The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-03
sols,. WEE, nOOKs.



chsHs.uor Pnsqu,sSs- History Or ni- Time.
Since the record Of Mmo. dc Hemusat's OBJ
servations WIS given to the world. no light 80
coplous and searching has been thrown upon
the Napoleonic era rs is east Ivy the first vol
ume OF the Memoirs ~ Chancellor Dito pns-
otder. edited By the Duo D'AuDrrTRET-P PAS
QUEER and translated By Charles + Roche.
(Charies scribners Sonsl The author. Ftienne-
Denis Pasauier. was born In 1867. and died
IN 1862. having thus lived nearly century,
and having witnessed tho most momen-
tous events which have taken place since the
beginning OF the Christian era. Here is n man
who was 10 years old when the peace Of ver-
sailIes terminated the War for American Inde-
pendencc. who was % when the States.G General
assembled. who saw the execution ~ Louis
XVI, who was imprisoned only tho day before
che ninth Thermidor, when the overthrow OF
Robeapierre took place; who beheld all tho
changes which eliminated in the establishment
Of the Consulate and the Empire. who held
under the Emperor Napoleon the important
ofices OF Project Of Police and Councillor OF
Btate. and who. under n subse1uent regime.
became Chancellor Of France. and bedueathed
the title Of Duo to his posterlty. In the course
Of q life unusually prolonged he had been
watchful and sagacious student Of every form
OF government under which France had
passed-the Ancien Regime, the Convention,
the Directory. the Consulate. the Empire. the
First Restoration. tho Hundred Days. the Sec
ond Restoration. tho reign OF Louis Philippe
the Republic OF 1S4S. and the Second Empire.
He felt that his opportunities OF observation
had been remarkable. and he began tho COM
position Of these memoirs in 1922 continuing
them rom time to time. but leaving instruc-
lions that thoy should not be published until
at least thirty years after his death. The first
volume OF HIS "reminiscences and reflections,
OF which an English version is now before us.
carries us to the beginning Of Napoleon's Rus
sian campaign.
What distinguishes this book from almost
all other memoirs relating to the same period
f. its i'm partial. dispassionate. judicious char
acter. The author camo Of a family OF law
yers his father and grandfather had occupied
distinguished positions in the Parts Pare-
ment and he himself lived to attain the
highest place I'd tho French judiciary. By
birth, family traditions, and carly associations
he was an adherent of the old monarchy. and he
was glad to see it restored under con stitutional
limitations but his predictions did not pre-
vent him from rendering justice to the merits
OF Napoleon and appreciating some Of the
benefits resulting from tho new regime. Tho
opinions which no expresses with regard to
certain persons and events agree so closely
with those Of Taino that one cannot but sur
mise that the historian may have had access
TO these flrst-hand materials In manuscript
That the volume before US is contribution
OF extraordinary value to the student
OF the history OF France for the
period with which 1t deals will be patent
TO the reader upon nearly every paus. We
know Of nobook in which the attempt 70 give
q fair conception of its contents Is embar-
raised by such difficulty OF choice But
since some selection must he made out Of the
mass OF interesting matter, we have preferred |
to Indicate what the Chancellor has to tell us
about tho Ancien Regime during It's last and |
brightest years, about tho stupendous work OF |
reorganization effected by Napoleon. about |
the members OF Nnpoleon's family. and about |
some OF his Ministers. including conspicu-
ously Talleyrnnd and Fouche. 1t will. OF |
course. be understood that In this book. we
hear but little OF Generals and armies. the au-
thor being a civilian and judiciously combining
himself to subjects OF which no deemed him
self competent to trent.