The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-09
SOME NEW hooks.
Chateaubriand's Memoirs. second y

by A. 7. DE MATTos (Putnams) carry the
autobiography down to February, 1920,
when the author had still some nineteen
years to live. We have seen that Chateau
brand. who had been appointed Secretary
to the French Embassy at Rome in 1903.
and sent in the following year as Anbas-
sador TO the little republic of Nalais. re-
fused 20 hold Office any longer under Napo-
leon after the murder Of the Duo d'Enghen.
In 1916 he visited Greece, Palestine and
Egypt, and returned to France in 1907.
Two years later he published Les Martyrs"
a prose epic. the action of which takes
place in the days of Diocl.tian. Early in
1914, when the allied Powers were not as
vet agreed az TO the form of government
which should he given to France, Chateau
BRAND published a pamphlet, de bond
parte Ct des Bourbons." which Louis XVIII.
declared was worth an army TO the Legi-
timist caus. During the first year Of the
restoration, he put forth his "Rtfechons
PoLtioues." and soon afterward was APP
pointed Ambassador TO Sweden, post
however. which he never occupied owing
10 the return of Napoleon from Ella. Dur
ing the Hundred Days Chateaubriand
remained with Louis XVIII. AT Client.
MOI the lth~l ullfltrllIlb lhb'0' w ~" ''h'
volume are those which discuss the second
abdcation and exile of Napoleon. Before
directing attention to this important Part
of the book, We should glance AT what
the author of these memoirs has TO say
about the Battle of Waterloo, which. al
though he did not see. he heard. lie tells
us that on the 18th of June, 1915. he left
Client at noon 10y the Brussels gate, IN
tending to take a solitary walk on the high
road. Il had taken he says, Caesar :
CommentaIlc, with me, ana l ~troU"u
slowly aiong. immersed in my reading
was more than a league from the town
when | thought | heard dull ruinhling
| stopped, looked up AT the sky, which was
fairly laden with clouds, taking counsel
with myself whether ! should continue to
walk on or go back toward Client for fear
of a storm. | listened. | heard nothing
more save the cry Of a moor hen IN the
PUSHES and the sound of a village clock
] pursued my way. | had not taken thirty
steps before the rumbing began again,
now short now long and at irregular inter-
walls; sometimes II was perCeptibs only
through trembling Of the air, which COM
municated it-elf to the ground over those
detonations, less extensive, less undulating,
less connected than those of thunder, gave
rise in my mind to the idea of a battle.
found myself in front Of poplar planted
al the corner of a hopheld crossed the
road and leant erect against the trunk of a
tree, my face turned in the direction Of
Brussels southerly wind springing up
carried to me more distinctly the sound Of
artillery That great battle. naneless as
yet, Of which listened to the echoes at the
foot of a poplar, and Of which village
clock had Just rung out the unknown
funerals, was the Battle of Waterloo
Chateaubriand goes on to recall how
overw hemed he was by his reflections.
as. alone under tree in the fields Of Client,
he listened 20 the distant booming OF
cannon What battle was that Would
it be decisive? Was Napoleon there in
person? What would be the consequence
Of the battle for the nations? Would il
I've liberty or slavery? Whose blood was
hpwingY Was il new Crecy. a new
Poitiers. a new Agincourt in which Frances
most implacable enemies were about TO
revel? II they triumphed. was not our
glory LOST II Napoleon won the day,
what would become Of our liberty? Al
though success on Napoleon's side opened
up to me an eternal exile. the mother
land at tho moment gained the mastery
in my heart my prayers We're for the OPP
pressor Of France, If, while saving our
honor, he was 10 Snatch W. from foreign
domination" Again: Was Wellington
triumphing? Then the Legitimacy would
reenter Paris behind those red uniforms
which had just renewed their dye in the
blood of the French. Then the royalty
Of the Bourbons would have a. State
carriages at its coronation the ambulance
wagons filed with our MANNED grenadcrs
What manner of restoration would II be,
accomplished under such auspices?"
Chateaubriand vas still on the high road
when a courier belonging To the Due de
Berry cam" riding up from Alost, ard bear
ing the following message, "Bonaparte
entered Brussels yesterday III Jun,l after
sdnguinary combat, The battle was to
have recommended to-day Is Jun,l
They think the Allies have suffered de-
oisive defeat, and the order il given to re-
treat" Fastening back to Client, cha
teaubriand went to the King house, where
the King brother, the tomtc d'Artois
had just arrived by oircuitous route
having left Brussels upon the false news
that Bonapart, was about TO enter it, and
that a first lost battle left no hope Of winning
a second. On the receipt Of this intelli-
gene the stamped became general
II was not until u clock in the morninl
on the 18th Of j me that a letter brought Il
the King by express made known the truti
that Napoleon had never entered Brussels
and had lost the battle Of Waterloo. Tn,
opinion is exprcosei by Chatsa .brianC
that the blum ,ers committed on the Frencl
81 L. in this battle we're important "The,
mn ie MISTAKES as to friendly or hos, Ill
bodies. They occupied the position o
Quatrc-Bras too late, Marshal Grouchy
whose Instructions were TO hold the Prus
slams in check with his 80 eco men, above,
them to pass without seeing them; henc
the reproacnes which our Generals cas-
al one another Bonaparte attacked /
front, According 10 his custom. instead q
turning the English and with a master
presumption occupied imself IN cuttin
OIL the retreat Of an enemy who was no
beaten" After pointing out that tn
phrase. the Guard dies but does not sur
render is an invention, Chateaubrian
accepts a. certain tho report that, at TIA
beginning Of the action, Marshal Soul,
Chief of rtaa, made some observation
with regard to strategic or tactical disposi