The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-21
THE CHARACTER OF NAPOLEON
About 1917
ALFRED TURNER


| before that splendid prodigy, which
lowered among US like some ancient
ruin, whose frown terrified the glance
its magnificence attracted.
Grand. gloomy. and peculiar he sat
upon the throne. sceptered hermit,
wrapped in the solitude of his own
originality.
| A mind bold, Independent. and de-
cisive a will. despotic in its dictates
| an energy that distanced expedition,
and a conscience pliable to every
touch Of Interest, marked the outline
| of this extraordinary characteristic
most extra ordinary, perhaps, that, in
the annals of this world, ever rose. or
reigned, or fell.
Flung into life, in the midst of a
revolution that quickened every energy
1of a people who acknowledged no SUI
perior, he commenced his course,
stranger by birth, and a scholar by
| charity
With no friend but his sword and
no fortune but his talents, he rushed
into the lists where rank, wealth, and
/ genius had arrayed themselves, and
tcompetition fled from him as from the
glance of destiny. He knew no motive
but interest-he acknowledged no cri
terion but success-he worshiped no
God but ambition. and with an East
Iern devotion he knelt at the shrine
of his idolatry. Subsidiary to this,
there was creed that he did not
profess, there was no opinion that he
did not promulgate: in the hope of a
dynasty, he upheld the crescent; for
the sake of divorce. he bowed before
/ the Cross: the orphan of ST. Louis.
he became the adopted child of the
Repubiic; and with a parricidal ingrati-
tude, on the ruins both of the throne
and the tribune, he reared the throne
of his despotsm.
Fl A professed Catholic, he imprisoned
> the pope; a pretended patriot ne i'm
l poverished the country; and in the
r name of Brutus, he grasped without
remorse, and wore without shame, the
/ diadem Of the Caesars.
5 Through this pantomine of his poll
} cy, fortune played the clown to his
l caprices. At his touch, crowns crum-
l bled. beggars reigned, systems vanish
t ed, the widest theories took the color
] Of his within, and all that was venera-
e BILE, and all that was novel, changed
y places with the rapidly of a drama.
s Even apparent defeat assumed the APP
pearance Of victory-his flight from
: Egypt confirmed his destiny-ruin it
e self only elevated him to empire
d But If his fortune was great. his
s fgenius was transcendent; decision
h flashed upon his counsels: and it was
S the same TO decide and 10 perform.
e To inferior intellects. his combina
n tions appeared perfectly Impossible
:. his plans perfectly fmpracticable; bui
d in his hands, simplicity marked theil
development, and success vindica ted
I their adoption.
n His person partook the character
: of his mind-if the one never yielded
o in the cabinet. the other never ben
IL in the field
= Nature had no obsta cles that he die
IS not surmount-space no opposition
D. that did not spurn; and whethe
is amid Alpine rocks. Arabian sands. o
$ polar SHOWS. he seemed proof agains
A peril, and empowered with ubiquity
= The whole continent of Europe trem
;" bled at beholding the audacity of hi
l. designs. and the miracle Of their exc
ST cution- Skepticism bowed TO the pro
r digies of his performance: romance as
Of sumed the air of history; nor was Their
ID aught too incredible for belief. or to
Of fanciful for expectation. when tn
rs world saw a subaltern of Corsica wav
Id ing his imperial flag over her mos
s. ancient capitals. All the visions 0
IN antiquity became common place i
r his contemplation: kings were his PEG
re ple-nations were his outpoSts: and n
disposed Of courts, and crowns. an
Sc camps. and churches, and cabinets a
ne IL they were the titular dignitaries c
4" the chess board,
In Amid all these changes he stood i'm
s. mutabl as adamant. It mattered lii
he tie whether in the field or the dra W
of ing-room-with the mob or the leve
he wearing the jacobin bonnet or tn
a iron crown-banishing a Braganz
tn or espousing Observation-Disclosures
s. peace on a raft 10 the Car Of Russi
he or contemplating defeat at the gallow
IN. of Leipsic-he was still the same mi
n itary despot.
Is Graded in the camp. he was to n
Sc whether in camp or the cabinet +
d. never forsook a friend or fogot a "a,
on or. OF all his soldiers. not one abar
he doned him, till affection was useles
he and their first stipulation was for Il
IL safety Of their fayorite
rd They knew well that If he was la
as ish Of them. he was prodigal Of hin
p self; and that if ne exposed them
,in peril. he repaid them with plunde
ar For the soldier, he subsidized evel
ed people: TO the people he made ev.
a pride pay tribute. The victorious We
eran glittered with his gains: and Il
ue capital. gorgeous with the spoils