LETTERS

In defence of Napoleon

I feel that the article concerning Napoleon (April) was unfair to its subject. While his later career frequently saw his original ideals undermined by the reality of power, he was from the first a believer in the revolution, as his letters and general writings make clear. After his early victories in Italy, he set up the Cisalpine and Ligurian republics, based upon the constitution of the New France, and when he occupied Malta in 1798 he abolished slavery and feudal privileges, while Jews were given equal rights to Christians.

Although his