The renegade son served the renegade and ungrateful mother ill when he advised her to write what is a barefaced recantation of her former statements. Napoleon has said that "People are rarely drawn to you by favours conferred upon them." He had many examples of this truth, but none more striking than the above. Madame de Remusat and her husband were raised from poverty to affluence by Napoleon, and the memory of all the favours that were showered upon them by the man she declares she loved should have kept them from hate and disloyalty, and forbidden the writing of such unworthy vituperations against him.
FOOTNOTES:
[23] Madame de Remusat burnt her original memoirs during the Hundred Days, doubtless because she had in her mind the probability that Napoleon might firmly establish himself on the throne, and the discovery of anti-Napoleon MSS. might have acted seriously against herself and family being appointed to important positions. Moreover, the greater danger of getting herself into trouble was constantly in her mind.
[24] "Letters of Madame de Remusat," vol. i. p. 195.
[25] "Letters of Madame de Remusat," vol. i. p, 196.
[26] Ibid., vol. i. p. 160.
[27] Ibid., vol. ii. p. 2.
[28] "Letters of Madame de Remusat," vol. i. p. 190.
[29] Ibid., vol. i. p. 393.
[30] "Letters of Madame de Remusat," vol. ii. p. 45.