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| Rosa 'Sweet Juliet' top left and bottom right - top right Rosa 'Westerland' & below left Rosa 'A Shropshire Lad' 30 September 2024 |
In his introduction to Camera Lucida – Reflections on Photography, Roland Barthes writes:
One day, quite some
time ago, I happened on a photograph of Napoleon’s youngest brother, Jerome,
taken in 1852. And I realized then, with an amazement I have not been able to
lessen since: “I am looking into the eyes that looked at the Emperor.” Sometimes
I would mention this amazement, but since no one seemed to share it, nor even
understand it (life consists of these little touches of solitude), I forgot
about it. My interest in Photography took a more cultural turn.
My interest in the Bonapartes has always been in Napoleon’s older brother Joseph.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon made Joseph King of Naples (1806–1808), and then King of Spain (1808–1813). After the fall of Napoleon, Joseph styled himself Comte de Survilliers and emigrated to the United States, where he settled near Bordentown, New Jersey, on an estate overlooking the Delaware River not far from Philadelphia.
Spaniards have a long lasting memory of Joseph. They say that as soon as Joseph was aware that Lord Wellington was on his way, he left in a hurry without saying goodbye.
To this day “despedirse a la francesa” (to leave without saying goodbye French style) many in Spanish speaking countries will quote it.
All the above is to justify my placing here today’s scan of three lovely roses, which in spite of being fall, have bloomed and to me they are saying goodbye until next year.
Few if anybody I know is aware that Joseph Bonaparte
finished his days in New Jersey.