The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-09
THE TWO NAPOLEONS.
Two New Books That Treat Respec-
lively Of the First and Second french
Empires.

lively OF the First and Second French
Empires.
In this country, his own and the imme-
diately succeeding generation have, we
believe, pretty generally regarded Louis
Napoleon as poscur and his Empire as
something i'm the nature Of light opera If
not farce comedy. The romance and
picturesqueness of Emperor and Empire
have appealed To the popular imagina-
ton, we should say, as amounting almost
to an absurdity emphasized by the igno-,
minious collapse of the structure of State
before the German arms after ridicu-
lousy abbreviated war. Very likely we
have judged the kind and character of the
actor and the play rather more hippantly
than was fair because of incidents like
that of the Prince Imperial's "bap ptism OF
fire." But at all events, the period OF
the Second Empire, we should say, has
hardly been taken as seriously as its in
fluence ON history and the character of
the forces that identified it deserve.
Accordingly new book, "Louis Napo-
leon and Mademoiselle de Montijo" by
the brilliant Imbert dc Saint-Amand, Is
of especial value as tending to correct
some of these perhaps frivilous impress
sions. Moreover, IL is highly interesting.
1t is published by Charles Scribner's
Sons and is for sale by Preston and
Rounds, (price 81. 50). The translation
Is by Elizabeth Gilbert Martin. There Is
portrait Of Napoleon as President OF
the Republic and of the Empress Eugcnie
at the age of 20, the first presenting
really noble looking man and the second
most beautiful young woman. The
book is beautifully gotten up in press
work and binding. The author was
personal actor and a spectator throughout
all the events that he describes with such
felicity. Hesitating to undertake the
making of history from a contemporary
eous view ne sets himself the task of re-
corling faithfully and picturesquely the
events as he knew them. He was present
"at the birth of the Second Empire" and
witnessed it's last agony" The present
volume is but beginning Of the work
which he has in preparation and is con-
fined to a review of the lives of the
to their marriage. or these young lives,
he gives most charming account and
tho reader is impressed with something
of the sort Of genius and fate it was that,
whatever the contemporaneous view and
whatever the verdict of history, made
Louis Napoleon, for all his peculiar weak
nesses and for all the spectacular ele-
hot In nj
Sedan, the most conspicuous figure in the
whole world for period of % years. 1t
was an imposing bubble, was the Empire,
the Emperor was glorious in the light of
the calcium and glimpses OF the kind of
stuff that made 1t all possible Is suggested
in this exquisite story of the people and
the times Of its creation. AS to the beau
tiful Eugene, the Spanish girl who be-
came an Empress, the book confirms the
popular conception that her life was
romance and tragedy Of our modern
time unsurpassed save in rare instances
in all the worlds history. With the
triumph and apotheosis of the wedding
day the book reaches conclusion and
leaves the reader hungry for the succeed
ing volume The story Is full Of exquisite
descriptions and pen pictures than
which there is nothing better In histor-
ical literature.
Nicholas Charles Oudinot, Due deReggio,
was marshal Of France and one of the
great of the Napoleonic era. He was
the superb commander of that most
superb of corps the grenadiers. War was
his trade and his wounds and scars were
even more numerous than his medals
and decorations. That he was so notable
figure in the history of his time and
so remarkable soldier is perhaps due the
fact that the "Memoirs of Marshal
Oudinot" compiled from the the hitherto
unpublished souvenirs of the Duchess
de Reggie by CASTOR Steigler, a contribu-
tion of interest and importance to the re-
vival of Napoleonic history, deals rather
sparingly with the central figure Napoleon
himself. The work is translated into Eng
is published by ID. Appleton and company
(for sale by Gregory, $2). Two portraits
in heliogravure accompany the work
which is handsomely printed and bound.
Oudinots career as soldier began as
private In 1854, and his military and civic
commands were notable under the Empire
and the monarchy. He died in Paris in
1917. He was conspicuous in the amazing
campaigns waged by the army of the Re-
public on the northern border. He was
still young officer, though at the head
of corps when he captured Wagram,
an assault that for brilliancy and nerve
had few parallels in the Napolconic wars.
The Marshal recognized the restoration
of the Bourbons and being in command
of the Imperial Guard at Metz upon
Napoleon's landing at Cannes remained
loyal to Louis XVIII until his troops de-
serted his standard for the tri-color and no
remained in retirement during the pro-
gress of events that had their climax In
the Battle of Waterloo.
The story Of this gallant soldier is of