Dr. Janet of Harley Street / a novel by Arabella Kenealy.

  • Arabella Kenealy
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Janet of Harley Street / a novel by Arabella Kenealy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Memoirs Illustrating the History of Napoleon I. From 1802 to 1815. By Baron Claude-Fr AN901 s dk Meneval, Private Secretary to Napoleon. Edited by his Grandson. Baron Napoleon Joseph de Meneval. With Portraits and Autograph Letters. In three voulmes. 8vo. Cloth, §6.00. These volumes furnish a picture of Napoleon’s daily life which is be- lieved to be unexcelled in point of closeness of observation and graphic detail by any other narrative. That Meneval was not the man r.egiect his opportunities is shown abundantly by the glimpses of character revealed in his diaries and notes. -Yet, for personal and Nher reasons, hi- invaluable recollections were not given to the worid. They have been treasured by his family until the present time of profound interest in Napoleonic history. Of Napoleon’s relations with Josephine and Marie Louise—of a'! the features of his domestic and social existence—Meneval had abundant knowledge. for he shared Napoleon’s private life ; and since he was sitting at the fountain- head of information, he is able to shed new light on many features of the Napoleonic campaigns. His narrative is most interesting ; its historical im- portance need not be emphasized. “ These Memoirs by the private secretary of Napoleon are a valuable and im- portant contribution to the history of the Napoleonic pericd. and necessarily they throw new and interesting light on the personality and real sentiments of the emperor. If Napoleon anywhere took off the mask, it was in the seclusion of bis private cabinet. The Memoirs have been republished almost as they were written by Baron de Meneval’s grandson, with the addition of some supplementary docu- ments. Unlike the Memoirs inspired during the exile at .St. Helena—and we refer to Gourand rather than to Bertrand—they are clearly the work of an honest man. who tells the truth as he believes it, although the truth may seriously embarrass him.”—London Times. “ The Baron de Meneval knew Napoleon as few knew him. He was his co n- fidential secretary and intimate friend. . . . Students and historians who wish to form a trustworthy estimate of Napoleon can not afford to neglect this testimony by one of his most intimate associates.—London Daily Ncms. “ To the judicious student of the Napoleonic epoch the work is ful! of interest, inasmuch as it throws fresh light on the character of the petite tape’.!.'. Meneval was the Boswell of Bonapartism, and it is through his naive hero worship that we obtain glimpses of the emperor's character that go far toward completing the portraiture built up by so many biographers. The emperor showed, indeed, an unexpected astuteness in his choice of Meneval for his private secretary. . . . He showed Meneval the aspects of his character and expounded to him the views of his conduct, which he was anxious should be given to the world with the stamp of authenticity that only a private secretary, in apparently the most confidential rela- tions with his master, could afford them.—London G;ophic. Tor sole by alt booksellers ; or will be sent by mail on receipt of price by the publishers.
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