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Manuscript essay in ink neatly written on 2½ pages; signed at end Aug[us]t 15th 1805, sent in the form of a letter to Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820), British naturalist, President of the Royal Society; folding marks, stamp and remains of seal; tears in right margin not affecting text. A biased summary of Napoleon s family history and of his career. His descent is attributed to a butcher, called Buona, allegedly ennobled by King Theodore of Corsica for lending him a sum of money, who later changed his name to Buonaparte to be accepted as a relative by the ancient Florentine family of that name. Napoleon s paternity is attributed to Count de Marboeuf, his mother s lover, who paid for his education. Among other malicious rumours, Napoleon is accused of inventing the 1804 conspiracies against his life to justify the executions of the Duc d Enghien and Pichegru. A contemporary note (by the recipient ?) identifies the author as Abbé Man , observing that Napoleon s sisters Marie Pauline and Elisa were exercising the professions of courtesans … during this time. Marie exposed her body naked to Canova the Italian sculptor to make a statue on marble from her person … preserved in the Borghese Palace . Sir Joseph Banks is known to have sent roses to the Empress Josephine for her garden. (Offered with: )Baciocchi, Felice Pasquale (1762-1841), titular Prince of Piombino & Lucca, Corsican husband of Elisa Maria Bonaparte (1777-1820), Napoleon s artistic younger sister; created Imperial Prince in 1805. Autograph letter in French to his brother-in-law A Ramolino (1) in Ajaccio, signed Votre affectionné beaufrère et ami, F Baciocchi . 1½ pages, Bologna, 9th April 1826; remains of seal; folding marks with some tears; one margin strengthened. Affectionate letter thanking for letter and news with apologies for lapse in correspondence due to an accident, and pained to hear about his sister s illness. On Napoleon s fall, Elisa and Felice Baciocchi left Lucca for Trieste; Felice Baciocchi spent his final years in Bologna after the sudden death of his wife. (1) Napoleon s mother, Letizia, was a member of the Corsican noble Ramolino family. Seller Inventory # ABE-1500386533742
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