An unknown artist (November 19, 1808) gives ‘The Progress of the Emperor Napoleon.’ At first he is represented as ‘A Ragged Headed Corsican Peasant’; next, ‘Studying mischief at the Royal Academy at Paris’; then ‘An Humble Ensign in a Republican Corps requesting a situation in the British Army’; afterwards, ‘A determined Atheistical Republican General, ordering his men to fire on the Parisians vollies of grape shot.’ He then changes to ‘A Turk at Grand Cairo’; afterwards he became ‘A runaway from Egypt’; then ‘A devout Catholic,’ and, finally, ‘An Emperor on a throne of iniquities’: on which throne is inscribed, ‘Murders—Duke d’Enghien, Prisoners at Jaffa, Palm, Capt. Williams, Pichegru, Cahon, Toussaint, &c., &c. Robberies innumerable.’
CHAPTER XLVII.
RETREAT TO CORUNNA—THE BROKEN BRIDGE OVER THE DANUBE—WAGRAM—JOSEPHINE’S DIVORCE.
In the year 1809 there are very few caricatures of Napoleon. After the taking of Madrid, Sir John Moore thought it prudent to retreat, which he did, and, after many difficulties, reached Corunna. The repulse of the French there, although at the cost of Sir John Moore’s life, enabled the troops to be embarked.
Napoleon had but little rest, for in March the Austrians again took up arms against him, to which he replied by victoriously marching to Vienna, which was bombarded before it capitulated. One incident in this campaign was seized upon by the caricaturist. There had been much fighting about Aspern and Essling, with pretty equal fortune, until the destruction of a bridge, caused by a sudden rise of the Danube, which brought down timber rafts, barges, &c., deprived Napoleon of all the advantage he had gained, and compelled him to retreat to the island of Lobau.
There is a caricature by Rowlandson (June 12, 1809) of ‘Boney’s Broken Bridge.’ An aged general, cocked-hat in hand, is thus addressing Napoleon: ‘With all due deference to your little Majesty—It was the Austrian Fire-boats that destroyed the Bridge.’ Napoleon, however, turns on him savagely, and, pointing to the broken bridge, says, ‘Ah! who is it that dares contradict me, I say it was some floating timber, and the high swell of the river that caused the Shocking Accident.’ The Austrian army, on the opposite bank, are singing a paraphrase of ‘London bridge is broken down’:—
Boney’s Bridge is broken down,
Dance over the Lady Lea—
Boney’s Bridge is broken down,
By an Arch Duke—ee.[18]
Ansell gives his version of this event, shewing the Austrian Archduke, pickaxe in hand, having destroyed the bridge, and, pointing to some ducks and geese, he sings:—
The Ducks and the Geese with ease swim over,
Fal de rol de rido, Fal de rol de rido.
The Ducks and the Geese with ease swim over,
Fal de rol de rido, Fal de rol de rido.