New-York tribune., 1870-10-15
WAR MISCELLANY.
sAINTE.BErYE ON NAPOLEON Ill

SAINTE-BEUyE ON NAPOLEON Ill
lie TENNIS gives us this hitherto Unpublished
fragment from the pen OF that brilliant master IN CIT
icism salnte II is the beginning OF an afuee Oh
''The History Of Cesar:"
There are two kinds Of Cgsarstbe Cgsars py hati1
By genius and the by will The first cOslu-
cred in the light OF their great type, Juliur are
sity: men representative Of humanity with all hu-
manity's best and and worst qualities, its e1alla
tions its grandeurs, its happy audaciues ts Plano
its yations ITS uses, its yersay II, &
vices All that IL ~ necessary 10 hio% I % a. a. acr",
Caesar knows all that il 20 be attGnp'ed 10 D,
pshed, he does the instant He speaks, dlciales'
acts always with the same calm superiority teEdn''
eloquent, lavish, nrst alhe IN me IoIul I'M a ~ ~ ~ \
quoting hail. he is the future king OF the hna i't 9ud
king Of goodfel9ws. He has the genius OF AiGi9au s.
but the fixed and pertlnacious ambition ~n,i % d
had not He il not child hero "a was lnaJ uth-Eo,'
Alexander: but hr keeps his youth longer guarding MN
self alike from the delrm OF triumph ana the eNcess's
of drunkenness The great Captain hardened 10 agur,
prompt, active, exhaustes- In combination, ne pern
himself neither 10 carried away by the ntoXcanon oI
conquest arrested by the 5crupcs o tue cFan OF
the rcmOrse Of humanity on the battlefield iomoI0W'
gentle tender mcrcifu charming his friends eoncllat
Ing his enemies, thoughtful OF al, fu 0f mihohSe pro
pared 10 execute without hesitation and even under the
Ice and Of age This C@sar whom We may approve
wears too all fine seductive graees he Is the very son
OfsVenus! - ,roi
They are heroes through much pain and lnhlte aDor;
They have determined to become Cesars, and by ann OF
measure attain their object Born in the purple or beside
the purple, they are inspired by puma crtulIly ia ia
c,dIe Cs Tppv grow np In a sort Of dyuastc religion
from whose limitations they never attempt TO eAIca'e
They could "a easily cease 70 he a. 10 cease be
lieying themselves Caesars Even fallen ana Dahlshea
they impress upon themselves IN youth, ana Wnch tey
never a moment lose sight or their educ3tloh 80 tA
one point gives them success Their lnttile,t, Ihrr
thought they Tx upon goal invisible 70 al otiSIs
assured 10 Themselves alone. goal which they cOulc
plate and struggle toward without cessation In ther
flth i'm themselves lie, their power. We must hoi ASK
rftt fhtlV ftIl
separable from mystery. We see them thus, perhaps
without a drop OF hereditary blood in their veins,
genius ~ their race seem become by force OF appca
ton study culture, its worthy and legitimate lnntilturs
As the Uranium OF a child is changed IN FORM unuer
continued pressure ~ they make up their character IN
the mold Of their iuheXble VOCATION lhey are ~ SUM-
thing Il pushed I'm direction, and they come
ont from the mold in unyaryng 5imllltnde'
BY long habit changed in nature they really acquire
Something NJ the high qualities OF their Ofice-the love
OF greatness and the sembance of greatness, an I'M
af mind which nothing disurbs and which sometime.
wears the aspect of genius ITSELF, teeihg Oh
il ustied when it makes itself accepted. We must ask
OF thcn however, none OF those dIVerNues OI seiua
placed face 10 face with difficulties, obstacles, qtddTl-
iaires they stand al their wits end IN peace,
force OF genius s required, they hesitate, yarilate, are
rIesOute We must do something great they say Dut
know not how perform, even how to Initiate; IL must
be prepared for them brought to them already shape
Jisriminati0n without distinguishing the semblance
from the reality. Weak, indecisiye, on nearly
All points Indifferent even they have but one Wish, an
object well defined 10 he Cesars. They have the mark OF
Caesar the mask. the sign the forehead striking IL
ence sluggish carriage, one extraordinary, august
Won viii something Or gina in their pose something
mysterious not TO be defined We must not look ne
v0nd this vague appearance OF personal power O rOyay
we nst NOT 20 decpcr to seek for anything clear or pos
tive. They have aspirations rather than plans one
NAV not hope to find them the fine powers the charm
Ing Orignaies OF the great Cesar. If you desire ihei
favor, indulge in subtle turn, no delicate shade OF
meaning-they cannot understand 1t. Mind IN attempt
ing 10 serve them has its Labor for ITS pains
they are to all which ia not the echo OF their own
ufroua thought The choice of men is TO them thing
of small care and considerations They readily take tie
worst the prejudice Of the best 80 long "a they are
convinced that these consider their master To bc the
true Csar, the born herO-the man VINO - suihten'
In any given situation