Recollections of the Emperor Napoleon,

during the first three years of his captivity on the Island of St. Helena

by Mrs. Lucia Elizabeth Balcombe Abell 

Second edition.  London:  John Murray, 1845 

Hardback is overall in VERY GOOD condition.

• Green cloth covers with blind tooling and gilt medallion ornament. 
• Boards are darkened at edges, show some warping, edgewear.  Corners are bumped and frayed.  See photos.
• Spine has gilt text and is darkened, with chipped, frayed ends.
• Binding is intact.  Some signs of separation at title page.  See photos.
• Pastedowns and feps have some light foxing, owner's marks.
• Frontispiece, a portrait of the author, is present and has a tissue guard.
• Illustrations are clear.  
• Interior is age-toned, exhibits small chip at head edge pgs. 141-144, crease to the paper at pg. 80.  See photos.  
• Inside pages are free of writing and intentional marks.
• Text block edges have gilt along head, untrimmed foot edge. 
• PS2023.0719

284 pages. 4.75 x 7.75 inches

First person recollections of Napoleon in exile on St. Helena by a young English lady.  Betsy Balcombe, as Lucia Elizabeth Balcombe Abell is widely known, met Napoleon when he was resident at her father's house "The Briars" on the island of St. Helena.  She was fourteen years old when Napoleon arrived, and the two became friends and remained so until 1818, when her family returned to England.  The European press wrote of romance between the ex-Emperor and the English girl thirty years his junior.  Perhaps this air of scandal, as much as the fascination with all things Napoleon in 19th century England, contributed to her decision to publish these memoirs in 1844.

This, the second edition, includes an Appendix with recollections of Napoleon from other individuals not included in the first edition.

Second edition.  Printed in London by George Woodfall and Son.

AS IS! Please see photos. More photos available upon request.

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