The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16

~ OF any exceptional mental endow-
ment fs knowledge and under
~ standing of the prenatal influences
that bore on the cerebral genesis
These influences might be deduced from
the mind itself In the absence of other
sources for the information.
& In order to account for the most re-
marKabie characteristics that constituted
the mentality OF Napoleon, we must refer
TO his mother, Madame Letit!a Bonaparte.
We may note her cranial and facial fea-
lures, her physical and mental attributes
and particularly the prenatal conditions
that preceded the birth Of her distin-
guished son. The mother has the same
strong featured face, the same nose of
rather ample proportions. the same curv-
ed, mobile contour of lips, the same in
flexible Jaw and cast OF chin. the same
ness of eyes and their setting and some
thing of hidden inscrutable look-fea-
lures that were SO noticeable In the me-
teoric emperor.
Beyond any doubt, had there been a
real chronological eye to make the COM
parisof. there would have been found be-
tween mother and son also similarity
IN the development of the cerebellum or
lower brain. The woman, on whose
shoulders was a mans head had great
executive energy and much force of char
acter. However, her field, together with
the cares of a numerous household, was
too narrow for its wider manifestation.
Napoieons head, which was repro
auction of his mothers was symmetrical
" masculine. but his body was feminine.
His shoulders were narrow and dropping,
his chest rather contracted. His diges-
tive and respiratory organs should have
had double the capacity to fully supple
ment his brain power. To his father, the
hero of France owed but little more than
the mere gift Of life. Charles Bonaparte
had face that somehow seemed to strike
. compromise between that OF George
washington and John Adams 1t was
. good front but an indifferent rear.
The executive engine simply worked the
personality OF the man-that Is to say,
the ordinary functions were impelled In
their mediocre courses and not much be-
yond. The bassilar region of the mans
brain was not OF high gear. He was just
enough OF q nobleman to be indolent.
without SUFFICIENT means to be independ-
ent.
IN his head were chimericai wheels and
chief among his assets was an Inherited
cause for litigation, which assumed the
hope Of recovering from the Jesuits a
maternal estate. but which had been
absorbed by the church. 1t was case
of waiting for hypothetical ships to come
IN from imaginary seas. laden with for
tune, and of course these never came.
ties were singularly accumulated and most
wildly unprecedented; therefore we must
infer that somything unusual during the
prenatal period must have wrought on
the maternal mind 70 be projected with
euch emphasis into the cerebral develop
ment Of the coming son.
The family originally came from Tus-
cany and settled on the island OF Cor
eice. the wife only 16 mt the ttnnesof mar
riaes. 4 woman OF superb MARRIAGE. high
mental endowments and fipely nodded
features. or thirteen children born by
ShIs woman, eight reached manhood and
womanhood, and In the order OF their
advent, Napoleon was fourth.
The time was stormy. The patriot
paoli was struggling against the expan-
uive policy of France. cndeavoring 20
r.sirtatn Corsican independence and
among his adherents was Charles bona
uarfe. He was with his chief and aided
hin, 10 thu best OF his ability until the
~rd came in hopeless defeat In 1852. the
brave but beaten defenders OF corsica
now took to the mountains. exposed 10
dangers and TO the endurance OF ex,
trerne hardships. In this flight, as Wei
I. ~ the months preceding 1t. Monsieur
a. Bonaparte was accompanied ny ms
6evoted wife, who, physically vigorous
ard mentally CONTAGIOUS. shared these
dangers and bore her hard lot withou,
audible complaint. However. the corsi-
cans had to yield, and the bonhpar,es
were sent to their home IN Ajnccio' IN
ttttie less than forty days later the heroic
-s,fe gave birth TO her fourth child.
ryerrin lies the KEY to tho great mys-
serv Of Napoleon. In these simple CIR
cumstancer and. during this period, In
ehe inpressions made on that mother
mind. we get at the initial Impulse OF
this most remarkable character In all
human history
The mother had been of necessity sep
arated from her children and the ma
terual longing served only TO intensity
ths narrowing surroundings which were
crvstallixIng into psychological expression
An the forming mind of the unborn. How
abe was impressed may be inferred from
~hat Napoleon said OF the occasion, al
though he says IT. as II he could have been
the recipient OF what he witnessed In
his earliest infancy:
II was born" said he. when my coun,
Frenchmen were vomtted on our soil
the throne of our liberty was drowned In
q sea OF blood. This was the odious sight
on which my eyes opened. Cries OF the
wounded, sighs of the oppressed and tears
and despair surrounded my cradle a, my
birth"
These really were the scenes that I'm
pressed hls mother. No matter what
the sight may nave btfh ON NHlth ttr
eyes opened" he could not then take
cognisanee thereof. AZ the time OF life,
when no uttered this. he indulged tn
somewhat ambitious rhetorical ambiguity
M witness his throne OF liberty and
the same being drowned" ''throne
OF liberty would be quite as much % a
Political paradox as the expression Is a
eolsciAm in syntsx.
SIN. IL is we'll and Enthusiastically con
veyed that the mother during that SUI
premly critical period was remarkably
impressed and that such impressions
were laid with vivid emphasis ON the
cerebral embryo. developing an irressstl'
hl. and transcendent genius for war II
was not what he saw, but Il was what
his mother Jaw and felt and which had
become his own by prenatal inheritance
that made this woman the agent "a
CAUSING a little later all Europe e trcm'
BILE 20 the shock OF war and the Pyramids
of forty centuries STANDING, on the banks
OF tho far-on Nile, "a feel the vibration
all OF which this remarkable mother WAS
destined 20 witness and 10 live beyond the
life ~ the son that wrought Il and scs