New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-11

the coming Emperor In childhood and youth hao
the very training most likely TO be useiui W 'i'''
II was a training in which the foremost pan
c:plc was 10 make a little go a great way i'o
whole fortune Of Charles Buonaparte' lhousn "e
was a prominent man in Corsica, was dh e''"'0
which yielded about $500 a year. lie was d"
easy-going man not likely to increase MS revenue
1t was left to his wife TO make the sooo w ~.
a large family. From her Napoleon iea' "eu
those habits Of frugality which followed him
through life How much Of his astuteness III 'he
most difficult affairs was due to the skill ac-
quired in the game necessarily played !" 9ou'''
between himself and poverty. only the most
minute and exhaustive criticism OF every ac'
and every writing of his could show. This much
Is certain. A man thus trained couu ho' Va
pect to have the finical decacy of those born in
the purple. lie had heavy hand ana hooouy
was more conscious of the fact than himself.
concentrating NAPOLEON simply as business
man of the middle class set to organize ana RUE
on an,nira hecause this was a work that needed
IN no done and he was the only man on earth
that could do IT, too much has certainly been
made of his relations with his family. II he was
himself so far as manners were concerned,
merely the prosperous citizen. what were they
expected to be? NJ. Levy devotes many chapters
to discussing what Napoleon did for each OF MS
brothers and sisters and what each did in return
He makes a good case Of beneilcence on the part
Of the Emperor and Of ingratitude on the part
of his relatives. But it IS not shCwn-nor' II
one may judge from the general aspect OF 'he
literature OF the subject. can II be shoWn-thd'
this ingratitude was premeditated. Napoleo"
wished to look on himself and on the Bonaparte
family Just as he looked on hereditary royaiues
lie could not convince himself; and IL was ho' ~
be expected that where he was unable 10 iiiahe
his own actions harmonize with his Wishes lie
should persuade his relatives. VIGOROUSLY less
penetrating than he. They got vastly more luh
out Of Europe than he did: and after ALL MS
mother was right when she presaged turn III
the wonderful fortunes Of the family and thus
excused habits Of parsimony which mad become
second nature with her.
AS a partisan Of Napoleon. NJ. Levy sharply
crticses the conduct Of his wives. Josephine
and Maria Louisa, He insists that jose
phine never loved her husband. but 1t was
hardly necessary TO reiterate the gossip OF
certain people against her character In or
der to excuse the fact that Napoleon at
last turned against her. Whether Maria
Louisa ever felt any affection Tor MIN OF
not. she must be considered as the victim
of interna tiOnal pOntlcS. On every Suc AZ" H'''
shows that Napoleon a benefactor to others.
but he betrays the fact. too. that the great man
good deeds were rarely without some ADDITION Oh
bitterness to the recipient. When his marshais
turned against him they certainly incurred the
contempt of the world. But they were only
human. after all, in resenting the spirit when
took such vast deal of credit TO i'sel LOT
discovering the good qualities OF others. lie
never forgot to help his friends ana ne never
allowed them TO forget that they had pteh
helped Naturally memory on one side or me
other sooner or later was bound to resent the
burden II Napoleon had cherished high notions
on the subject of gratitude. he would surely
never have kept Taleyrand In his service l9r
that sharp witted political philosopher opVi-
ously valued past favors merely as the earnest
of favors TO come. NJ. Levy alludes TO scenes
such as have been described in detail in the
recently published memoirs OF Chancellor fas-
ouier in which Napoleon's violent I"bukes
I rea tened the ruin of Talleyrand Yet the
latter continued to be OF use. In considering
Napoeon's relations with men whom he bene-
Gted either in military or civil life. we must
NJ Levy's definition or him as
hoilrgeois As such. II he obtained from men me
service for which he paid he got all that MS
training and knowledge Of the world led MN 10
expect. 1t is doubtful If ingratitude ever cost
Napoleon any wakeful nights. lie was TOO we'll
seasoned for such nonsense.