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almost barbarous； amidst institutions； customs； and passions belonging
to the primitive medieval epoch；＇9＇ and in a social atmosphere
sufficiently rude for the maintenance of all its vigor and harshness。
… Grafted； moreover； by frequent marriages； on the wild stock of the
island； Napoleon； on the maternal side； through his grandmother and
mother； is wholly indigenous。 His grandmother； a Pietra…Santa；
belonged to Sarténe；＇10＇ a Corsican canton par excellence where； in
1800； hereditary vendettas still maintained the system of the eleventh
century； where the permanent strife of inimical families was suspended
only by truces； where； in many villages； nobody stirred out of doors
except in armed bodies； and where the houses were crenellated like
fortresses。 His mother； Laetitia Ramolini； from whom； in character
and in will； he derived much more than from his father；＇11＇ is a
primitive soul on which Civilization has taken no hold。 She is
simple； all of a piece； unsuited to the refinements； charms； and
graces of a worldly life； indifferent to comforts； without literary
culture； as parsimonious as any peasant woman； but as energetic as the
leader of a band。 She is powerful； physically and spiritually；
accustomed to danger； ready in desperate resolutions。 She is； in
short； a 〃rural Cornelia；〃 who conceived and gave birth to her son
amidst the risks of battle and of defeat； in the thickest of the
French invasion； amidst mountain rides on horseback； nocturnal
surprises； and volleys of musketry。＇12＇
〃Losses； privations； and fatigue；〃 says Napoleon； 〃she endured all and
braved all。 Hers was a man's head on a woman's shoulders。〃
Thus fashioned and brought into the world； he felt that； from first to
the last； he was of his people and country。
〃Everything was better there；〃 said he； at Saint Helena；＇13＇ 〃even the
very smell of the soil； which he could have detected with his eyes
shut； nowhere had he found the same thing。 He imagined himself there
again in early infancy； and lived over again the days of his youth；
amidst precipices； traversing lofty peaks； deep valleys； and narrow
defiles； enjoying the honors and pleasures of hospitality；〃 treated
everywhere as a brother and compatriot；〃 without any accident or
insult ever suggesting to him that his confidence was not well
grounded。〃 At Bocognano；＇14＇ where his mother； pregnant with him； had
taken refuge； 〃where hatred and vengeance extended to the seventh
degree of relationship； and where the dowry of a young girl was
estimated by the number of her Cousins； I was feasted and made
welcome； and everybody would have died for me。〃 Forced to become a
Frenchman； transplanted to France； educated at the expense of the king
in a French school； he became rigid in his insular patriotism； and
loudly extolled Paoli； the liberator； against whom his relations had
declared themselves。 〃Paoli；〃 said he； at the dinner table；＇15＇〃 was
a great man。 He loved his country。 My father was his adjutant； and
never will I forgive him for having aided in the union of Corsica with
France。 He should have followed her fortunes and have succumbed only
with her。〃 Throughout his youth he is at heart anti…French； morose；
〃bitter； liking very few and very little liked； brooding over
resentment；〃 like a vanquished man； always moody and compelled to work
against the grain。 At Brienne； he keeps aloof from his comrades；
takes no part in their sports； shuts himself in the library； and opens
himself up only to Bourrienne in explosions of hatred： 〃I will do you
Frenchmen all the harm I can！ … 〃Corsican by nation and character；〃
wrote his professor of history in the Military Academy； 〃he will go
far if circumstances favor him。〃＇16＇ … Leaving the Academy； and in
garrison at Valence and Auxonne； he remains always hostile；
denationalized； his old bitterness returns； and； addressing his
letters to Paoli； he says： 〃I was born when our country perished。
Thirty thousand Frenchmen vomited on our shores； drowning the throne
of liberty in floods of blood …such was the odious spectacle on which
my eyes first opened！ The groans of the dying； the shrieks of the
oppressed； tears of despair； surrounded my cradle from my birth。 。 。
I will blacken those who betrayed the common cause with the brush of
infamy。 。 。 。 vile； sordid souls corrupted by gain！〃＇17＇ A little
later； his letter to Buttafuoco； deputy in the Constituent Assembly
and principal agent in the annexation to France； is one long strain of
renewed； concentrated hatred； which； after at first trying to restrain
it within the bounds of cold sarcasm； ends in boiling over； like red…
hot lava； in a torrent of scorching invective。 … From the age of
fifteen； at the Academy and afterwards in his regiment； he finds
refuge in imagination in the past of his island；＇18＇ he recounts its
history； his mind dwells upon it for many years； and he dedicates his
work to Paoli。 Unable to get it published； he abridges it； and
dedicates the abridgment to Abbé Raynal； recapitulating in a strained
style； with warm； vibrating sympathy； the annals of his small
community； its revolts and deliverances； its heroic and sanguinary
outbreaks； its public and domestic tragedies； ambuscades； betrayals；
revenges； loves； and murders； … in short； a history similar to that of
the Scottish highlanders； while the style； still more than the
sympathies； denotes the foreigner。 Undoubtedly； in this work； as in
other youthful writings； he follows as well as he can the authors in
vogue … Rousseau； and especially Raynal； he gives a schoolboy
imitation of their tirades； their sentimental declamation； and their
humanitarian grandiloquence。 But these borrowed clothes； which
incommode him； do not fit him； they are too tight； and the cloth is
too fine； they require too much circumspection in walking； he does not
know how to put them on； and they rip at every seam。 Not only has he
never learned how to spell； but he does not know the true meaning；
connections； and relations of words； the propriety or impropriety of
phrases； the exact significance of imagery；＇19＇ he strides on
impetuously athwart a pell…mell of incongruities； incoherencies；
Italianisms； and barbarisms； undoubtedly stumbling along through
awkwardness and inexperience； but also through excess of ardor and of
heat；＇20＇ his jerking； eruptive thought； overcharged with passion；
indicates the depth and temperature of its source。 Already； at the
Academy； the professor of belles…lettres＇21＇ notes down that 〃in the
strange and incorrect grandeur of his amplifications he seems to see
granite fused in a volcano。〃 However original in mind and in
sensibility； ill…adapted as he is to the society around him； different
from his comrades； it is clear beforehand that the current ideas which
take such hold on them will obtain no hold on him。
Of the two dominant and opposite ideas which clash with each other； it
might be supposed that he would lean either to one or to the other；
although accepting neither。 … Pensioner of the king； who supported
him at Brienne； and afterwards in the Military Academy； who also
supported his sister at Saint…Cyr； who； for twenty years； is the
benefactor of his family； to whom； at this very time； he addresses
entreating or grateful letters over his mother's signature … he does
not regard him as his born general； it does not enter his mind to take
sides and draw his sword in his patron's behalf；' in vain is he a
gentleman； to whom； d'Hozier has certified； reared in a school of
noble cadets； he has no noble or monarchical traditions。＇22＇ … Poor
and tormented by ambition； a reader of Rousseau； patronized by Raynal；
and tacking together sentences of philosophic fustian about equality；
if he speaks the jargon of the day； it is without any belief in it。
The phrases in vogue form a decent； academical drapery for his ideas；
or serve him as a red cap for the club； he is not bewildered by
democratic illusions； and entertains no other feeling than disgust for
the revolution and the sovereignty of the populace。 … At Paris； in
April；1792； when the struggle between the monarchists and the
revolutionaries is at its height； he tries to find 〃some successful
speculation；〃＇23＇ and thinks he will hire and sublet houses at a
profit。 On the 20th of June he witnesses； only as a matter of
curiosity； the invasion of the Tuileries； and； on seeing the king at a
window place the red cap on his head； exclaims； so as to be heard； 〃
Che Caglione！〃 Immediately after this： 〃How could they let that rabble
enter！ Mow down four or five hundred of them with cannons and the rest
would run away。〃 On August 10； when the tocsin sounds； he regards the
people and the king with equal contempt； he rushes to a friend's house
on the Carrousel and there； still as a looker…on； views at his ease
all the occurrences of the day。＇24＇ Finally； the chateau is forced
and he strolls through the Tuileries；