Conference of Dresden (1812) reach that Napoleon demonstrated at Dresden may have helped persuade the American government of the advantages of entering into a war with Britain. The War of 1812 was declared in June of that year. Prior to the conference Napoleon had maintained a mask of friendship towards Russia and it was the first time that his intentions towards that country became apparent. Conference of Dresden (1812) The Conference of Dresden was a May 1812 gathering of European leaders arranged by Napoleon I of France as part of his preparations for the invasion of Russia. It was intended as a demonstration of
Lear, Tolstoy and the Fool Lear, Tolstoy and the Fool "Lear, Tolstoy and the Fool" is an essay by George Orwell. It was inspired by a critical essay on Shakespeare by Leo Tolstoy, and was first published in "Polemic" No. 7 (March 1947). Orwell analyzes Tolstoy's criticism of Shakespeare's work in general and his attack on "King Lear" in particular. According to Orwell's detailed summary, Tolstoy denounced Shakespeare as a bad dramatist, not a true artist at all, and declared that Shakespeare's fame was due to propaganda by German professors towards the end of the eighteenth century. Tolstoy claimed that Shakespeare was still admired only