Cathy,
Here it is. Of course the 1800's writing style was less direct than today's.
NAPOLEONE SCRUGLI was born a the end of 1803 in Tropea, a maritime commune, situated at the occidental coast of the Calabrias, about 6 miles northeast of Capo Vaticano.
During that period , in Italy , the Napoleonic power had increased prodigiously.
The paternal uncle of (Napoleone) Scrugli, who had been a parish priest, had distinguished himself from some time, as a member of the Scientific and Literary Academy – the very same school which also produced the notable philosopher Galluppi.
(The uncle) understood that people, who were for the most part ignorant, were made to believe that the Great Napoleon was very ugly. He decided to take advantage of that in order to justify to the public in general the name “Napoleone” he had given to his nephew, born very ugly, in order to gain a liberal sympathy.
This same uncle, to those which commented on the ugliness of his just new born nephew , answered : “Why it is important? He is a boy,and who knows if one day he will not become important to his country?
At this time, 1810, Murat, then the king – was ordered by the Emperor to leave. On his escape to Sicily he stopped for 3 days in Tropea, where he was received and hosted by M. Scrugli’s father, then Mayor of the City
Being grateful for the outstanding hospitality the king (Murat) endowed Napoleone Scrugli with a grant to the Marine College of Naples, where he was later received in 1811. He was then only 7 years old.
Sophia
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