New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
srrlEY,s NAPOLEON.

PROFESSOR SEE IIE1'S NAIOLEVN.
SHORT HISTORY OF NAPOLEON THE FIRST.
By JoIiN RNEETT SirLEY, RcciNs Professor OF
Modern History ia the University Oi Cambridge
16mo. Pr. 3l5 ROBBERS Brothers
To anybody who may have been imposed upon by
Mr. Pope's recently published sketch OF Napoleon
!. we can offer 10 better corrective than this
vigorous little book by the author of The EX-
panson of England" Originating in All article con-
tributed to the (" EncyclopRdia Britannica" Il is
necessarily compact and rapid narrative ana
although IT has been considerably enlarged in book
form il still PRESENTS only outline history with
much se7ere compression and many democratic
omissions The art with which the long and lntrl-
cate story has been abridged is admirable. lhere
arc no descriptions OF battles but there are clear eX
plantations of campaigns The details OF statecralt
are avoided but NapOleOn's combinations and pur-
poses are distinctly set before u.s. Personal traits
are left to the memoir writer's and vet there not
MANY books which exhibit in stronger light tie
meanness and villany of Napoleous character. The
leluslon that he was q benehcent legislator, who
marched over the continent, throwing down despots
and establishing popular liberties. is thoroughly
posed; and in the ingenious review of the causes
both of his rise and of his fall even his military
glory is considerably furnished. The severity Of
Professor Seeleys will be challenged, and
it is impossible to deny that sometimes he writes
more like a Jealous prosecutor than an impartial
Judge but all his conclusions are brought ont with
force and even where he is least in harmony with
current opinion he will be followed with respectful
consideration
: The most remarkable part of the volume is the
concluding essay on Napoeons Place in History
Here Professor Seeey considers how far Napoleon
was favored and shaped by crcumStances-tho
peculiar circumstances of the revolutionary period
which had no parallel in hiStOry-and what lie was
In himself that is what were his own ideas and
views His rise to power was comparatively easy.
The revolution had broken all the traditions OF the
past overthrown all civil and religious institutions
and made imperialism almost necessity; and even
without the possession of extraordinary abilities
was quite possible for almost any successful soldier
to place himself at the head of the State. The
ascendency of France i'll Europe, which is commonly
ascribed to his genius, had really begun before lie
cane to power. Revolutionary France placed in his
hands an unrivalled military force animated With
the enthusiasm of war and already successful on
many brilliant fields; and with this ioIce he not
only won some great battles, but. it must be re-
membered, he also made some cgIegious and disas-
trous failures The career OF Napoleon, though the
most extraordinary on record. does not differ IN
kind from other great careers but only III degree.
"The explanation Of the enormous scale of nagni-
tude which is found in this is 10 be found in
the French Revelation and in the turn which it had
taken. An unprecedented CONFUSION maue tHe
waves run high, and it so happened that all the
wild forces and passions letloose IN the Revolution
had converted themselves into military force. An
unparalleled army was created, and was then
handed over along with the government of a great
European State. into the hands of consummate
military specialist and most energetic character
He welded this weapon with absolute control, and
the result was a series of gigantic military enter
prIses, conducted always ably, but for the most
part also recklessly. and resulting in some prodig
GUS trumphe, and then in a series of still more pro-
digious disasters"
Tie key to Napoleons policy. Professor Seeley
thinks was not the desire to found continental
empire but the desire to conquer and overthrow the
British Empire In the prosecution Of this plan he
found il necessary first to conquer Europe. He was
foiled in his original design by the superior naval
power of England, and the coalition brought INTO
existence by the energy and genius Of Pitt. Then
he put into execution his alternative plan. lie did
conquer Europe, but in the attempt to use his con-
quest for its ulterOr purpose he met his ruin.
France lost all that he had gained for her, as well
as all that she had secured during the revolution
All that he built at such cost of blood and tears
was swept away before he himself ended his short
life"