Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-29

the distribution or tae wells, aud the al
nlinisii alton OF the funds, dedicated 10 the
support Of the library, TO the ebsoiute ma .
nagement of two directors, 10 be Gao. +
Sen by their comrsie-- was ole OF
those whom my sUnool ferows had nam
ed TO that e,np!d nsp, e. which gave
up the leisure Of three years,
perhaps the mo- Nsant in my LIE.
Il was then Ing had repeated oppor
tunities to see Bonaparts. "no, perhaps
in preference to me, ought to have been
chosen the librarian: bni probably he
would have disdained the appointment, be-
hSvng all the moments lost to has own
instruction, which ne mus, have sac H.
ed to the minute detail of such an oince.
However that might be, his calls became
SO frequent, as to render me unreascnab'v
out OF humour. i. is IN The nature OF man,
ard 10 my own justification, not less than
that OF children, 20 arrUgate To themselves,
by degrees, all the privileges OF an,horiIy.
Il was indeed, my duty 10 have been com.
PLEASANT, bu; found i, more Convenient
TO be capricious. Plagued BY demand SO
often repea,ed, sometimes pretended To
mistake his application for tca2,ng and in
territorial opportunities and sometimes
also ] had reason to repeat my rudeness
Bonapar,e, young, was not more patient,
nor less positive than now, AID has made
me frequently feel, iuaI 1t Was always un
safe to provoke him.--At that time
should have been ashamed To own II. bu,
at present such u confession is not SO
painful.
Reserved in his temper, and wholly oc-
cupied by his own pursuits, Bon-payte
courted that solitude which seemed To
constitute his delight. He employed. du.
ring long time, some oi the hours allow
ed to recreation, in cultvating az little
garden, that spo, which fell 10 his share,
OF considerable portion ot ground which
was divided among us.-A!ter having Tor
ced Two Ut his pafthers 10 give IL up en-
tireiy to Him, his fest care was to render
the access To it diiliculI by Il strong pa!i-
SADIE; IN forming which, he sp, ~, all The
,nGuey which ,he Count dc maIbeut had
sent to him for his Little expenses. The
green arbors, which he had planted h ms.il,
and cultivated with The utmost pans, rea-
dered lis garden, al the end oil Two years,
the retreat Of IA perfect hermit. Woe iu
the curious, the malicious, or the play iui,
who dared to trouble MS repose You
might see him burst furious from his re
treat to repel them, nor was he deferred
by The number OF assailants. II was III
this concealed retire ment wheIe the soul
OF BoDaparic, greedy OF glory, ii.senslLly
involved the seed IF That no5ie ambition,
teasting OIL The example Of those great
mIn whom he was preparing himssii to
sutpass. go
~ mode of life so very singular could
NOT fail TO BE- remarked. Incapable TO es
Innate hIs uncommon merit, or rather 10
penetrate bis true motives, his supericrs
AID his school fellows taxed HIM as fool
18Th and ridiculous. Every means was lrl.
Ell IN vain, TO restore him 10 himself, by
making him Change ms conduct. insen
sible t. alilohts which he could not resent,
he repelied the raiiIeries OF the masters
b. silence and disdain. Illumination. d
even EInishm-it NhIch were also employ
ed, lad no betEr SUCCESS. l believe |
have iors1pfo men''on that he meet
ing Of the Ang men were established OIL
a military iootug. Divided into compa
MES they composed a little battalion, Tie
Colonel, AID all the cfficers Of which, cno
sea- AMONG ourselves, were decorated BY
the ornaments winch distinguished The
French uniform. Bonaparte had the rank
oil captain One wouIu suppose that he
must be sensible TO ihe loss OF a tilstincti-
on only granted to merI, and every day
beco ming more 9atteius from the eager
iess by "hich Il WAS sought out by the
young men. A cOuncIi oil war establish
I'd with all lis iuiEis, declared him ur-
worthy 10 command those Conn AIDES whose
good viii ne desPised.-- After The sentence
was read, which degraded him to die last
place i'll the battalion, he was stripped oi
the distinguished marks OF his rank. 30.
naparte appeared lnsenslble to the affrOnt,
or disdaned al least TO shew that me was
dffcctedby 1t; his superiors, perhaps, re
pented having obliged MN To undergo this
disgrace; but his comrades from tina;
time, restored to him their iIie ndship, be-
cause generous minded youth ceases 10
persecute those who are uEior innate.
his conduct had the most unhappy effs Ct.
B0napare testified his sense OF lie gene
rosiiy OF his young ftiends. He continu.
ed his studies, but became more sOciable
with his schoOl-lelloys lac Joined some