Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-23

Chicago; a. c. McClurg Co.
This book is composed of extracts
from the journal of Gen. Gourgaud,
begun the day alter the battle of
Waterloo. Lord Rosebery says:
The one capital and superior re-
cord of life at st. Helena is the pri-
vate journal of Gen. Gourgaud. 1t
was written, IN the main, at least,
for his own eye, without fiattery or
even prejudice. 1t is sometimes al.
most brutal in it's realism. He
alone, of all the chroniclers, strove
to be accurate, and on the whole
succeeded. " And it is from this
journal that the translator has
culled, presenting almost all that
Napoleon said to Gourgaud in famil-
lar chats about his past life and his
future Mrs. Latimer writes with
brightness and easy flow of
words, and has presented here
probably the most truthful account
of the doings of the Emperor while
IN exile.
The first part is the journal of
Baron Courtyard, from the day after
the battle of Waterloo, June 10,
1915, to the arrival of Napoleon at
st. Helena on October IS of the
same year. Then follow the ex-
tracts, 1.-The talks of Napoleon, as
they are called, being the views of
the famous General on widely di-
vergent subjects. The chapters on
waterloo" and "Marshals and
Generals are probably the most
interesting. About the battle OF
Waterloo Napoleon says: 81 made
a great mistake in employing Ney.
He lost his head A sense of his
past conduct impaired his energy.
Carnot did not wish me even to
make him a peer, Had | acted
wisely l should have placed Soult
on the left, but who would have
thought that Ney, who had spoken
to me of the Importance Of Quatre
Bras, would have omitted to occupy
that position felt sure when !
attacked the Prussians that the
English would not come to their as
sistance, while Butcher, who is hot
headed, would have FASTENED to
support Wellington, though he had
only two battalions, The world
had its eyes upon him. He well
knew that rewards would be Law.
ished upon him if he sacrificed him
self to support the English.
After Waterloo Napoleon said
"Ney got no more than he deserved.
! regret him because he was in.
estimable on a field of battle, but he
was too hot-headed and too stupid
to succeed in anything but fight
He wanted to have It believed thai
he was concerned in a CONSPIRACY
to bring me back from Elba, and II
cost him dear. Murat, who, like
Ney, was unrivaled in battle, like
him committed nothing but follieS
at all other times. can assure
you that Murat was the main cause
of our being here at St. Helena
Napoleon S views on religion were
not really settled, although he be
leved in a Deity. He said; 1.-The
idea of God the Creator is much the
most simple explanation OF the orr
gin of things. Who made them all!
There is a veil we cannot lift. 1t is
/. beyond the powers of our soul, be
, yond the reach of our understand
ings. 1t belongs to a higher order
of things. The most simple idea
consists in worshipping the sun
which gives life to everything.
All religions since that of Jupiter
inculcate morality.
The book closes with this chapter
on Religion" and is interesting
from first to last. 1t gives an il
side view of the life of the Emperor
and gives a clear Insight as to the
motives that actuated him on many
occasions. Like the rest of human
kind, he could see his mistakes
afterwards, and deplored he haC
not foresight enough to avoid them
In that wish he is joined by thu
| Of Nha hum