The Portland daily press., 1881-11-16
The Great Napoleon.
side-Lights on His Character by Count
Mot De Melito.

The latest addition to Bonaparte literature is |
the volume containing the "Memoirs Of Count |
Mot de Melito" The historical Importance |
of this work may be inferred from the fact that |
Count Mot was an eyewitness of and parti- |
cipant in the most exciting scenes of the French
Revolution. He was ON the most intimate |
terms with Joseph Bonaparte, and accompan- |
led him to Naples and to Spain. From Joseph |
he learned much of the private life of Napo- |
leon. He takes up the story of the empire |
where Nine. de Remusat drops it, and while |
he does not permit US to view Napoleon in his |
night dress Le gives us a very intimate account |
of his political life and makes many important |
revelations concerning the Spanish fiasco. 1t
was for many years the custom of Count Mot
TO write down every evening all he had learned
or observed during the day. His memories
have been edited by his son-in-law, Gen. Fleich-
mann, and translated from the French by Mrs.
Cashel Hoey and Mr. Jean Lille. The editor
tells us very coolly that he has left out the
parts of Count Miot's memoirs relating to his
F. visit to America, because "since that time SO
many excellent works have been published on
America and the institutions, the political Gov
eminent of the United States, and even the
inhabitants Rave so greatly changed that what
was novel and accurate in 1925, might appear
at the present time antiquated and Incorrect
which is the very reason why we should like to
read it. Count Mot seems to have been on
hand when many historical scenes were enac-
ted, and, furthermore, he watched them from
the inside He was with Louis XVI. when
that unhappy monarch was seized by the mob
and he was with the Empress Marie Louise
when the news of Napolean's abdication reach
ed the Court at Blois He knew Danton, La
croix, Legendre, Fabre d'Eglantine, Camille
Desmoulins and Robespierre. Danton he de-
scribes as the most remarkable of all the per-
sonages named:
He had hideous face. His proportions were
at aeletic; in that respect he even thought
TO resemble Mirabeau. But the complexion of
the latter was of a livid pallor, while that of
Danton was Of reddish brown, and his coun-
fenance was very animated. The tone of his
voice was impressive; he spoke with warmth
and energy that seemed natural to him. His
elocution was fiery and always accompanied by
violent gesticulations. AT table he generally
struck the keynote of the conversation, and
made frequent use of figurative expressions
s.The chariot wheels of the Revolution will
crush its enemies" 1.-The Revolution is like
Saturn; il will devour its children"--and other
phrases of the same kind. He felt profound
fools who had recoiled before the logical results
of their principles. He made no secret of his
love of pleasure and of money, and sneered at
vain scruples of conscience and delicacy. In
Jrenched in the Club of the Cordeliers, which
he looked upon as a citadel always open TO him,
he believed himself to be unanswerable. The
cynicism of his morals exhibited itself in his
language, for he despised the hypocrisy of some
of his colleagues, and his sarcssms on this'vice
were principally directed against Robespierre,
whom, however, he did not venture to name.
Nevertheless it was easily to be seen that Ro-
besperre was the enemy whom he most
dreaded, though he affected to despise his
party.
Lacroix was a man of Gigantic stature, but
of fine proportions" He spoke little, ate a
great deal'' and applauded the sayings of his
master, Danton, by gesture only. Fabre d.
Eglantine's manner of talking was graceful,
but affected" Legendre. Paris butcher, was
"of small stature and deeply pitted with small
pox. He spoke with the greatest facility. Gift
ed by nature with extraordinary but uncultivat-
ed eloquence, his speeches in public his CONVEX
sation in private were full of original and happy
turns. He was ardent patriot and fell into
the greatest revolutionary excuses; but there
Is no doubt that he acted in good ruth and sin
cerity following the impulses of passionate
but misguided love of liberty and a mind new
or restrained by the curb OF reason or reflection.
/ often admired this man when, on leaving the
Convention where he had supported the most
bloodthirsty proceedings, he would return to
an accent of truth impossible to simulate"
The personal appearance of Camille Desmou-
Inns was common place. he chad no exter-
nal advantages" He was gloomy and silent;
his countenaDce wore an expression of profound
melancholy" His language was frequently
"strange and impious." To the interrogatory
of the President of the Tribunal, who asked
him his age, he replied, ST am the age of that
good sarss-culotte, Jesus-33 years." Count Mot
saw Robespierre but once:
Elegant in DRESS carefully curled and pow
dered, composed in manner, he formed the
most curious contrast with the disorder, affect
ed neglect and coarseness that appeared in the
attire and manners Of his colleagues. His de-
pertinent was grave. and he took hardly any
part in the conversation, speaking only now
and then few sententious words. But not
withstanding the immobility of his pale and
sinister countenance it was evident that he did
not feel at his ease, and learned afterward
that he owed grudge to Deforgues for having
thrown him into the company of men whom
he pretended TO regard as very uncertain patri-
OTIS or, what was still more criminal in his eyes,
as 'moderstes." Thus the conversation at
dinner was constrained. / also thought could
perceive BY the few words uttered by Robes
pierre that he especially desired to be distin-
guished as great statesman.
At the age of 80 Count Mot desired to obtain
diplomatic post, and was offered ethe choice
between the mission to Florence or to the
United States. 'My tastes led me SO select the
former" he writes. 1t was while in Italy that
Count Mot first had an interview with Napo-
leon. They met at Brescia, and the Count
writes:
/ was quite astonished at his appearance.
Nothing could be mvre unlike the idea my i'm
sginaIion had formed of him. In the midst of
a numerous staff saw man below the middle
height and of an extremely spare figure. His
powdered hair, oddly cut and falling squarely
below the ears reached down to his shoulders
He was dressed in straight coat, buttoned up
to the chin, and edged with narrow gold en-
broidery, and he wore a tricolored feather in
his hat. At first sight he did not strike me as
handsome; but his strongly-marked features,
his quick and piercing eyes. his brusque and
ansmated gestures revealed an ardent SPIRIT
while his wide and thoughtful brow was that
of a profound thinker. he made we sit near
him, and we talked of Italy. He spoke in short
sentences, and at that time of his life, very in
correctly He crossed the rooms ad-
Joining that in which he received me, and gave
some orders to Murat, Lannes and Junot, bis
aides-de-camp, and the other officers in attend
ance. Every one maintained toward him an
attitude of respect. and may even say of adj
miration. saw none of those marks of famil-
iarity between him and his companions that
had observed in other cases, and which was
consonant with republican equality. he had
alrcaQy aSbuDleu us OWL pidCo anu ncV OtuoIs
at distance.
On one occasion Count Mot had odraw up
proclamation for Gen. Bonaparte, and in it
he used the expression, "The commanders OF
the French army" Napoleon erased the IS"
with some irritation, and said, "The army has
but one commander" At Monticello Count
Mot found Gen. Bonaprrte Sin the midst of
brilliant court rather than the headquar tiers of
an army.R
Strict etiquette already reigned around him:
his aides-de-camp aud his officers were no long
er received at his table, and he had become
fastidous in the choice of the guests whom he
admitted to it, An invitation was an honor
eagerly sought and obtained with great diff
Guilty He dined, SO to speak, in public; the
inhabitants of the country were admitted to
the room in which he was eating and allowed
to gaze at him with keen curiosity. he was
in no wise embarrassed or confused by these ex-
csssive honors, but received them as though
he had been accustomed to them all his life.
His reception rooms and an immense tent
pitched in front of the palace were constantly
full of a crowd of generals, administrators and
great contractors besides members of the high
sst nobility and the most distinguished men of