In making this book I had access to the following original sources:
I. Unpublished Documents: _a_, The papers of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the years of Napoleon's life, including those of the "Fonds Napoléon." _b_, The unpublished correspondence of Napoleon kept in the French Ministry of War, including the "Volumes Rouges" and the "Dossier de l'Empereur." This is as voluminous at least as the published correspondence, but of personal and technical rather than political interest. I have also consulted the archives of the General Staff in the same building concerning many events connected with Napoleon's career. _c_, The papers of Napoleon's youth known as the Ashburnham papers, but now owned by the Italian government, and kept in the Laurentian Library at Florence. Since I used them they have been published by Masson and Biagi, but the editors have corrected the text to an extent which is in our day not considered scientific. _d_, The despatches of American diplomatists resident abroad during Napoleon's career. _e_, Certain papers from the Record Office in London relating to Napoleon's surrender and his life in St. Helena. _f_, Certain papers of Henri Beyle containing characterizations of Napoleon and contemporary anecdotes concerning him. These were translated by Jean de Mitty from a cipher manuscript in the public library at Grenoble. _g_, A considerable number of Napoleon's letters, kindly put at my disposal by various collectors.
II. Published Official Papers. Within the last few years original documents concerning the Napoleonic epoch have been printed very extensively. Nearly all the important books are based on archival research, and the respective authors generally print a certain number of despatches or reports in justification of their conclusions. The following collections are the most important: _a_, The Correspondence of Napoleon. _b_, Official Papers of the Helvetic Republic. _c_, Diplomatic Correspondence between Prussia and France, 1795-97. _d_, Lord Whitworth's despatches. _e_, Ducasse's Supplement to Napoleon's Correspondence. _f_, The Papers of Gentz and Schwarzenberg. _g_, The Papers of Metternich. _h_, Napoleon's Letters to Caulaincourt. _i_, Napoleon's Letters to King Joseph. _j_, The Letters of King Jerome, Queen Catharine, and King Frederick of Würtemberg. _k_, The Papers of Castlereagh, Banks, Jackson, and other English statesmen of the time. _l_, Diplomatic Correspondence between Russia and France. _m_, The Archives of Count Woronzoff. _n_, Diplomatic Correspondence of the Sardinian ambassadors at St. Petersburg. _o_, Diplomatic Correspondence of the ministers of the republic and kingdom of Italy. _p_, Lecestre's Unpublished Letters of Napoleon. This list might be extended almost indefinitely by adding such collections as Ducasse's Memoirs of King Joseph, Napoleon's Letters to Josephine, the Correspondence of Eugène, etc., etc.; but these older books are too well known to require enumeration, and, though authentic, are only semi-official or personal publications.