ide down; an eagle with a fasces hovers in the air; the inscription
is, _Souverainetes donnes_ M.DCCCVI.

The reverses of the last four in succession, struck during the reign of
Napoleon, are, 1. The _Wolga_, rising with astonishment from his bed at
the sight of the French eagle; 2. A representation of _la Bataille de la
Moskowa, 7 Septembre, 1812_; 3. _A view of Moscow_, with the French flag
flying on the Kremlin, and an ensign of the French eagle, bearing the
letter N. loftily elevated above its towers and minarets, dated 14th
September, 1812; 4. A figure in the air, directing a furious storm
against an armed warrior resembling Napoleon, who, unable to resist the
attack, is sternly looking back, whilst compelled to fly before it--a
dead horse, cannon dismounted, and a wagon full of troops standing
still, perishing in fields of snow; the inscription is, _Retraite de
l'Armee, Novembre, 1812_.

The workmanship of the preceding medals are admirable, but most of them
are surpassed in that respect by some to which we can do little more
than allude.

A finely executed medal, two inches and five-eights in diameter,
represents Napoleon enthroned in his full imperial costume, holding a
laurel wreath; on the reverse is a head of _Minerva_, surrounded by
laurel and various trophies of the fine arts, with this
inscription--_Ecole Francaise des Beaux Arts a Rome, retablie et
augmentee par Napoleon en 1803_. The reverses--of the Cathedral at
Paris--a warrior sheathing his sword (on the battle of Jena)--and
Bonaparte holding up the King of Rome, and presenting him to the
people--are amongst the most highly finished and most inestimable
specimens of art.

Unquestionably the _worst_ in the collection is the consular medal,
which, on that account, deserves description; it is, in size, about a
half crown piece, on the exergue, over a small head of Bonaparte, is
inscribed _Bonaparte premier consul_; beneath it, _Cambaceres second
consul, le Brun troisieme consul de la republique Francaise_; on the
reverse, _Le peuple Francais a defenseurs, cette premiere pierre de la
colonne nationale, posee par Lucien Bonaparte, ministre de l'interieur,
25 Messidore, An 8, 14 Juillet, 1800_.--One other medal only appears
with the name of Lucien Bonaparte; it is that struck in honor of Marshal
Turenne, upon the _Translation du corps de Turenne au Temple de Mars par
les ordres du premier Consul Bonaparte_; and is of a large size, bearing
the head of T