This is part of a series of letters from Napoleon’s stepdaughter Hortense to her brother Eugene. In these letters, Hortense has expressed extreme dread about going to become Queen of Holland as if she had some preview of what will happen there that will shatter her already unhappy life.
Hortense below continues her running joke about her dream (that would never be) of her grandchildren and Eugene’s grandchildren spending time together in the company of their grandparents, Hortense and Eugene.
In these letters, Hortense is constantly fixated on the idea of getting back to Paris. It is worth noting that Paris is where she’d find Napoleon.
Dear Eugene,
Le Bois, Saturday, June 21, 1806.
I arrived Wednesday evening at the Palais du Bois (1), my dear Eugène; we were delighted to be on our way, but how sad I was when I left France! I feel that I will always be French in the bottom of my heart. The Dutch are pretty good people, however, but how sad the country is! If I did not have the hope of going to spend winters in Paris, I would have been upset.
I will only have real pleasure when I receive your news. Write to me often, please, and always love me as I love you. I'm sending a kiss to your wife.
HORTENSE
Dear Eugene,
La Haye, July 2, 1806, (2).
I realize that we are even further, my dear Eugène, because I receive your news more rarely. At least, in Paris, I could hear about you from someone if I wasn’t receiving a letter from you.
We are always happier and happier with the Dutch. We had a ball last Monday; despite whatever is said, they danced with great pleasure.
Yesterday, we went to see a ship launch in Rotterdam (3): we have never been received with so much enthusiasm, they dragged the carriage and I assure you that I was in transe of horror at the fear of someone getting crushed (4).
Fortunately there was no misfortune, We returned in the evening by yacht, because, in this country, one can dispense with going by carriage if one wants. But, my dear Eugène, you know too well, like I do, that all these honors do not bring happiness.
When we will be able to talk for two hours while poking the fire, we will find ourselves, I am sure, much happier. My grandchildren are doing well; they will embrace both me and you very tenderly; a thousand things to my sister-in-law. How impatient I am to know when you come to Paris!
HORTENSE.
(1) The Palais du Bois is located a league from La Haye. Departing from Saint-Leu on the evening of June 15, 1806, the King and the Queen passed through Laeken and Antwerp and arrived at this palace on June 18, 1806. They remained there until the Palace of The Hague was ready to receive them and they will close their entry into the capital on June 23.
(2) This letter, despite the date entered by Hortense, had to be written on Thursday July 3, and not on Monday the 2nd.
(3) This ship was launched at 8 o'clock in the evening, July 2nd, the day of entry of the King and the Queen at Rotterdam. The city was to be called Piet-Hein, but Louis changed its name to that of Ville de Rotterdam. (Moniteur Universelle, July 10 and 1806, 887.)
(4) "Our entry into Rotterdam was remarkable by the exaltation of the people” (Memoirs of Queen Hortense, loc, cit., I, 253),
Cela fait partie d'une série de lettres de la belle-fille de Napoléon Hortense à son frère Eugène. Dans ces lettres, Hortense a exprimé une crainte extrême à l'idée de devenir reine de Hollande comme si elle avait un aperçu de ce qui va se passer là-bas, ce qui bouleversera sa vie déjà malheureuse.
Hortense ci-dessous continue sa plaisanterie courante sur son rêve (qui ne serait jamais) de ses petits-enfants et des petits-enfants d'Eugene passer du temps ensemble en compagnie de leurs grands-parents, Hortense et Eugene.
Dans ces lettres, Hortense est constamment tournée vers le retour à Paris. Il convient de noter que Paris est l'endroit où elle trouverait Napoléon.
Let’s look at the transits at the time of the writing of the second letter presented above. Pluto (death) is slowly transiting Hortense’s descendant, an area that refers to others in her life. Mars (violence) is about to transit Hortense’s midheaven (reputation). The Sun (spotlight) has just passed this same area.
Uranus (surprises) and Saturn (limitation) have just slowly transited Hortense’s 1st house of identity (Aries/Mars).
Regardons les transits au moment de la rédaction de la deuxième lettre présentée ci-dessus. Pluton (la mort) traverse lentement la descendante d'Hortense, un domaine qui fait référence aux autres dans sa vie. Mars (violence) est sur le point de traverser le milieu de ciel d'Hortense (réputation). Le Soleil (spot) vient de passer cette même zone. Uranus (surprises) et Saturne (limitation) viennent de traverser lentement la 1ère maison d’identité d’Hortense (Bélier / Mars).
The unhappily married husband of Hortense, Louis has Saturn (constriction) in his 7th house of partnership in potentially dark Scorpio. Saturn is slowly transiting Louis’ descendant, his area of others. Surprising Uranus is conjunct (aligned) with Saturn in this area. This could indicate an unhappy marriage which is about to get even worse. This is particularly true since Saturn Uranus are transiting Venus (with difficult aspects to Pluto and the Moon) in Libra. His wife Hortense was a very Venusian person with her sociability and creativity.
Le mari de Hortense, malheureusement marié, a Saturne (constriction) dans sa 7e maison de partenariat en Scorpion, potentiellement sombre. Saturne transite lentement le descendant de Louis, sa région des autres. Surprenant Uranus est conjoint (aligné) avec Saturne dans ce domaine. Cela pourrait indiquer un mariage malheureux qui est sur le point de s'aggraver. Cela est particulièrement vrai puisque Saturne Uranus transite par Vénus en Balance. Son épouse Hortense était une personne très vénusienne avec sa sociabilité et sa créativité.
