Napoleon

by Emil Ludwig

  The attempt is especially difficult when, not works, but deeds, are the milestones along the road of life. Caesar, Frederick, and Napoleon, only became great powers through their victories in the battlefield ; and yet their battles tend, more and more, to become unmeaning for posterity. Nowadays, it is only in military academies that Pharsalia, Rossbach, and Austerlitz, have a historical significance. Not one of the three great generals I have named would mean any more to us than Crassus, Seydlitz, or Massena, had they, too, been nothing more than military commanders ; it is the political genius of Caesar, Frederick, and Napoleon, that makes these men supreme. In his highest embodiment, the statesman shapes all our destinies. Where genius and character intersect, is the focus for the searcher of the soul.

  In this book, I have tried to write the inner history of Napoleon. Since his personality finds expression in every step of his political career, his ideas as founder of States and as

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  legislator, his attitudes towards revolution and legitimacy, towards the social order and the problem of Europe—are valuable means of portrayal. Irrelevant was the course of the battles ; irrelevant the contemporary position of the European States, in so far as this was manifested only in coalitions or antagonisms as mutable as the weather.

  Every difference of opinion with his brothers or his wife, every hour of gloom or elation, his outbursts of wrath and his accesses of pallor, tricks or acts of kindness towards friend or foe, every word to his generals or to women (as reported in letters or authentic conversations), seemed more important than the order of battle at Marengo, the items of the peace of Luneville, or the details of the Continental System. What we have all learned about him at school and the university has here been restricted to a minimum ; but there has been a broad demonstration of the things that are lacking amid such everyday knowledge. Yet we have not been concerned only with that Napoleon intime who is so favourite a topic with French writers; but, rather, with the Napoleonic figure as a whole, in public career and in private life, as representative of all mankind. Affairs of State and love affairs that happened on the same day, have been referred to on the same page : they derive from the same source ; they determine one another; and a study of the imbroglio of the human heart will often give us more information concerning great plans than all the calculations of the tactician.

  Napoleon's personality, which has no more to do with the nation for which or against which he was fighting than it has to do with morality, has not been treated here as miraculous, nor yet as split up into abstract concepts. In the episodes of his life I have tried to grasp the innermost moods (of which his rise was a natural and logical outcome), and to trace his movement towards the climax of St. Helena. To examine this man's inner life ; to explain his resolves and his refrainings, his deeds and his sufferings, his fancies and his calculations, as issuing from the moods of his heart— the disclosure of this great chain of

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  affects, was at once the means and the end of the portrayal.

  That is why there was no place in my record for portraits of the generals. Nothing could be admitted to this one volume which did not throw light upon the history of the one interior.

  If we wish to give a picture of a life so full as this man's, we must perforce follow his tempo ; the writer, therefore, is bound to the words of the person being described, and can never let that person speak too much. For, in truth, a man always explains himself better than any one else can do it for him ; even when he is mistaken, or when he is lying, he reveals himself to those who come afterwards, to those who know the truth. But the author must forget that he, too, knows the end. Only if, from moment to moment, he describes the feelings as they must have been experienced by one without foresight into the completed destiny, will he be able to generate that tension which, in actual life, made the sequence of events vibrant with passion.

  Thus with his own sympathy, he forces the heart of the man to reveal its sympathy. In the present work, the spirit of dispassionate analysis is shown once only, towards the end. We cannot study the motor engine till it stops running.

  Such a portrayal, which brings us into close proximity with its object, may give the impression of being a work of pure fancy. If, by its method of treatment, it is to be sharply differentiated from an imaginative creation, it must throughout cling to the framework of historical truth. One who believes that there is a logical succession of happenings in which there is no room for chance, will guard against retouching any detail; he will never bend a date or an incident to fit a preconceived purpose, even though, for stylistic purposes, he may think fit at times to leave one or the other unmentioned.

  In this book, all the data are recorded facts, except the soliloquies. To it there might well be applied Goethe's judgment upon Bourrienne's Memoirs: " All the nimbus, all the illusion, with which journalists and historians and poets have surrounded

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  Napoleon, vanishes before the awe-inspiring realism of this book : but the hero is by no means diminished thereby ; he grows. We learn from this what a splendid thing truth is, when any one has the courage to speak it." Napoleon's life is a great epic, written by the hand of fate ; its full meaning will not reveal itself to one who gives rein to imagination, but only to him who gives himself up to the amor fati.

  Thus, likewise, for the reader of these pages should be reconstructed the tragedy which once only in a millennium a mortal man has created out of his life. What a man can attain through self-confidence and courage, through passion and imagination, through industry and will, he attained. To-day, in the age of the revolutions which once again are opening every path to the man of supreme ability, the ardent youth of Europe can find as an example and a warning no greater man than the one who, of all men of the West, made and suffered the most violent commotions.

  AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The author wishes to thank Monsieur Edouard Driault, editor of the " Revue des Etudes Napoleoniennes," Versailles, and Herr F. M. Kircheisen, for kindly help in supplying material for the illustrations ; and to make due acknowledgments to Professor Pariset of Strasburg and Herr Kurt Wildhagen of Heidelberg, for advice during the preparation of the book.

  Abdication. See Demand, He drafts and He signs Aboukir/Bay, 128, 133, 137, 138, 236, 244 Academy, 7, 22, 23, 477, 501, 568, 573, 637

  on Board, 121 Achilles, 342, 345, 607 ACHMED, 133

  Acknowledgement of Democracy, 523 Acre, 134-137, 246, 270, 404, 584 Adaptation to Circumstances, 584 Adda, 66, 115

  Additional Act, 524, 528-530 Adige, 71,78

  Admiral. See Emperor and Admiral Admiralty, 239, 378 ADOLPHUS. See GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS Adrianople, 135 Adriatic, 91

  Advancement of Relatives, 227 Adventurer once more, 426 ^NEID, 667 ^SCHYLUS, 618, 634 .ESOP, 641

  A-flicker with Excitement, 390 Africa, 12, 119, 121, 142,236,539,618 Again attacked, 241, 606 Against the Grain, 161, 610 Agamemnon, 634 Aix, 142, 488, 507 Aix-la-Chapelle, 242, 643 Ajaccio, 19, 25, 28, 141, 255, 490, 495, 686 Aleppo, 135, 584 Alessandria, 73 ALEXANDER THE GREAT (of Macedon), 12, 117, 123,242,

  244, 256, 257, 275 ALEXANDER I, Tsar of Russia, 276, 277, 314, 317, 318, 320,

  322, 323, 326, 341, 379, 380, 381, 384, 391, 392, 398, 404,

  413, 416, 418, 441, 445, 251, 476, 575, 666

  See also TSAR ALEXANDER,

  also What is ALEXANDER Thinking ?

  as Prototype, 11

  696

  ALEXANDRINE, 571

  Allah is Allah, 124

  Alliance, La Belle, 534

  All young France is ready, 481

  Alps, 55, 63, 172, 180, 181, 243, 294, 464, 507, 663

  Alsace, 210

  ALVINTZY, 60

  America, 111, 173, 188, 252, 368, 433, 446, 482, 541, 544, 546,

  548, 606, 644, 646, 647, 655, 658, 668, 677

  See also United States Ambitions. See BERNADOTTE'S Great America, Spanish, 644 American Marriage. See JEROME'S Amours, 112, 169,205,206 Amphictyonic League, 606 Amsterda
m, 663 Anachronism. See War Ancients. See Council of Ancients Ancona, 90, 91,289 Andalusia, 336, 388

  Andromache, 469, 649 and Astyanax, 468 An everlasting Disgrace, 553 Angleterre, Hotel de 1', in Warsaw, 425 angoulEme, Duchess of, 499 An Idyll renewed, 496 ANNA, Grand Duchess, 356 Annexations, 90 Another Family Council, 355 Ansbach, 256 Antibes, 57, 508 Antiquity. See Heroes of ANTOINETTE, MARIE, 222, 356, 358. ANTOMMARCHI, 669, 671, 687, 689. ANTONY. See MARK ANTONY Antwerp, 663 Any Crown You like, 306 APELLES, 575. Apennines, 54, 63, 575. Apollo, Salle, 157, 172. Apostolical Emperor, 375 ARCHAMBAUD, 686. ARCHDUKE CHARLES. See CHARLES

  Arcis-sur-Aube, 471, 532.

  Areola, 63, 64, 76-78, 113, 138, 161, 546, 635, 674.

  ARISTOTLE, 232

  Arm the Peasants, 472

  Army. See Tatterdemalion Grand.

  See Grand Army in the East, 123

  of Liberators, 60

  of the Interior, 46

  of the Rhine, 86, 87, 115, 121 ARNAULT, 93 ARRIAN, 120

  Artillery Fire, 92, 122, 132, 160, 347, 422, 542, 631, 637 ARTOIS, Count of (afterwards Charles X), 599, 510, 682.

  " As General Bonaparte," 440, 542, 619. Asia, 11, 42, 129, 189, 232, 235, 240, 247, 286. Asia Minor, 11

  Asiatic Conquests. See Dreams of Aspern-Essling, 343, 347, 425, 532, 576. A Son! 236,294,351,372,451. Assassination. See Attempted , 161, 162. Astorga, 337, 368, 382 Asturia, 304 Astyanax, 468, 497

  At Headquarters,, 57, 92, 94, 271, 314. Athens, 62, 69 . Atlantic Fleet, 377 . Attempted Assassination, 161, 162. Attempted Rising, 24. Attempt on His Life, 194. At the masked Ball, 353. ATTILA, 86, 90, 520. Audience of Kings, 314. Auerstadt, 258. AUGEREAU,59, 75, 81,92, 102, 115, 134,455,456,470,471,

  476,519,659,672. AUGUSTUS, 195, 230, 276, 575. AURELIAN, 575. Austerlitz, 244, 246- 248, 254-256, 258, 274, 278, 323, 386,

  391, 392, 401, 446, 469, 509, 518, 530, 570, 571, 586, 619,

  661, 675, 686, 691. See also Eve of Austerlitz

  Austria, 41,87, 119, 141, 179, 180, 181,241-243,246,254, 256, 261, 277, 278, 313, 319-321, 323, 337, 339, 347, 354, 359, 372, 374, 375, 380, 385, 387, 388, 416, 425, 437, 438, 442, 443, 445-449, 451, 454, 457-459, 463, 467-470, 479, 484, 488, 497, 514, 515, 570, 575, 579, 598, 643, 650, 672.

  Auxonne, 14, 55, 674

  Avignon, 31, 506.

  Awaiting the Signature, 481.

  Azores, 503, 629

  Aztecs and Incas, 312.

  Back Room at Saint-Cloud, 157.

  Back to Europe, 313, 670.

  Back to Paris, 535

  Baden, 208, 209, 249, 283, 502, 585.

  Bad News from Spain, 405

  Bag of Gold, 155.

  BAGRATION, 395,400.

  Banishment, 29

  Bank of England, 385.

  Bank of France, 385, 462.

  BARCLAY DE TOLLY, 395, 396, 400,401, 405.

  BARON VOM STEIN, 412.

  Bar-sur-Aube, 470.

  Basle, 39, 520.

  Bassora, 133.

  Bastia, 488.

  Bastille, 16,-22,219.

  Battalion, Holy, 245.

  Battle, Death in. See He seeks of Jena, 258, 259, 324, 328, 386. of the Nations, 453.

  BAUDIN, 143.

  BAUER, 565.

  BAUSSET, 350.

  Bautzen, 441,446, 451.

  Bavaria, 128, 184, 244, 249, 252, 283, 304, 340, 387, 400, 437,452,453,457,502,563

  Bayonne, 311,313,-317, 662.

  BEAUHARNAIS. See EUGENE, also HORTENSE, also JOSEPHINE Vicomte de, 48.

  BEAULIEU, 59.

  BEAUMARCHAIS, 633. BEETHOVEN, 234.

  Belated Blessing, 226.

  Belgium, 30, 89, 461,466.

  Belle Alliance, 533.

  " Bellerophon," 547-551.

  Benevento, 503.

  BENJAMIN CONSTANT, 520, 521. See also CONSTANT

  Beresina, 421,422.

  Berlin, 256, 259, 260, 261, 278, 294, 313, 340, 406, 411, 436,

  451-453,663. BERNADOTTE (afterwards CROWN PRINCE, then King, of

  Sweden), 119, 146, 147, 151, 155, 164,200,249,285,370,

  371, 391, 412, 436, 443, 445, 450, 452, 453, 455, 459, 470,

  475, 580, 644. Bernard. See Great St. Bernard BERTHIER (afterwards Prince ofNeuchatel), 59, 72, 81, 92,

  100, 121, 150, 151, 221, 249, 259, 341, 342, 357, 373, 393,

  404, 417, 469-472, 476, 479, 481, 482, 504, 519, 564, 566,

  584, 597, 659, 680. BERTHOLLET, 121, 131, 139 BERTRAND, 489, 492, 545, 619, 620, 624, 626, 632, 638, 647,

  649 666,670,673,676,681

  Madame, 624

  Napoleon, 649 Besancon, 510,518, 564 BESSIERES, 680 Betray. See Old Friends Bible, 121, 123,407,611,633

  Big Guns, 13, 28, 33, 44, 45, 56, 85, 89, 236, 365, 681. BINGHAM, 638 Birchen Staff. See Leaning Blenheim, 128

  Blindness to its Dangers, 214 Bloodhound, A, 188

  BLUCHER, 450-452, 463, 465-469, 475, 532, 630, 637 Blunder. See Consequences of a Body of Steel, 556. Bohemia, 454. Bois (de Boulogne), 38 Bologna, 75, 99, 484.

  BONAPARTE. See As General, Monsieur

  and Europe, 185.

  and the Sphinx, 122.

  Caroline. See CAROLINE

  CARLO,303,310.

  Elise. SeeELISE

  Jerome. See JEROME

  Joseph. See JOSEPH

  La Pagerie. See JOSEPHINE

  Letizia. See LETIZIA

  Louis. See Louis

  Lucien See LUCIEN

  Napoleon Francis, 497.

  Pauline. See PAULINE Bon, Cape, 138. "Boney," 55.0 Bordeaux, 472, 551, 662. BORGHESI, 201, 202, 494. See also PAULINE Born to rule. See Man born to rule Borodino, 405, 665, 675. Bosnia, 90, 118. Bosphorus, 4, 262, 277, 286. Boulogne, 234, 235, 238 572 580 Boulogne, Bois de. See Bois BOURBON, Duke of, 490. Palais, 539.

  Bourbons — never ! 477. Bourbons' Return, 498. BOURRIENNE, 28, 38, 57, 91, 108, 119, 120, 125, 128, 150, 158,

  164, 180,206,445,565,693. Breach between the Brothers, 199. Brescia, 74. Breslau, 432. Brieg, 273.,

  Brienne, 6, 9, 49, 465, 565, 567, 621. Broil with Prussia, 255. Broils. See Family Brooding Lad, 8. Brother Lucien. See Sire Brotherly Blindness, 464. Brotherly Hate, 309. Brothers and Sisters, 200, 224, 226, 459, 642, 643, 672.

  BRUIX, 237, 238.

  Brumaire, 152, 180, 197, 199, 300, 309, 344, 370, 487, 503,

  511, 536, 538, 569.. See also Eighteenth,

  also Nineteenth BRUNSWICK, 256, 258, 414, 540, 585. Brussels, 532, 533.

  BRUTUS, 63, 85, 151, 158, 349, 569, 640. BRUYERE. See La Bruyere BUBNA, 347, 437, 576. Bucharest, 273. Buenos Ayres, 544. BUFFON, 10 Bukovina,389.

  Bulletin from Russia. See Last BULOW, 534. Burgos, 556. Burgundy, 126.

  BUONAPARTE. See BONAPARTE Burning Street, 409. But Talleyrand is indispensable, 318. BYRON, 234, 626. Cadets School, 9, 134. Cadiz, 393, 426. CADOUDAL, 445

  CESAR, 24, 85, 122, 183, 187, 196, 214, 281, 289, 327, 332, 376, 383, 428, 471, 529, 531, 569, 574, 576, 587, 602, 635, 652, 657, 658, 665-668, 673, 680.. See also Christ

  Cromwell, and Bonaparte, 196. Csesar's Chariot, 52

  Death, 332. Csesars, 214, 575. CAGLIOSTRO, 603. Cairo, 122, 123, 131, 132, 133, 136, 137, 186, 268, 271, 290,

  402,484,615. Cajoleries, 263, 276, 397. Calabria, 644. Calculation, 79, 104, 118, 352, 398, 578.

  and Imagination, 118 Caldiero, 76 California, 544.

  CAMBACERES, 608. CAMILLA, 140.

  Campaign. See Excitement of

  Campaigns of Napoleon the Great, 385.

  CAMPBELL, 487, 513.

  Campo Formio, 105, 110.

  Candour to Opponents, 347.

  Canino, 494

  Cannes, 440, 506, 507, 512, 634.

  CANOVA, 251,592.

  CANTILLON, 674.

  Cape Bon, 138.

  Cape (of Good Hope), 89, 104, 236, 261, 377, 666.

  Capets, 420.

  Capitol, 63, 85, 106.

  Capri, 575, 624.

  Capua, 388.

  Caracas, 544.

  Care fo
r the Children, 174.

  CARLO BONAPARTE, 303, 310.

  CARLYLE, 691.

  CARNOT, 56, 71, 82, 115, 216, 413, 520, 528, 531, 538, 608,

  653. CAROLINE BONAPARTE (afterwards wife of MURAT), 200, 226,

  250, 270, 358, 369, 435, 436, 458, 483, 494, 643. Carpet, The, 310. Carree, Fort, 34 Carthage, 10 CASES. See LAS CASES

  Cassel, 400, 459.

  Castiglione, 75, 471.

  Castille, 337.

  CASTLEREAGH, 688.

  Catalonia, 317.

  CATHERINE THE GREAT, 575.

  Cattaro, 277, 312.

  CAULAINCOURT, 380-382, 407, 417, 423, 424, 439, 441, 453,

  465, 466, 472, 473, 475, 476, 478-480, 516, 539, 541, 616. Cause. See Espouse my Cave. See Imagination Chamber of Deputies, 536, 538..

  See also Lower House Chambers, 100, 153, 155, 177, 187, 196, 216, 345, 361, 384,

  463, 505, 520, 527, 529, 535-539, 645. See also General

  Chambers of Commerce, 177, 384.

  Chambers take the Initiative, 536.

  Champaubert, 468.

  CHAMPAGNY, 316, 349.

  Champ de Mai, 515, 528, 530

  Champion of the Family, 173.

  Chance missed, 238.

  Channel, 16, 132, 190, 525, 628.

  Chapelle ardente, 681.

  Characterisation. See German

  CHARLEMAGNE, 228, 229, 241, 245, 248, 252, 261, 288, 289,

  364,383,575. Charlemagne, 252. Charleroi, 531, 532. Charles XII, 399. CHARLES AUGUSTUS, 258. CHARLES, Austrian Archduke, 59, 88. CHARLES, Hippolyte, 73, 124.. See also HIPPOLYTE Charlottenburg, 261.

  CHATEAUBRIAND, 281, 517, 563, 574, 575. Chatillon, 501. CHENIER,47, 115, 196,608. Cherbourg, 662.

  Chessplayer, 181, 444, 452, 501, 576. Childlessness. See Tragedy of China, 10, 664.

  Chinese Island where there are no Weapons, 591, 592. Christ, 86, 185, 326, 327, 344, 376, 467. Christianity, 324, 327. CIMAROSA, 563. Cinna, 601, 633. CIPRIANI, 624, 632, 651. Circumstance and Chance, 614. Cisalpine Republic, 82, 106, 183. CITERNI, 281. Civil Code, 171,582,662. CLARKE, 80

  CLARY. See DESIREE, also JULIE Cleaning up the Mess, 177. Clear the Hall, 160 CLEOPATRA, 129.

  Cleves, 250.