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which Napoleon wore on the field of Waterloo。 In Le Blanc's little
treatise upon the art of tying the cravat it is recorded that Napoleon
generally wore a black silk cravat； as was remarked at Wagram； Lodi；
Marengo and Austerlitz。 ‘‘But at Waterloo；'' says Le Blanc； ‘‘it was
observed that； contrary to his usual custom； he wore a white handkerchief
with a flowing bow； although the day previous he appeared in his black
cravat。''
I remember to have seen in the collection of Mr。 Melville E。 Stone a
finger…ring； which； having been brought by an old French soldier to New
Orleans； ultimately found its way to a pawn…shop。 This bauble was of
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gold； and at two opposite points upon its outer surface appeared a
Napoleonic ‘‘N；'' done in black enamel： by pressing upon one of these Ns
a secret spring was operated； the top of the ring flew back； and a tiny gold
figure of the Little Corporal stood up； to the astonishment and admiration
of the beholder。
Another curious Napoleonic souvenir in Mr。 Stone's motley collection
is a cotton print handkerchief； upon which are recorded scenes from the
career of the emperor； the thing must have been of English manufacture；
for only an Englishman （inspired by that fear and that hatred of Bonaparte
which only Englishmen had） could have devised this atrocious libel。 One
has to read the literature current in the earlier part of this century in order
to get a correct idea of the terror with which Bonaparte filled his enemies；
and this literature is so extensive that it seems an impossibility that
anything like a complete collection should be got together； to say nothing
of the histories； the biographies； the volumes of reminiscence and the
books of criticism which the career of the Corsican inspired； there are
Napoleon dream…books； Napoleon song…books； Napoleon chap…books； etc。；
etc。； beyond the capability of enumeration。
The English were particularly active in disseminating libels upon
Napoleon； they charged him in their books and pamphlets with murder；
arson； incest； treason； treachery； cowardice； seduction； hypocrisy； avarice；
robbery； ingratitude； and jealousy； they said that he poisoned his sick
soldiers； that he was the father of Hortense's child； that he committed the
most atrocious cruelties in Egypt and Italy； that he married Barras'
discarded mistress； that he was afflicted with a loathsome disease； that he
murdered the Duc d'Enghien and officers in his own army of whom he
was jealous； that he was criminally intimate with his own sistersin short；
there was no crime； however revolting； with which these calumniators
were not hasty to charge the emperor。
This same vindictive hatred was visited also upon all associated with
Bonaparte in the conduct of affairs at that time。 Murat was ‘‘a brute and
a thief''； Josephine； Hortense； Pauline； and Mme。 Letitia were courtesans；
Berthier was a shuffling； time…serving lackey and tool； Augereau was a
bastard； a spy； a robber； and a murderer； Fouche was the incarnation of
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every vice； Lucien Bonaparte was a roue and a marplot； Cambaceres was a
debauchee； Lannes was a thief； brigand； and a poisoner； Talleyrand and
Barras werewell； what evil was told of them has yet to be disproved。
But you would gather from contemporaneous English publications that
Bonaparte and his associates were veritable fiends from hell sent to
scourge civilization。 These books are so strangely curious that we find it
hard to classify them： we cannot call them history； and they are too
truculent to pass for humor； yet they occupy a distinct and important place
among Napoleonana。
Until William Hazlitt's life of Bonaparte appeared we had no English
treatment of Bonaparte that was in any sense fair； and； by the way；
Hazlitt's work is the only one in English I know of which gives the will of
Bonaparte； an exceedingly interesting document。
For a good many years I held the character of Napoleon in light esteem；
for the reason that he had but small regard for books。 Recent revelations；
however； made to me by Dr。 O'Rell （grandnephew of ‘‘Tom Burke of
Ours''）； have served to dissipate that prejudice； and I question not that I
shall duly become as ardent a worshipper of the Corsican as my doctor
himself is。 Dr。 O'Rell tells meand his declarations are corroborated by
Frederic Masson and other authorities that Bonaparte was a lover and a
collector of books； and that he contributed largely to the dignity and the
glorification of literature by publishing a large number of volumes in the
highest style of the art。
The one department of literature for which he seems to have had no
liking was fiction。 Novels of all kinds he was in the habit of tossing into
the fire。 He was a prodigious buyer of books； and those which he read
were invariably stamped on the outer cover with the imperial arms； at St。
Helena his library stamp was merely a seal upon which ink was smeared。
Napoleon cared little for fine bindings； yet he knew their value； and
whenever a presentation copy was to be bound he required that it be bound
handsomely。 The books in his own library were invariably bound ‘‘in
calf of indifferent quality；'' and he was wont； while reading a book； to fill
the margin with comments in pencil。 Wherever he went he took a library
of books with him； and these volumes he had deprived of all superfluous
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margin； so as to save weight and space。 Not infrequently when hampered
by the rapid growth of this travelling library he would toss the ‘‘overflow''
of books out of his carriage window； and it was his custom （I shudder to
record it！） to separate the leaves of pamphlets； magazines； and volumes by
running his finger between them； thereby invariably tearing the pages in
shocking wise。
In the arrangement of