BONAPARTE, LUCIEN, prince of Canino, and brother of Napoleon, was born at Ajaccio in 1775, and received his education in the college of Autuu, the military school at Brienne, and the seminary at Aix. Rising gradually from one office to another, he was elected deputy for the department Liainone, and, in the council of five hundred, spoke against the squandering of state-property, and formed a party favorable to the views of his brother.Napoleou. Shortly before the 18th Brumaire, he was elected president of the council of five hundred, and was the hero of that day. During the ferment which fol lowed Napoleon's entrance, Lucien left his seat, moituted his horse, and riding through the ranks of the assembled troops, called upon them to rescue their general from assassins. Afterwards appointed minister of the interior, he was active in the encourage ment of education, art. and science, and organized the prefectures. As ambassador to Madrid, 1800, he contrived to gain the confidence of king Charles IV. and his favorite Godoy, thus putting aside the 'British influence which had until then been exercised at the court of Spain. It is said that for his services in the treaty of peace concluded between Spain and Portugal, Sept. 29, 1801, he received 5,000,000 francs.
His constant oppozdtiou to Napoleon's progress towards monarchy involved Lucien in several misunderstandings with his brother; and their quarrel was brought to an issue by Lucien's second marriage against the views of Napoleon. On condition that he would divorce his wife, the crowns of Italy and Spain were offered to Lucien ; but he refused them, and preferred living in retirement at his estate of Canino, in the province of Viterbo, near the frontiers of Tuscany, 'where he devoted his time to art and science. Here he enjoyed the friendship of the pope, who created him prince of Canino and Musignano; but having denounced in his private capacity the arrogant and cruel policy of his brother towards the court of Rome, he was "advised" to leave the city in which he was at that period residing. In 1810, he took ship for America, but fell into the hands of the English; was brought to England; and after a debate in parliament, was declared to be a prisoner, but treated with distinction. After his brother's downfall, he returned to Rome.
After the defeat at Waterloo, Lucien B. alone seems to have preserved his pres ence of mind. He immediately advised his brother to dissolve the chambers. and assume the place of absolute dictator. After the second ascent of the throne by Louis XVIII., Lucien lived for some time in and near Rome. In 1830, lie went to England, visited Germany in 1838. and died at Viterbo, June 80, 1840. Lucien B. possessed considerable talents and firmness of character. He was in his early years a keen repub lican, but the weakness of the directory convinced him that a military consulship was necessary to allay the social anarchy of France. He consequently threw himself eagerly into the designs of his brother, but protested against Napoleon giving way to his desire for a hereditary monarchy. As a writer, he was by no means successful. His long and
tedious epic poem, .ukarlenzagne ou d'Eglige Delirree, in 24 cantos, was written and pub lished in London, and was dedicated to the pope, 1814. Another heroic poem, La Cyrneide ou la Corse Slut*, followed in 1819. The Memoires Secrets MIT la. Vie Prime Politique et Litteroire de Lucien 11. (2 vols., Lond. 1819). of v. Lich Alphonse de Beau champ is supposed to be the author, is an untrustworthy book. Lucien B. was the father of a numerous family. In 1795, he married Christian Boyer, the daughter of a citizen of St. Maximin. After her death, he married, in 1803, the widow of a stock broker, Madame Jouberthon, who was his survivor. By his first marriage. he had two daughters—Charlotte, born 1796, died 1865, who married prince Gabrielli of Rome; and Christine, born 1798, died 1847, who married first a Swedish count named Posse, and then lord Dudley-Stuart. By his second marriage, Lucien had nine children: the eldest daughter, Letizia 13., born 1804, died 1871; married, in 1824, Mr. (afterwards sir) T. Wyse, an Irish gentleman; but a separation took place in a few years.—The second daughter, Jeanne B., distinguished by her beauty and tasto for poetry, was born in 1806, and died soon after her marriage with the marches° Honorati.•-The third daughter, Alexandrine Marie B., born in 1818, married, in 1836, count Vincenzo V alentin i de Canino, and gave birth to two sons and one daughter.-Constanze, the youngest daughter of Lucien B., was born in 182;;.-chnries Lucien Jules Laurent B. oldest son of Lucien B.), prince of Canino and Musignano, was born at Paris in 1803. Ile never exhibited any inclination for political life. preferring the more quiet and wholesome pursuits of literature and science. Ile acquired a considerable reputation as a naturalist, and as a writer on ornithology. He died 29th July, 1857: He waLi it member of the principal academies of Europe and America. Ills chief publications are a con tinuation of Wilson's Ornithology of _interim, and the Iconografia delta _Fauna Italica. The second son, Paul Marie 11., born in 1806, took a part in the Gret k war of liberation, and died by the accidental discharge of a pistol, 1827.-The third son, Louis Lucien B., born Jan. 4, 1813, has distinguished himself by his studies in chemistry, mineralogy, and languages.-Pierre Napoleon B , the fourth son, born Sept. 12, 1815, passed through ninny changes of fortune in America, Italy. and Belgium, returning to France after the catastrophe of 1848. In 1871, lie shot a journalist, inter Noir, for which he was tried the same year at Tours, and acquitted of the charge of murder, but condemned to pay £1000 to 'Victor Noir's relatives.-The youngest son. Antoine 11., horn Oct. 31, 1816, fled to America after an affair with the papal troops in 1836, and returned to France in 1948, where he was elected into the national assembly, 1849, but retired from polities in 1831.