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The ideas that underpin our modern world—meritocracy, equality before the law, property rights, religious toleration, modern secular education, sound finances and so on—were championed, consolidated, codified and geographically extended by Napoleon.
‘History is an argument without end,’
‘When the mob gains the day, it ceases to be any longer the mob. It is then called the nation. If it does not, why, then some are executed, and they are called the canaille, rebels, thieves and so forth.’ Napoleon to Dr Barry O’Meara on St Helena
‘I win nothing but battles, and Josephine, by her goodness, wins all hearts.’ Napoleon to his chamberlain, Baron Louis de Bausset-Roquefort
‘Adieu, woman, torment, joy, hope and soul of my life, whom I love, whom I fear, who inspires in me
tender feelings which summon up Nature and emotions as impetuous and volcanic as thunder’,
Vaunting ambition can be a terrible thing, but if allied to great ability – a protean energy, grand purpose, the gift of oratory, near-perfect recall, superb timing, inspiring leadership – it can bring about extraordinary outcomes.
thus you would shorten your journey by fifteen days … My happiness is to see you happy; my joy, to see you gay; my pleasure, to see you pleased. There was never a woman loved with more devotion, passion or tenderness. Never again can I be the complete master of my heart, dictating thereto all its tastes, its inclinations, forming all its desires … No letter from you; I only get one every four days; instead of which, if you loved me, you would write to me twice a day … Adieu, Josephine, you are to me a monster I can’t make out … I love you more every day. Absence cures the small passions; it
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