The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-06-20
a THREE-ATLAs BRAIN.
Surprising Compreh cnsiveness of the Min'
of the Grcnt Nnnnlnnn.

1
| of the Grent Napoleon.
In his "Les Origines de la France
Contemporaine," NJ. Taine gives a num-
Der of anecdotes illustrating the mar
velous intellectual grasp and mental
power of the first Napoleon, The his
| torian says that Napoleon had in his
mind three aliases, each of large pro-
portions distinct and kept carefully up
to date. The first, of a military char
acter, containing an enormous collection
of maps on the minutest scale, with u
| plan of all fortresses, on which were
marked The positions of all his forces by
sea and land, his regiments, batteries,
arsenals, magazines and all appliances
of war.
"The second contained complete ac-
count of all the finances of the empire,
receipts and expenditures, together
with his whole administrative staff,
senators, deputies, ministers, projects,
bishops, professors and judges. The
third was gigantic biographical and
moral dictionary in which the lives and
characters of all those with whom he
had or was likely to come into contact
were carefully described" While he
was concluding peace with Austria at
Schoenbrunn he was writing at the
same time on the Walcheren expedition,
the right of the state to public lands,
on naval expeditions to the colonies, on
the number of arms in the public arsen-
ais, on composing treatises on the art
of war and the history of the papal see,
about minute ecclesiastical arrange
ments"
While at Schoenbrunn, too, he super
intended ''the course of public works in
France and Italy, turning his attention
at one time to the dykes of the Par
mesan, at another to the bridges and
quays of Lyons"
Segur once made careful report of
the condition of all the Notifications on
the north coast of France. II have
read your accounts" said Napoleon;
have forgotten two four-pounders at
Ostend; they are on the high road be-
hind the town"
When he was consul he frequently
presided over committees of the home
Office from ten at night till five in the
morning, Should anyone fall asleep
Napoleon would arouse him by shaking
him and calling out: Come! Come,
citizen, wake up! 1t is only two o'clocl1
We must earn the money which the
French people give us!'
In 1909 Napoleon said to Roederer:
81 am always at work, reflect q great
deal. If 1 seem always ready to an
swer every question and to meet every
Il n,,1 t,r. = 1. .
ing anything have reflected long over
it. l am always at work-at
dinner and at the theatre. At night l
get up to work. Last night got up at
two, sat down in an arm chair before
the fire and read my army returns
which the minister of war sent me yes
terday evening. l found twenty mis-
takes, the whole of which l have sent
to the minister, who is now occupied in
correcting them"
A writer in the Atheneum tells of
how he once crossed the Great ST. Ber-
nard in company with a peasant who
as a boy Of fifteen, had led Murat's
horse across the pass. This peasant re-
membered Napoleon well-his small
stature, his little black cooked hat, and
his gray overcoat. But what most
struck him was that from the appear
ance of the great general on the scene
all disorder ceased, plumber came to an
end, acquisitions were paid for and all
operations resumed the guise of regu-
larity and order"
As a financier Napoleon seems never
to have had an equal. Before 1889 a
Frenchman paid IA per cent. of his
revenue to his lord, the same proper
ton to his priest and SO per cent. to the
state, keeping only IS or 10 per cent.
for himself. But after 1900 he paid
nothing to the clergy or to his lord,
only 21 per cent. for imperial and local
taxation, while he kept 10 per cent in
his own pocket.-N. Y. journal.