The Press.
London, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

politician he was integer ecelerieque punts, which
is saying a great deal, considering that he
lived at a time when detection and treason
were common ; but it does not attempt to
make him the centre of events in which
he figured ; nay, it does not, as it is
almost allowable for biographies to do,
exaggerate the part he played on any occa-
sion. At the same time, it is studded with
anecdotes of historical interest, all of which
there is reason to believe true, and most of
which aro decidedly new ; and it gives, with-
out quitting the fair limits of biography, a
vivid and brilliant, yet perfectly correct, pic-
ture of the epoch of the Restoration, in which
the general played a leading part, and which
is one of not the least remarkable periods in the
annals of France. In style the work is simple,
unaffected, and elegant.
Here, as a specimen of our author's manner,
is an account of an interview which Coutard
had with Napoleon, after he had, as colonel of
the Oth Regiment, been obliged to capitulate
at Ratisbonne to much inferior forces :
When he entered the Emperor's cabinet. Napoleon
raised his eyes from maps whioh were spread out before
him, and fixed on him eyes which flashed like lightning.
" Where is your regiment ?" he cried. " What have you
lone with my soldiers ?" Strong in his conscience, and
in the knowledge of his bravery, Coutard said, " Sire, I had
half of them slain !" " And the remainder ?" " The re-
mainder are prisoners, and I also." " Why are you not
with them ?" " Because it pleased Prince John of Lich•
tenstein to discharge me on parole with all my officers and
the non•combatants !" " I cannot allow such things as
that!" " Sire, hitherto such things have been considered
a mark of esteem on the part of the enemy ; but if your
Majesty forbids them they will become a fault." "And
my eagle?' cried the Emperor, with impetuosity. " What
have you done with my eagle?" " I have saved it, Sire!
I received it from your Majesty in the Champ de Mars,
and swore to defend it. You would never have seen me
if I bad had the misfortune to lose it I" At these words,
which were spoken with pride full of emotion, the Em-
peror became softened. " Ali!" cried he, " that alters the
case—that alters the case ! How did you manage?" "
buried it, Sire, but the damp earth has not stained it, for
it was enveloped in two flags taken from the enemy !"
And, without asking permission, Coutard rushed from the
room and took from a soldier, who was in waiting, the
two flags in which the eagle was wrapped up. Ile then
unrolled the flags before Napoleon, and showed him the
eagle. The Emperor smiled, and several times exclaimed,
" That alters the case !"

A strange tale is told of the late Sir R. Peel,
but it seems to us to repose on some error of
persons:—

In his perilous station before Lisbon Coutard had a
singular adventure with a man belonging to a family which
has obtained great celebrity in our times. Occasionally
some hours of truce were accorded between the English
army and the French. The soldiers of both armies took
advantage of them to walk in the plain, in which were nu-
merous lig-trees, and those trees were spared neither by
French nor English. When once the hours of the armis•
Lice had expired, each man resumed his post, and woe to
stragglers, for they were unceremoniously captured. One
day the soldiers of the 65th brought to the colonel a young
Englishman who had allowed himself to be caught beneath
one of the fig trees. He declared that he did not form
part of the army, but that he had come in a pleasure yacht
to witness the manceuvres and to form a correct idea of
military operations. He was the son of a rich manufac-
turer of London, and earnestly prayed to be released. This
young man displayed remarkable intelligence; his conver•
sation was full of charm, and, in spite of British reserve,
lie displayed correct knowledge and elevated views. The
colonel, pleased with his prisoner, showed him the most
exquisite courtesy, bnt he could not take on himself to set
him at liberty. He therefore took him to the marshal,
and the latter, on his prayer, consented to release him.
The prisoner gave his name :—he wis of the Peel family,
perh.tpa the one who became First Minister of Great
Britain.
In a note to this passage the author adds :

The English Government felt at that time the greatest
anxiety with regard to the fate of Lord Wellington. It is
post;ible that Sir Robert Peel, though quite young, but
already Under-Secretary of State of Marine, was anxious
to ascertain for himself the state of the army.

In spite of the praise we have given the book,
we must not omit to mention that it contains
several little errors that ought to have been
avoided, and that it gives numerous instances
of that naive French vanity which, though
impertinent to foreigners, only makes them
laugh. As a specimen of the errors, it
may be stated that the birth of Byron is re-
presented to have taken place in 1769, the
" natal era of Chateaubriand and Napoleon ;"
and, as a specimen of the vanity, it will suffice
to quote three lines :
Even in the excursions into the woods (of Portugal) to
seek for provisions, the generous character of our soldiers
shelved its pre-eminence over that of the English!