Widger S Quotations From Project Gutenberg Edition Of Memoirs O

Chapter 1

Chapter 13,937 wordsPublic domain

This etext was produced by David Widger <[email protected]>

WIDGER'S QUOTATIONS

FROM THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EDITION OF THE MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

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QUOTATIONS FROM THREE COLLECTIONS OF MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON

Contents:

Memoirs of Napoleon, V1, by Bourrienne [NB#01][nb01v10.txt]3551 Memoirs of Napoleon, V2, by Bourrienne [NB#02][nb02v10.txt]3552 Memoirs of Napoleon, V3, by Bourrienne [NB#03][nb03v10.txt]3553 Memoirs of Napoleon, V4, by Bourrienne [NB#04][nb04v10.txt]3554 Memoirs of Napoleon, V5, by Bourrienne [NB#05][nb05v10.txt]3555 Memoirs of Napoleon, V6, by Bourrienne [NB#06][nb06v10.txt]3556 Memoirs of Napoleon, V7, by Bourrienne [NB#07][nb07v10.txt]3557 Memoirs of Napoleon, V8, by Bourrienne [NB#08][nb08v10.txt]3558 Memoirs of Napoleon, V9, by Bourrienne [NB#09][nb09v10.txt]3559 Memoirs of Napoleon, V10, by Bourrienne [NB#10][nb10v10.txt]3560 Memoirs of Napoleon, V11, by Bourrienne [NB#11][nb11v10.txt]3561 Memoirs of Napoleon, V12, by Bourrienne [NB#12][nb12v10.txt]3562 Memoirs of Napoleon, V13, by Bourrienne [NB#13][nb13v10.txt]3563 Memoirs of Napoleon, V14, by Bourrienne [NB#14][nb14v10.txt]3564 Memoirs of Napoleon, V15, by Bourrienne [NB#15][nb15v10.txt]3565 Memoirs of Napoleon, V16, by Bourrienne [NB#16][nb16v10.txt]3566 Complete Memoirs of Napoleon, by Bourrienne[NB#17][nb17v10.txt]3567

Private Life of Napoleon, V1, by Constant [NB#18][nc01v10.txt]3568 Private Life of Napoleon, V2, by Constant [NB#19][nc02v10.txt]3569 Private Life of Napoleon, V3, by Constant [NB#20][nc03v10.txt]3570 Private Life of Napoleon, V4, by Constant [NB#21][nc04v10.txt]3571 Private Life of Napoleon, V5, by Constant [NB#22][nc05v10.txt]3572 Private Life of Napoleon, V6, by Constant [NB#23][nc06v10.txt]3573 Private Life of Napoleon, V7, by Constant [NB#24][nc07v10.txt]3574 Private Life of Napoleon, V8, by Constant [NB#25][nc08v10.txt]3575 Private Life of Napoleon, V9, by Constant [NB#26][nc09v10.txt]3576 Private Life of Napoleon, V10, by Constant [NB#27][nc10v10.txt]3577 Private Life of Napoleon, V11, by Constant [NB#28][nc11v10.txt]3578 Private Life of Napoleon, V12, by Constant [NB#29][nc12v10.txt]3579 Complete Life of Napoleon, V13, by Constant[NB#30][nc13v10.txt]3580

Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v1 [CM#55][cm55b10.txt]3892 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v2 [CM#56][cm56b10.txt]3893 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v3 [CM#57][cm57b10.txt]3894 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v4 [CM#58][cm58b10.txt]3895 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v5 [CM#59][cm59b10.txt]3896 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v6 [CM#60][cm60b10.txt]3897 Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud, v7 [CM#61][cm61b10.txt]3898 The Entire Memoirs of Court of St. Cloud [CM#62][cm62b10.txt]3899

NAPOLEON'S MEMOIRS BY BOURRIENNE

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V1, by Bourrienne [nb01v10.txt]3551

His superiors, who were anxious to get rid of him Josephine: Readily laughed at her own credulity Not always agreeable that every truth should be told Opinion of posterity is the real immortality of the soul Passions are always bad counsellors

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V2, by Bourrienne [nb02v10.txt]3552

Bonaparte was a creator in the art of war Leave ordinary letters for three weeks in the basket Occupied with what he was thinking of than with what was said

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V3, by Bourrienne [nb03v10.txt]3553

Always meet your enemies with a bold face Least benefit which accrues inspires the hope of a new Look upon religions as the work of men Napoleon loved only men with strong passions and great weakness Religions a powerful engine of government We never know what we wish for

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V4, by Bourrienne [nb04v10.txt]3554

Doctrine of indefinite perfectibility Ideologues Men were only to be governed by fear and interest Moliere's--"I pardon you, but you shall pay me for this!" Police, catch only fools Trifles often decide the greatest events Two levers for moving men,--interest and fear Well-bred ladies can tell falsehoods without seeming to do so

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V5, by Bourrienne [nb05v10.txt]3555

Calumny has such powerful charms Die young, and I shall have some consolatory reflection Immortality is the recollection one leaves Most celebrated people lose on a close view Religion is useful to the Government The boudoir was often stronger than the cabinet To leave behind him no traces of his existence Treaty, according to custom, was called perpetual

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V6, by Bourrienne [nb06v10.txt]3556

Ability in making it be supposed that he really possessed talent Absurdity of interfering with trifles Admired him more for what he had the fortitude not to do Animated by an unlucky zeal Ideologues Put some gold lace on the coats of my virtuous republicans Trifles honoured with too much attention Were made friends of lest they should become enemies Would enact the more in proportion as we yield

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V7, by Bourrienne [nb07v10.txt]3557

Malice delights to blacken the characters of prominent men Manufacturers of phrases More glorious to merit a sceptre than to possess one Necessary to let men and things take their course

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V8, by Bourrienne [nb08v10.txt]3558

An old man's blessing never yet harmed any one Buried for the purpose of being dug up Kiss the feet of Popes provided their hands are tied Something so seductive in popular enthusiasm

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V9, By Bourrienne [nb09v10.txt]3559

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V10, By Bourrienne [nb10v10.txt]3560

I have made sovereigns, but have not wished to be one myself Go to England The English like wrangling politicians Let women mind their knitting

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V11, By Bourrienne [nb11v10.txt]3561

A sect cannot be destroyed by cannon-balls Every time we go to war with them we teach them how to beat us God in his mercy has chosen Napoleon to be his representative on earth The wish and the reality were to him one and the same thing

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V12, By Bourrienne [nb12v10.txt]3562

Treaties of peace no less disastrous than the wars Yield to illusion when the truth was not satisfactory

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V13, By Bourrienne [nb13v10.txt]3563

I almost fancy I am dreaming when I look back on the miraculous incapacity of the persons who were then at the head of our Government. The emigrants, who, as it has been truly said, had neither learned nor forgotten anything, came back with all the absurd pretensions of Coblentz. Their silly vanity reminded one of a character in one of Voltaire's novels who is continually saying, "Un homme comme moi!" These people were so engrossed with their pretended merit that they were blind to everything else. They not only disregarded the wishes and the wants of France; which in overthrowing the Empire hoped to regain liberty, but they disregarded every warning they had received.

M. de Talleyrand, accompanied by the members of the Provisional Government, several Marshals and general officers, and the municipal body, headed by the prefect of the Seine, went in procession beyond the barrier to receive Monsieur. M. de Talleyrand, in the name of the Provisional Government, addressed the Prince, who in reply made that observation which has been so often repeated, "Nothing is changed in France: there is only one Frenchman more."

This was the opinion which the mass of the people instinctively formed, for they judged of the Emperor of Austria in his character of a father and not in his character of a monarch; and as the rights of misfortune are always sacred in France, more interest was felt for Maria Louisa when she was known to be forsaken than when she was in the height of her splendour. Francis II. had not seen his daughter since the day when she left Vienna to unite her destiny with that of the master of half of Europe

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V14, by Bourrienne [nb14v10.txt]3564

The facility with which the Ministers of Finance and of the Treasury provided for all these expenses astonished everybody, as it was necessary to pay for everything in ready money. The system of public works was at the same time resumed throughout France. "It is easy to see," said the workmen, "that 'the great contractor' is returned; all was dead, now everything revives."

One of the most important struggles of modern times was now about to commence-- a struggle which for many years was to decide the fate of Europe. Napoleon and Wellington at length stood opposite one another. They had never met; the military reputation of each was of the highest kind.

On one occasion he ordered his camp-bed to be displayed for the inspection of the English officers. In two small leather packages were comprised the couch of the once mighty ruler of the Continent. The steel bedstead which, when folded up, was only two feet long, and eighteen inches wide, occupied one case, while the otter contained the mattress and curtains. The whole was so contrived as to be ready for use in three minutes.

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V15, by Bourrienne [nb15v10.txt]3565

In 1812 Jerome was given the command of the right wing of the Grand Army in its advance against Russia, but he did not fulfil the expectations of his brother, and Davoust took the command instead. Every king feels himself a born general: whatever else they cannot do, war is an art which comes with the crown, and Jerome, unwilling to serve under a mere Marshal, withdrew in disgust. In 1813 he had the good feeling and the good sense to refuse the treacherous offer of the Allies to allow him to retain his kingdom if he joined them against his brother, a snare his sister Caroline fell into at Naples.

Having returned to private life solely on account of Fouche's presence in the Ministry, I yielded to that consolation which is always left to the discontented. I watched the extravagance and inconsistency that were passing around me, and the new follies which were every day committed; and it must be confessed that a rich and varied picture presented itself to my observation.

The reintroduction of much that was bad in the old system (one country even going so far as to re-establish torture), the steady attack on liberty and on all liberal ideas, Wurtemberg being practically the only State which grumbled at the tightening of the reins so dear to Metternich,--all formed a fitting commentary on the proclamations by which the Sovereigns had hounded on their people against the man they represented as the one obstacle to the freedom and peace of Europe.

MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, V16, by Bourrienne [nb16v10.txt]3566

Every one cannot be an atheist who pleases Grew more angry as his anger was less regarded I do not live--I merely exist Strike their imaginations by absurdities than by rational ideas Those who are free from common prejudices acquire others

COMPLETE MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON, by Bourrienne [nb17v10.txt]3567

Always proposing what he knew could not be honourably acceded to Cause of war between the United States and England Conquest can only be regarded as the genius of destruction Demand everything, that you may obtain nothing Submit to events, that he might appear to command them Tendency to sell the skin of the bear before killing him When a man has so much money he cannot have got it honestly I have made sovereigns, but have not wished to be one myself Go to England The English like wrangling politicians Let women mind their knitting A sect cannot be destroyed by cannon-balls Every time we go to war with them we teach them how to beat us God in his mercy has chosen Napoleon to be his representative on earth The wish and the reality were to him one and the same thing Treaties of peace no less disastrous than the wars Yield to illusion when the truth was not satisfactory Every one cannot be an atheist who pleases Grew more angry as his anger was less regarded I do not live--I merely exist Strike their imaginations by absurdities than by rational ideas Those who are free from common prejudices acquire others

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON BY JULES CONSTANT

PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V1, by Constant [nc01v10.txt]3568

"To paint Caesar in undress is not to paint Caesar," some one has said. Yet men will always like to see the great 'en deshabille'. In these volumes the hero is painted in undress. His foibles, his peculiarities, his vices, are here depicted without reserve. But so also are his kindness of heart, his vast intellect, his knowledge of men, his extraordinary energy, his public spirit. The shutters are taken down, and the workings of the mighty machinery are laid bare.

Never did poet or novelist imagine scenes so improbable. The son of an obscure lawyer in an unimportant island becomes Emperor of the French and King of Italy. His brothers and sisters become kings and queens. The sons of innkeepers, notaries; lawyers, and peasants become marshals of the empire. The Emperor, first making a West India Creole his wife and Empress, puts her away, and marries a daughter of the haughtiest and oldest royal house in Europe, the niece of a queen whom the people of France had beheaded a few years before. Their son is born a king--King of Rome. Then suddenly the pageantry dissolves, and Emperor, kings, and queens become subjects again.

The old woman who met him incognito climbing the hill of Tarare, and replying to his assertion that "Napoleon was only a tyrant like the rest," exclaimed, "It may be so, but the others are the kings of the nobility, while he is one of us, and we have chosen him ourselves,"

Attached to the person of the Emperor Napoleon for fifteen years, I have seen all the men, and witnessed all the important events, which centered around him. I have seen far more than that; for I have had under my eyes all the circumstances of his life, the least as well as the greatest, the most secret as well as those which are known to history

PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V2, by Constant [nc02v10.txt]3569

He admitted, however, notwithstanding all his jokes, that he had never thought himself so near death, and that he felt as if he had been dead for a few seconds. I do not remember whether it was on this or another occasion that I heard the Emperor say, that "death was only asleep without dreams."

Mademoiselle Hortense was extremely pretty, with an expressive and mobile countenance, and in addition to this was graceful, talented, and affable. Kindhearted and amiable like her mother, she had not that excessive desire to oblige which sometimes detracted from Madame Bonaparte's character.

About this time she inspired a most violent passion in a gentleman of a very good family, who was, I think, a little deranged before this mad love affected his brain. This poor unfortunate roamed incessantly around Malmaison; and as soon as Mademoiselle Hortense left the house, ran by the side of her carriage with the liveliest demonstrations of tenderness, and threw through the window flowers, locks of his hair, and verses of his own composition. When he met Mademoiselle Hortense on foot, he threw himself on his knees before her with a thousand passionate gestures, addressing her in most endearing terms, and followed her, in spite of all opposition, even into the courtyard of the chateau, and abandoned himself to all kinds of folly.

The Archbishop of Milan had come to Lyons, notwithstanding his great age, in order to see the First Consul, whom he loved with such tenderness that in conversation the venerable old man continually addressed the young general as "my son." The peasants of Pavia, having revolted because their fanaticism had been excited by false assertions that the French wished to destroy their religion, the Archbishop of Milan, in order to prove that their fears were groundless, often showed himself in a carriage with General Bonaparte.

The celebration of this sacrament at Notre Dame was a novel sight to the Parisians, and many attended as if it were a theatrical representation. Many, also, especially amongst the military, found it rather a matter of raillery than of edification; and those who, during the Revolution, had contributed all their strength to the overthrow of the worship which the First Consul had just re-established, could with difficulty conceal their indignation and their chagrin.

"Why did you quit the service?" resumed the First Consul, who appeared to take great interest in the conversation.--"My faith, General, each one in his turn, and there are saber strokes enough for every one. One fell on me there " (the worthy laborer bent his head and divided the locks of his hair); "and after some weeks in the field hospital, they gave me a discharge to return to my wife and my plow."

PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V3, by Constant [nc03v10.txt]3570

Her sudden appearance astonished, and even alarmed, Roustan and myself; for it was only an extraordinary circumstance which could have induced Madame Bonaparte to leave her room in this costume, before taking all necessary precautions to conceal the damage which the want of the accessories of the toilet did her. She entered, or rather rushed, into the room, crying, "The Duke d'Enghien is dead! Ah, my friend! what have you done?" Then she fell sobbing into the arms of the First Consul, who became pale as death, and said with extraordinary emotion, "The miserable wretches have been too quick!" He then left the room, supporting Madame Bonaparte, who could hardly walk, and was still weeping. The news of the prince's death spread consternation in the chateau; and the First Consul remarked this universal grief, but reprimanded no one for it. The fact is, the greatest chagrin which this mournful catastrophe caused his servants, most of whom were attached to him by affection even more than by duty, came from the belief that it would inevitably tarnish the glory and destroy the peace of mind of their master.

Women not residing in Boulogne were prohibited from remaining there without a special permit from the minister of police. This measure had been judged necessary on account of the army; for otherwise each soldier perhaps would have brought a woman to Boulogne, and the disorder would have been indescribable.

In spite of all these precautions, spies from the English fleet each day penetrated into Boulogne. When they were discovered no quarter was given; and notwithstanding this, emissaries who had landed, no one knew where, came each evening to the theater, and carried their imprudence so far as to write their opinion of the actors and actresses, whom they designated by name, and to post these writings on the walls of the theater, thus defying the police.

There were also traitors in Boulogne. A schoolmaster, the secret agent of Lords Keith and Melville, was surprised one morning on the cliff above the camp of the right wing, making telegraphic signals with his arms; and being arrested almost in the act by the sentinels, he protested his innocence, and tried to turn the incident into a jest, but his papers were searched, and correspondence with the English found, which clearly proved his guilt. He was delivered to the council of war, and shot the next day.

About this time his Majesty was riding on horseback near his barracks, when a pretty young girl of fifteen or sixteen, dressed in white, her face bathed in tears, threw herself on her knees in his path. The Emperor immediately alighted from his horse, and assisted her to rise, asking most compassionately what he could do for her. The poor girl had come to entreat the pardon of her father, a storekeeper in the commissary department, who had been condemned to the galleys for grave crimes. His Majesty could not resist the many charms of the youthful suppliant, and the pardon was granted.

PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V4, by Constant [nc04v10.txt]3571