The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-11
vi.

vi.
What was not bourgeois In Napoleon was
his extraordinary generosity. OF the money
which he so laboriously amassed he was pro-
fuse to those who served him. On this head
the evidence Is too familiar to need reproduce
ing. There Is equally conclusive proof. how
ever. OF his placability. clemsncy and mag
nanimity. Metternich. who Is q hostile Wit
ness. says: In private life he was easy OF ac-
cess. and his indulgence frequently amounted
to weakness" Marmont who was more In
clined to justify his desertion OF his chief than
to praise him. bears witness that nature had
given him . grateful and kindly. I might al
most say tender. heart. This assertion will
contradict many established but unjust
opinions" Elsewhere the same authority
says: Bonaparte was man most easily
touched by genuine feeling. He concealed his
sensibiiity. and was In that very unlike most
mon. who affect to display 1t without possess
ing any. Never was q real sentiment ex-
pressed in his presence In vain nor without
touching him acutely." Bourrisnne who can
not be accused OF partially. admits that Ma
poleon never refuses a favor. except whom he
cannot possibly do otherwise" Thibaudeau has
preserved these words. taken from the mouth OF
Josephine: He is weaker and m ore sensitive
than any one believes" / am less OF Cor
sican than people think" he said himself one
day to the Duchesso d'Abrantes. who. re-
cordinR the remark. declared: All that I
know OF him proves that he possesses a great
soul which quickly forgets injury" Gen.
Rapp gives similar evidence: In vain he
tried to Shot himsel severe: his nature was too
strong for him. and his kindness always got the
better Of him. Never was man moro inclined
to indulgence and moro sensitive to the voice
Of humanity" NJ de Bausset says: Once the
nrst feeling OF annoyance over. Napoleon al
ways forgave." He pardons nothing SO
quickly" says the Duke OF Rovigo. as in
juries personal to himself" Finally in 1914
Baron Fain shows him receiving the entrea-
ties OF q family imploring q favor.
and says: Napoleon could not resist these APP
peals for mercy; numerous remissions OF pun
ishment attest his clomency." In the island Of
Elba. speaking OF his possible return to
France. the Emperor who had been aban doned
and betrayed by his best friends. exclaimed:
81 will punish nobody; l wish to forget every
thing" How sincere he was In this intention
was proved when. on his return to the Tui!e-
ries on March 20. 1915. he received documents
signed by projects and officials. declaring
their adhesion to the restored imperial
regime. and. at the same time Through
the policel assurances OF fidelity addressed
By the same men to Louis XVIII Filled with
pity for these treacherous aud ungrateful
men. whom he had formerly loaded with kind
ness. the Emperor contented himself with
his shoulders and saying: Just
like mankind. One must laugh at them to keep
from crying" It has been said that these ex-
hibitions OF placabilty do not bear witness to
any kindness OF nature. but simply reveal po-
litical calculation. dictated by the spirit Of
government The author OF tho book before
us admits that this may be so. but he suggests
that one who possesses and necessarily APP
plies such qualities OF provision. OF wis
dom and moderation. Is almost the ex-
act opposite OF the infatuated. brutal. tyran-
nical conqueror depicted on the canvas of
traducers- How It may be added.
can We attribute to political calculation the
pains which Napoleon took to testify his CRATE
full appreciation OF the smallest acts OF kind
ness done In the days OF his obscurity and
poyerty7 There was not one OF his schooliel-
lows or Of his teachers who had said q kind
word to him at the military schools of Brienne
and Paris or when subseq uently. as q needy
subaltern. he lived in garrison. who was not
rene bered and munincently cared for as
soon as Napoleon was in place of power
Let Us PASS to Napolson's relations to his |
family; here again the facts bear witness.
not to selnshnsss. but TO self-saerinee. I'M
stintsd liberality. long suffering. and the for
giyspess OF Injuries. tits true that his brothers
and sisters were necessarily complaining. but |
their state Of mind was perfectly summed up
In an outburst oil, Napoleon. recorded by Bour- |
rienne: Upon my word. to listen to them you |
would suppose had devoured the whole OF |
my fathers Inheritance" Their rserimina- |
lions were so persistent. and they put his for |
bsarancs to such Irritating proof. that Mile. |
AVrIllon declared: Napoleon found II more |
difficult TO govern his family than his king |
DOM" II would, indeed. have been impossl- |
bic TO satisfy them all. Lueisn grumbled be- |
rAuse he was nothing; Joseph complained be- |
cause he was King; Louis posed as . King |
and martyr. deprived OF rights that he had /
renowned; and Jerome regarded |
himself As Ill used because his royal budget
Was too limited for his reckless expenditure.
Eliza found her duchy too small for her |
naughty spirit; Caroline looked higher than
her kingdom Of Naples; Pauline suffered be- |
,ause she could not give free rein to her sK-
rAVaganee. and. finally. Nspo.eon's mother
oeWsiled her hard lot because she could not |
'conomizs as much as she desired. To this
chorus OF entreSties and TeproachsA which.
being often public. diminished his authority
he Emperor. whose head was full OF grave
only opposed a temporary re-
distance. soon overcome By his natural weak
less. His enemies alleged that his generous
treatment Of his brothers and sisters was die
atsd By his interests. and by an unwilling
less to disclose family quArrels to European
iourtk The author OF this work does
Tot dispute that Napoleon considered public
opinion. but the ysTy fact is pronounced q
'rOoi Of his wish not to place himself above the
sysl Of humanity. An anxiety, however. to
conceal his family troubles. although lsgiti-
nate and respectable. Was not the m EinsprinR
Il HGpolson's acts. II was rather the direct
ssult Of his earnest desire 10 see all his own
'eopls hADDJ and respected for the evidence
hoNs that this desire animated him At q time
shen he was responsible to no one. not even to
'ublle oDinlon- His Solieltuds for Joseph and
or Lueisn. warmly expressed In the letters
Ihlsh he wrote while still = SehOolbOy Of
thirteen Gt BTishns; his pEtsraAl care for
.0uiS. whom. when he vas himself only Sub
he educated At the coat Of untold
'riVatioas; the kslB Whieh he gave to Eliza
IAsa h uAs eADtAin % hall DAyi the sduss-