The political and private correspondence of Fersen was published by Colonel Klinkowström in Paris under the title of Le Comte de Fersen et la Cour de France (2 vols.)—Firmin Didot. It is also interesting to consult M. Paul Gavlot’s Un Ami de la Reine—Ollendorf. On the death of the grand-marshal, read the introduction to the first-named work.
[74] Gustavus III., most friendly disposed towards monarchical France, had declared himself violently opposed to the Revolution. He was about to despatch troops to the French frontier when he was assassinated during a masked ball at Stockholm on the evening of the 16th March 1792, as a result of a conspiracy among the nobles of his Court. See Geffroy, Gustave III. et la Cour de France and the Memoirs of the Duc Cesdars, who at the time of the death of King Gustavus was the envoy of the princes at Stockholm.
[75] The prediction was realised. Gustavus IV., son of Gustavus III., at first reigned under the guardianship of his uncle, the Duc de Sudermanie (Sudermanland). During his reign Sweden was despoiled of Finland by Russia, and threatened with war by Denmark. The dissatisfaction of his subjects led to a conspiracy against the king, which succeeded. Gustavus was imprisoned, and then exiled for ever in 1809; the Duc de Sudermanie was proclaimed king with the title of Charles XIII. Being without issue, he at first adopted the Prince Christian Augustus of Holstein-Augustenburg. After the sudden death of that young prince, Charles XIII. hit upon the strange idea to appoint the French Marshal Bernadotte. Under the title of Charles Jean, Bernadotte reigned from 1818 to 1844; the present king, Oscar II., is his grandson. There are no more male Wasas; Queen Caroline of Saxony is the granddaughter of Gustavus IV.
[76] In consequence of the Treaty of Luneville in 1801, the Grand-Duchy of Tuscany was taken away from Ferdinand III., and, under the title of the kingdom of Etruria, bestowed on the Spanish branch of Parma, whose states were united to the French domains in Piedmont. King Louis having died in 1803, his widow, Marie-Louise of Spain, took up the reins of government for her son Louis II. In December 1807, Etruria was given up in exchange for the newly-created kingdom of Lusitania (Portugal); a few months later it constituted three French departments, under the government of Elisa Napoleon Bonaparte, who had become Grand-Duchess of Tuscany. See the excellent work of M. Marmottan, Le Royaume d’Etrurie, Ollendorf, 1896; Elisa Napoléon en Italie, by M. E. Rodocanachi, Flammarion, 1900; and the Carnet Historique et Littéraire, 1900.
[77] Some one had written a song about the Duchesse de Boufflers, subsequently the wife of Marshal de Luxembourg. Suspecting the Comte de Tressan to be the author, she said to him: ‘Do you know this song? It is so well written that not only would I forgive the author, but I’d even embrace him.’ ‘Well,’ said Tressan, tempted like the crow in the fable, ‘I wrote it, madame,’ Thereupon she slapped his face.
[78] Here is the song, composed by the old man a fortnight before his death:—
1st Verse.
Translation of 1st Verse.—After a long war, the winged child of Cytherea wished, in bestowing peace, to hold a Congress at Vienna. He summoned in hot haste every god that could be had, and, with a Roger de Coverley, the world beheld the Congress opened.
2nd Verse.
Translation.—At Terpsichore’s quarters, from night until dawn, debates were regulated on the importance of a step. Minerva got angry and cried, ‘At any rate, stop for a moment, unless you wish to hold a dancing Congress at Vienna.’