The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-11-02
NAPOLEON'S FALL.
The Modern AttiIa C-lshed by His
Streak of Insanity.
A VICTIM OF MEGAL0MANlA
Envious of Alexander the Great, He
Aimed to Rule tho Whole World, and
France Sacrificed Q Million Men on
the Altar of His Memoranda.

Aimed to Rule tho Whole World, and
France Sacrificed Million Men on
the Altar of His Monomania.
Were readers of history asked today
been most prominent In making the
history of the world there could prob
ably be great diversity of opinion as
to two OF such personages, but as to
the third the general agreement could
probably point to Napoleon Bonaparte.
II. r. O'Connor, who for many years
has made n study of the modern At
tia, as he was called by his contem
poraries. presents In his London maya.
zine an article entitled THE Insanity
Of Napoleon's Genius" In which he
shows him to be victim of megalo-
mania. that form Of mental alienation
In which the patient is possessed OF
Gradiose Authorizations.
Mr. O'Connor discards the Idea that
Napoleon because of his gigantic pow
er for work had perfect physique
and invulnerabe health. He suffered
as child from extreme nervousness.
later from facial neuralgia. He had n
nervous twitching at the mouth and
the right shoulder After Toulon he
long suffered from painful and vast
ing cutaneeus disease. and at times he
had fits of ~ epileptic character. AS
he was about TO leave Strassburg in
/ 1906 on the @ay to the mighty victory
over General Mack at Tim he had one
of these sps SINS. After dinner on the
day he was leaving, says Talleyrand
In bis memoirs, the emperor had called
/ him into his room. There Talleyrand
| found him gasping for breath. Il
! tore off his cravat, for he seemed Ike
to choke. He did not yomit. but sigh
ed and foamed. nj. de Remusat. first
! gentleman In waiting, who had also
come into the room, handed him wa
ter, and | sprinkled him with eau de
cologne. He was suffering from some
sort of crnmp. which passed or In
quarter of m hour. We laid him IN
an armchair He began to speak, put
his dress right, commanded lis to OBJ.
serve the strictest secrecy. and half
an hour later be was on his way TO
Carlsruhe."
Another sign Of the abnormal In Ma
poIeon was his intense irritability, and
often there came nervous breakdown
that reduced him to the condition OF Il
hysterical woman. This irritability
sometimes took the form of fits OF
weeDing He would fly into passion
on the slightest prOvocation. In his
impatience he TORE many a garment to
pieces because 1t Inconvenience him
in some trifing way. He had an inner
melancholy that never left him. While
he talked of death. Napoleon never
had any serious intention or taking MS
own life. He never lost his grasp OF
life. While man of dreams, he was
n man of action. Success did not make
this dreamer more cheerful. lie had
strange moments of bitterness ana
hatred and desire to infict pain. For
instance. he would say to lady after
asking her name. Dear me, | was told
you were pretty" or to an elderly gen
tleman. you have not much longer to
live"
1t WAS comparatively early In his
career that his insane desire to rule
not France. not even Europe, but all
the world took possession of him. The
real reason for his crushing downfall
Is to be found in this megalomania.
He himself caused his downfall. Ma
poleon alone could have conquered Ma
poleon, and 1t was this megalomania
that undid him.
There was his dream of the control
of Europe. There WILL he said to his
intimates while he was still first con
sul "be no peace in Europe till 1t Is
under the command Of single leader,
under one emperor. with kings for his
officers who will distribute Kingdoms
to his generals. making one king OF
Bavaria, one andman of Switzerland,
another stakeholder of Holland ana
giving them all official posts in the i'm
perial household. such rs grand cup
bearer. grand chamberlain. grand mas
ter of the bounds, etc"
Napoleon did place kings In several
countries and controlled the policy OF
nearly every country of Europe-a
wonderful achievement for the pov
erty stricken charity boy who got his
education at Brienne Mt the expense
of his sovereign He might have re
manned the king Of kings In Europe
had he been satisfied with that awfu
height. But he was not satisfied; h'
never was satisfied After Europe
there was Asia.
On the day he was crowned emperor
!. in December. 1904, he saidsto his min
lister of marine: II grant you my
career has been brilliant and | have
risen high. But what difference
from ancient times! Look at Alexander
the Great! After he had conquered
Asia he declared himself the son OF
Jupiter. and. except his mother Olym
pias. Aristotle and a few Atheniar
pednnts. the east believed him. Nova
DAYS II were to declare myself thu
son OF the Everlasting Father Their
isn't n fshwfe but would hiss me
The nations are much too enlightened
I now, and nothing great is left to do
And France" says Mr.. O'Connor II
conclusion, sacrificed a million 1--we
, TO the monomania OF megalomania'
What tragedy In history Is so gigantic
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