“_Honneur au courage malheureux!_” said Napoleon, in passing a party of
wounded enemies. Debret has made an agreeable picture from a rather
disagreeable subject; though it is certainly gratifying to find the
leader of an army rendering due respect to those who, in their
courageous efforts to overcome an opposing force, have unfortunately
received wounds and injuries which, perhaps, disable them for life. The
admirers of Napoleon maintain that the above incident did actually
occur, while others assert that he was by nature cruel and unmerciful.
We take upon ourselves to support neither the one nor the other; amid
the mass of conflicting evidence we cannot see how it is possible to
arrive at a conclusion. That Napoleon was a great man none can deny;
that he was a good man, few will be hardy enough to maintain.
[Illustration: NAPOLEON SALUTING WOUNDED FOES.]