The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-11-17
Hapelssn's Talsats a. .. Cslsalatsr.

1t must be admitted, looking around the |
city Of Paris, and travelling through the
provinces Of France, that Bonapafte has,
In the works Of peaceful grandeur, left .
stamp OF magnihceuce not unworthy OF
the soaring, and at the Same time, profound
ders in warfare. The dignity Of his throne
was splendidly and magniacently main
tanned, but the expense was still limited
by that love Of order which arose ont Of
Bonaparte's powers Of arithmetical calCu-
lation, habitually and constantly employed
may be, to that external regularity aud de-
corum which he always supported. In
speaking of his own peculiar taste, Bona
parte said that his favorite work was book
of logarithms, and his choicest amusement
was working out the problems. The indi-
vidual to whom the emperor made this
singular avowal. mentioned it with sur
prise to an officer near his person, who
assured him that not only did Napoleon
amuse himself with arithmetical ciphers,
and the theory Of compution, but that he
frequently brought it to bear on his domes-
tic expenses, and diverted himself with
comparing the price at which particular
which they ought to have cost at the fair
market price but which for reasons IN
necessary to state, was in general greatly
exceeded. Las Cases mentions his detect
log such an overcharge in the gold fringe
which adorned one of his state apartments.
A still more curious anecdote respecting
watch which the most eminent artist of
Paris had orders to finish with his utmost
skill, in a style which might become gift
| from the Emperor Of France to his brother
the King of Spain. Before the watch ives
out of the artists hands, Napoleon received
news of the battle of Vittoria. g. All lie
now over with Joseph" were almost the
first words after receiving the intelligence
'ssend to countermand the order for the
watch" Properly considered this anecdote
indicates no Indifference as to his brothers
| fate, nor anxiety about saving petty sum;
it was the rigid calculation of protested
accountant whose habits of accuracy in.
duce him to bring every loss to distinct
balance, however trivial the set-of may
be. But although the emperor's economy
descended to minute trifes, we are not te
sphere. On the contrary. in the first yea
Of the Consulate, he discovered and recti
fed an error in the statement of the reve
nue., to the amount of no less than TIVE
millions of francs, to the prejudice Of tn
: state. In another instance, with thu
J skill which only the natural taste for calcu
lation, brought to excellence by constan
practice. could have attained, be discover
: ed an enormous overcharge of more tha
sixty Thousand francs in the pay account
of the garrison of Paris. Two such dis
3 coveries by the head magistrate, must hav
! gone far to secure regularity in the depart
a meuts in which they were made in futur
4 Attention to this remarkable peculiarly
), throws much light on the character {
g Bouaparte. It was by dint of his rapid an
powerful combinations that he succeede
Q as general and the same laws of calcula
r lation can be traced through much of b
9 public and private life.