The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-06-01

~ hearing Of NapOleOn's over
throw at Waterloo, Francis |
Of Austria exclaimed, Il al
ways thought that man wOult
end badly; he wrote such a villainou'
hand"'
This remark cannot be laid to thu
prejudice Of an uncongenial father-in
law, for Napoleon often confessed tha
he couldn't read his own writing. Says
BOurrienne:
Napoleon left d great deal for the
copylsts to do. He was their torment
His handwriting actually resembled
hieroglyphics. He often could not de
cipher 1t himself. Las Cases son was
one day reading to him chapter OF
The Campaign Of Italy On a sudden
he stopped short, unable to make out
the writing. The little blOckhead,
said Napoleon, cannot read his OWL
And whose then? Your majestys.
How SO, you little rogue? DO you
mean to insult meT The emperor took
the manuscript, tried long while to
read it and ut last threw it down, say
Ing: He Is right. 1 cannot tell myself
what IS written He has often sent
the cOpylsts to Las Cases to read what
he had himself been unable to de-
cipher"
And bad chirography was not his
only literary failing according to Nine.
de Remusat and his secretary, BOur-
rienne.
''On state occasions" she says,
"Bonaparte's incorrect pronunciation
was a great dra wback. In general he
had his speech drawn up for him, and
he would try to learn it by heart, but
with little success, for the least con-
straint was insuppOrteble to him. He
always ended by resolving to read his
speech, and it was copied out for him
in large hand. for he was little ac-
custOmed to read writing and could
have made nothing out Of his own
Then he would be instructed in the
proper pronunciation of the words, but
when he came to speak lie forgot his
lesson and in q muffied voice, with lips
scarcely parted, would read the speech
In an accent more strange even than it
was foreign, most unpleasant and in
deed vulgar. l have heard numbers of
persons say that they always felt
painful sensation on hearing him speak
In public. The indisputa Bile testimony
OF his accent to the fact that he was a
foreigner struck painfully on the ear
and the mind alike
In the common Intercourse of life
and his familiar conversation" says
BOurrienne, Napoleon mutilated the
names most familiar to him, even
French names. Yet this would not
have occurred on any public occasion.
He has been heard many times during
MS walks to repeat the celebrated
speech of Augustus in COrneille's trag-
edy, and he has never missed saying.
rake seat, Sylla,' instead Of CHINA.
He would frequently create names &C
cording to his fancy, and when he had
once adopted them they remained fixed
in his mind, although they were pro-
nounced properly hundred times a
day In his hearing. But he would have
been struck II others had used them
as he had altered them 1t was the
same thing with respect to orthogra-
ply. In general he did not attend to
1t, yet If the copies which were made
contained any faults of spelling he
would have complained Of it."
Precipitancy was Il trait that neither |
time nor circumstance could efface.
Although in every ceremonial he |
was too precipitate." says Nine. de Re- |
musat, 1.-THE great pOmp he insisted |
upon took the place of the dignity that !
was wanting. When Bonaparte. in the !
course Of any ceremony, had to walk
the throne prepared for him he |
always seemed to rush at it,
The Duchesse dAbrantes saws that |
ut his coronation ceremony he listened |
TO the prayer with piOus devotion. but |
Just as the pope was about to take the
crown from the altar Napoleon seized
It and placed it on his own head"
says that the court librarian
brought once week to Napoleon the |
latest books and books which the au- |
fhors sent him lin token OF homage.
The emperor glanced over them all
throwing down on the ground or pitch
ng into the fire those which did not in
lerest him or which displeased him."
Teasing was another of Napoleon's
marked traits. Says Nine de Remusat.
He always derived amusement from
,ausing any one uneasiness and dis
ress"
At grand fete given by his sister.
he wife Of Marshal Murat, The ate
asst and talked little until he came to
he dessert, then asked each Of the Ia
lies present her age"
He would pinch the ears Of ladies' Of
he household or Of any one who han
,ened to be with him when the mood
vas on. Constant. the valet de cham
re- was often Il victim Of this trait
nd saw 1t practiced upon others. He
avs: Zone day his majesty pulled the
ars of one Of his physicians. The doc
or drew himself away, crying Sire,
on hurt me" Perhaps this speech was
inged with some irritation, and per-
APPS also the doctor was right. Apro
os OF this pinching of ears, any one
you'd be much mistaken in supposinp :
nat he touched lightly. He pinched ,
cry hard. and pinched as much stron-
er IN proportion as he happened to be ,
better Eumor'' 6
numerous vsgaricS of NaDoIeon ara :
escribed by his valet and secretaries