Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-01
NO. l53.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.

NAPOLEoN'S Personal PECULIARlriES.
/ B!arkwooi'> Magazine for June gives some
Remarks "n the personal characteristics Of
Napoleon III:
lie has gained friends as well as enemies
hy one most extraordinary faculty that he
possesses that of holding his tongue, and ~
dong ;" IN the company of the most l"Iuaci-
GUS people in the world. A perfectly undr-
m"n>tratve man, some Frenchmrn respect
him inr il: while others fear him, other, hal.
him because he will not take them into his
connsels; and many Englishmen. again, hike
him because he tiatters the national vanity
10y being IN many respects very like an Eng
lIshnnn lie j. cold and reser,cd in his pub
lie drmeanor; more cordial, say his friends.
when seen III private. Certainly he does
not wear his heart upon his sleeves. ior
DAVIS 10 peek at" He listens 10 all that -
SAID Ia him, and takes his own course He
consmts everybody and follows his own al.
vice.
Again he has Il good seat On horseback -
Other Engiishmen dislike him either because
they ride badly themselves, or because not be-
ing able IL keep their own counsel, they hate
II CLOSE character. Such causes, or causes If
no greater weight, are perhaps more nearly
the true cause of his uupopularity III Eng
land than amy commonplace notions of hi1
being the destroyer of the Liberties of France
lie had equally destroyed the liberties of
France when he made his triumphal entry
into London. The English press, at least in,
some oi lis leading organs, has undergone
many phases Of opinion concerning him; and
he complained in his letter to Sir Francis Head
OF this conduct OF the English press, by that
very complaint showing that he had some re-
gard to public opinion in England. Ii
We venture ourselves to express an opinion re-
garding ms character. We put 1t forth i'll all
modesty, and wish it 10 bc understood IN ~
Vague and general a sense ns possible, feel
ing ourselves incompetent to takethe measure
ot Il man who Is certainly not an ordinary
man. Ii is our impression that he is Il mun
whose general talent has been rather over
rated than otherwise lie has doubtless "A
great power OF will. an undaunted courage,
both physical and moral, and by that nest-
mab!e faculty oi holding his tongue, he is able
I" bide has time. observe circumstances, aud
thus make the most of them, and bring T.
bear on them, at the right time, all the iacul-
ties he possesses.
Perhaps his policy appears To be myster-
Gus, simply because he has no policy At ALL
but ls ready to abandon one course and adopt
another according as he stumble, against
barrier or drifts into an opening. Doubtless
II is often the cause ot success in lite Some
men OF unconquerahle strength Of will and
great talen. get on, A. il i, called. by bending
the world t" their plans. Others do 50 10y
forming no plans at all in permanence, but
tashionlng aud retushioning those they do
form III the mould of circumstance. while the
secret ot Ill success, even more often than III
deficiency OF ability, consists in not knowing
whether one possesses the power to lead or
whether one must be content to follow Louis
Napoleon is said To be iatalist, and his cx-
traordinary elevation would tend To confirm
him in his atalism. Before he takes any step.
e seems To hold up his hand and see which
" 1.-The wind is blowing, and whether the an
~ against it hot or cold But that hold
!ngN he tongue is his most admirable quail