Complete title is "Life and campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte: giving an account of all his engagements, from the siege of Toulon to the battle of Waterloo".
In ushering these Memoirs of the Life of Napoleon Bonaparte into the world, we have not connued ourselves to the splendid work of M. V. A rnault; but, in order to furnish a faithful narrative, public, political and private, have availed ourselves of every species of information afforded by different authorities, from the commencement of the career of the departed hero, to the closing scene of his last hours at St. Helena. It is an undoubted fact, that the greatest light has been thrown upon the character and conduct of this extraordinary personage, subsequent to his exile to St. Helena in 1815; and the communications since made by his faithful attendants, and various generals, in France and elsewhere, have now received the stamp of unquestionable authority. Acting upon the maxim that requires the hearing of both parties, and considering that pubhc opinion, in this country, respecting the character and actions of Napoleon, has been formed chiefly from the perusal of the writings of Englishmen, we have preferred the translation of these Memoirs from several French authors of eminence, to any others. To avoid the imperfections inseparable from hasty productions, which have been promoted by the avidity of the public for every thing relative to Napoleon, we have waited for the assistance of all the most valuable publications on the continent...