The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26

the habit OF incessant work and study,
which was to insure his future success.
He cared little for poetry and fiction
as compared with stories Of real life.
of men who had wrought mighty deeds
in the world. and young as he was he
read and reread Plutarch's Lives"
Little as ne liked the discipline en-
forced at Brienne. and unhappy though
he was while there. yet in after years
he realized what II had meant to him,
and he not only protected the town when
the country was in turmoil of war but
left for Brienne a considerable bequest
in his last will and testament. Further
more, 1t Is declared that never so long
as he had power to grant favor did n
former school fellow or an impoverished
teacher from Brienne appeal to him in
vain.
That his turbulent years at Brienne
were not Ill spent Is shown by the ex-
traordnary progress he made in mental
development. of which proof is given In
a letter he wrote at the age Of 10 con-
corning the situation and prospects OF
his father. mother. his brothers. Lucise
and Joseph. Sc. This letter may be
found in Masson's Correspondence de
Napoleon Ier." and further may he re-
ferred to in Du Case. In particular the
analytical laying bare Of Joseph's char
acter is remarkable, everything showing
-. - hs
better for Joseph and the entire family
than any other possible career. At the
time Joseph wanted 70 taste military
glory: but the ifteen-year-old Napoleon
pointed out that his fral health and his
lack of mathematical knowledge would
preclude success in the navy or in the
artillery service. The only branch left,
as Napoleon saw the situation, was the
infantry.
Good" he writes in this letter to an
uncle (who was either Fesch or Para
vicinD. II see. He wants to be all day
idle. he wants to march the streets all
day, and besides. what Is slim in
fantry officer? 4 poor thing. three
quarters of the time. and that neither
my dear father nor you. nor my mother,
nor my dear uncle the archdeacon, de-
sires; for he has already shown some
slight tendency to folly and extrav-
agance."
Not a boyish expression, not a care
less exclamation, but a calm, carefully
thought out analysis of Joseph's charac-
ter. and the advantages and disadvan-
tages of career he was trying to
choose. And penned by boy Of Is.
Not long before this letter was written
a royal inspector arrived at Brienne to
examine the cadets. He must have been
a man Of more than ordinary percep-
ton, one who realized that a schoolboy
is not TO be measured IN terms Of marks
given by teachers for progress in studies
or routine department. This inspector,
De Keralio. reported as follows;
M. de Bonaparte tNapoleon). born
August Is. 1863. Height, four feet ten
inches ten lines. Constitution: excellent
health, docile disposition, mild, straight
forward, thoughtful. Conduct most sat
isfactory; has always been distinguished
for his application in mathematics. He
is fairly we'll acquainted with history
and geography. He is weak in all ac-
omplishments-drawi dancing, mu-
sic and the like. This boy would make
an excellent sailor; deserves to be ad-
mitted to the school in Paris
AS measured by American standards
young Bonaparte at the time was practi-
cally five feet three inches tall. But ne