Miscellany: Joachim Murat, King Of Naples

Murat, Kingof Naplee. Napoleon's brotherñ-lnw, was sij remarkable a charactcr duriiig the w;irs of the Revolution. that smnc account of ] ïis peculiariiies seems desi rabie. Sa eorly as the battle of' Millosimo and Montcnotie. n 17i)6, lic was Napoleon's ad.iu'aiit, and by his intrcpiility and d iring. conti byfe ! nut a Hule lo the triu'mph of thnt mjsmorable campajgn. It was liy these cjmlittes, as well as liis hnndsnmc fiiiurc and d-ishing inanners. tliat he l.iid the foundation oí a reputation which gained lor hini the atteniiou of ïhè V.m eior'a sister; and', by winning her Iianil, led to his brilliant fortunes ood clevation to t he tlirone of Naples. Nor was liis nierit in.rñnny respoets ini'erio; tq his fortune. JJis piercing corp d' al; lis skill in judging of the position of i lie eneniy; his chiyafroua deincanor when leadmg his tn.mp.s mto baitle; his c.dm nirepidity in the inidst l tlie must ajjpalfing d;in,'erd; his tall figure and noble cörriago. as weH as incomparable seat on the splendid chargers which hn always besuode. gave hini the nir of a hero ol romance, not less thun the tílnractec of n lirst-rate cavalry ofticer. At the head ■ liis li-dlant cuirassiers ho fe:ired nn dunger, everpaiwed to mimber his cnemies: but with niatchlèsiiliardihood threw hinisi-lf nle the inidst oí tin; hostije army, wiiere he liardly ever fuiled to achieve the moetdazzljng c.xploits. In NapoJiïon's eailier campaigns at Austeiliiz, .Tena, and I'.yl.iu, Murat was at the head of so immense a Jjody of horse as to r end er success alinost a matter ol certainiy; - and it was to the weight o! ihis formidable phalanx, geweraUy eightecn or twenty thousnnd strong. ihat the Emperor mmnly trusted for the gaining, as well as completion of the victories. But Murat's genius and daring in the fiold were equally conspicuuus when lie had no such supeiioriiv to insure the advantage. Napoleon's sense of these qualities induced him to overlook his desortion of his post after the Russian retreat, and subseqtiont r.dvancement towards the AUies; and his heroic courage ncver appeared with brighler lustre tlian when he threw n last ladiance over the victories of the empire at Dresden, and steinined the torient of disaster at Leipsie. The external appearance of Napoleon iornicd a striking contrast tu that of his royal brotherin-law. When tliey rode together in front of the troops, Murat attracted universal al'.ention by his connnanding figure, his superh iheatncal costume, the splendid rappings and beautiful figure of his horse. and thn imposins military dignily oí liia air. This da.züng display contrasled etrangely but clciraeteristically with (he three cornered hat. dark surtout, leather l)reeches,hnTO boots, corpulent figuro, and careless seat on horseback, which have become immortal n the representation.s of Napoleon. The imposing aspect of Murat was, however, wcakened. rather than heightciied Lv the rich and fantastic diess which he worc. Dark whiskers on his face contrasted with piercing blue eyes; his abundant Wack locks spread over the neck of a splendid Polish dress. open above the shoulders; the collar was richly adorned with gold brocade, and írom a splendid girdle of the samo material hung a light subre, straight in the blade, aller the inanner of the ancient Roman, with the bilt set in diamonds Wi'rfe pantaloons. of a purple or scarlel color, richly embroidcred with gold, and boots of yellow leather completed this gitignlar costumo, which rcsembled rather the gorgeous irippings of the melo-drarna. than the comparntively simple uniform of modern times. But it8 greatest distinction wns a largo thrcecornered hat, surmounted by a prolusión ofmagnificent ostrich fcathers, rising írom a broad gold band, which encloscd besides u superb Iicronplumo. J 1 is noble cliarger wasset öff with gorgoous bridle nnd stirrups richly gilt after the' Tnrkisli fasliion, nnd envcloped n trapninga ol r.tirc blue, ihe lint of tlie Ituünn sky. wliicli allo was the prevalling color of his liveries. Above tliis f;int;isiic but daz.ling attire, lic wore, u culd weather, a ningnificent ju-lisse of dark' green vel vci, lined and fringed with ilie ricliest sables. When herode beside Napoleon, Inbited aller liis simple íusliion, in tliis tlienirical cosiiiiiic, it nppeared a living image of splendid folly contrasiing with the naked imijesty of thought. And with whatever sentiments the fantnstic nTagnifieenceof the Kir.g pf Naples might bc regorded on peaceiul parades., they yielded to an involuntary feeling o respect when his whiie plmne was seen, like that of Alexander ihe Great, ever foremost in the ranks of w.ir, plun;ing intt. tlie thickest of the hostile ranks, regn.-dless oí the shower of cannon balls fur which it formed q never faüing mark: or when he was bohld re'.urnirig íronm charge, his èöbre dripping wet with the blood of the Cossacs, whom in the inipetuosity oí overflowing courage, ho had