Thetradinguponanillustriousnamecanalonehavegivenbirthtothemultitudeofpublicationsunderthetitlesofhistoricalmemoirs, secretmemoirs, , filledwithabsurdanecdotes, fabricatedspeeches, fictitiouscrimesorvirtues, anddisfiguredbynumerousanachronisms, insteadofbeingconsignedtojustcontemptandspeedyoblivion, havebeenpushedintonoticebyspeculators, andhavefoundzealouspartisansandenthusiasticapologists.
ForatimeIentertainedtheideaofnoticing, onebyone, thenumerouserrorswhichhavebeenwrittenrespectingNapoleon; butIhaverenouncedataskwhichwouldhavebeentoolaborioustomyself, , andwhichareconnectedwiththosefacts, ; butmustnottheslowbutinevitableinfluenceoftimebeexpectedtooperatewithrespecttohim? Theeffectofthatinfluenceis, thatthemostimportanteventofanepochsoonsinks, almostimperceptiblyandalmostdisregarded, , initsprogress, diminishestheprobabilityaswellastheinterestofsuchanevent, asitgraduallywearsawaythemostdurablemonuments.
, atanytimeandinanyplace, wouldcandidlyrecordwhattheysawandheard, withoutpassion, ; butIhopethatitwillalwaysbeconsulted.