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you going away ？ He places himself in front of a French lady； well…
known for her beauty and wit and the vivacity of her opinions； 〃like
the stiffest of German generals； and says ： 'Madame； I don't like
women who meddle with politics！'〃 Equality； ease； familiarity and
companionship； vanish at his approach。 Eighteen months before this；
on his appointment as commander…in…chief of the army in Italy； Admiral
Decrès； who had known him well at Paris；＇37＇ learns that he is to pass
through Toulon： 〃I at once propose to my comrades to introduce them；
venturing to do so on my acquaintance with him in Paris。 Full of
eagerness and joy； I start off。 The door opens and I am about to
press forwards；〃 he afterwards wrote； 〃when the attitude； the look；
and the tone of voice suffice to arrest me。 And yet there was nothing
offensive about him； still； this was enough。 I never tried after that
to overstep the line thus imposed on me。〃 A few days later； at
Albenga；＇38＇ certain generals of division； and among them Augereau； a
vulgar； heroic old soldier； vain of his tall figure and courage；
arrive at headquarters； not well disposed toward the little parvenu
sent out to them from Paris。 Recalling the description of him which
had been given to them； Augereau is abusive and insubordinate
beforehand： one of Barras' favorites； the Vendémiaire general； a
street general； 〃not yet tried out on the field of battle；＇39＇ hasn't
a friend； considered a loner because he is the only one who can thinks
for himself； looking peaky； said to be a mathematician and a dreamer！〃
They enter； and Bonaparte keeps them waiting。 At last he appears；
with his sword and belt on； explains the disposition of the forces；
gives them his orders； and dismisses them。 Augereau has remained
silent； It is only when he gets out of doors does he recover himself
and fall back on his accustomed oaths。 He admits to Massena that
〃that little bastard of a general frightened him。〃 He cannot
〃comprehend the ascendancy which made him feel crushed right
away。〃＇40＇
Extraordinary and superior； made for command＇41＇ and for conquest；
singular and of an unique species； is the feeling of all his
contemporaries。 Those who are most familiar with the histories of
other nations； Madame de Sta？l and； after her； Stendhal； go back to
the right sources to comprehend him； to the 〃petty Italian tyrants of
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries；〃 to Castruccio…Castracani； to
the Braccio of Mantua； to the Piccinino； the Malatestas of Rimini； and
the Sforzas of Milan。 In their opinion； however； it is only a chance
analogy； a psychological resemblance。 Really； however；
and）historically it is a positive relationship。 He is a descendant of
the great Italians； the men of action of the year 1400； the military
adventurers； usurpers； and founders of governments lasting their life…
time。 He inherits in direct affiliation their blood and inward
organization； mental and moral。＇42＇ A bud； collected in their forest；
before the age of refinement； impoverishment； and decay； has been
transported into a similar and remote nursery； where a tragic and
militant régime is permanently established。 There the primitive germ
is preserved intact and transmitted from one generation to another；
renewed and invigorated by interbreeding。 Finally； at the last stage
of its growth； it springs out of the ground and develops
magnificently； blooming the same as ever； and producing the same fruit
as on the original stem。 Modern cultivation and French gardening have
pruned away but very few of its branches and blunted a few of its
thorns： its original texture； inmost substance； and spontaneous
development have not changed。 The soil of France and of Europe；
however； broken up by revolutionary tempests； is more favorable to its
roots than the worn…out fields of the Middle Ages and there it grows
by itself； without being subject； like its Italian ancestors； to
rivalry with its own species； nothing checks the growth； it may absorb
all the juices of the ground； all the air and sunshine of the region；
and become the Colossus which the ancient plants； equally deep…rooted
and certainly as absorbent； but born in a less friable soil and more
crowded together； could not provide。
II。 The Leader and Statesman
Intelligence during the Italian Renaissance and at the present day。 …
Integrity of Bonaparte's mental machinery。 … Flexibility； force； and
tenacity of his attention。 … Another difference between Napoleon's
intellect and that of his contemporaries。 … He thinks objects and not
words。 … His antipathy to Ideology。 … Little or no literary or
philosophical education。 … Self…taught through direct observation and
technical instruction。 … His fondness for details。 … His inward
vision of physical objects and places。 … His mental portrayal of
positions； distances； and quantities。
〃The human plant；〃 said Alfieri； 〃is in no country born more vigorous
than in Italy〃； and never； in Italy； was it so vigorous as from 1300
to 1500； from the contemporaries of Dante down to those of Michael
Angelo； Caesar Borgia； Julius II。； and Macchiavelli。＇43＇ The first
distinguishing mark of a man of those times is the soundness of his
mental instrument。 Nowadays； after three hundred years of service；
ours has lost somewhat of its moral fiber； sharpness； and versatility：
usually the compulsory specialization has caused it to become lop…
sided making it unfit for other purposes。 What's more； the increase
in ready…made ideas and clichés and acquired methods incrusts it and
reduces its scope to a sort of routine。 Finally； it is exhausted by
an excess of intellectual activity and diminished by the continuity of
sedentary habits。 It is just the opposite with those impulsive minds
of uncorrupted blood and of a new stock。 … Roederer； a competent and
independent judge； who； at the beginning of the consular government；
sees Bonaparte daily at the meetings of the Council of State； and who
notes down every evening the impressions of the day； is carried away
with admiration：＇44＇
〃Punctual at every sitting； prolonging the session five or six hours；
discussing before and afterwards the subjects brought forward； always
returning to two questions； 'Can that be justified？＇45＇' 'Is that
useful？' examining each question in itself； in these two respects；
after having subjected it to a most exact and sharp analysis； next；
consulting the best authorities； the pasts； experience； and obtaining
information about bygone jurisprudence； the laws of Louis XIV。 and of
Frederick the Great。 。 。 。 Never did the council adjourn without
its members knowing more than the day before； if not through knowledge
derived from him； at least through the researches he obliged them to
make。 Never did the members of the Senate and the Legislative Corps；
or of the tribunals； pay their respects to him without being rewarded
for their homage by valuable instructions。 He cannot be surrounded by
public men without being the statesman； all forming for him a council
of state。〃
〃What characterizes him above them all；〃 is not alone the penetration
and universality of his comprehension； but likewise and especially
〃the force； flexibility； and constancy of his attention。 He can work
eighteen hours at a stretch； on one or on several subjects。 I never
saw him tired。 I never found his mind lacking in inspiration； even
when weary in body； nor when violently exercised； nor when angry。 I
never saw him diverted from one matter by another； turning from that
under discussion to one he had just finished or was about to take up。
The news； good or bad； he received from Egypt； did not divert his mind
from the civil code； nor the civil code from the combinations which
the safety of Egypt required。 Never did a man more wholly devote
himself to the work in hand； nor better devote his time to what he had
to do。 Never did a mind more inflexibly set aside the occupation or
thought which did not come at the right day or hour； never was one
more ardent in seeking it； more alert in its pursuit； more capable of
fixing it when the time came to take it up。〃
He himself said later on：＇46＇
〃Various subjects and affairs are stowed away in my brain as in a
chest of drawers。 When I want to take up any special business I shut
one drawer and open another。 None of them ever get mixed； and never
does this incommode me or fatigue me。 If I feel sleepy I shut all the
drawers and go to sleep。〃
Never has brain so disciplined and under such control been seen； one
so ready at all times for any task； so capable of immediate and
absolute concentration。 Its flexibility＇47＇ is wonderful； 〃in the
instant application of every faculty and energy； and bringing them all
to bear at once on any object that concerns him； on a mite as well as
on an elephant； on any given individual as well as on an enemy's army。
。 。 。 When