The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-03-01
vi i 5 ell aR c o uS.
From m OHs
NAPOLEoN's CHARACTER.

From .lii.oa's.
NAPOLEON'S CHARACTER
His genius was vast, hut IL was after he man.
ner OF the OrIenias, rather than the Europeans
he followed neither the dictates of ruth nor The
lessons OF experience, but the vivid pictures and
vehement suggestions OF bis own fervenl imagioa
ton. Such the intensity Il ,ie." impressions
that they made him entirely forge, reality; he rea-
soned and acted upon them aficr The manner sf In
sare persons, MS irthey had been actual existence.
Ideas with him instantly led TO desire; hi Pisnt
thought was already passion; and his chief en-
deavors afterwards were directed To conqucrng the
difficulties overcoming the obstacles ~h,ch op
posed its execution. Thence the complaint 80
commonly made against him, espe cialIy IN has la'.
ter years, that he had an ins,inctive aversion IA
truth, and tina, could secure his favor ~
by anticipating and confirming his prrcoucciv,d >.
pinons. 1t was not that lie had o. r.puguance to.
wards truth in the abstract, but thar be re-is' ed
every thing which deranged or inscribed the cur.
rent Of his ideas. From HE same cause, BE never
was known to change his opinion on any suhje
MOI DID he ever admit, except in one two IA
grant instances, such rs the attack Spain, that
he had done wrong committed a mistake ~ his
life His ideas were conceived 10 The vivid iuRs-
ination Of the East, and much more frequently
founded on abstract conceptions Than practical oh
servaior; bu, they developed with the ric-
ness of geometrcal demonstrations, and cnerAven
on his mind in characters more durable and una-
terable than the sculptures Egyptian granite"
NArOLEON'S EYE AND CALCULATION.
"Dy long experience, joined to great natural
qnickness aud precisi"n OF eye,he had acquired the
power ofjudging with extraordinary accuracy both
Of the amount "fthn encmys fnrce opposed to him
in tho field, and Of the probable result of move
mems, even the most complicated going forward
in the opposite armies. The roar &c srrillrv, the
smoke and rattle Of muskc'fy, even the hling Of
balls around him, were alike unable ~ diyert his
stendy gaze, or drsurb his accurate judgment.
Never he known Ia be mistaken IN the esji-
mate which he fnrmed on the distance approach
"fthe fire ofthe enemy. Even On the funniest ex-
tremi,y or the horizon ifhis telescope could rrach
the hostile columns, lie observed evcrv movement.
anticipated every necessity. and ir"u The slightest
ind icat"nS dew correct conclusions ip ihe de-
signs which in contemplation. M snnu,r
had he assembled a height from ~ birh y Sh"ie 6-lt
oi hnle could he surveyed, than be- locked around
him for few minutes ,,nh his ,ele-r"pr, aud i'm
medate'y formed clrnr rcrtiou e The position
forces and intentions or the whole hos tile array
In this way he con'd, with surprising accuracy,
calculate in few minutes, urr"rdipg to what he
could see Of their form atrn aud tie extent al
g'"und which they occupied, TIE Numerical force
of armies or 60 or LOCO n-o; snd + their ,rnon.
were al all scattered, hr knew a. once how long
it won'd require for Them To concentrate. and how
many hours must elnpse before the. could make
Their attack. On one ucrasa,r, IN HE autumn ni
1873, some OF Napoleon Grncras expressed an
oDiuinn that he might Poc' siEtck "n the side
{" Bohemia. From what can see, said he calm
ly closing his telescope, the euFuy have there
two corps OF sixty Thousand men, they will require
more than one day 10 concentrate aud be ready to
attack; we may pursue our march "