Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-05-24
NAPOLEON'S WISDOM.
THE GREAT GENERAL UNDERSTOOD
THE VALUE OF DISCUSSION.

them. He completes muscularly with
his fellows, and rivalry Of muscle ends
I'm muscular improvement all around.
What exercise does for the muscles
discussion does for the brain.
The Importance of discussion Napo-
leon appreciated thoroughly.
And when he discussed, he discussed
like a big man, selecting questions to
exhaust the mind and lead far away
Ato fields of conjecture and widest
speculation.
His was no dreamers brain, giving
to speculation the time needed for do
ing. First came the real work of the
day or hour-the planning and finish
ing of details, from the disposing of ar
my corps to the smallest final arrange
ments.
Then, free from actual work, seeking
relief from concentrated application,
his brain sought rest in talk worth
while.
On his voyage to Egypt, determined
to waste no time, he organized serious
discussion as methodically as he ever
organized a fighting plan.
The discussions were regularly ap-
pointed affairs.
Needless to say, Napoleon arranged
everything and controlled everything.
He selected the subject for discus
sion, he chose the three or four on each
side to support and oppose any given
proposition.
These were his favorite topics: First,
the art of war; second, the art of gov
eminent; third, religion.
From his point of view his chief SUBJ
jects for discussion were admirably
chosen. They represented the only two
things he cared for here below and the
final question affecting his fate here
after.
But his field of thought, like the
scope of his ambition, was unlimited.
Once he asked his chosen debaters to
decide whether the planets are inhab-
ited.
Again, he discussed this earth's prob
able ending, by fire or water.
He discussed also the meaning of
dreams and the value of "presenti-
ments.'
In practical life he discarded every
thing save realities but in discussion
all abstract questions interested him.
1t may interest you to know that in
general he denied positively the exist
ence of hell-perhaps that was caution
on his part-and maintained that no
man should die without confessing his
sins:
"Only a fool says that he will die
without a confessor. There Is so much
we do not know and that we cannot
explain"
1t is deeply characteristic of Napo-
Icons thought that he should have de-
clared for Northumberland in prefer
ence to Christianity.
He admired the religion of Moham
med because it conquered one-half the
world in ten years, whereas it took 300
years for Christianity to establish it
self"
The old French king became convert
ed because he thought the Christian
God beat his pagan god in battle. Ma
poleon had not travelled far beyond thai
old king.
The man who seeks for all sorts OF
, wisdom in Napoleon will be deeply dis
g appointed when he comes to analyZt
the great fighters religious thought.
e But for the hero worshiper there Is
] comfort in this:
+ Napoleon trihed with everything ex
J. cept the first great cause.
< On the deck of his slip on a fine
e night there was much rreverent, flip
0 pant, materialistic chatter. The revo
. luton had made stupid atheism fash
+ ionable.
e But Napoleon was impressed by The
d calm night, the blue, dark water ant
t the silent. beautiful stars shining dow
in cosmic rebuke of the tiny bias
phemers below.
He stopped very abruptly the prattl'
t OF atheism.
S Toward the stars he pointed thu
: short, thick arm so soon to rule thi
/ little planet
S "You may talk as long as you please
L gentlemen, but who made all that?"
There was no answer, and there wa
4 no more atheism that night.
s The man who was to build up tn
J. code Napoleon could appreciate tn
{ force and necessity of law. His mfn'
v realized the feebleness of man, coping
II even with little problems of earth.
He felt that great laws and Grea
Lawgiver must swing and direct thos
I millions of silent worlds above.
When Napoleon was still Corsical
$ patriot, the great Paoli said to him:
u Napoleon, you are not a modern
u You talk like the heroes of Plutarch."
e Earnestness Of the old kind was In
s. deed Napoleon's characteristic-as EN-
9 peror, planning to rule Asia from tn
Il back of an ornamented elephant, or
l. a poor, half starved lad, taking Off hi
II muddy shoes TO enter the presence o
: the matronly Nine. Permon and listen
e ing to her stories of descent from tn
emperors of Constantinople.
l. Napoleon in his hours Of work was
= doer, and in his hours of leisure b