On the resumption of hostilities between England and France, the new captain might have had opportunities enough of signalizing his courage. He cruized a few months off the island of Tobago; but on the approach of the enemy, away he sailed with all possible celerity, and made for New York. He found the pleasures of that city far preferable to a fugitive life on the deep; and there he consumed the time which should have been employed in facing the enemy. Towards the close of 1803, he married Miss Paterson, daughter of a Baltimore merchant, -- a marriage which Napoleon afterwards annulled. At length he set sail on his return to France; was fortunate enough to escape the English cruizers; and landed at Lisbon in May 1805 -- whence he proceeded to join Napoleon at Genoa.

The emperor was justly indignant at the negligent conduct of a brother, whom he had hoped to place over the French fleet, and render capable of opposing even the terrible Nelson. But the captain was young, inexperienced, and there was time enough to make something of him. He was despatched to Algiers to demand from the Dey the surrender of the Genoese slaves; whence he soon returned with two hundred and fifty of those unfortunate beings.

In 1806, Jerome was appointed, first to the command of a seventy-four, and immediately afterwards to that of a squadron consisting of eight ships of the line. A third time he visited the West Indies, and, after a short stay at Martinico, returned home without firing a shot. Yet though during the whole of his naval career, he had never been engaged in a single action, and had never exhibited the least sy mptom of either bravery or ability, the brother of the emperor must not remain in a subordinate station; he was accordingly made Rear-Admiral. But his maritime exploits being of a nature to excite ridicule among the Buonapartists themselves, Jerome was soon compelled to change his career. He was entrusted (1807) with the command of a small corps of Bavarians and Wurtembergers, which were ordered to occupy Silesia. But he gave as little promise of arriving at eminence in the one service as in the other. All that he did was to strut in regimentals, leaving the entire direction of the corps to General Vandamme. He was present with the army, and that was enough for Napoleon, who promoted him to the rank of General of Division, and prepared for him a still higher destiny.

This hero of two elements had hitherto shewn no want of affection for his beautiful wife; but, being now offered a kingdom if he would consent to divorce her, and accept the hand of a princely bride, he could not resist the temptation. The American was dismissed; and her place supplied by the Princess Frederica-Catherina, daughter to the king of Wurtemberg, an unwilling victim at the hateful altar of ambition. This was on the 12th of August: on the 18th he was proclaimed king of Westphalia.

The conduct of king Jerome was every way contemptible. Plunged in dissipation, and heedless of the duties attached to the station which had been thrust upon him, he abandoned the burden of administration to profligate adventurers. The taxes which he levied on his unfortunate subjects were intolerable. His imbecility caused him to be despised, his rapacity to be hated. On more than one occasion, he was severely lectured by his imperial tutor; but to no effect: he continued as weak and wicked as before. The joy of the people was great when he was summoned to attend Napoleon in the Russian expedition, and they were left to the mild administration of his excellent queen. But their joy was of short duration. He suffered himself to be surprised by the enemy at Smolensko; and was ignominiously dismissed as a fool and coward. He returned to Cassel, to continue his wonted debauchery and exactions; but the following year his own subjects rose against him, and aided by some Russian and Saxon troops, compelled him to flee. With his wife, whom, neither his vices nor his misfortunes could estrange, he hastened to Paris *. [Footnote] There, however, they could not remain after the abdication of the emperor. Frederica returned to her father, and was followed by Jerome; but his conduct having rendered him odious to that prince, both he and his faithful wife proceeded to Italy.

The ex-king was at Trieste when Napoleon escaped from Elba. He was supposed to be privy to the invasion, and was watched by the Austrian government. Yet he contrived to reach Paris, and took his seat in the Chamber of Peers. He assisted at the farce of the Champ-de-Mai, the idea of which is supposed to have originated with Lucien Buonaparte. He looked on -- we will not say he fought -- at Waterloo; and after the second abdication, assuming a disguise, he wandered from place to place until permission was at length given Lim by his father-in-law, to rejoin his wife in Wurtemberg. In July (1816) he was created Prince of Montfort, but was not allowed to appear at court, nor to enjoy unrestrained liberty. In two years afterwards, however, he and his, princess asked and obtained leave to settle in the Austrian dominions. He has a fine estate near Vienna, and a palace at Trieste, in the one or other of which he constantly resides. He has a son and daughter by the princess.

Jerome is the least indebted to nature of any of his brothers. He was noticed as a blundering, stupid, headstrong youth; nor was this radical defect mended by education. The coarseness of his inclinations led him to prefer the lowest haunts while in Paris. Continually engaged in scenes of debauchery, he carried disorder into every place, and insulted every woman he pleased. On more than one occasion, his rank alone saved him from punishment. On the throne of Westphalia he followed his propensities unchecked: it seemed, says a biographer, as if he had been raised to the kingly dignity, only that he might plunder his subjects, and sport with the holiest ties with the more impunity. When compelled to leave his kingdom, he took care to lay hands on whatever he could seize: he even carried away the furniture of those palaces which belonged not to him, but to his father-in-law. But considerable as was his plunder, it did not satisfy him: like his brother Joseph, he forced the empress regent to give him a million of francs from the public treasury. If report be true, both made a poor return to that princess for her liberality. During her temporary abode at Blois, whither she and they had fled on the approach of the allies to Paris, they formed the design of carrying her off beyond the Loire, hoping that through her they might be enabled to make better terms with the victors. They even prepared two carriages for her and her suite, and went to tell her that as neither she nor his son could long remain safe at Blois, both must instantly depart. "Where is your order?" was her natural question, and as neither could produce any authority, she refused to stir a foot. Though neither had ever ventured to face the enemy, they had courage to assail a feeble woman. Joseph seized one arm, Jerome another; Maria-Louisa shrieked for help, two or three of her female attendants entered, and away scampered these doughty heroes.

"Jerome," said Napoleon, one day, "they say the majesty of kings is stamped on the brow: you may travel incognito to doomsday without being recognised!" By the emperor he was usually designated a little blackguard (petit polisson) and by his unfortunate subjects, Heliogabalus in miniature.