perend Napotion, de la Lettre qu'il ent d'Anglatere, le quatorce de juillet le de ce belive 1828 General d'artillerie, Alida de Camp ded Empereud. Le Baron l'Europe, j'ai terminé ma carrière politique; et us la protection de ses loix que je reclame de V.A.R. OF THE HISTORY OF FRANCE DURING THE REIGN OF NAPOLEON, DICTATED BY THE EMPEROR AT SAINT HELENA TO THE GENERALS WHO SHARED HIS CAPTIVITY; AND PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS CORRECTED BY HIMSELF. SECOND EDITION. VOL. I. DICTATED TO GENERAL GOURGAUD, HIS AIDE-DE-CAMP. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HENRY COLBURN AND CO. AND MARTIN BOSSANGE AND CO. 1823. ADVERTISEMENT OF THE EDITORS, DURING the last seven years much has been written respecting Napoleon; all have wished to say what they knew of him; many have said what they did not know. Statesmen, soldiers, and authors of all nations have been desirous of passing judgment upon him; every body has spoken, except himself. At length he also breaks silence, and in the most solemn manner. At the time of his abdication at Fontainebleau, he said to the remains of his old legions, I will record the deeds we have performed together;" but the rapid succession of events which led to the revolution of the 20th of March, did not permit him to write his memoirs at the Isle of Elba; nor was he able to fulfil the promise given at Fontainebleau, until the arrived at Saint-Helena. No sooner was his political career terminated, than his restless mind eagerly reverted to this - project; he did not even wait till he arrived at the rock of exile; on board the vessel which carried him thither he commenced his memoirs. He employed the six years of his captivity in writing the account of the twenty years of his political life. So constantly was he occupied in this undertaking, that to describe the labour he bestowed upon it, would almost be to write the history of his life at SaintHelena. He seldom wrote himself; impatient at the pen which refused to follow the rapidity of his thoughts. When he wished to draw up an account of any event, he caused the generals who surrounded him to investigate the subject; and when all the materials were collected, he dictated to them extempore. Napoleon revised the manuscript, correcting it with his own hand: he often dictated it anew; and still more frequently recommenced a whole page in the margin. These manuscripts, entirely covered with his writing, have been carefully preserved, because nothing which comes from so celebrated a man will be indifferent in the eyes of posterity; and they constitute an unquestionable proof of authenticity. Napoleon had requested that all new works |