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 HISTORY OF THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE. 21

good of the country." The instrument for dissolving the marriage was then signed by the following personages :- Napoleon, Josephine, Madame, (the mother of Bonaparte) Louis, Jerome Napoleon, Joachim Napoleon, Eugene Napo- leon, Julie, Hortense, Catherine, Pauline, Caroline Josephine now withdrew from the palace of the Tuilleries, and retired once more to Malmaison, where she was visited daily by Bonaparte until the period of his nuptials. Henecforward, Josephine's life was passed alternately at Malmaison and Navarre, and, gliding away in an equal tenor. of benevolent exertion and elegant employment, offers but few incidents. A description of one day is the account of all. The villa of Malmaison, to which she first retired, from its vicinity to Paris, might be regarded as her residence of cere- mony. Here she received the visits, almost the homage, of the members of the court of Napoleon and Maria Louisa; for it was quickly discovered that, however unpleasant they. might be to her new rival, such visits were recommendations to the emperor's favour. A little after nine, these receptions took place; and from the visitors of the morning were retain- ed, or previously invited, some ten or twelve guests to break- fast at eleven. From the personages present being always among the most distinguished in Parisian society, and appear- ing only in uniform or official costume, these morning parties were equally agreeable and brilliant. After breakfast, the em- press adjourned to the saloon, where she conversed for about an hour, or walked in the delightful gallery adjoining, which contained many of the masterpieces of painting and sculp- ture. Of these, a few were ancient, but the greater number Were the works of living artists, the most distinguished of whom were not without obligations to the patronage of Josephine ; and while Crus, Girodet, Guerin, with their pencils, Spontini, Mehul, Paer, Boieldien, with their voice or lyre, Fontanes, Arnault, Andrien, Lemercier, with their pen or conversation, and Canova with his chisel, adorned the gallery or the parties of Maimaison, they ranked among the personal friends of the mistress of the retreat. The arrival of the carriages was the signal for the departure of the morn-