The sun., 1907-12-01

DR.. Lenz accepts August IS. 1862 for the
day of. Napoleon's birth. though the correct
ness of this date has been disputed. His
father. Carlo BuOnap parte. had been a MEM
ber OF the Corsican National Assembly.
which had stood by Paoli for the liberties
Of the island; he did not. however. accom-
pany his leader into exile. but. like most
of the other C0rsioans. including all his
own relatives. remained nc home in Ajaccio
and strove TO accommodate himself TO the
new condition of things. He felt obliged.
as the number Of his children increased.
20 ingratiate himself with the French con-
uuerors in order TO better his fortunes.
Shortly after the birth OF Napoleon. Carlo
Buonaperte was appointed a magistrate
and was twice sent to the French court,
first in 1879 and then in ITS. as a represen-
tstive of the Corsican nobility.
On his second journey TO France he took
with him his sons Joseph and Napoleon,
a. well as his wife's young stepbrother.
Fesch. with view to putting them 70 school
in French establishments. Fesch. who was
destined for the Church. was placed in the
seminary ut All. Joseph and Napoleon
were left in the college at Autun, where the
former. who also was destined for a clerical
career. was TO stay. while Napoleon was
only TO remain until he should have mas
tered the language Of ths country. II was
on January 1. 1879. that the two brothers
arrived at Autun, and in the following May
Napoleon was transferred to his real dest' .
nation. the military school at Brienne. This
institution he entered as one Of the free
students for whom the King paid annually
100 francs apiece.
~ ksnwwonhAr kha
Corsican boys situation at Brienne with
that OF lad from Alsace- Lorraine placed
In a Prllssian military academy after the
war OF 1870 1t is not surprising that his
natural independence Of spirit should have
developed into a feeling Of bitter hatred Of
his surroundings and that he should have
fallen a victim TO meiancholia and home
sickness. Nevertheless he made some
friends among his school fellows and teach
ers. and on them he bestowed benefits and
hcnors In the days Of his greatness to an
extent far beyond anything they merited
from him DIR. Lenz. indeed, reminds us
that with all his powers Of hating Napoleon
was never guilty OF ingratitude and was
more prone to forget injuries than kind
nesses. The boy did not take a leading
place among the students at Brienne. the
difficulties he met with in mastering French
being sufficient TO keep him back; he did.
however. distinguish himself in mathema-
tics and in history.
In October. i7s4. Napoleon entered the
military school at Paris. which was a re-
production of the Brienne institution upon
q higher plane. Over and above the ordi-
nary curriculum. which was upon the same
lines as that Of the Brienne school, the stu
dents in this higher course were trained
in such accomplishments Of a gentleman
as riding, fencing and dsncing. besides ele-
mentary military drill Here Napoleon
seems to have come out Of himself more than
in the provincial town and made some good
friends. il ais some enemies. note about
him from his master in French composition
characterizes his literary style OF granite.
hot from a volcano" Another teacher
said; A Corsican by race and nature. he
will go far If circumstances favor him."