Napoleon love story page sells for €23,000
Posted on 07. Dec, 2007 by Cameron in Napoleon news
A single manuscript page from a love story written by Napoleon Bonaparte sold for €23,000 (£17,000) at Osenat auction house in France yesterday.
It was the first page of the final draft of Napoleon’s 1795 short novel Clisson and Eugenie, only 22 pages in its original handwritten form. The story, loosely based on the author’s brief romance with the sister of his brother’s wife, Desiree Clary, was not published in Napoleon’s lifetime. (link)
I see Cameron is at it again *shakes head*. I have no doubt about Cameron’s knowledge of his hero Emperor Napoleon, but his overall knowledge of the Napoleonic wars is lacking, IMO. Certainly his knowledge of the British role in the war is. Cameron seems extremely prejudiced for some reason(maybe he just hates all things English?). If he is a lover of history then how can he comment that Wellington is “a very poor leader …” I can’t think of any historian that has said the same. One can only assume that Cameron has given the Duke’s career but a mere cursory glance and decided that he doesn’t like him because he was an enemy of France and his beloved Napoleon???
As for Wellington losing the battle until the Prussians came along?! Well, that’s complete and utter nonsense. Wellington would never would have stood at Mont St Jean but for a personal promise from old Blucher. Blucher promised the support at least one Prussian corp that would fall on Napoleon’s flank. So it was Wellington’s strategy all along for Blucher to fall on Napoleon’s right-rear flank. Ironically, a manoeuvre that was classic Napoleon – a les manoeuvre sur les derrieres if you will, the same strategy that David talks about with D’Erlon at Ligny, that cost Napoleon victory at Waterloo.
Would have liked to have heard more about Wellington’s thinking that Napoleon would attack through Mons and threaten his communications with the coast(his real reason for being humbugged, Cameron). But it is your show I guess *sigh*.
Cheers,
Marcus
Marcus…. I love the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, The Who, Francis Bacon and Michael Caine. Oh and Keira Knightley. So no, I’m not anti-British.
As much as I love Napoleon, it is a good thing his military career worked out… I don’t think he would have made it as a romance novelist.
However, I heard his essays were dynamite!
Spaz, you think Napoleon’s military career worked out?
As for Keira Knightley?
Meh!
Ah, it is truly the trifles that decide the issue! All of Napoleon’s final battles were very close run affairs. One minor detail changed and all of European history would be far different. Do I consider a man who rose from an Italian artillery officer to Emperor of the French on nothing but his merit to be a success? Indeed, I do!