Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-08-08
NAPoLsoNs BOOKS.
The Great Military Genius a. an
ossnsNorous Reader.

The Grcat military Genius a. an
orsntNorous Header.
The command I'm Italy seems TO have
been NapoleOn's renaissance. AS 4
awoke his ambition. SO Il stimulated
his intellect Henceforwara history.
institutions. biography. travel polite
literature. poetry. became a permanent
interest OF his mind whenever tho ex.
lgcncics OF war and state allowed him
to read anything save dispatches. re
ports and bulletins. He always re-
manned an omnivorous if not deep
reader
II Napolcon's enemies could have
hooked into his boxes Of books. espe-
RALLY after 1900, or seen the inStruc-
lions he sent 20 his librarian. they
might have anticipated the future more
accurately. He always read up for
a coming campaign the history, gcog-
raphy. Institutions OF the country and
people with whom he was going TO
come I'm contact. IL Is exceedingly in
tcrcsting 10 see this projection of his
thought into the future, as indicated
by his reading This is particularly
true OF the Russian campaign
This historical material displaced
most OF the novels and the poems in
the campaign OF 1912. But In the hot
summer days Of that year. while the
army waited long I'm Poland. the en-
peror Sometimes found that moments
or leisure went by on lcaden wings.
and prayed for more divcrting litera-
ture. The faithful Meneval hastily dis
patched an order for ''some good new
novels. or old ones that ne is not famil-
lar with, or some memoirs that would
make agreeable reading"
The fate OF this travelling library
was the fate Of the entire army OF
1S12-lt was lost Tho books OF the
emperor probably went 90 boil the tea
OF some COSsack soldier. even as Iu-
nots veterans plunderCd Spanish libra
rlcs to find material for their camp
fires. One interesting detail of It's fate
has been preserved. On the road 20
Russia the emperor borrowed certain
books from the royal library In Ores
den. In the retreat from Moscow these
also were lost. Tho effort the emperor
made 70 repair this loss entities him TO
n place IN the ancient and honorable
company Of book lovers. The man who
had lost an army Of $4,000 men. who
saw Europe marching against him
from the Cral 10 the bay of Biscay,
took time AMI thought enough, on Feb.
Z, 1913, upon his return 70 Paris, 10
give express orders 10 procure dupli-
Gates OF these volumes at any price
and see that they were sent TO Ores
den.
In ISIS Napoleon formed the idea OF
having travelling library. In order %
/ make his hours OF intellectual rccrca-
ton independent Of tho cxigenclcs OF n
campaign OF the delays Of a courier.
/ Obviously such IA collection 81 books
would have 20 be selected with great
care, that the library might DC port
able one. and, consequently, the minute
instructions as 20 its caro- arc. us II
were, a picture of hts mind
The distribution Of subjects was rs
/ follows: Forty volumes Of religion.
/ forty Of epic poetry, forty OF the drama.
sixty volumes Of other poetry. sixty
/ volumes OF history and 100 novels. In
order 90 complete the quota ran the
| instructions. the balance shall De- mndc
up Of historical memoirs" Among tho
religious works were tho old and New
| TcStamcnts and the Koran. works on
church history. including some upon tho
Lutheran and the Calvlnist movements.
| The epics included Homer. Lucan. Tas-
so, the "IIenriadc." and SO forth. The
/ drama, selected tragedies Of Corncillc.
| Racine and Noltalre. Comedy NnpO-
/ leon could not endure. Not "a word uf
} Mollerc,' he says The history included