The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-04
BONAPARTE.

SStiNSiI lays inc JStSliidtNe BOGy or
! France, "has he numbered thirty-four years, and
the events of his life are more wonderful than
the fables, with which hifory has filrrounded
the cradles of ancient Dynafties" For once at
leait, the Legislative Body is right in their after
ton. Where is the man, who will not agree
with them, that the life of this extraordinary man
is more angular perhaps than any which the an
nails OF the world co3tain Let any one confider
the holt of difficulties which originally oppoied
ms elevation; let any one retrace the wonder
tul combination of revolutions, rapid and extern
live, OF talents active and diverIifieu, by which
thoie dithculties were overcome and then let
him produce, if he can, a more extraordinary
ier1es of viciiitudeS, in the hilory of any one
\ individual.
The native of the humble iland of Corfica,
whole sovereignty was fold to the French in the
year 767 by the mercenary Cenoefe: who could
have expected that this man, the inhabitant of
that miferabIe and defpicable inand, would have
one day acquired the fovereignty even over the
matters ofhis country? When he removed to
kingdom whole proud monarch, the fucceiIor of
60 kings, was equally encrcled by the fplen-
dour of their name, & by his own pompous pow
er; who could have expected that this proud
kingdom fhould have been broken up, & that its
great monarch" fhould have been conducted
to the fcaffold When this revolution had been
accomplished in a nation of thirty millions of
men, diftinguiihed amongf the mott celebrated
countries of the e tn for their attainments in all
the arts ofpeace, and in the whole difcipline of
war how many chances were there againh the
elevation ofany particular individual to the high
eft pot of honor and confidence When he had
acquired the command of one of the armies of
France, how many bullets nuh nave eicaped
him: how many bayonets NUT have been turn
ed Aide, which were aimed aganft his life
When 10 many of the other French Generals
were lohng their fations and their repu-
tation by the cruel vigilance of their go
vernment or their own psrfidious difpoGtons,
how fagacious mutt have been the policy which
Till retained the confidence of his country and
by what an incorruptble integrity or Jealous
PRIDE, mutt the avenues of his own honour have
been guarded, againf feduetion? When he EN-.
barked in an iniecure fleet at Toulon, to feek
IN diftant & hottie countries, new condueRs 81
additional fame; what an extraordinary ferries of
chances was it, that led the Britifh feet awide
from its courie, and conducted him fate to the
thores of Egypt? "Fortune," exclaimed the
hero, "grant me but time TO land my army, and
ak no morel" Yet he obtained from her more
than he had demanded. II was not againft the
force of the Britirh feet alone, that for
tune appeared anxious 70 guard her favo-
rite hero; for lhe " extended her mytic
mantle" to all the dangers & difficulties which
beiet his progrefs in Egypt and SYRIA
The fecret poignard of the Arab, and the dar-
ing violence the Mameluke, we're in vain ex-
ertcd againft his fafety. He returns at length to
France, covered with IaureIs, but bafHed in his
enterprile. He returns at time, when the f.
nances of France are exhauhed, its executive GO
vernment diGlonored and defpfed, its armies
defeated by the very enemies whom they had
10 often vdnquiiheti during the war, and the
people ripe for change.
The Viions of perfect liberty had now vanihn.
Cd the change which fome ofthe people feem-
ed willngto abide by, was extenfye, fatal to the
grand principles ofthe revolution, and favorable
20 the de6gns Of an ufurper. Yet how many