HORTENSE (1783-1837), queen of Holland, is familiarly known as La Reine Hortense. Her proper name was Eugénie Hortense de Beauharnais, and she was the only daughter of Alexandre de Beauharnais and Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie. She was born on the 10th of April 1783. When four years old she accompanied her mother to Martinique, and returned with her three years later to be subjected to all the dangers of the Revolution. For a time she was sent with her brother to England, but soon returned. The marriage of her mother to Napoleon. Bonaparte naturally altered her prospects altogether, and, as she grew to woman’s estate, several marriages of more or less importance were proposed for her. It suited the first consul, however, that she should marry his brother Louis, and despite her tears and entreaties the marriage was concluded. In one of his moments of brutal frankness Napoleon confessed that his brother as a husband was “insupportable,” though he characteristically proceeded to charge Hortense with having been the cause of his own misfortunes in no; agreeing with her husband. Louis it appears was sincerely anxious to please his young wife. But his health was bad and hrs temper gloomy, while Hortense was exceptionally lively and fond of gaiety. The natural consequence was an infinity of scandal, some of it of a very grave character. The recent publication of Madame de Rémusat’s memoirs has, however, gone far to exonerate Hortense. The writer, equally outspoken and well informed, gives instances of the most fantastic and disgusting exercise of conjugal tyranny on Louis’s part, and denies that his wife in any way misconducted herself, the malignant jealousy of the Bonaparte sisters being credited with the accusation. Within seven years of her marriage Hortense ...