The times., 1901-03-31
Nanoteou and Josephine.

Napoleon and Josephine.
A new edition Of the Life of Napoleon
Jsopaparte'' by Ida n. Tarbel has been
issued. and to it has been appended
Life Of Josephine" by the same auth II.
The latter is perhaps the only thoroughly
impartial and graphic picture of the En-
press which has been written. 1t GER
tainly presents her in a much more real
istic light than most of those heretofore
published. AS Miss Tarbell states. a de-
termined effort was made at the time 4
the Second Empire to represent her as a
sort Of saint and martyr, and the author
continues:
The present sketch is an attempt
to tell true story OF her life as it is
revealed by tho recent diigent re-
searches Of Frederic Mason. and by
the numerous memoirs of the period
which have appeared many OF Them
since the passing Of the Second Eu-
pire. If the story as told here is frank.
IL is hoped by ho author that II VIII
not be found unsympathetlc.
T-nsympathetic it surely is not, though
ii IS likely TO prove something Of a shock
10 the ideals OF a good many people. II
is, however. a picture wholly and attract
lively human: and though most of those
who read il viii be likely To feel con
siderable more sympathy with Napoleon
than that somewhat complex parsonage
has hitherto inspired. there viii still be
no lack of sympathy for the wife V no
might be called. in her way. soldier Of
fortune. he was in his. He conquered
success in his way. she in hers. and there
seems little reason 10 doubt that they
were mated by nature
AS for the life of Napoleon. first printed
some seven years ago. and now republish-
Cd, il is quite as truthful and vivid
ufpra1ra Of TTrpnarc- its c4,.raceor
is OF the Empress. We see here not the
appalling and mysterious evil genius
threatening the liberties Of Europe. not
the selfish oppressor and tyrant. but
very human. though almost superhuman,
man The complexities and contradictions
Of his character are manifold, but they
are al so knit together and simplitied by
two or three overmastering traits as to
be rot so very difficult to understand. The
picture which Miss Tarbell gives Of him
not only impresses one as being true to
life. but is essentially dramatic The va
Ifous episodes OF Napoleon's career are
described in way which makes the book
anything but mere dry-as-dust biogra-
ply. II is as fascinating as a novel; in
fact il possesses more than the attrac-
ton Of a novel. because Of its lack Of that
ariiiciality which must be slightly evident
in even the most mastery work Of fiction.
The difference between d novel and bio
graphy is that In The former the authors
work is TO construct his plot in accord
ance with the motive OF the story; In the
latter 81 f. 10 take the plot as constructed
by the logic Of events. and find out what
the motive Of the story IS. Since the
average biographer is not gifted with the
intuition Of the romance writer, this is
seldom perfectly done or truth would
prove superior In interest TO fiction. Miss
Tarhen happens 10 have the genius for
storytelling combined with . genuine love
Of accuracy. and the result is both valua-
ble and delightful.
one extract from the life Of Napoleon
viii show her general method OF treating
facts. X Is not usual TO find q writer who
can balance The picturesque and the i'm
portanJ as cleverly as is done IN this book
Napoleons return from Eliza. perhaps the
most impressive episode OF his career, is
handled after this fashion:
While to all appearances engrossed
with the little anairs Of Elba, Napo-
leon was, in fact. planning the most
dramatic act Of his life. On the 10Th
Of February, 1915. the guard received
an order To leave the island With a
force Of 100 men the Emperor passed
the foreign ships guarding Elba. and
On the afternoon of the lst Of March
landed at Cannes on the Gulf Of Juan.
At II O'Clock that night he started to-
TO the people and the army. II there
never was an example OF such au-
daCioUs confidence certainly there new
er was such a response. The people
of the south received him joyfUlly, Of
feriug 20 sound the tOCsin and follow
him en- masse. But Napoleon refused;
it was the soldiers upon whom he
called.
we have not been conquered Ihe
told the armyl. Come and range your
selves under the standard Of Your
aaF 80 .ay-f fs=fa de-
his interests, his honor. and his glory
are yours. Victory VIII march at
double-quick time The eagle with the
national colors VIII ny from steeple
to Eteepie TO the towers of Notre
Dame. Then you VIII be able 10 show
your scars with honor; then you will
be able TO boast of what you have
done; you viii be the liberat0rs Of the
country.
AT Grenoble there was a show of
resistance. Napoleon went directly
TO the soldiers, followed by his guard.
Here ] am: you know me If there
is a soldier among you who wishes to
kin his Emperor let him do II.
Long live the Emperor was the
answer, and I'm q twinkle 5000 men
had torn Of their white cockades and
replaced them by old soiled tricolors.
They drew them from the inside Of
their caps, where they had been con
cealing them since the exile Of their
hero. 1t is the same that ] wore at
kusterlitZ, said one as he passed the
Emperor This, said another ! had
at Marengo
From Grenoble the Emperor
marched 70 Lyons. where the soldiers
aud officers went over 10 him in regi-
ments. The Royalist leaders who had
oeigued 70 20 TO Lyons to eXbOrt the
army found themselves ignored. and
Ney. who had been ordered from Be
saucon 10 stop the Emperors advance
and who started out promising 10
bring back Napoleon in an iron cage
surrendered his entire division. IL was
impossible to resist the force Of popu-
lar opinion. he said. From Lyons the
Emperor. at the head OF what was
now the French army, passed by Di-
!on. Autun, Avalon. and AuXerre, to
FontainebleaU. which he reached on
March u. The same day Louis XVIII
fed from Paris.
'The change Of sentiment in these
few days was well illustrated I'm a
French paper, which, after Napoieons
return. published the following calen-
dar gathered from the Royalist press.
February 25-'The exterminator has
signed a treaty offensive and defen-
sive. Ii is not known with whom.
February 2j-'The Corsicau has left
the island Of Eiba.'
March 1-'ROnapaTte has debarked
at Cannes with 100 men.
March General BOuaparte has
taken possession Of Greuoble'
March I6-'Napoieon has entered
Lyons.
Fontainebleau today
March l9-'His Imperial Ma Jesty Is
expected al The Tuilerlcs tomorrow.
the anniversary Jf the birth Of the
King Of Rome.
RourDons. the following notice ap-
peared on the door OF the Tuileries.
.rF'E. Eu4DaroF bfgs the King TO