As for his plan, we profess to be able to demonstrate that there is no such thing, that he writes almost at random, mixing up facts, reporting them incoherently and out of order; confounding, when he treats of one era, that which pertains to another; disdaining to justify either his accusations or his eulogies; adopting without examination and the critical spirit so necessary to a historian the false judgements of prejudice, rivalry or enmity, and the exaggerations of ill humour or malevolence; attributing to some people actions and to others speeches that are incompatible with their characters; never citing any witness but himself or any other authority but his own assertions.
— General Gourgaud, “Examen critique de l’ouvrage de M. le comte Philippe de Ségur”
