The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-09-19
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From SCOTS life Of Napoleon.
CHARACTER or BONAPARTE.

OF human power, he proceeded adyisedlV
and deliberately, to lay the foundation o
his throne, on that democratic principle
which had opened his own career, anC
which was the throwing open to merit
though without further title, the road &c
success in every department of the State
This was the secret key of Napoleon's pol
icy, and he was so well aided in the use OF
it, by acute perception of character. as
well as by good nature and good feeling.
| (both of which, in his cooler moments. he
possessed,) that he never, through ali his
vicissitudes, lost an opportunity of concil-
lating and pleasing the multitude by evin-
cling well-timed attention to distinguish
and reward talent. To this his discourse
perpetually alluded and for this he claims.
and is entitled to, the highest praise. We
have little hesitation in naming the OPEN
ing Of full career to talent of every kind.
as the keystone of his reputation, the
main foundation of his power. Unhappily.
his love of merit, and disposition 10 reward
1t, were not founded exclusively upon n
patriotic attention to the public welfare. far
less on purely benevolent desire to re-
ward what was praiseworthy, but upon
principle of selfish policy, to which must be
ascrlbed a great part of Napoleon's sue
cess, no small portion of his misfortunes,
and almost all his Political crimes.
We have quoted elsewhere, the descrlp-
ton given of the Emperor by his brother
Luclen, in moment, probably, of spleen,
but which has been nevertheless by almost
all the persons habitually conversant with
Napoleon, of whom we have had an oppor-
'tumty OF making inquiries. ellis con-
duct" said his brother, 1" is entirely regu-
lated by his policy and his policy, is al
together founded upon egotism." No man,
perhaps, ever possessed under the restric-
tons, to be presently mentioned, so intense
a proportion of that selfish principal which
IS so common to humanity. 1t was planted
by nature in his heart, and nourished by
the half monastic, half military education,
which so early separated him from social
test was encouraged by the conscious
ness OF possessing talents which rendered
him no mate for the ordinary men among
whom his lot seemed cast, and became a
confirmed habit by the desolate condition
IN which he stood at his first onset in life,
without friend, protector, or patron. The
praise and the promotion he received, were
given to his genius, not to his person; and
he who was conscious of having forced his
OWE way, had little to bind him in gratitude
or kindness to those who made room for
him, because they burst not oppose him.
His ambition was modification of selfish
aaoos, ssal>liI,an- i,ad-1,- t. N 4-a
consequences, but yet, when strictly ana
lyzed, leaving little but egotism in the cru
chile.
Our readers are not, however, to suppose
that the selfshness of Napoleon was of
that ordinary and odious character, which
makes men misery, oppressive, and fraud
ulent in private life; or which under milder
features, limits their exertions to their own
individual profit, and close the heart against
feelings of patriotism, or of social benevo-
lence. Napoleon's egotism and love of
self was Of far nobler and more elevated
kind, though founded ON similar motives,
Just as the wings of the eagle, who scars
into the regions of the sun, move on the
same principle with those which cannot
bear the dung-hill fowl over the pales of
the poultry yard.
70 explain our meaning, we may add,
that Napoleon loved France, for France
was his own. He studied to confer bene-
fits upon her, for the profit redounded to
her Emperor, whether she received amend
ed institutions, or enlarged territories
He represented, as he boosted, himself, the
people as well as the sovereign of France :;
he engrossed in his own person her immuni-
ties, her greatness, her glory, and was
bound to conduct himself so as to exalt at
the same time the Emperor and the empire.
Still, however, the sovereign and the state
might be, and at length actually were sep
arated, and the egotistical character of Be-
naparte could after that separation find
amusement and interest in the petty scale
of Eiba, TO which his exertions were then
limited. Like the magic tent, in the Ara
bian Tales, his faculties could expand
themselves to inclose half world, with all
its cares and destinies, or could diminish
so as to accommodate itself to the concerns
of petty rock in the Mediterranean, and
his own convenieuces when he should re-
treat to its precincts. We believe, that
whilst France acknowledged Napoleon as
Emperor, he would cheerfully havo laid
down his life for her benefit, but we great
! ly doubt, if by merely raising his finger,
he could have made her happy under the
Bourbons, whether unless the merit of the
action had redounded to his own personal
| fancy that finger would have been raised
up. In a word, his feelings of self-inter-
est were the central point Of circle, the
circumference of which may be extended
or contracted at pleasure, but the centre
remains fixed and unchanged.
It is needless to inquire how far this So
licitous, and we may add, enlightened at
tention to his own interest facilitated Bo-
naparte's ascent to the supreme power.
We daily witness individuals, possessed Of
a very moderate proportion of parts, who,
by intently applying themselves to the pros
ccution Of some particular object, without
being drawn aside by the calls of pleasure,
the seductions of Incidence, or other inter
rnptions, succeed ultimately in attaining
the object of their wishes. When, there
fore, we conceive the powerful mind Of
Napoleon, animated by an unbounded vivac-
ity of imagination, and an UNCOMFORTABLE
tenacity Of purpose, moving forwards with
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