d send for her, at Plombieres, a celebrated
watering-place, whose medicinal springs were supposed to be very
efficacious in restoring maternity. She sent for Hortense, at that time
fifteen years of age, and who was then in the boarding-school of the
distinguished Madame Campan. Josephine wished for her daughter to be her
companion during the weary hours of her absence from her husband. She
was expecting that, as soon as a landing should be effected in Egypt, a
frigate would be dispatched to convey her to the banks of the Nile. She
found solace during the lingering weeks of expectation in devoting
herself to the instruction of her daughter. Her comprehensive and
excellent views on the subject of education are developed in a letter
which she at this time wrote to Madame Campan, to accompany a niece who
was to return to her school:

"MY DEAR MADAME CAMPAN,--With my niece, whom I return to
your charge, receive also my thanks and my reproof. The
former are due for the great care and brilliant education
which you have bestowed upon the child; the latter, for the
faults which your sagacity must have discovered, but which
your indulgence has tolerated. The girl is gentle, but shy;
well informed, but haughty; talented, but thoughtless. She
does not please, and takes no pains to render herself
agreeable. She conceives that the reputation of her uncle
and the bravery of her father are every thing. Teach her,
and that by the most effectual means, how absolutely
unavailing are those qualities which are not personal. We
live in an age where each is the author of his own fortunes;
and if those who serve the state in the first ranks ought to
have some advantages and enjoy some privileges, they should,
on that account, strive only to render themselves more
beloved and more useful. It is solely by acting thus that
they can have some chance of excusing their good fortune in
the eyes of envy. Of these things, my dear Madame Campan,
you must not allow my niece to remain ignorant; and such are
the instructions which, in my name, you should repeat to her
constantly. It is my pleasure that she treat as equals every
one of her companions, most of whom are better or as good
as herself, their only inferiority consisting in not having
relations so able or so fortunate."

Notwithstanding Napoleon's strong disinclination to