The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-14
NEW BOOKS.

Inc HrlVate Lie OF Nap0leOn"-M6mO1rS
of Constant. First Valet de Chambre of the
Emperor. Translated from the French.
With an introduction by Imbert De Saint
Amand.-Four volumes, 12mo. $500. Chas.
Scribners Sons, Publishers, New York.
Napoleon was hero to his valet de
chambre. ard Constants account of his
master, from whom he was separated
but few days in the years that passed
between Marengo and Fontainebleau, is
as sympathetic as it is interesting.
No man ever had so near view of the
Emperor as the author of these Memoirs,
as M. Imbert de Saint Armand says in
his eloquent preface to the English edi-
tion now for the first time presented to
the public. And in all the voluminous
Napoleonic literature there is nothing
30 intimate, nothing that gives 30 definite
a portrait of Napoleon as a man, his
family life, his personal appearance and
habits, his manner Of dealing with peo-
pie, his conduct during his campaigns,
and. in sum. his real character as it was
disclosed not to the public, but to his
own household.
Together with his picture of the EN-
peror. Constant gives also lively descrip-
tions of the people who surrounded him,
Josephine. Marie Louise, the Bouapartee,
Napeleon's marshals, the officials of the
Empire and other prominent figures, and
his Memoirs are also replete with anec
dote and incident
They are mine in which every his
torian, biographer or critic of Napoleon
has delved, and occupy the first rank
among the original documents of the
imperial epoch. And no other book
affords the general reader the material
for a correct estimate of Napoleon's
character as a man and ruler in com
parison with this record of his intimate
and familiar life, as told by one who
shared it.
We reprint the following from the pre-
face to the English edition:
The Memoirs of Constant the reprint of which
has just been very favorably received in France.
lHOiit, VIC Dtli6fct tu6 uOHOT OI D6lDg translated
and published in the United States. No man
had nearer view of Napoleon l.; and no enc
has given ore exact details regarding the great
mans character. The resemblance of the Dor
trait of the Emperor by Constant is, we believe,
perfect. The valet de chambre Ensembles
neither the weaknesses nor the defects of the
master, but he admires sincerely the genius of
the sovereign and the winning qualities of the
leon gains N baipp io6 fron faa
standpoint of intimacy. The mask falls the man
remains. and the hero does not vanish. The
vogue of Con- tant's Memoirs when they first APP
peared in 1880 was very great. At that epoch
the imperial epic exercised over the French ma
ton such an ascendency that if the Duke de
Reichsbadt had been restored 10 Libel ty by Aus
tra, everything indicates that the Sen of the
Man, as the heir of the victor of Austerlitz was
then called, would have been proclaimed en-
peror. To-day the re-establishment of the EN-
pire is no longer in question In france, but the
prestige of Napoleon has never been more strik-
ing there. The present moment was well chosen
for bringing out new memoirs such as those of
Constant. not only in France, but in the United
States The resonant echo of the imperial epoch
in the United States is wholly natural. A geni-
us like Napoleon was certain to be admired by
nation which, after having triumphed in the
contests of commerce and industry. has proved
that when the occasion arose, it could be great
warlike nation as well.