friendless, he died. Hortense retired, with a restless and suffering
heart, to the mountains of Switzerland, where, in a secluded castle, she
lingered out the remaining years of her sorrowful pilgrimage. It was an
unfortunate match. Having been made, the only possible remedy was in
pursuing the course which Josephine so earnestly recommended. Had
Josephine been married to Louis, she would have followed the course she
counseled her daughter to pursue. She would have leaned fondly upon his
arm in his morning and evening walks. She would have cultivated a lively
interest in his reading, his studies, and all his quiet domestic
pleasures. She would, as far as possible, have relinquished every
pursuit which could by any possibility have caused him pain. Thus she
would have won his love and his admiration. Every day her power over him
would have been increasing. Gradually her influence would have molded
his character to a better model. He would have become proud of his wife.
He would have leaned upon her arm. He would have been supported by her
affection and her intellectual strength. He would have become more
cheerful in character and resolute in purpose. Days of tranquillity and
happiness would have embellished their dwelling. The spirit of
Josephine! It is _noble_ as well as _lovely_. It accomplishes the most
exalted achievements, and diffuses the most ennobling happiness. There
are thousands of unions as uncongenial as that of Hortense and Louis.
From the woes such unions would naturally engender there is but one
refuge, and Josephine has most beautifully shown what that refuge is.
Hortense, proud and high-spirited, resolved that she would not submit to
the exacting demands of her husband. In her sad fate we read the warning
not to imitate her example.

Hortense is invariably described as an unusually fascinating woman. She
had great vivacity of mind, and displayed much brilliance of
conversational powers. Her person was finely formed, and she inherited
much of that graceful demeanor which so signally characterized her
mother. She was naturally amiable, and was richly endowed with all those
accomplishments which enable one to excel in the art of pleasing. Louis,
more than any other of the brothers, most strongly resembled Napoleon.
He was a very handsome man, and possessed far more than ordinary
abilities. Under less untoward circumstances he might have been
eminently happy. Few persons, however, have journeyed along the