CONTENTS

[The Author's Preface to the First Edition] xxix

PART THE FIRST

1768-1800

Birth of my brothers and sisters—My own birth—Plancoët—I am vowed—Combourg—My father's scheme of education for me—Villeneuve—Lucile—Mesdemoiselles Couppart—I am a bad pupil—The life led by my maternal grandmother and her sister at Plancoët—My uncle, the Comte de Bedée, at Monchoix—I am relieved from my nurse's vow—Holidays—Saint-Malo—Gesril—Hervine Magon—Fight with two ship's lads

[BOOK II] 37-70

A note from M. Pasquier—Dieppe—Change in my education—Spring in Brittany—An historic forest—Pelagian fields—The moon setting over the sea—Departure for Combourg—Description of the castle—Dol College—Mathematics and languages—An instance of memory—Holidays at Combourg—Life at a country-seat—Feudal customs—The inhabitants of Combourg—Second holidays at Combourg—The Conti Regiment—Camp at Saint-Malo—An abbey—A provincial theatre—Marriage of my two eldest sisters—Return to college—A revolution begins to take place in my ideas—Adventure of the magpie—Third holidays at Combourg—The quack—Return to college—Invasion of France—Games—The Abbé de Chateaubriand—My First Communion—I leave Dol College—A mission at Combourg—Rennes College—I meet Gesril—Moreau-Limoëlan—Marriage of my third sister—I am sent to Brest for my naval examination—The harbour of Brest—I once more meet Gesril—Lapeyrouse—I return to Combourg

[BOOK III] 71-96

At Montboissier—Reminiscences of Combourg—Dinan College—Broussais—I return home—Life at Combourg—Our days and evenings—My donjon—Change from childhood to manhood—Lucile—Last lines written at the Vallée-aux-Loups—Revelations concerning the mystery of my life—A phantom of love—Two years of delirium—Occupations and illusions—My autumn joys—Incantation—Temptation—Illness—I fear and decline to enter the ecclesiastical state—A moment in my native town—Recollection of Villeneuve and the tribulations of my childhood—I am called back to Combourg—Last interview with my father—I enter the service—I bid farewell to Combourg

[BOOK IV] 97-123

Berlin—Potsdam—Frederic the Great—My brother—My cousin Moreau—My sister, the Comtesse de Farcy—Julie a worldly woman—Dinner—Pommereul—Madame de Chastenay—Cambrai—The Navarre Regiment—La Martinière—Death of my father—My regrets—Would my father have appreciated me?—I return to Brittany—I stay with my eldest sister—My brother sends for me to Paris—First inspiration of the muse—My lonely life in Paris—I am presented at Versailles—I hunt with the King—Adventure with my mare Heureuse

[BOOK V] 124-183

Stay in Brittany—In garrison at Dieppe—I return to Paris with Lucile and Julie—Delisle de Sales—Men of letters—Portraits—The Rosanbo family—M. de Malesherbes—His predilection for Lucile—Appearance and change of my sylph—Early political disturbances in Brittany—A glance at the history of the monarchy—Constitution of the States of Brittany—The holding of the States—The King's revenue in Brittany—Private revenue of the province—Hearth-money—I am present for the first time at a political meeting—A scene—My mother moves to Saint-Malo—I receive the tonsure—The country round Saint-Malo—The ghost—The sick man—The States of Brittany in 1789—Riots—Saint-Riveul, my schoolfellow, is killed—The year 1789—Journey from Brittany to Paris—Movement on the road—Appearance of Paris—Dismissal of M. Necker—Versailles—Delight of the Royal Family—General insurrection—Capture of the Bastille—Effect of the capture of the Bastille on the Court—The heads of Foullon and Bertier—Recall of M. Necker—Sitting of the 4th of August 1789—The day's work of the 5th of October—The King is taken to Paris—The Constituent Assembly—Mirabeau—Sittings of the National Assembly—Robespierre—Society-Aspect of Paris—What I did amidst all this turmoil—My solitary days—Mademoiselle Monet—I draw up with M. de Malesherbes the plan of my journey in America—Bonaparte and I both unknown subalterns—The Marquis de La Rouërie—I embark at Saint-Malo—Last thoughts on leaving my native land

[BOOK VI] 184-262

In London as Ambassador—I cross the ocean—François Tulloch—Christopher Columbus—Camoëns—The Azores—The isle of Graciosa—Sports on board ship—The isle of Saint-Pierre—The shores of Virginia—Sunset—Danger and escape—I land in America—Baltimore—The passengers separate—Tulloch—Philadelphia—General Washington—Comparison of Washington and Bonaparte—Journey from Philadelphia to New York and Boston—Mackenzie—The Hudson River—Song of the lady passenger—Mr. Swift—I set out for the Falls of Niagara with a Dutch guide—M. Violet—My savage outfit—Hunting—Wolverine and Canadian Fox—Musk-rat—Fishing dogs—Insects—Montcalm and Wolfe—Encampment on the shore of the Onondaga Lake—Arabs—The Indian woman and her cow—An Iroquois—The Onondaga chief—Velly and the Franks—Ceremonies of hospitality—The ancient Greeks—Journey from the Onondaga Lake to the Genesee River—Clearings—Hospitality—My bed—The enchanted rattle-snake—Niagara Falls—The rattle-snake—I fall to the edge of the abyss—Twelve days in a hut—Change of manners among the savages—Birth and death—Montaigne-Song of the adder—The little Indian girl, the original of Mila—Incidents—Old Canada—True civilisation spread by religion—False civilisation introduced by commerce—Traders—Agents—Hunts—Half-breeds or Burnt-woods—Wars of the companies—The Indian languages dying out—The old French possessions in America—Regrets—A note from Lord François Conyngham—The Canadian lakes—A fleet of Indian canoes—The American rivers—Legends—Muscogulges and Siminoles—Our camp—Two Floridan beauties—Ruins on the Ohio—What the Muscogulge damsels were—Arrest of the King at Varennes—I interrupt my journey to go back to Europe—Dangers for the United States—Return to Europe—Shipwreck

[LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]