s
one of the severest punishments; and the caprice of one man inflicts
in France, as an amusement, what conscientious judges only condemn
criminals to with regret. Private circumstances offered me an
asylum, and resources of fortune, in Switzerland, the country of my
parents; in those respects, I was less to be pitied than many
others, and yet I have suffered cruelly. I consider it, therefore,
to be doing a service to the world, to signalize the reasons, why no
sovereign should ever be allowed to possess the arbitrary power of
banishment. No deputy, no writer, will ever express his thoughts
freely, if he can be banished when his frankness has displeased; no
man will dare to speak with sincerity, if the happiness of his whole
family is to suffer for it. Women particularly, who are destined to
be the support and reward of enthusiasm, will endeavour to stifle
generous feelings in themselves, if they find that the result of
their expression will be, either to have themselves torn from the
objects of their affection, or their own existence sacrificed, by
accompanying them in their exile.

On the eve of the last day which was granted me, Joseph Bonaparte
made one more effort in my favour; and his wife, who is a lady of
the most perfect sweetness and simplicity, had the kindness to come
and propose to me to pass a few days at her country seat at
Morfontaine. I accepted her invitation most gratefully, for I could
not but feel sensibly affected at the goodness of Joseph, who
received me in his own house, at the very time that I was the object
of his brother's persecution. I passed three days there, and
notwithstanding the perfect politeness of the master and mistress of
the house, felt my situation very painfully.

I saw only men connected with the government and breathed only the
air of that authority which had declared itself my enemy; and yet
the simplest rules of politeness and gratitude forbid me from
shewing what I felt. I had only my eldest son with me, who was then
too young for me to converse with him on such subjects. I passed
whole hours in examining the gardens of Morfontaine, among the
finest that could be seen in France, and the possessor of which,
then tranquil, appeared to me really an object of envy. He has been
since exiled upon thrones, where I am sure he has often regretted
his beautiful retreat.

CHAPTER 12.

Departure for Germany.--Arrival at Weimar.

I hesitated about the course I was to ad