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of Kellermann； Jourdan and Lefebvre； Otto and Tronchet alongside of
Masséna； Augereau； Ney； Lannes； Soult and Davout ； four cardinals side
by side with eighteen marshals； and likewise even down to corporal；
and to Egyptian veterans blinded by ophthalmia on the banks of the
Nile； comprising common soldiers who； through some brilliant
achievement； had won a sword or a gun of honor； as； for instance；
Coignet；＇47＇ who； dashing ahead with fixed bayonet； kills five
Austrian artillerymen and takes their cannon himself alone。 Six years
before this he was a stable…boy on a farm and could neither read nor
write； he is now mentioned among the first of those promoted； a
colleague and almost a comrade of Monge； the inventor of descriptive
geometry； of de Fontanes； grand…master of the university； of marshals；
admirals； and the highest dignitaries； all sharing in common an
inestimable treasure； the legitimate heirs of twelve years'
accumulated glory by the sacrifice of so many heroic lives and all the
more glorified because so few；＇48＇ and because； in these days； a man
did not obtain the cross by twenty years of plodding in a bureau； on
account of routine punctuality； but by wonderful strokes of energy and
audacity； by wounds； by braving death a hundred times and looking it
in the face daily。
Henceforth； legally as well as in public opinion； they form the staff
of the new society； its declared； verified notables； enjoying
precedences and even privi1eges。 On passing along the street the
sentinel presents arms； a company of twenty…five soldiers attends
their funeral procession； in the electoral colleges of the department
or arrondissement they are electors by right and without being
balloted for； simply by virtue of their rank。 Their sons are entitled
to scholarships in La Fléche； at Saint…Cyr； and in the lycées； and
their daughters at Ecouen or Saint…Denis。 With the exception of a
title； as formerly； they lack nothing for filling the place of the old
nobility； and Napoleon re…creates this title for their benefit。 The
title itself of chevalier； count； duke or prince carries along with an
idea of social superiority； when announced in a drawing room； when it
precedes the first sentence of an address； those who are present do
not remain inattentive； an immemorial prejudice inclines them to award
consideration or even deference。 The Revolution tried in vain to
destroy this power of words and of history； Napoleon does better： he
confiscates it； he arrogates to himself the monopoly of it； he steals
the trade…mark from the ancient Régime； he himself creates 48；000
chevaliers； 1000t barons； 388 counts； 31 dukes and 4 princes。
Furthermore； he stamps with his own mark the old nobles whom he
introduces into his nobility： he coins them anew and often with an
inferior title； this or that duke is lowered a notch and becomes
simply a count： taken at par or at a discount the feudal coin must； in
order to pass； receive the imperial stamp which gives it its
recognized value in modern figures。
But； let the old…fashioned metal be what it may； whether gold； silver
or copper； even crude and plebeian； the new coin is of good alloy and
very handsome。 Frequently； like the old currency； it displays coats of
arms in high relief； a heraldic crown and the name of a locality； it
no longer bears the name of territory； and it does not call to mind a
primitive sovereignty。 On the contrary； it bears the name of a victory
or of a conquest and reminds one of recent exploits。 Duc de Montebello
or a Prince de la Moskowa is equivalent in the imagination
contemporaries to a Duc de Montmorency or a Prince de Rohan； for； if
the prince or duke of the empire is without ancestors； he is or will
be an ancestor himself。 To these prizes coveted by vanity Napoleon
tacks on every substantial and pecuniary advantage； in ready money or
landed property； not alone large salaries； adjunctive sénatoreries；
occasional munificent gifts；
* a million at one time to General Lasalle； but likewise vast revenues
from the extraordinary domain＇49＇；
* 32；463；817 francs a year divided amongst 4970 persons；
* pensions from 250 to 5000 francs for all legionaries；
* villas； large estates； private incomes； distinct and superb
endowments for those of the highest rank； a fortune of 100；000 livres
income and more to 34 of these；
* a fortune of 450；000 livres in the public funds to Cambacérès； of
683；000 livres in the public funds to Masséna； of 728；000 livres in
the public funds to Ney； of 910；000 livres in the public funds to
Davout； of 1；354；000 livres in the public funds to Berthier；
* and besides all this； three 〃sovereign principalities；〃 Neufchatel
to Berthier； Benevento to Talleyrand； and Ponte…Corvo to Bernadotte。 …
This last attraction which； in these times of violent and premature
death； is of no little account。 Napoleon opens out hereditary and
undefined prospects beyond the perspectives of life and of inferior
interests。 Each of the titles conferred by him； that of prince； duke；
count； baron； and even that of chevalier； is transmissible in direct
descent； according to primogeniture from father to son； and sometimes
from uncle to nephew； under specified conditions which are very
acceptable； and of which the first is the institution of an
inalienable majority； inattackable； consisting of this or that income
or real property； of bank stock or state securities； from 3000 francs
for common chevaliers up to 200；000 francs for the dukes； that is to
say； a certain fortune in perpetuity due to the sovereign's
liberality； or to the prudence of the founder； and intended to support
the dignity of the title from male to male and from link to link
throughout the future chain of successive inheritors。 Through this
supreme reward； the subtle tempter has a hold on the men who care not
alone for themselves but for their family： henceforth； the work as he
does； eighteen hours a day； stand fire； and say to themselves； while
sinking at their desks or facing cannon…ball that their pre…eminence
survives them in their posterity：
〃In any event my son will succeed me and even become greater by my
death。〃
All the temptations which serve to overcome the natural lethargy of
human matter are simultaneously united and； with the exception of
personal conscience and the desire for personal independence； all
other internal springs are strained to the utmost。 One unusual
circumstance gives to eager ambitions a further increase of energy；
impulse and enthusiasm。 … All these successful or parvenu men are
contemporaries： all have started alike on the same line and from the
same average or low condition in life； each sees old comrades superior
to himself on the upper steps； he considers himself as good they are；
suffers because he is not on their level； and strives and takes risks
so as to mount up to them。 But； however high he mounts； he still sees
higher yet others who were formerly his equals； consequently； no rank
obtained by them seems to him above his deserts； and no rank that he
obtains suffices for his pretensions。
〃See that Masséna；〃 exclaimed Napoleon；＇50＇ a few days before the
battle of Wagram； 〃he has honors and fame enough； but he is not
satisfied ； he wants be a prince like Murat and Bernadotte： he will
risk getting shot to…morrow simply to be a prince。〃 …
Above these princes who have only the rank； the title and the money；
come the grand…dukes and reigning viceroys like Murat； grand…duke of
Berg； and Eugene； viceroy of Italy。 Above Eugene and Murat are the
vassal…kings； Louis； Joseph； Jerome； then Murat himself； who； among
these； is in a better place； and Bernadotte； the only sovereign that
is independent； all more or less envied by the marshals； all more or
less rivals of each other； the inferior aspiring to the superior
throne； Murat inconsolable at being sent to Naples and not to Spain；
and at having only five millions of subjects instead of thirteen
millions。 From top to bottom of the hierarchy and even to the loftiest
places； comprising thrones； the steps rise regularly above each other
in continuous file； so that each leads to the following one； with
nothing to hinder the first…comer； provided he is lucky； has good legs
and does not fall on the way； from reaching the top of the staircase
in twenty or thirty years。 〃It was commonly reported in the army … he
has been promoted king of Naples； of Holland； of Spain； of Sweden； as
formerly was said of the same sort of man； who had been promoted
sergeant in this or that company。〃 … Such is the total and final
impression which lingers on in all imaginations； it is in this sense
that the people interpret the new Régime； and Napoleon devotes himself
to confirming the popular interpretation。 Accordingly； the first duchy
he creates is for Marshal Lefebvre
〃purposely；〃 as he says；＇51＇ because 〃this marshal had been a private
and everybody in Paris h