Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-06-11
From the Memories de NJ. dc Bourrienne.'
ANECDOTES OF NAPOLEON.

BOnaPdrto at 81. CIoud-hiS cOntempt of man
hind-.M. FOn.-lt was in the year 1902, that
Bonaparte first took up his quarters at ST. Cloud.
He was very partial to this residence, because
he enjoyed greater liberties there than at the
Tuilleries the place of which is nothing more
than Il royal prison, in which it is not possible
for sovereign to breathe little fri sh air at tho
window without becoming an object of curiosity
to numerous groups ofthe public. AT St. Cloud,
on the contrary, Bonaparte might begin his air
ngs from the very door of his cabinet, and might
extend them as much as he pleased without
being importuned by suitors. One of the fir st
cares was the construction of the cross road from
st. Cloud to Malmaison. The distance between
these two places he used to traverse on horse
back in quarter of an hour, the proximity to
his tavorite spot increased still further his at
tachment to st. Cloud
1t was in this palace that the First Consul
went through his first rehearsals of the drama
OF the empire it was at this palace that he be-
gan to introduce in exterior forms the habits and
etiquette which called to mind the usages of So
vereignty. llevery quickly perceived how great
an influence the pomp of ceremonies, the splen-
dor OF personal appearance, and the richness of
" How thoroughly" he said to me, % do men de.
serve the contempt feel for them All your
vrtuous republicans, have but to put gold lace
on their coats, and they mine"
remember well, that OH an occasion of one
of his fits of contempt for the whole human
race, observed to him, that although so much
admiration was inspired in vulgar minds by
mere baublcs, there were nevertheless some men
distinguished above their fellow mortals, who
were not 10 be cought with such bait Of allure
and named as an example of such an exception
the celebrated Mr., Fox, who in anticipation of
hePcace of Americans, had already come to Pa
rls, where nc was remarked for nothing more
than for ihis extreme simplicity-tAs to him
YOU are right" said the First Consul ;"NIr Fox
is really superior man, and one who is much
to my mind"
BonaParte in short, was always much pleas
ed with visit from Mr.. Fox, and after inter-
views with him never failed to speak to me of
the satisfaction he had derived from the con
versatIon with man truly worthy of his great
celebrity He considered him a superior man
In every respect, and was very DESTROYS of hay
ing to treat with him in the Interior relations
which were to be established with England.
NaPOicon'S ScnSibiLHy to Virtuous .4ctions-
During the summer ] had half the Sunday to
myself / was obliged to devote part of this
sacred leisure to crafty Napoleon, by surpris-
ing him with new characters learnt during the
interval, but sometimes went to spend nv holy
day at Rucl L rumember that one day hav-
ing gone there in great hurry from Malma-
son lost my watch, handsome Brepuet 1t
was almost four O'Clock in the afternoon. and
the road that day was thronged with people
lost no time in having my loss made known
by beat of drum at RueI IN hour after, asI
was about setting down to table, a youth of
the village brought me my watch. He had
found 1t on the highway, in a rut, and covered
with dust Pleased with the lads honesty,
rewarded both him and his farther The samo
evening / gave an account of The occurrence
to the First Consul, who was so struck by this
instance of propriety, that he desired me TO make
enquiries respecting the young man and bis
friends, and learned that he belonged to a re-
spectacle family Of peasants. Bonaparte placed
three brothers OF his family in situation and
what was very difficult to be obtained Of him in
other cases, he gave the young man himself,
who had brought my watch, exemption from tho
CONSUMPTION.
Indeed whenever an action Of this nature
came to the notice of Napoleon IL was rare
that he did moi give its author sol., pioofs Of