Year: 1859

Blackwood's Magazine for June gives some re-
marks on the personal characteristics of Louis
Napoleon:


He has gained friends as well as enemies by one
most extraordinary faculty that he posseSses-that
of holding his tongue, and of doing in the COM
pany of the most loquacious people in the world.
A perfect undemonstrative man, some Frenchmen
respect him for it; while others fear him, and some
hate him because he will not take them into his
counsels; and many Englishmen like him because
he fatters the national vanity by being in many
respects very like an Englishman. He is cold and
reserved in his public demeanor; more cordial, say
his friends, when seen in private. Certainly he
does not Hwear his heart upon his sleeve for DAVIS
to pick at" He listens to all that is said to him,
and then takes his own course. He consults
everybody, then follows his own advice.


Again, he has good seat on horseback. Other
Englishmen dislike him either because they ride
badly themselves, or because, not being able to
keep their own counsel, they hate close charac-
ter Such causes, or causes of no greater weight,
are perhaps more nearly the true causes of his uu-
popularity in England than any commonplace no.


ons of his being the destroyer of the liberties of
France. The English press, at least in some of
its leading organs, has undergone many phases OF
opinion concerning him; and he complained In his
letter to Sir Frances Head of this conduct of the
English press, by that very complaint showing
that he had some regard to public opinion In Eng
land. 1t we venture ourselves TO express an OplD-
ion regarding his character, put it forth In all
modesty, and wish it to be understood in as vague
and general sense as possible, feeling ourselves
incompetent to take the measure of a man who Is
certainly not an ordinary 1t is our impress
sion that he is whose general talent las been
rather overrated than otherwise. He has doubt
less great power of will and undaunted courage,
both physical and moral, and by that inestimable
faculty of holding his tongue he is able to bide his
time, observe circumstances, and thus make the
most of them, and bring to bear on them, at the
right time, all the faculties he possesses.


Perhaps his policy appears to be mysterious
simply because he has no policy at ALL but is ready
to abandon one course and adopt another, accord
ing as he stumbles against barrier or drifts into
an opening. Doubtless it is often the cause OF
success in lite. Some of urconquerable
strength of will and great talent get on, as it is
called, by bending the world to their plans. Others
do so by forming no plans at all in permanence,
but fashioning and refashioning those they do
form in the mould of circumstance while the
secret Of i'll success, more often than in de-
fciency of ability consists in not knowing whether
one possesses the power to lead, or whether one
mus. be content to follow. Louis Napoleon is
said to be fatalist, and his extraordinary eleva-
ton would tend to confirm him in lis fatalisnl.
Before he takes any step, he seems to hold up his
hand and see which way the wind is blowing, and
whether the air comes against it hot or cold. But
that holding of the tongue is his most admirable
quality