the life of napoleon in this volume first appeared as a serial in volumes iii and iv of mcclure’s magazine. in 1895 on its completion in serial form it was published in book form, illustrated by a series of portraits from the hubbard collection which had been used in the magazine and by numerous other pictures drawn from the principal french napoleon collections. the illustrations in the present edition have been selected from those used in the first. the variety and extent of these illustrations are explained in the preface to the first edition here reproduced. the life of napoleon is supplemented in the present work by a sketch of josephine. the absence of any life of josephine in english drawn from recent historical investigations is the reason for presenting this sketch. until within a very few years the first empress of the french people has been pictured to the world as her grandson napoleon iii desired that she appear—a fitting type for popular adoration—more of a saint and a martyr than of a woman. the present sketch is an attempt to tell a true story of her life as it is revealed by the recent diligent researches of frederic masson and by the numerous memoirs of the periods which have appeared, many of them since the passing of the second empire. if the story as told here is frank, it is hoped by the author that it will not be found unsympathetic.