The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-17
GENIUS AND SLEEP.


l
Napoleon, at SIS. Helena, censured
what he called historical Stiffness
lniaiseries on the part of historians who
lJudged Ill OF men And events. "lt was
wrong, for example, to expatiate on the
calmness of Alexander, Caesar and
others, for having slept ON the eve of a
battle. There are none OF cur soldiers
or our generals who have not repeated
this marvel twenty times, and nearly all
the hereism lay in the foregoing fatigue"
| nj. DeSegur describes him passing the
night before Wagram, within the reach
Of the enemy, on the alert, the horses
bridled. ."The Emperor was in the mid
Ole OF his guard. A spread mantle
| served him for a tent. He slept under it
scarcely three or four hours, but as pro-
foundly as usual. 1t was necessary to-
wake him in the morning. This will ex-
cite mo astonishment if we reflect that
all these critical moments history shows
us hardly any great men without sleep
or appetite; not that robust health Is in
dispensable to these great actions, but
rather because they possess an elevated
but firm character which maintains their
caim." Conde was an excellent sleeper.
SO was Pitt, till his health became fa-
tally shattered; and the power Of habit
Is quite essential in civil as in military
affairs, for without it both mind and
BODY must prove unequal to the strain.
One striking exception was Nelson, who,
When everything was ready for the at
TACK or copenhagen, and he was only
waiting for wind, was with difficulty
persuaded to attempt an hour or two OF
rest. He allowed his cot to be placed
ON the deck, and lay down on it, but
never closed his eyes moment, and at
brief intervals during some hours, kept
anxiously inquiring about the wind.
Napoleon or Wellington would have Or
dered himself to be called when the
wind Was favorable, and gone quietly to
sleep. Yet Nelson was a hero in the
brightest acceptation Of the word.
The lery spirit working out its way,
Fretted the puny body to decay.
At Wagram there was time when the
French lett was routed, and the artillery
at Boudet taken. Intelligence of this
disaster and of the threatening advance
~ the Austrian right TO operate on the
French rear being brought by one Of
Massena's aids-de.camp, the Emperor
remained silent, impassiye, as If he
had heard nothing, with looks liked on
the opposite side, on Neusiedl and Da- |
voust, and his victorious right wing pass |
to the high tower of this that he turned |
TO the aid-de-camp: "Boudeps ar |
tillery is taken. Well, it was there to |
be taken. 20 and tell Massena that the |
battle is won." 1t was then lar from |
won; a desperate effort was required TO |
redeem it, and he was obliged to order |
up his reserve, to which he never re-
sorted except in the last emergency.
''Haying given this order, confident of
it's execution by Lauiston, Davoust and
d'Aboyirie, and sure Of its effect; TRAM
quilted, moreover, by the progress OF
Davoust and our right wing, Napoleon
alighted. And that which Will aston
ism, but is certain, is that, calling Rus
tan the Mamelouk), J, he caused his bear
skin to be spread out, stretched himself
upon it and teil into a deep sleep! This I
sleep had already lasted nearly twenty
minutes, and was beginning to create
when he awoke, without SUR
prise, without eagerness, to know what
had come to pass during the absence OF
nis CONSCIOUSNESS. We could even ee,by
the direction Of his first look, and by the
order which he redoubted, that he re-
or rather followed, his train OF
thought, as if he had undergone no nter-
ruptloC.