I. Unpublished Documents: _a_, The papers of the French Ministry of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 Napoleon." _b_, The unpublished correspondence of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 Wuertemberg. _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 Eugene, etc., etc.; but these older books are too
well known to require enumeration, and, though authentic, are only
semi-official or personal publications.