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

pupils were kept in constant employment =; :,
aud heir instruction continued for seven
o. eight years, duringwhiCh time the most
uremitling care was equally bestowed ON
all. The most able masters iacvery branch
gave up all their time To direct the stu
dies OF the youth, and to inspire them with
sentiments OF virtue. The study oil anci-
eli, and modern languages, oil history, OF
geography, OF mathe ma.ics, and the yari-
Gus branches of military science, formed
the basis Of their education. And in ii,ese
establishments, while the utmost attention
was paid 10 youthful instruction, the agree
able maxim was not Forgotten that by
rendering science ar.iable, the youth
might not contract that dryness Of manner
which too frequently accompanies profound
erudilion.
1t was in one Of these schools that the
Count de Marbruf was DESTROYS To place
the young Bonapalte. Corsica, since be-
ing united To France hsd ,bta,Ucd ior rs
Inhabitants, among othcr privileges, tl,at
OF sharing the royal bcneticence SO ihat
the Coun, had no officially 10 procure f r
his hrefege the place OF one ofthe ELevcs az
Raj.
The Marechel de Segur, then Minister
Of war, and charged with the department
! of military schools, placed Bonapa,ie in
Champagne III which he entered be-
lieve in the beginning of the year 1879.
1t was about Is or Is months after
wards that my Father awaiting himself Of
I the r;ght which all strangers offdmiy had
TO educate their children IN these royal IN
,iituIions, seut ne there 10 begin my edu.
cation. Different iii temper and chraGtcr,
and younger than BohapArte, formed 10
particular friendship with hun but, liv
ing undo, the same rooi, and sharing the
same exercise / reyaa. kid him early as
something extraordinary, perceiving 10
one among SO youths who in the least
| resein5i d him, either III disposition or in
'a,te. In this | only confirmed an idea
very generally allowed, that children are
often more observing than they appear 10
be. Ofthis, curiosity is probably in them
the only cause, being more eager in youth
than advanced age; and a young person,
without troubling himself about The reason,
which his faculties age uot vet able 10
reach. has his affection attracted aud fixed
only by that which strikes him. Bona
companions, separated himself from US
and Therefore became, naturally enough,
the obltcl OF our observation.
do not recolIe6. that he ever Showed
the slightest Partially in favor of any of
his comrades; gloomy add fierce to eg
cess, almost Always by himself, one might
say, newly Issued from forest, and liil
then Withdrawn from the > gin OF men, he
now began, for he FIRST tune, 20 feel the
Impressions ~ surprise AMI of susp. ciou.
Continually alone, averse likewise 10 all
that IS called cbiidsen'5 plays and amusr
ments, he was never seen 10 share III the
noisy mirih of his sc .ooi fellows very
Tar from that; if sometimes ne came z.
mong them, 1t was only 10 find fault, not
wi'hstandng The kno VIZ danger To which
q oog fisdagoSHe inevitab.y exposes himself
BY rep lnahdiug his yourg companions
danger OF which his growing courage had
early taught Gnn not 10 be afraid, for,
when attacked by number Of our school
FELLOWS, whom his offensive raileries had
provoked, have seen him repci, with the
utmost sag fy'0id, their blows aud united
Efforts. Thus. so young, Bpnapar,e seem
ed to disdain TO be- no more than child :
as If he had already foreseen that destiny
would one day call him 10 Strmount the
greatest obstacles.
Borsparie showed very early the desire,
or rather the need Of liberty. The love
ofhis country (ihe island Of Corsica, which
he then considered as his naive home)
lriumphcd already over the sentiment Of
gratitude due TO the bounty OF the king.
The idea of dependence appeared TO him
degrading; he was humbIed by it; and
often indignant to be posed To the ma
licious wltticisns of his comrades on the
union OF Corsica to The monarchy oil
France :--s hope to be able" replied he,
in the tone Of an offending spirit, " hope
TO be able. one day, TO restore it to free.
dom !" Unconscious then that he was TO
be called in few years TO FIX the power Of
France itself ard decide the fate of the o.
ther great states Of Europe.
His first s.eps in learning, were not
marked by any extraordinary progress
and whether from carelessness or dislike
he gave hut li'tle application to the study
ct the Latin tOngue.-This negligence APP
pears so much the more astonishing as
his desire of instruction and occupation