The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-05
NAPOLEON
As He Appeared in the Household and Be.
hind the Scenes.

Napoleon, gives the following from his own
. words, and draws the most vivid picture of
the great captain ever written:
"'Military science said Bonaparte, CON
sjsts in calculating all the chances accurately
in the first place. and then in giving accident
exactly, almost Mechanically, its place in
ones calculations. It is upon this point that
one must not deceive ones self, and that a
decimal more or less may change all. Now,
this apportioning Of accident and science can
not get into any head except that of a genius,
for genius must exist wherever there is q
creation; and assuredly the grandest improv-
isation Of the human mind is the gift of an
existence to that which has it not. Accident.
hazard, chance-whatever you choose TO call
ia mystery to ordinary minds, becomes q
reality to superior men. Turenne did not
think about ii, and SO he had nothing but
method. I think he added, with a smile, I
should have beaten him. Condo had a bet
ter action Of it than Turenne, but then he
gave himself up to it with impetuosity.
Prince Eugene is one Of those who under
stood it best. Henry ~ always put bravery
in the place Of everything; he only fought
actions-he would not have come we'll out Of
9 pitch battle. Catinat has been cried up
chiefly from the democratic point of view; I
have, for my own part, carried off g victory
on the spot where he was beaten. The phil
osophers have worked up his reputation af-
ter their own fancy; and that was all the
easier to do, because one may say anything
one likes about ordinary people who have
been lifted into eminence by circumstances
not Of their own creation. a man, to be
really great, no matter in what order of great
ness must have actually improvised q por-
ton of his own glory-must have shown
himself superior to the event which he has
brought about. For instance Caesar acted
now and then with weakness which makes
me suspect the praises that are lagished on
him in history"
"Napoleon Bonaparte is Of low stature
and rather i'll proportional; bis bust is too
long, and 80 shortens the rest of his figure.
He has thin chestnut hair, his eyes are gray
ish blue, and his skin, which was yellow
while he was slight, became in later years .
dead white without any color. His fore
head, the setting of his eye, the line of his
nose-all that is beautiful, and reminds one
of an antique medallion. His mouth, which
is thin-lipped, becomes agreeable when he
laughs; the teeth are regular. His chin is
short, and his jaw heavy and square. He
has well-formed hands and feet; | mention
particularly, because he thought q good deal
OF them.
''He has an habitual slight stoop. His
eyes are dull, giving to his face when ia re-
pose d melancholy and meditative expression.
When he ia excited with anger his looks are
fierce and menacing. Laughter becomes him;
it makes him look more youthful and less
formidable. It is difficult not to like him
when he laughs, his countenance improves SO
much. He was always simple in his dress,
and generally wore the uniform Of his own
guard. He was clearly rather from habit
than from q liking for cleanliness; he bathed
often, sometimes in the middle Of the night,
because he thought the practice good for his
health. | have said there was q sort of fasci-
nation in the smile of Bonaparte; but, during
all the time | was il the habit of seeing him,
he rarely put forth that charm. Gravity was
the foundation Of his character-not the gray
ity of a dignihed and noble manner, but that
which arises from profound thought. In
his youth he was a dreamer; later in life he
became q moody, and later still, an habitually
ill-tempered man. When / first began to
know him well, he was exceedingly fond Of
all that induces reverie-Ossian, the twilight,
melancholy music. | have seen him enrap-
tured by the meaning of the wind; have
heard him talk with enthusiasm of the moan
ing Of the sea; and he was tempted some
times to believe that nocturnal aspirations
were not beyond the bonds of possibility-in
fact he had a leaning to certain superstltlons.
When, on leaving his study in the evening,
he went into Madame Bonaparte's drawing
ing room, he would sometimes have the can
die shaded with with gauze, desire. us to
keep profound silence, andsmuse himself by
telling or hearing ghost stories; or he would
listen to soft, sweet music executed by
Italian singers, accompanied only BY 8 few
instruments lightly touched. Then he would
fall into q reyerie which all respected, no
enc venturing to move or stir from bis or
her place. When he aroused himself from
that state which seemed to procure him . sort
Of repose, he was generally more serene and
more communicative. He liked then to talk
about the sensations he had experienced. He
would explain the effect music had upon him
be alNaYs nreferred that of Paesie!ilY. be-