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vomiting and a violent nervous attack。〃 De Segur; I。; 71。 … It is
well known that he died of a cancer in the stomach; like his father
Charles Bonaparte。 His grandfather Joseph Bonaparte; his uncle Fesch;
his brother Lucien; and his sister Caroline died of the same; or of an
analogous disease。
'16' Meneval; I。; 269。 Constant; 〃Mémoires;〃 V。; 62。 De Ségur; VI。;
114; 117。
'17' Marshal Marmont; 〃Mémoires;〃 I。; 306。 Bourrienne; II。; 119:
〃When off the political field he was sensitive; kind; open to pity。〃
'18' Pelet de la Lozére; p。7。 De Champagny; 〃 Souvenirs;〃 p。103。 At
first; the emotion was much stronger。 〃He had the fatal news for
nearly three hours; he had given vent to his despair alone by himself。
He summoned me 。 。 。 。 plaintive cries involuntarily escaped him。〃
'19' Madame de Rémusat; I。; 121; 342 ; II。; 50 ; III。; 61; 294; 312。
'20' De Ségur; V。; 348。
'21' Yung; II。; 329; 331。 (Narrated by Lucien; and report to Louis
XVIII。)
'22' 〃Nouvelle relation de l'Itinéraire de Napoléon; de Fontainebleau
à l'Ile de l'Elbe;〃 by Count Waldberg…Truchsees; Prussian commissioner
(1885); pp。22; 24; 25; 26; 30; 32; 34; 37。 … The violent scenes;
probably; of the abdication and the attempt at Fontainebleau to poison
himself had already disturbed his balance。 On reaching Elba; he says
to the Austrian commissioner; Koller; 〃As to you; my dear general; I
have let you see my bare rump。〃 … Cf。 in 〃Madame de Rémusat;〃 I。; 108;
one of his confessions to Talleyrand: he crudely points out in himself
the distance between natural instinct and studied courage。 … Here and
elsewhere; we obtain a glimpse of the actor and even of the Italian
buffoon; M。 de Pradt called him 〃Jupiter Scapin。〃 Read his
reflections before M。 de Pradt; on his return from Russia; in which he
appears in the light of a comedian who; having played badly and failed
in his part; retires behind the scenes; runs down the piece; and
criticize the imperfections of the audience。 (De Pradt; p。219。)
'23' The reader may find his comprehension of the author's meaning
strengthened by the following translation of a passage from his essay
on Jouffroy (Philosophes classiques du XIXth Siécle;〃 3rd ed。):
〃What is a man; master of himself? He is one who; dying with thirst;
refrains from swallowing a cooling draft; merely moistening his lips:
who insulted in public; remains calm in calculating his most
appropriate revenge; who in battle; his nerves excited by a charge;
plans a difficult maneuver; thinks it out; and writes it down with a
lead…pencil while balls are whistling around him; and sends it to his
colonels。 In other words; it is a man in whom the deliberate and
abstract idea of the greatest good is stronger than all other ideas
and sensations。 The conception of the greatest good once attained;
every dislike; every species of indolence; every fear; every
seduction; every agitation; are found weak。 The tendency which arise
from the idea of the greatest good constantly dominates all others and
determines all actions。〃 TR。
'24' Bourrienne; I。 21。
'25' Yung; 1。; 125。
'26' Madame de Rémusat; I。; 267。 … Yung; II。; 109。 On his return to
Corsica he takes upon himself the government of the whole family。
〃Nobody could discuss with him; says his brother Lucien; he took
offence at the slightest observation and got in a passion at the
slightest resistance。 Joseph (the eldest) dared not even reply to his
brother。〃
'27' Mémorial; August 27…31; 1815。
'28' 〃Madame de Rémusat;〃 I。; 105。 … Never was there an abler and more
persevering sophist; more persuasive; more eloquent; in order to make
it appear that he was right。 Hence his dictations at St。 Helena; his
proclamations; messages; and diplomatic correspondence; his ascendancy
in talking as great as through his arms; over his subject and over his
adversaries; also his posthumous ascendancy over posterity。 He is as
great a lawyer as he is a captain and administrator。 The peculiarity
of this disposition is never submitting to truth; but always to speak
or write with reference to an audience; to plead a cause。 Through
this talent one creates phantoms which dupe the audience; on the other
hand; as the author himself forms part of the audience; he ends in not
along leading others into error but likewise himself; which is the
case with Napoleon。
'29' Yung; II。; 111。 (Report by Volney; Corsican commissioner; 1791。
… II。; 287。 (Mémorial; giving a true account of the political and
military state of Corsica in December; 1790。) … II。; 270。 (Dispatch of
the representative Lacombe Saint…Michel; Sept。 10; 1793。) … Miot de
Melito I。;131; and following pages。 (He is peace commissioner in
Corsica in 1797 and 1801。)
'30' Miot de Melito; II。; 2。 〃The partisans of the First consul's
family 。 。 。 regarded me simply as the instrument of their passions;
of use only to rid them of their enemies; so as to center all favors
on their protégés。〃
'31' Yung。; I。; 220。 (Manifest of October …31; 1789。) … I。; 265。
(Loan on the seminary funds obtained by force; June 23; 1790。) … I。;
267; 269。 (Arrest of M。 de la Jaille and other officers; plan for
taking the citadel of Ajaccio。) … II。; 115。 (letter to Paoli; February
17; 1792。) 〃Laws are like the statues of certain divinities … veiled
on certain occasions。〃 … II。; 125。 (Election of Bonaparte as
lieutenant…colonel of a battalion of volunteers; April1; 1792。) The
evening before he had Murati; one of the three departmental
commissioners; carried off by an armed band from the house of the
Peraldi; his adversaries; where he lodged。 Murati; seized unawares;
is brought back by force and locked up in Bonaparte's house; who
gravely says to him 〃I wanted you to be free; entirely at liberty;
you were not so with the Peraldi。〃 … His Corsican biographer (Nasica;
〃Mémoires sur la jeunesse et l'enfance de Napoléon;〃) considers this a
very praiseworthy action
'32' Cf。 on this point; the Memoirs of Marshal Marmont; I。; 180; 196;
the Memoirs of Stendhal; on Napoleon; the Report of d'Antraigues
(Yung; III。; 170; 171); the 〃Mercure Britannique〃 of Mallet…Dupan; and
the first chapter of 〃La Chartreuse de Parme;〃 by Stendhal。
'33' 〃Correspondance de Napoléon;〃 I。 (Letter of Napoleon to the
Directory; April 26; 1796。) … Proclamation of the same date: 〃You have
made forced marches barefoot; bivouacked without brandy; and often
without bread。〃
'34' Stendhal; 〃Vie de Napoléon;〃 p。 151。 〃The commonest officers were
crazy with delight at having white linen and fine new boots。 All were
fond of music; many walked a league in the rain to secure a seat in
the La Scala Theatre。 。 。 。 In the sad plight in which the army found
itself before Castiglione and Arcole; everybody; except the knowing
officers; was disposed to attempt the impossible so as not to quit
Italy。〃 … 〃 Marmont;〃 I。; 296: 〃We were all of us very young; 。 。 。
all aglow with strength and health; and enthusiastic for glory。 。 。 。
This variety of our occupations and pleasures; this excessive
employment of body and mind gave value to existence; and made time
pass with extraordinary rapidity。〃
'35' 〃Correspondance de Napoléon;〃 I。 Proclamation of March 27; 1796:
' Soldiers; you are naked and poorly fed。 The government is vastly
indebted to you; it has nothing to give you。 。 。 。 I am going to lead
you to the most fertile plains in the world; rich provinces; large
cities will be in your power; you will then obtain honor; glory; and
wealth。〃 … Proclamation of April 26; 1796: … 〃Friends; I guarantee
that conquest to you!〃 … Cf。 in Marmont's memoirs the way in which
Bonaparte plays the part of tempter in offering Marmont; who refuses;
an opportunity to rob a treasury chest。
'36' Miot de Melito; I。; 154。 (June; 1797; in the gardens of
Montebello。) 〃Such are substantially the most remarkable expressions
in this long discourse which I have recorded and preserved。〃
'37' Miot de Melito; I。 184。 (Conversation with Bonaparte; November
18; 1797; at Turin。) 〃I remained an hour with the general tête…à…tête。
I shall relate the conversation exactly as it occurred; according to
my notes; made at the time。〃
'38' Mathieu Dumas; 〃 Mémoires;〃 III。; 156。 〃It is certain that he
thought of it from this moment and seriously studied the obstacles;
means; and chances of success。〃 (Mathieu Dumas cites the testimony of
Desaix; who was engaged in the enterprise): 〃It seems that all was
ready; when Bonaparte judged that things were not yet ripe; nor the
means sufficient。〃 … Hence his departure。 〃He wanted to get out of
the way of the rule and caprices of these contemptible dictators;
while the latter wanted to get rid of him because his military fame
and influence in the army were obnoxious to them。
'39' Larevellière…Lepaux (one of the five directors on duty);
〃Mémoires;〃 II。; 340。 〃Al