Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-13

NAPOLEON AT THIRTY.
suit of recent agitations; and the ipsti-
tuition was at this time well fitted to be
the finishing ground for n young mill
tary aspirant. L'Ecole Militaire de Paris
held the relation to that of Bricnnc and
the Others of college to academy. The
curriculum was more ample and the
methods more rational in the first than
those pursued in the provincial ipstitu-
lions Hero the academic training of
Napoleon Bonaparte as that of his
younger brother Lucien afterwards
was completed From this school he
was to be delivered, as if By q second
birth, to the world.
The social character of Napoleon now
began to show itself more distinctly
Back at Brienne he had been introduced
by General Marbnuf to some private
families of distinction. Them he i'm
pressed as n peculiar, forceful and soli-
tary genius, more capable of heroic
dreams and boyish monologue than Of
polite conversation or social amenities.
Going to Paris. his acquaintance was
somewhat enlarged. Marbpuf's nephew,
tho Bishop of Autun, now lived at YER
sailles; and that worthy was glad, after
the lapse of five years, to receive his for
mer pupil, greatly grown in intellect
and person. but virtually the same in
demeanor. Elise, the sister of Bona
parte, had meanwhile been brought out
from Corsica, and was row a member
of the Royal School for Girls at Saint
Cyr. So that the young man had now a
few friends and some social advantages
For the rest, he pursued in Paris the
same self-centered life rs at Brienne
He was o hard student-in his way. He
still disprized the polite branches of edu-
cation in favor of the exact sciences and
geography. In humane inquiry, his sole
endeavor was to master History. His
study, however, in this field did not
reach historical generalization or a
broad philosophy. He stopped with the
individual He dwelt with interest and
enthusiasm upon the lives of great men.
Plutarch he knew almost by heart. The
we'll known stories which in that age
passed for history he conned with the
passion of a Zealot.
In after life, the peculiar effect of this
discipline was manifested in all of Ma
poleon's work and policy. Out of his
history proper he branched in only one
direction-politics He became rather
expert in the political platitudes and
persifiage of the times. To the end Of
his life he was never capable of high
and abstract views; but he knew all
special things as if by intuition. His
mind flashed out, lightning like, in this
direction and in that; the blaze Of it il.
lumined many dark and blood-splashed
| place; but from that prodigious intellect
there was never diffused a broad and
universal light. Much of this must be
attributed to his Unborn character: and
something to the manner Of his educa.
ton.
The year 1855 was in all respects crit.
ical to Bonaparte- His course at the Mill.
tary School ended with August of tina;
year. He was admitted TO his final ex.
animation almost precisely at his six
teenth birthday Nearly six months be
fore this time his father, who had found
q temporary residence at Montpelier,
came to the final scene. The visionary
and unsuccessful Buonaparte had dis
covered q refuge for himself at ths
chateau of Madame Permon, mother o!
the Duchess d Abrantes Of great fame.
There. ON the 2ith of February, he ex
pired. Of a chronic malady, perhaps can
Ger of the stomach-mostf fatal Fremont
tion of what should happen to his fanou:
son thirty six years afterwards
/ Hard was this stroke of death on the
members Of Buonaparte's family. From
the time of his union with Letitia Ra
molino-a period Of twenty years-thir
teen children had been born. Eight o,
these were living; three were in France,
and i've with the mother in Ajaccio AL
were at the door of perury. 1t is Law
Of nature and Of man that every mothe,