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MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



HISTORY, POLITICS, AND POLITICAL ECONOMY. 



Napoleon in Council. Translated from the French of M. Pelet de 

 Lozere. By Capt. Basil Hall. Cadell. Edinburgh. 



WHEN a man of Captain Basil Hall's distinguished literary reputation con- 

 descends to become a translator, and that too of a French work, we naturally 

 enquire the cause of such a proceeding, and the equally natural answer is, 

 that the original work is of such high interest, as to justify him in taking on 

 himself an office which is most commonly assigned to the mere drudges in 

 literature. We confess therefore, we were much disappointed after the perusal 

 of the volume now before us, to find that it consisted of the recollections of 

 the " Great Man," as our neighbours call him, which dwelt on the mind of 

 M. Pelet de la Lozere, which are neither remarkable for interest, vivacity, 

 nor novelty. One thing however adds much to the pleasure, such as it is, 

 which is to be derived from^ the perusal of this volume ; namely, that as 

 Captain Hall vouches for its authenticity, we may feel assured, that all that 

 we do read is genuine, and not made up after that fashion so prevalent at 

 present in the book-making coteries of Paris, where, with the aid of certain 

 individuals well skilled in building great houses on slight foundations, the 

 slender MS. notes of some Lady or Lord of the Bonaparte creation are 

 swelled out into eight or ten thick octavo volumes, to read through which 

 would tire the patience of a second Griselda, were such a one to be found. 

 However, to return to the charge, we have a moderately sized octavo volume, 

 which the translator assures us " is the real grit ;" and as our readers are all 

 no doubt well acquainted with the vivacious style of that gentleman, we need 

 not assure them, that if the matter were equal to the manner, a perusal of 

 the volume would exorcise the blue devils that haunt the imagination of the 

 most inveterate hypochondriac in a foggy November. Yet we are free to 

 confess, that we fell fairly asleep before we had half read the book, not to 

 mention sundry yawns and gapes which interrupted our progress before our 

 senses were consigned to the oblivion of slumber. However, duties must 

 be done, and we waded through our task, certainly not con amore ; and here 

 are the results. 



Monsieur Pelet's means of observation of the character of Napoleon arose 

 from his having been a councillor of state under him, and having married 

 the daughter of Monsieur Otto, one of the most able diplomatists who 

 sprung from the Revolution, by which means he obtained possession of 

 several valuable documents. Half of the volume is occupied in recapi- 

 tulating the circumstances of Napoleon's career. In this section there is 

 nothing very new ; but the observations made in full council by this favour- 

 ite of fortune are worthy of record. 



"All this will last as long as I hold out, but when lam gone, my son may 

 call himself a lucky fellow if he has a couple of thousands a year." 



Another of the great man's opinions respecting females, we quote at the 

 risk of the heavy imputation of want of gallantry, being as we are, thoroughly 

 convinced of the soundness of the views he entertained of the subject. 



"I do not think we need trouble ourselves with any plan of instruction 

 for young females; they cannot be better brought up than by their mothers. 



