Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-03-31

lar to that to which u is saiu tn'el
takers frequently resort; when they
expect resistance; they gain the first
blow by surprising their vlctlm'
daunt him at the onset by the fear
lessness of their attack, and trust to
the power Of conscience to second
them in disarmins the criminal.
With what better than imbecility and
crime had this imperial king taker
in many instances to contend Z
Bonapartes's faculties were Certain
ly extraordinary, but not, we think,
of the highest order. Mr.. Warden's
report of the conversations and inter-
views he had with him, exhibits him
as displaying great, shrewdness and
rapidity Of thought. 1t would seem
that there was hardly a subject on
which he had not bestowed a nasty
glance. Heconsiderably surprised the
worthy chaplain of the Northumber-
land, by abruptly enquiring whether
he was a Puritan. At one time his
inquiries were respecting the tenets of
the English Church; at another time,
at what precise period the soul leaves
the body at death, and when it is sup
posed first to be suprrinduced on the
principle of animal life in che infant.
But though we naturally feel surprize
at the variety and stranSeness OF the
topics on which these flashes of
thought happen to fall, the extent of
information and depth Of remark
which they discover. would not, in
any other case. strike us as surpass-
ing the ordinary stretch of respecta-
BILE gentlcmanIy faculties. We must
do Mr.. Warden the credit to say, that
he appears to have been as little as
possible dazzlea by the rank or name
of the high parsonage with whom he
was privileged to enjoy so great fami-
Hc seems to have preserved
the utmost GOODNESS. and to have kept
the erect posture that became, III such
a situation, all Englishman. We
have no doubt that there arc in this
country hundreds, who, in a similar
situation. would have lost themselves
lin stupid admiration of the great man.
Bonaparte's manners, all accounts
agree in stating, are, when he pleases.
fascinating. Mr.. Warden describes
his department. as highly affablc and
cheerful, and his conversation as live
Iy and interesting. Is it possible to
conceive of the ex-emperor of France.
as an agreeable companion Why
not he is at st. Helena, not at St.
Cloud. We lose half the benefit OF
the lesson Providence has set before
us in this man, if we refuse to con-
template him as an exemplification of
our common nature. 1t is no apollo
ley for his crimes that he is a man |;
but these furnish no small part of the
proof ofhis participation Of humanity.
What was there uncommon i'm the mo-
raj compound Of his character? Who
lis there whom the habits of a soldier
would not tend to brutalize, power to
Iinfatuate, and irreligionto harden in
| TO the foe of his kind Were moral
evil really odieus in itself to men in
general, there would have been no
need to superadd fabulous qualities to
he natural vices Of Bonaparts /; but
then. how should he have been distin-
guishcd in public feeling. from other
great criminals, unless indeed as he
happened to be our national enemyf
Bonaparte was habitually under the
Influence of selfish, that is, of evil mo.
tive but men seldom luxuriate in E.
vii without motive. History presents
to us few Domitians, few imperial fly
killers, whose imbecility exempts
them from the ordinary laws of hu-
man action. The most notorious de-
Ilinquents arc generally rational in
their wicl,edness there is me-
thod in their madness. They may.
therefore. without any change ofprin-
lcipIe, be led by rational inducements
Ito adopt different course of conduct.
There are circumstances which pow
erfully tend to render the most selfish
beings, companionable, and the most
iobdurate, kind the social instincts
Iof our nature are seldom so complete
lily obliterated but that they will at
times re-appear in the intermittings
|G passion, and if occasion stimulate
their exercise, regain their ascendant
cy. There have been implacable foes
whnrn cnmmon Affections and com