The Sun.
London, England, 1830-08-18 00:00:00

NAPOLEON'S BOYHOOD.

Much, and in very opposite spirit, has been
said of Napoleon's boyhood. Enthusiasm, and
ridiculous exaggeration, have been alike at
work. Writers have painted the boy in the
blackest colours, in order to have the pleasure
afterwards of snaking a monster of the man. It
will ever be thus with those whom their own
genius or circumstances elevate above their com-
peers. Why constantly endeavour to discover
in the first acts of infancy, the germ of great
crimes or of shining virtues ? This is to view
too abstractedly those circumstances, sports of
fortune, and trains of events, which often, as if in
spite of himself, urge on the individual to the
highest renown. Men Absolutely will, that he
who has . distinguished his manhood, should
likewise have exhibited an extraordinary in-
fancy ; yet, does not experience shevr, that in
truth one child can differ little from the ordi-
nary run ? and how often do we find precocious
talent, promising the most brilliant future, pass
through life- in a manner truly insignificant ?
Bonaparte himself laughed heartily at all such
fables, and Alt all those fooleries with which
writings, dictated by admiration or hatred, have
embellished or blackened his early.years. I may
here recall a simple anecdote, which will be int-
media* recognised as the original of number-
less inventions and misrepresentations.
boring the winter of 1783.84, so memor-
able for the quantity of snow which fell, young
Napoleon shorted himself singularly annoyed.
No snore little gardens—none of those delight-
ful seclusions helm much courted. During his
play hours, he was constrained to mingle with
the crowd of his cotnpanions, walking backwards
and forwards in a large ball, To escape from
this tiresome exercise, Napoleon contrived to
stir up the whole school, by the proposal of a
different amusement. This was to clear various
passages through the snow in the great court,
and with, shovels to erect horn works, dig
trenches, raise parapets, construct platforms,
‘c
&c. The first labour finished," said he, ,
" we can divide into parties, and form a kind
of siege ; and, as inventor of this new sport, I
undertake to direct the attacks." Our joyous
troop 'entered into this project with enthusiasm ;
it was executed, and the mimic combat main-
tained for the space of fifteen days. Indeed,
our warfare ceased not, till by gravel and small
stones mixing with the suow of which we made
our balls, many of the students, besiegers as well
as besieged, had been pretty seriously wounded.
`I remember well, that of all the scholars none
was more severely pelted than myself with these
missiles.

It would be useless here to disprove various
unfounded adventures of early life, such as that
of Blanchard's balloon, falsely attributed to
young Bonaparte. His t a fact,
6440 were, b

soon directed to far other objests. He was ec,
cupied with the political sciencts. A letter
from the. principal of the school of 13rienne, Since
communicated to me, states that, of his vacations,
one was passed there, • while the preceding had
been devoted to the society of the famous Abbe
Raynal, who condescended to--receive said con.
verse with the young student upon government,
legislation, commerce, and other similar subjects.
At our holiday fetes to which all the inha-
bitants of the place received invitations, guards
were established for the maintenance of order,
no one being permitted to pass to the, inner hall
without a ticket, signed by the principal or sub.
principal. The dignities of officer and subs!•
tern were conferred only on the moat distill.
guished ; and, as ranking among - these, there
happened to Bonaparte, who commanded a sts.
tion, a little adventure, which I cannot pass over
in silence, because it afforded an opportunity 0f
displaying his firmness of character: Upon one
of the fetes of St. Louis, the janitor's wife,
ented
Ole,
was, of course, perfectly well known , pres
herself for admittance to the representation of
the " Death of Ciesar," corrected, in which I
played the part of Brutus. As she had nn
ticket, and insisted, raisins a clamour, in the
hope of passing, the sergeant of the
0 the post reported
to his officer Napoleon; he, learning the cif•
m cumances of the case, with an imperative tone
exclaimed—w Let that woman be removed, Rho
bripgs into this place the licence of a camp,
This occurred in 1782.—Constable' s Miscellany,
Vol. LVll.—Bourrienne's Napoleon, Vol. I.