This is part of a series of letters from Napoleon’s stepdaughter Hortense to her brother Eugene. Hortense continued to lament her separation from her brother and she returns to her dream of one day being together with her brother when they have grandchildren - which is sad because their lives turned out to be quite tragic. Eugene dies young from complications involving an accident and Hortense loses 2 of her sons and her grandson whom she never lives to see is murdered in Africa.
The Hague, this 24th of March, 1807.
I cried with joy, my dear Eugène, on learning of your wife's happy birth (1), and, at the same time, with sadness at the thought that you are already a part of a family and that I am foreign to it all.
Shouldn't I have been there to kiss the little baby? I'm not sorry it is a girl, it is necessary for our little boys; the Empress sent me the son of M. Marescalchi with your first letter (2);
I would have kissed him kindly; it happened yesterday, and today I receive your letter of the 16th. I feel how much you must have suffered while attending the birth of your wife; this is a very painful moment but, fortunately, it is over, and I am very relaxed for your wife’s recovery since she has Mme. Frangeau with her.
My grandchildren kiss their little cousins and I don't need to assure you how much I share all that you experience.
Tell me often about your wife and kiss her for me. HORTENSE
(1) March 14, 1807, in Milan, the princess Joséphine, first child of Eugene was born. She married, in 1823, Oscar I King of Sweden.
(2) Charles-Alphonse-Marcel, Count Marescalchi, son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Italy, was chamberlain of the Viceroy.
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Cela fait partie d'une série de lettres de la belle-fille de Napoléon Hortense à son frère Eugène.
Hortense a continué à déplorer sa séparation d'avec son frère et elle revient à son rêve d'être un jour avec son frère quand ils auront des petits-enfants - ce qui est triste parce que leur vie s'est avérée assez tragique.
Eugene meurt jeune de complications liées à un accident et Hortense perd 2 de ses fils et son petit-fils qu'elle ne vit jamais est assassiné en Afrique.
