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on an elephant； on any given individual as well as on an enemy's army。
。 。 。 When specially occupied； other things do not exist for him；
it is a sort of chase from which nothing diverts him。〃 And this hot
pursuit； which nothing arrests save capture； this tenacious hunt； this
headlong course by one to whom the goal is never other than a fresh
starting…point； is the spontaneous gait； the natural； even pace which
his mind prefers。
〃I am always at work；〃 says he to Roederer。＇48＇ 〃I meditate a great
deal。 If I seem always equal to the occasion； ready to face what
comes； it is because I have thought the matter over a long time before
undertaking it。 I have anticipated whatever might happen。 It is no
spirit which suddenly reveals to me what I ought to do or say in any
unlooked…for circumstance； but my own reflection； my own meditation。
。 。 。 I work all the time； at dinner； in the theatre。 I wake up at
night in order to resume my work。 I got up last night at two o'clock。
I stretched myself on my couch before the fire to examine the army
reports sent to me by the Minister of War。 I found twenty mistakes in
them； and made notes which I have this morning sent to the minister；
who is now engaged with his clerks in rectifying them。〃 …
His associates weaken and sink under the burden imposed on them and
which he supports without feeling the weight。 When Consul；＇49＇ 〃he
sometimes presides at special meetings of the section of the interior
from ten o'clock in the evening until five o'clock in the morning。 。
。 。 Often； at Saint…Cloud； he keeps the counselors of state from
nine o'clock in the morning until five in the evening； with fifteen
minutes' intermission； and seems no more fatigued at the close of the
session than when it began。〃 During the night sessions 〃many of the
members succumb through weariness； while the Minister of War falls
asleep〃； he gives them a shake and wakes them up； 〃Come； come；
citizens； let us bestir ourselves； it is only two o'clock and we must
earn the money the French people pay us。〃 Consul or Emperor；＇50＇ 〃he
demands of each minister an account of the smallest details： It is not
rare to see them leaving the council room overcome with fatigue； due
to the long interrogatories to which he has subjected them； he appears
not to have noticed； and talks about the day's work simply as a
relaxation which has scarcely given his mind exercise。〃 And what is
worse； 〃it often happens that on returning home they find a dozen of
his letters requiring immediate response； for which the whole night
scarcely suffices。〃 The quantity of facts he is able to retain and
store away； the quantity of ideas he elaborates and produces； seems to
surpass human capacity； and this insatiable； inexhaustible； unmovable
brain thus keeps on working uninterruptedly for thirty years。
Through another result of the same mental organization； Napoleon's
brain is never unproductive； that's today our great danger。 … During
the past three hundred years we have more and more lost sight of the
exact and direct meaning of things。 Subject to the constraints of a
conservative； complex； and extended educational system we study
* the symbols of objects rather than on the objects themselves；
* instead of the ground itself； a map of it；
* instead of animals struggling for existence；＇51＇ nomenclatures and
classifications； or； at best； stuffed specimens displayed in a museum；
* instead of persons who feel and act； statistics； codes； histories；
literatures； and philosophies；
in short； printed words。 Even worse； abstract terms； which from
century to century have become more abstract and therefore further
removed from experience； more difficult to understand； less adaptable
and more deceptive； especially in all that relates to human life and
society。 Here； due to the growth of government； to the multiplication
of services； to the entanglement of interests； the object；
indefinitely enlarged and complex； now eludes our grasp。 Our vague；
incomplete； incorrect idea of it badly corresponds with it； or does
not correspond at all。 In nine minds out of ten； or perhaps ninety…
nine out of a hundred； it is but little more than a word。 The others；
if they desire some significant indication of what society actually is
beyond the teachings of books； require ten or fifteen years of close
observation and study to re…think the phrases with which these have
filled their memory； to interpret them anew； to make clear their
meaning； to get at and verify their sense； to substitute for the more
or less empty and indefinite term the fullness and precision of a
personal impression。 We have seen how ideas of Society； State；
Government； Sovereignty； Rights； Liberty； the most important of all
ideas； were； at the close of the eighteenth century； curtailed and
falsified； how； in most minds； simple verbal reasoning combined them
together in dogmas and axioms； what an offspring these metaphysical
simulacra gave birth to； how many lifeless and grotesque abortions；
how many monstrous and destructive chimeras。 There is no place for
any of these fanciful dreams in the mind of Bonaparte； they cannot
arise in it； nor find access to it； his aversion to the unsubstantial
phantoms of political abstraction extends beyond disdain； even to
disgust。＇52＇ That which was then called ideology； is his particular
bugbear； he loathes it not alone through calculation； but still more
through an instinctive demand for what is real； as a practical man and
statesman； always keeping in mind； like the great Catherine； 〃that he
is operating； not on paper； but on the human hide； which is ticklish。〃
Every idea entertained by him had its origin in his personal
observation； and he used his own personal observations to control
them。
If books are useful to him it is to suggest questions； which he never
answers but through his own experience。 He has read only a little；
and hastily；＇53＇ his classical education is rudimentary； in the way of
Latin； he remained in the lower class。 The instruction he got at the
Military Academy as well as at Brienne was below mediocrity； while；
after Brienne； it is stated that 〃for the languages and belles…
lettres； he had no taste。〃 Next to this； the literature of elegance
and refinement； the philosophy of the closet and drawing…room； with
which his contemporaries are imbued； glided over his intellect as over
a hard rock。 None but mathematical truths and positive notions about
geography and history found their way into his mind and deeply
impressed it。 Everything else； as with his predecessors of the
fifteenth century； comes to him through the original； direct action of
his faculties in contact with men and things； through his prompt and
sure tact； his indefatigable and minute attention； his indefinitely
repeated and rectified divinations during long hours of solitude and
silence。 Practice； and not speculation； is the source of his
instruction； the same as with a mechanic brought up amongst machinery。
〃There is nothing relating to warfare that I cannot make myself。 If
nobody knows how to make gunpowder； I do。 I can construct gun…
carriages。 If cannon must be cast； I will see that it is done
properly。 If tactical details must be taught； I will teach them。〃＇54＇
This is why he is competent right from the beginning； general in the
artillery； major…general； diplomatist； financier and administrator of
all kinds。 Thanks to this fertile apprenticeship； beginning with the
Consulate； he shows officials and veteran ministers who send in their
reports to him what to do。
〃I am a more experienced administrator than they；＇55＇ when one has
been obliged to extract from his brains the ways and means with which
to feed； maintain； control； and move with the same spirit and will two
or three hundred thousand men； a long distance from their country； one
has soon discovered the secrets of administration。〃
In each of the human machines he builds and manipulates； he perceives
right away all the parts； each in its proper place and function； the
motors； the transmissions； the wheels； the composite action； the speed
which ensues； the final result； the complete effect； the net product。
Never is he content with a superficial and summary inspection； he
penetrates into obscure corners and to the lowest depths 〃through the
technical precision of his questions；〃 with the lucidity of a
specialist； and in this way； borrowing an expression from the
philosophers； with him the concept should be adequate to its
purpose。＇56＇
Hence his eagerness for details； for these form the body and substance
of the concept； the hand that has not grasped these； or lets them go；
retains only the shell； an envelope。 With respect to these his
curiosity is 〃insatiable。〃＇57＇ In each ministerial department he knows
more than the ministers； and in each bureau he knows as much as the
clerks。 〃On his table＇58＇