sties went to Cherbourg. The day after their arrival the
Emperor set out on horseback early in the morning, visited the heights of
the town, and embarked on several vessels, while the populace pressed
around him crying "Vive l'Empereur!" The following day his Majesty held
several Councils, and in the evening visited all the marine buildings,
and descended to the bottom of the basin which is cut out of the solid
rock in order to allow the passage of vessels of the line, and which was
to be covered with fifty-five feet of water. On this brilliant journey
the Empress received her share of the enthusiasm of the inhabitants, and
in return, at the different receptions which took place, gave a graceful
welcome to the authorities of the country. I dwell purposely on these
details, as they prove that joy over the birth of the King of Rome was
not confined to Paris alone, but, on the contrary, the provinces were in
perfect sympathy with the capital.

The return of their Majesties to Paris brought with them a return of
rejoicings and fetes on the occasion of the baptismal ceremony of the
King of Rome, and the fetes by which it was accompanied were celebrated
at Paris with a pomp worthy of their object. They had as spectators the
entire population of Paris, increased by a prodigious crowd of strangers
of every class.

At four o'clock the Senate left its palace; the Council of State, the
Tuileries; the Corps Legislatif, its palace; the Court of Cassation, the
Court of Accounts, the Council of the University, and the Imperial Court,
the ordinary places of their sittings; the municipal corps of Paris and
the deputations from the forty-nine good towns, the Hotel de Ville. On
their arrival at the Metropolitan Church these bodies were placed by the
master of ceremonies with his aides, according to their rank, on the
right and left of the throne, reaching from the choir to the middle of
the nave. The diplomatic corps at five o'clock took their place on the
platform erected for this purpose.

At half-past five cannon announced the departure of their Majesties from
the Tuileries. The Imperial procession was dazzlingly magnificent; the
fine bearing of the troops, the richness and elegance of the carriages,
the brilliant costumes, made up a ravishing spectacle. The acclamations
of the people which resounded on their Majesties' route, the houses hung
with garlands and drapery, the banners streaming from the windows, the
long line of carriage