Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-11-13
TABLE TALK AND OPINIONS OF
NAPOLEON THE FIRST.


Speaking Of his early attachment to Ma
/ demoiselle du Columbier, Napoleon said,
I'VE were the most innocent creatures inag.
Unable. We contrived short interviews to-
gether. well remember one which took
place on a midsummer's morning, just as
the light began to dawn 1t will hardly be
believed that all our happiness consisted in
eating cherries together"
During the siege Of Toulon, one Of the
agents of the convention ventured to criti-
else the position of gun which Napoleon
was experimenting DO you" he tartly
replied, attend to your duty as national
commissioner, and viii be answerable for
mine with my head. -
An officer, entering Napoleon's room,
found much to his astonishment, Napoleon
dressed and studying.
What exclaimed his friend, are you
not in bed yeti"
In bed?" replied Napoleon, Il have
finished my sleep and already risen.
''What, so early?" the other said.
''Yes, continued Napoleon; so early.
Two or three hours, sleep are enough for
any man,
Napoleon had great contempt for the
effeminate young men OF his time. He ex-
claimed one day, Can it be that upon such
creatures fortune is willing to lavish her
favors? How contemplate is human ma
tuTel'
When Barras introduced Napoleon to the
convention as a fit man to be entrusted with
the command, the president asked:
Are you willing to undertake the defence
of the convention?"
"Yes, " was the reply.
After a time the president continued:
Are you aware Of the magnitude of the
undertaking.
Perfectly, replied Napoleon fixing his
eyes upon his questioner; and I am in the
habit of accomplishing that which under
take. .
Good Godr' Napolean said in Italy,
whilst residing at Montebello, how rare
men are. There are eighteen millions in
Italy, and I have with difficulty found two,
! Dandola and Melze
Just before his marriage, Napoleon re
ce1ved the appointment of commander in
chief of the army of Italy; he was then TWEEN
ty six. "You are rather young, said one
of the directors to assume responsibility
so weighty, and to take the command over
veteran generals. "
"In one year, - Napolion replied, Il shall
be old or dead. "
We can place you in command of men
only, said Carnot, for the troops require
everything, and we can furnish you with no
money to procure supplies.
"GiYe me only men enough, Napoleon
answered, 'and I ask for nothing more; l
will be answerablc for the result. "
MY extreme youth when took command
of the army of Italy," Napoleon remarked
afterwards, made it necessary for me to
evince great reserve of manners and the ut
most severity of morals. This was indis-
pensible to enable me to sustain authority
over the men so greatly superior in age and
experience. | pursued line of conduct in
the highest degree irreproaehable and exem-
pary. In spotless morality l was Cato,
and must have appeared such to all. was
philosopher and sage. My supremacy
could not be retained only by proving my
self better man than any other man in the
army. Had yielded to human weaknesses
| should have lost my power.
At the first interview between Napoleon
and the veteran generals who he was to
command, Random undertook to give the
young commander some advice. Napoleon,
who was impatient of advice, exclaimed,
Gentlemen, the art of war is in its infancy.
The time has passed in which enemies are
mutually to appoint the place of combat, ad-
vance hat in hand, and say, Gentlemen, will
you have the goodness to fre?' We must
cut the enemy in pieces, preeipitate our
selves like torrent upon their battalions,
and grind them to powder Experienced
generals conduct the troops opposed to u.s.
| So much the better so much the betterl
Their experience will not avail them against
us. Mark my words, they will soon. burn
! their book Of tactics, and know not what tc
do. Yes, gentlemen, the first onset of the
Italian army will give birth to a new epoch
| in military affairs. As for US, we must hur
ourselves on the foe like thunderbolt, an(
smite like it. Disconnected by our tactics
and not daring to put them into execution
they will fly before US as the shades Of nigh
before the uprising sun"
Napoleon sent the celebrated picture o
St. Jerome, from the Duke of Parma
gallery, to the museum at Paris The duke
| to save his work of art, offered Napoleon TIVE
hundred thousand dollars, which the con
queror refused to take, saying: THE sun
which he offers will soon be spent; but tn
possession of such masterpiece at Par
will adorn that capital for ages, and Civ
birth to similar exertions Of fgenius.
different matters are arranged in m
head" said Napoleon, "as in drawers:
open one drawer and close another as l wisl
Ihave never been kept awake by an involur
tary pre-occu patton of the mind. III d,
sire repose, l shut up all the drawers, an
sleep. have always slept when l wante
rest, and almost at will.