The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-04

ASScLiJ ID wei "CNuCu ~
In our first notice months agO of
Professor Sloane's very able work on
Napoleon Bonaparte' we pointed out
a deficiency Sat it was very defective
in it's account of events Immediately
preceding battles, and lacking in CO.
herency at times in tracing the pro-
Eress of a battle and results. In other
words, unless something familiar with
the life of Napoleon, and particularly
his many marvellous campaigns, you
will be often puzzled to grasp the full
significance Of a battle. It is a very
striking book in many particulars, but
in reading it we felt the need of more
ella bOratiOn and continuity Of state
ment at particular stages in the life of
the most extraordinary man he was
writing. Its fairness, it's fullness in
the early life of Napoleon, it's candOr,
its strong grouping Of vents in places,
ats very clear analysis Of the princi-
pies, motives and plans Of the great
captain are all cleverly. done and most
c~ommendable. In looking from time to
lIAlC at 4IoIASSo VI IAN "OAN ~AA
to see the defects we thought we saw
pointed out. But in The Bookman for
February there is a paper on the work
that sees the work very much as it
impressed us. The writer
so far as historical accuracy is con-
cerned, it is no believed that criticism
will disclose any very serious IapseS.
Some objections have been made to the
Z ~, ciIn 90 his n orrotjVa and hiJ
account of Napoleon's campaigns is not
likely to satisfy the specialists. 1t is
meagre and has q p~erfunctOry tone, as
If the author found the task somewhat
Irksome. In some instances, as in the
description of ne campaign and battle
of MarengO, the account is too elllptl-
cal to be intelllslble.'
Again it is said that "as a military
historian Professor Sloane is not par
ticularly luminous" That it is impair
eiai beyond most writer's who have
written Of Napoleon there is no
IN France there are two schools; one
who e%ulogizes the great Italian and
makes him super-human, and the 9TH
ct class that detracts, exaggerates and
damns beyond recovery. The middle
way is hardly known in France. In
england II Is LII uSuuINSldIlOA
Scott to Prof. Seeley. The only English
work we have read that leans favora-
bly, to Napoleon is Morris life issued a
few years ago In this country lauda-
fiOn has been some times extreme. AD-
bott, Headley and others have written
discrimination. Professor
Sloane is, we think, disposed to be
--1- S,c% ;~1rnrt;oj II q oarfotn1v dnlo
not favor too much the mighty leader.
He holds the scales with judicial fair
ness, with possible a little inclination
against Napoleon. We like his spirit,
and he reminds us of Hallam and
Iecky in refusing to be a partisan and
a hero-worshipper. The critic in The
Bookman says:
1.-The authors tone is judicial, and if
he has not achieved perfect impartiali-
ty it is due to the character of the subs
ject and not to the spirit in which he
treats it. He refuses TO be dazZled by
the great mans deeds. He analyses his
motives and never ~eXtenuates. The
evolution of Napoleon's character is
traced in the style of a psychological
novelist, exposing the and
Seif-Seeking of the lOnS-headed young
hero, and wretched shifts of his early
days OF struggle, and the sublime self
ishness of his successful In
this study of Napoleon's character Pro-
lessor Sloane is at his best. The pic
tEre he draws is very impressive. We
feel the sense of something Superhu-
man, something 'daemonic,' as the au-
thor calls it, in the character Of this
marvellous man."
OF the value of his work there can be
no doubt. 1t is lake it all in all the
safest and truest guide in understand
est man in modern times. 1t deserves
TO be carefully studied. Other books
are essential to a thorough comprehen-
sion of this sphinx-like man of the
ages. Some of the works of the last