‎ROSEN (Lew).‎
‎Napoleon's Opera Glass. An Histrionic Study.‎

‎ London, Elkin Mathews, 1897 pt in-8°, (8)-122-(24) pp, biblio, catalogue de l'éditeur in fine (24 pp), cartonnage lavande toilé de l'éditeur, dos lisse avec titres dorés, titre et abeilles napoléoniennes dorées au 1er plat, “N” entouré d'une couronne doré au 2e plat, cart. défraîchi, C. de bibl. annulés, bon état. Edition originale. Texte en anglais‎

Reference : 58406

‎L'auteur étudie Napoléon comme critique dramatique et patron des arts et s'intéresse à ses relations avec les auteurs de pièces et les acteurs. — "In this delightful little book Mr. Rosen has performed a double task. He has collected for us out of the first-hand authorities anecdotes and sayings of Napoleon in regard to actors, acting, and dramatic literature, and he shows us how great and how conscious an actor Napoleon was when he himself took the stage on the theatre of life and played some leading part. All great men, and especially all great Sovereigns, have every now and then to come before the public and show themselves in what is in reality the actor's capacity. When an Emperor is crowned, or takes part in any great ceremonial watched by thousands of human beings, he is virtually putting himself in the actor's place. Most great men, however, always keep the spirit of the amateur, and indeed would hold it below them to throw themselves too much into the part and do their best to delight their audiences. If they are self-possessed and dignified they think they have done enough. With Napoleon it was different. All his great public appearances were carefully studied, and whether he was crowning himself in Notre-Dame, visiting the camp-fires of his army, presenting eagles to his regiments, or receiving his Ministers, he took the utmost trouble to impress his audiences by means of the actor's artifices. His glances, his gestures, his frowns, end his smiles were all calculated. Nor was his acting confined to popular occasions. He would, if need be, act to a house of three or four diplomatists, or to a single King or statesman, as readily as to a crowd. He made little or no secret of the practice. For example, after an apparent outburst of rage he turned round to one of his own people, one of those whom it was not necessary to impress, and who was in the position of a dresser or scene-shifter, and explained that his fury was not real, and that, in fact, it never reached beyond his neck, never got to his brain. Here is the man's secret. He was an actor, and knew he was an actor, and knew the advantage to be got from acting. As he said on another occasion : – " I love power, but I love it as an artist. I love it as a musician loves his violin. I love it to draw from it sounds, accords, and harmonies." Napoleon did not use the meta- phor of the stage on this occasion, but his meaning is quite clear. He liked power not a little, because it put him on the great stage and enabled hin to draw forth the passions and emotions of mankind. (...) We have said enough to show what a number of delightful things are contained in Mr. Rosen's little book. Of its one hundred, and twelve pages, not one is without its good thing..." (The Spectator, 12 décembre 1896) — "The book treats of Napoleon as a critic and patron of the drama, and dwells upon bis relations to playwrights and players. The Spectator in a long appreciative review concludes thus : We have said enough to show what a number of delightful things are contained in Mr. Rosen's book. Of the one hundred and twelve pages not one is without its good thing. Mr. Rosen may thoroughly content himself that his work is novel and is interesting, and that to a marked degree, wherefore do I recommend the purchase of the book." (The Librarian from London, 22 mai 1897) ‎