Opis: The Life of Napol?on Buonaparte (Classic Reprint) - Lockhart J. G.

Excerpt from The Life of Napolon Buonaparte

The following life of Napoleon Bonaparte is mainly an abridgment of Lockhart's Napoleon. Many parts have been re-written entirely, and the whole has been so carefully emended that it is believed that in this book will be found a better portraiture of the remarkable man whose history it relates than in the original work. An Englishman is in many respects, unqualified to judge fairly of Napoleon; and Lockhart has failed to hold up his character in what, to an unprejudiced mind, would readily appear to be the proper aspect. It has been the object of the Editor of the present work to remedy this defect, and to represent Bonaparte more as he was, when viewed as a subject of history, than as he appeared to be when contemplated by an Englishman solely as the bitterest foe to his nation.

There are various orders of greatness among which a great man may be classed. The first, because the highest, is moral greatness, where the soul binds itself to virtue, and passes its life in strict adherence to duty and truth. Nothing can break it from its allegiance. The storms may rage and the billows madly dash around it, but its "sure and steadfast" anchor enables it to ride securely amid the tempests and the waves. Whatever may befall it, nothing can shake its virtue. The rational spirit beats back every claim of sense, and rises with a serene complacency triumphant over every colliding interest. Such a soul does not shut itself up in cloisters, thinking it can best overcome temptations by fleeing from them; - it does not mortify the body in the vain hope of resisting its appetites by destroying them; - it boldly meets its foe and vanquishes it in fair and open combat; - it keeps the body under subjection, but allows it to remain a body still. It moves among men, shedding all around its benign influences, winning men to admire and love the truth. Joy and peace and gladness flow from its steps as naturally as light issues from the uprisen sun. It may animate the body of a Howard, and the prisoner's heart shall leap with gladness, and the darkness of the dungeon flee away at its approach. It may live in a Wilberforce or a Clarkson, and the captive loses his fetters, and the slave walks forth a freeman at its voice. It may inspire the heart of a missionary of the Cross, and will be seen when the gentle Martyn joyfully dies under the Persian palm-tree, or the heroic Schwartz proclaims his sublime message to the waiting thousands of India, and gladly labors amid privations and toil for the cause he has espoused. It passes away from among us, and we think of it as of a star which has left our firmament to shed its rays over fairer scenes than any earth can boast. There have been such souls, but Bonaparte's greatness was not of this class. There was nothing in his life which allows us to rank him among the morally great. The apostle Paul is the noblest human example of this character; but who would place Napolean in the same rank of greatness with him

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Szczegóły: The Life of Napol?on Buonaparte (Classic Reprint) - Lockhart J. G.

Nazwa: The Life of Napol?on Buonaparte (Classic Reprint)
Autor: Lockhart J. G.
Wydawnictwo: FB &c Ltd
Kod paskowy: 9781330663134
Języki: angielski
Ilość stron: 728
Format: 15.2x22.9cm
Oprawa: Miękka

Recenzje: The Life of Napol?on Buonaparte (Classic Reprint) - Lockhart J. G.