Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-08
B0NAPARTE.
FRESH VIEWS or MS APPEARANCE, SAYINGS,
AND CHARACTER

lhlO the character ana motives 0t the
most extraordinary man Of modern
times. Until Josephine's divorce,
Madame de Remusat served her in the
capacity Of maid companion, and she
regularly kept in the form of letters u
a friend, dairy Of each davis occurren.
ccs and the impressions they made on
her mind. When Napoleon returned
from Eiba in 1916, NJ. de Remusat was
sent into exile, and for fear the dairy if
discovered would endanper his life she
destroyed il. Circumstances having
been greatly altered, she went to work
IN peace three yegrs later to write out
again the history of her life at the
Court OF Napoleon, and il i this work
which now sees the light. When Mad.
anne de Remusat bad finished it her
son, Charles, carefully LAID it away to
await the coming Of better times.
From his hands 1t passed to those of
her grandson, at whose instance the
present publication has been undertak.
en-. Here is what she says Of Napole.
ons regard Tor lying:
"Although very remarkable for Ger.
tain intellectual qualities, nothing was
| more debased, it must be con fcssed, than
| his soul. He had no generosity, no true
grandeur. | never saw him admire, and
! never saw him comprehend noble
action. He always suspected sincerity,
and never hestated to say that he rec.
| oguiLed "A mans superiority by the de
/ gree Of ability with which he could
manage to lac: on these occasions he
! delighted to tell the story that, in his
/ childhood, one of his uncles had fore
told that he should govern the world,
because he had the habit of always lying.
/ 'MetterniCh, he said at another time,
/ is becoming statesman he lies we'll
! All his means OF governing men were
| chosen 10y Bonaparte among those which
/ tend to dcbase them. He feared the
/ ties of affection, he tried to isolate every
one, he only sold his favors in such
way as TO awaken inquietude, thinking
/ that the true way 10 attach men TO him.
self was to compromise them, and often
/ even disgrace them in public opinion.
/ He never pardoned virtue except when
/ he could overwhe!m it with ridicule.
"Bonaparte Is of small stature and
not well proportioned, tie upper part
/ OF the body seeming to press upon the
/ lower portion. lie has scanty chestnut.
/ brown hair, and gray.Jiue eyes. His
/ complexion was yellow a. long az he
was thin, but later it became dead
/ white, without the least color. The
/ expression OF his forehead, the setting
/ Of his eyes, the lines of the nose-all
/ this Is fine and reminds one OF antique
/ medallions. His rather common mouth
/ becomes attractive when he laughs. His
teeth are regular; his chin somewhat
short. He has smull feet and hands.
/ which must be noticed because he takes
! good care Of them. In standing and
| walking he bends little forward. His
! eyes, usually dull, give 10 the face when
/ in repose a melancholy expression, but
when he is angry his glance becomes
/ suddenly sharp and threatening. His
smile becomes him well il dsarms and
! rejuyenates his entire person, and in
/ such moments it j. difficult TO withstand
/ his winning ex xpression, so changed and
+ beautiful is his countenance. HIS cloth.
/ ing was always simple. Usually he wore
/ the uniform OF his Guards. Cleanliness
was with him more a matter OF system
/ than of inclination. He bathed FIRE.
/ quently, and often in the middle Of the
night, because he thought it good for
his health"
al was brought up, he said
t" me, at military school, where ]
/ evinced a taste only for exact sciences.
/ Every body said TO me, There is boy
who is good for nothing but geometry
\ ] lived apart from my comrades. |
/ had selected quiet retreat in the
| school enclosure where ! dreamed at
my ease, for delighted in reverie.
/ When my companions wished to intrude
/ upon me, and take possession of my lit.
! tie corner, fought for it with all my
I strength, as early felt that my will
was TO overrule others, and that what
wanted ought to belong TO me. was
not liked at school 1t needs time to
win affection, and even when | had
nothing to do, | had a vague sort OF
/ feeling that had no time to LOSE
"Later learned the Metier of war;
| ! went to Toulon; my name began to
be known. On my return led an unoc.
cupied life. Some secret instinct warned
me that it was best TO begin hy wasting
my time
"'My campaign lin Italy, was glori-
Gus one | became a parsonage in Eur.
ope. ! sustained the revolutionary sys-
tenn with one hand, with the other !
managed the cBugrcs in secret, allowing
/ them TO retain some vestiees of hope.
Il is very easy to deceive these people
because they start always not from what
| is, but from what they wish to be. /
received magnificent offers in case
would like TO follow the example of
Gen. Monk"
"'IH Egypt was free from the shack
| les of irksome civilization | dreamed
of all sorts OF things, and saw way
OF executing all that | dreamed Of |
created religion, and saw myself on
the point of penetrating Asia, seated
on an elephant, with turban upon
my head and in my hand new Koran.
which had composed according TO nv
own fancy. should have gathered
together for my enterprise the expert.
ences Of two worlds. ! should have
attacked British power in India, and by
| that conquest renewed my relations with