The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-13
THE LITERARY WORLD.
WEEKLY CHAT REGARDIN0 WRIT
ERs AND BOOKS.
Mr.. Morris's Napoleon" tho Opinions OF
Various Critics Concerning 1t-List oil
Good New Literature.


sale by West. Johnston & Co.
or the making Of books about Napoleon
,bera is no end. Concerning him, a long
list OF writer's. some OF them very able
have written volumes. OF which there are
so many, that 1t would almost seem tnere
was no room for another. such was not
the opinion OF Mr.. William OConhor
Morris. and his just published WORK on
the great general and ruler has evoked
no slight praise. Very highly Is the book
commended by The Academy (LondoiD
in a critical analysis written by Mr.. H.
Morse stephens:
ct is no difficult matter TO appraise the
value OF Mr.. Norris book. lie knows
his own limitations. and in his preiaee
makes no pretensious 70 be an Original
historian. He modesuy says: 1 90 not
nretend 70 have read all that has been
unfinished about Napoleon, but can truly
say | have read a great deal, ana .,"s
sketch shows. / hope, that ] nave stuulVu
the subject He has studied Napoleon
correspondence with care. ana mas t'1us
good use OF course Of VIDE 'Sehel'"
reading. His book Is certainly the best
modern account OF Napoleon in the Eng
Ush Language: IL is not hrst-rate MS
tory or a frst-rate biography. ana II was
inevitable. as ! have endeavored To
point out. that It should be failure from
the highest point Of view owing 10 the
state Of the materials and the CONFUSION
Of the limits Of biography ana history
II is no dlscredt to Mr.. Norris TO nave
failed. when Tame and Lanfrey nave
failed before him. I'm writing a definite
book on Napoleon: but IT is greatly 10 MS
credit that ne should have put together
an eminently readable volume, contain
ing much up-to-date information and crit
icism He writes with an enthusiastic
admiration for his hero, which is In some
ways a wholesome corrective 10 the spirit
OF excessive denigratiOn which is charac-
terlstic OF most modern French bogra-
plies OF Napoleon. He admires him
greatly as man. but more as general
and the pages referring to Napoleons
military operations are singularly lueld
and generally very fair 70 his hero's
adversares and correct I'm detail Mr.
Morris is no novice I'm writing on military
history, and he writes with more firm
ness and appreciation on military ques-
tlons than on Napoleon's civil admins
tration. The chapter on Waterloo Is ! ar
ticularly good, and shows careful thought
and much reading, but he utterly fans
to give an adequate account Of the state
OF France during that eventful year. lie
is at home I'm treating OF the campaign,
but at sea when dealing with the currents
Of thought and opinion In France; and IT
is characteristic OF his attitude towards
his hero that he is inclined to blame
France for not heartily supporting Ma
poleOn I'm his last struggle against the
allies. But here, again, It Is hardly fair
TO criticise Mr.. Morris too severely. for
until the publication Of VI. Henry Hous-
sayes ISIS there existed no printed au-
thority OF real value on the state OF
France during the Hundred Days for him
to consult"
"A lucid and impartial study" is the
phrase by which The Tribune CNew York;,
In a laudatory and carefully written ac-
count Of the volume. describes Mr. Nor
ris' work:
"As Napoleon was the Victim Of ex-
trayagant aduation and merciless de- |
traction, a biographer Of the new and |
scientific school naturally takes the mid |
die course and trains himself I'm modera- |
ton II view and In the use OF temperate |
language. The work IS an excellent sam
pie Of the kind Of writing which the con-
sentative scholarship Of the times requires
IN order 10 adjust its conceptions OF the /
great men Of the past 10 the conditions OF /
their environment and to the laws Of |
historic perspective. The author neither |
Durns incense in hero-worship nor repeats |
the invectve Of intolerant and passionate |
of the literature Of the subject. French. |
German and English, and has written /
biography at once lucid IN style. ami |
mated In narrative, and just and impartial |
IN us estimate Of character There q |
perhaps, no other life Of Napoleon equally |
free from partisan bias and bgotry'
This volume, while Il bears evidence
OF the authors scholarship, philosophical
Ii,lhu ana conservatism Of thought. is
also vivid and picturesque recital oa
the most interesting life OF modern HE
tory. II has numerous Illustrations and
Is well printed and handsomely bound
An interesting feature Of the book is
pointed out by the Public Ledger. Phila-
delphla:
1.-THE memoir terminates with n re-
collection Of Napoleon's Sig
natures. repi cduced from the columns OF
the North American Review These offer
curiously from one another. the neat
OF the signature from 4 Ter
ter dated 1893. addressed 10 the directory.
the firm Napoleon Of his successful cam
paign, the demoraliZed scrawl OF tho re.
treat from Russia and after defeat at
LalpziG and the feeble tracery signed at
81. Helena. This book is marked by
admirable GOODNESS Of judgment and a
gratifying to witness"
Some blemishes I'm the work have been
which does rot put very high estimate
on it,
ITO him that hath shall be given
and the tendency is rather 20 credit Ma |
poeon with more than his share Of fore
sight and capacity than 20 underrate his
natural gifts and graces. This tendency /
may be traced. we think, IN the work
before us. Mr.. Morris can hardly be call
ed an enthusiast, and Frenchmen would
regard his defence OF Napoleon as half
hearted or insincere. Moreover, his lite
rary style Is without eloquence or I'M
pressiveness. and his reasons are seldom
given with sufficient fullness. His senti-
ments, however, are unmistakabie. Few
OF his statements. indeed. are open 10
serious question. One may remark the
absence OF Nine de Staeis name and
Of any reference 70 the Emperor's be-
lief in his star; one may think that Ma
officers are undervalued. and /
that his project OF recapturing
Paris from the Allies I'm April. 1914 was
more difficult than the author allows.
and one may not be ready. with Mr. Nor
ris. 10 Justify the escape from Elha. |
I'm the MAN, however the author has
good grounds for his opinions. on the
side OF NapOleon's genius
he might have dwelt At even greater
length He clearly demonstrates that
<apoleon's despotic tendencies and his
ilstrust OF popular movements had a IA
tai influence on his career. Little, how
ever. IS said OF the Emperors nepousm
and OF the mistaken dynastic ambition
hat led him astray. The impetuOsity
and oyerweening self-confidence 10 which |