PREFACE

The great interest taken in the Napoleonic epoch in America and in Europe has led the editor of this work to believe that a book giving briefly the complète career of Napoléon might be useful to students in our schools and collèges. Extracts were taken from authors whose style is admirable. Napoléon is allowed to speak in his own behalf (Mémorial de Sainte-Hélène), then sélections are given from writers favorable to him, such as Duruy, Victor Hugo, and Thiers, and from writers rather hostile to him, but admiring his genius, such as Henri Martin, Chateaubriand, Edgar Quinet, and Madame de Rémusat. The student is thus enabled to form his own opinion of one of the most extraordinary men that ever lived.

The editor has linked together the extracts given by a brief narrative, and he hopes that his Napoléon will prove acceptable to students of French and French history.

The Notes are almost entirely historical, and are intended to be a supplément to the text.

The editor wishes to express his thanks to Prof. F. W. Freeborn, of the Boston Latin School, for his kind assistance in reading the proofs.