[2] The main authority is, of course, the "correspondance de
l'Empereur Napoléon I.," in thirty-two-volumes. This correspondance,"
unfortunately, is still incomplete, while, after the sixth volume, it
must not be forgotten that much of it has been purposely stricken out.
"In general," say the editors (XVI., p.4), "we have been governed
simply by this plain rule, that we were required to publish only what
the Emperor himself would have given to the public had he survived
himself, and, anticipating the verdict of time, exposed to posterity
his own personality and system." - The savant who has the most
carefully examined this correspondence, entire in the French archives,
estimates that it comprises about 80,000 pieces, of which 30,000 have
been published in the collection referred to; passages in 20,000 of
the others have been stricken out on account of previous publication,
and about 30,000 more, through considerations of propriety or policy.
For example, but little more than one-half of the letters from
Napoleon to Bigot de Préameneu on ecclesiastical matters have been
published; many of these omitted letters, all important and
characteristic, may be found in "L'Église romaine et le Premier
Empire," by M. d'Haussonville. The above-mentioned savant estimates
the number of important letters not yet published at 2,000.

[3] "Mémorial de Sainte Héléne," by Las Casas (May 29, 1816).---"In
Corsica, Paoli, on a horseback excursion, explained the positions to
him, the places where liberty found resistance or triumphed.
Estimating the character of Napoleon by what he saw of it through
personal observation, Paoli said to him, "Oh, Napoleon, there is
nothing modern in you, you belong wholly to Plutarch!"-- Antonomarchi,
"Mémoires," Oct. 25, 1819. The same account, slightly different, is
there given: "Oh. Napoleon," said Paoli to me, "you do not belong to
this century; you talk like one of Plutarch's characters. Courage,