The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-02

on the 18th OF August (the battle or
Ponte-Novo was fought on the 9Th Of
May). His father was Charles Bona
parte; his family. which was OF italian
origin, was one OF the oldest in Corsica;
it was Of noble extraction, and was rec
ogniZed as such after the French con-
quest Che Republic of Genoa had never
been willing TO recognize the Corsican
nobility. When Boulay de Ia Merthe
proposed, under the directory, the ban
ishment OF all noblemen, Tallien said
that this motion would send into exile
the conqueror OF Italy. Charles Bona
parte was married on the % OF June,
1764, al the age OF eighteen, 10 Letitia
Ramolino, who was probably only four
teen years old. Botn were very hand
some Charles was prodigai, fond or
pleasure. OF luxury; he easily became
reconciled 20 the French. Always in
need OF money, he spent all his energy
in obtaining favors from the govern
ment. Letitia long survived him. Al the
age OF thirty she was still, as Napoleon
said, belle CONNIE les amourS." she
always retained her Corsican accent.
She was very avaricious: during the
empire many were the stories told about
he- avarice. Il must put money aside;
1 may have, sooner or later, seven or
eight sovereigns come upon my hands.
is one OF the phrases attributed 10 aeT
at the time when she was livo-ng at the
Tuileries. She saw the wood Well meas
ured in the court; forced the daughter
of Lucien 10 go 10 bed early, TO save
fire and candles. She was % an heroic
nature, and, when she visited Napoleon
at Elba, and he confieded to her his
plans. she did not issuade him. Let
me forget for a moment that 1 am your
mother; go. and fllow your destiny"
Napoleon resembled his mother more
than mis- father. Taine insists much in
mis- great work on the French Revolu-
ton on the Corsican character of the
emperor; he represents him as an 1tal-
ian tyrant who had found a larger field
than a small city ir the ApennineS NJ.
Chuquet, after his description Of the Cor
sican race and an analysis of its insu-
lar character. says:
Napoleon resembled these Corsicans
Of the eighteenth century. He Is or
small stature, has fine eyes and fine
teeth He commits no excesses OF any
sort; ne sits at table almost with re-
gret-a quarter OF an hour, a half hour
at the utmost. He drinks very
little and eats too fast. Very simple
in his dress, he wishes co wear the uni
form OF an officer of his guard. He has
the strong clan feeling OF all the Corsi-
cans. and becomes a benefactor to all
mis- family. The feeling of gratitude is
as strong in him as the love Of revenge.
the spirit OF vendetta. He has the firm
ness and courage of the COrsicans, the
Corsican gravity. Like his compatriots,
ne is a natural orator-his proclamations.
his speeches have a Sor. OF natural fire;
but he is a soldier. he is more concise
than Paoli; he dies not make Latin ci;a-
tlons, having been but an imperfect
scholar, but he speaks willingly of Gin
cinnatus or Tarquin. I'm Italy. in
Egypt" says one of his officers, che
constantly spoke to us Of the Romans"
He is supersttious, Ike his coEnpatriots;
he has his star; ne nearly faints one
day merely because he has broken JO-
sephine's glass, and says that she must
either be i'll or unfaithful. He is very
fond OF ghost-storles and likes to tell
them. He is uneasy, cannot keep quiet;
he cuts all his chairs, his tables with
his knife. Like a true Corsican, ne looks
upon women as inferior beings. He Will
not allow them to NEEDLE with politics.
He scandalizes Madame de Stael by tell
ing her that the woman ne prefers is
the mother who has the most children.
1t would be difficult 10 reconcile his nat
~r-f-n y lie
dent and long passion for Josephine, II
love was not often quite independent OF
respect.
1 find in NJ. Chuquet's volume an ac-
count OF the relations OF Napoleon with
the famous Laplace, which wei Illus
trates MS qualities as well es MS de-
fects. Laolace hsd been one OF his ex-
aminers at the military school in Paris.
after ne left Brfenne.
Laplsce acquitted himself well II hls
delicate task OF sad aspect. dressed
in black coat, obliged TO use shde
on account OF the weakness Of his eyes,
his gravity was imposing and he seem
ed severe. He was. however, moderate.
polite kind, and, under the empire. stiI
kept UP the ceremonious ways Of the
old regime. When re became
first counsh. Bonaparte appointed La
place minister os the interior; but this
eminent matnemat ticisn was. Hike Gas
PAID Monge. a mediocre administrator.
Napoleon made him senator. chancellor
os the senate, grand officer Of the Legion
ct Honor, count OF the empire. He took
MS son as artillery officer. He accepted
the dedication of the "Mecanique Ce-
ieste." "a admired the perfect clearness
of rhe book 'Tt is for me-" he said, "a
nsT occasion 10 regret that stress OF cir
cumstanoes forced me into career
which IS 50 remote from th= denain of
science" From viteosk. IN 1872, he
thanked Lapace for his Treatise on
Probabilities. one Of those works which
''pertecc mathematics. th.t first Of
sciences'' Lsplsce was real coIrtie-.
ani ertfully fatterei Bonapa-te: y en-
c,ursged hfm 70 make TIE coup d'et8t
~ tnz iscia BrGnnaiTe. and he was known
20 be 81 intimate WIKI NsOo,eon t.1at 5e
y as deputed BY tic senate 70 sound the
seae-ai on MS acceptance % q ten
years consulate On MS return from
Leipzig. Tie emperor Ess cruel - the
aczdsnio8sn. You are changei.T ssiI
ne, "and thinner" sire" answered
I.aplsce. 7 save lost NY daughter"
You are a geometer." reto-tAd Sspoi-
con: submit mis- event % calculation.
and you wiI find taa, Il - equal 70
zero." Nothing can si1IE oerzsr the
hardness. -.1e iusensibzAty saic1 aa5
teen produced N Napoleon 5y consi1-
Ee5 vars. the exercise = supreme pow
e. and tie spoc4acle q iae servEi,y %
men