Chapter I: Front Matter

THE COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF
THE SECOND EMPIRE

BY ALBERT BRUCE-JOY.

From the cast taken by the Sculptor, by permission of H.I.M. the Empress
Eugénie, immediately after the Emperor’s death, January 9, 1873.

Mr. Bruce-Joy’s bust has never been exhibited, and was specially
photographed for this book in June, 1911.

_Copyright in all Countries. Reproduction prohibited._

_Frontispiece._]

THE COMEDY & TRAGEDY
OF THE SECOND EMPIRE

PARIS SOCIETY IN THE SIXTIES

INCLUDING LETTERS OF NAPOLEON III.,
M. PIETRI, AND COMTE DE LA CHAPELLE, AND
PORTRAITS OF THE PERIOD

_By_ EDWARD LEGGE, AUTHOR OF “THE EMPRESS
EUGÉNIE: 1870-1910”

LONDON AND NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS
45, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1911

I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME

ON HIS EIGHTY-SIXTH BIRTHDAY

TO THE

EMINENT STATESMAN AND HISTORIAN OF
L’EMPIRE LIBÉRAL

ÉMILE OLLIVIER
PRIME MINISTER IN 1870

LOYAL FRIEND OF NAPOLEON III.

AND

GRAND OLD MAN OF FRANCE

* * * * *

Ab honesto virum bonum nihil deterret.

A NOTE.

MONSIEUR,

Non-seulement j’accepte avec plaisir la dédicace dont vous voulez bien m’honorer, mais je vous remercie des termes beaucoup trop bienveillants dont vous vous servez à mon égard. Je vous remercie aussi de l’envoi de votre livre, que je me ferai lire, et dans lequel, je suis sûr, je trouverai beaucoup d’intérêt.

Agreez, Monsieur, mes sentiments les plus cordialement sympathiques.

ÉMILE OLLIVIER.

[TRANSLATION.]

_June 30, 1911_.

SIR,

Not only do I accept with pleasure the dedication with which you are good enough to honour me, but I thank you for the much too kind terms in which you refer to me.

I thank you also for sending me your book, which I shall have read to me, and in which I am sure I shall find much that is interesting.

Accept my most cordially-sympathetic sentiments.

ÉMILE OLLIVIER.

[The book referred to is “The Empress Eugénie: 1870-1910.” London:
Harper and Brothers. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1910. Owing
to M. Olliver’s somewhat impaired vision, books and documents are
read to him.]