BONAPARTE CAROLINE: (1782-1839) Queen Consort of Naples 1808-15, wife of Joachim Murat. Younger sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. Fine L.S., 'Caroline', one page, 4to, Naples, 4th January 1814, to her brother-in-law, in French. Caroline deeply thanks his correspondent´s kind letter, and stating in part `…je suis touchée des voeux que vous faites pour mon bonheur. Vous n´avez besoin d´aucune protestation pour me convaicre de leur sincérité. Mes sentiments d´amitié pour la Grande Duchesse, pour ma charmante nièce…´ (“I am touched by the wishes you make for my happiness. You need no protest to convince me of their sincerity. My feelings of friendship for the Grand Duchess, for my charming niece...”) Caroline further refers to her poor eyes, and states `Je regrette de ne pouvoir vous exprimer moi-même et de ma main combien j´y attache de prix, mais un mal d´yeux dont je souffre beaucoup m´interdit cette satisfaction et m´oblige d´employer une plume étrangère..´ (“I regret not being able to express myself to you with my own hand writing to express how much I value your letter, but an eye disease from which I suffer a lot prevents me from this satisfaction and obliges me to use a foreign pen..”) The letter has been very lightly attached to the left border to a very slightly larger card. G to VG

 

Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820) Grand Duchess of Tuscany 1809-14. Younger sister of Napoleon Bonaparte and Caroline Bonaparte. Wife of Felice Baciocchi (1762-1841) Corsican noble and officer. Prince of Lucca. He was an amateur violinist and studied with Niccolo Paganini who had an affair with his wife Elisa. Their daughter, who Caroline refers to in the present letter, was Elisa Napoleone Baciocchi (1806-1869), the only child of the couple to live beyond their teenage years.