r, who insist on having
their own notions, as the direction of affairs of State must be
concentrated in his hands. Greater liberty ought to be conceded in
a regulated state of society, but in the present state of France
there must be a strong and single direction, which is, besides,
best adapted to the French character. Freedom of the Press is for
the present as impossible here as it would be at the headquarters
of an army in the field if the Press wished to discuss the measures
taken by the general in command. Napoleon has shown wisdom, firmness,
self-confidence, but also moderation and clemency; and though simple
in his dress, he does not forget that the French people like to
see their sovereigns surrounded by a brilliant court."

Of the imperial baby in his nurse's arms, on whom the father looked
with a face radiant with pride and joy, Von Moltke remarks: "Truly,
he seems a strapping fellow."

The little prince grew up a very promising lad. He was his father's
idol. Louis Napoleon never could be brought to give him any sterner
reproof than "Louis, don't be foolish,--_ne fais pas des betises._"
Discipline was left to his mother, and it was popularly thought
that she was much less wrapped up in the child than his father
was. His especial talent was for drawing and sculpture. Some of
his sketches, of which fac-similes are given in Jerrold's "Life
of Napoleon III.," are very spirited, and when he could get a lump
of wet clay to play with, he made busts of the persons round him
which were excellent likenesses.

The emperor's rooms at the Tuileries were rather low and dark,
but he selected them because they communicated with those of the
empress in the Pavillon de Flore, by a narrow winding staircase.
Often in the day would she come down to him, or he ascend to her.

His study was filled with Napoleonic relics, and littered with
political and historical papers. He kept a large room with models
of new inventions, which were a great delight to him and to his
son. He was fond of wood-turning, and Thelin and he would often
make pretty rustic chairs for the park at Saint-Cloud.

For some years before his overthrow he was growing very feeble,
and always carried a cane surmounted with a gold eagle. Commonly
too some chosen friend, generally Fleury, gave him his arm, but
he always walked in silence. In the afternoon he would drive out,
and sometimes horrify the police by getting out of his carriage
and walking alone in dist