame out of the Pope's hand& and placed ifc most ungraciously on his own head.