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from his lycées； who don the gold…lace of under…officers at once； in
1809； he calls out 250； to serve in the depot battalions； in 1810； he
calls out 150 of the age of nineteen who 〃know the drill；〃 and who are
to be sent on distant expeditions with the commission of second…
lieutenant； in 1811； 400 for the school of noncommissioned officers at
Fontainebleau； 20 for the Ile…de…Ré and 84 who are to be
quartermasters； and； in 1812； 112 more and so on。 Naturally； thanks to
annually increasing gaps made by cannon and bayonet； the survivors in
this body of youth mount the faster； in 1813 and 1814； there are
colonels and lieutenant…colonels of the age of twenty…five。
In the civil service； if fewer are killed everybody is almost equally
over tasked。 Under this reign one is soon used up； physically and
morally； even in pacific employments； and this also supplies
vacancies。 Besides； in default of deaths； wounds and violent
elimination； there is another elimination； not less efficacious；
operating in this direction； and for a long time； in favor of men of
ability； preparing places for them and accelerating their advancement。
Napoleon accepts none but competent candidates； now； in 1800； there is
a dearth of acceptable candidates for places in the civil service and
not； as in 1789； or at the present time； a superabundance and even too
great a crowd。 … In the military service especially； capacity is
innate； natural endowments； courage； coolness； quick perception；
physical activity； moral ascendancy； topographical imagination form
its principal elements； men just able to read； write and cipher
became； in three or four years； during the Revolution； admirable
officers and conquering generals。 … It is not the same in relation to
civil capacity； this requires long and continuous study。 To become a
priest； magistrate； engineer； professor； prefect or school…teacher；
one must have studied theology or law； mathematics or Latin；
administration or the finances。 If not； the functionary is not
qualified to serve： he must； at the very least； know how to spell； be
able to write French； examine a law…case； draw up a report； keep
accounts； and if needs be； comprehend a plan； make an estimate and
read off a map。 Men of this stamp are rare at the beginning of the
Consulate。 As notables；＇40＇ the Revolution mowed them down first。
Among all their sons and so many well…bred youth who have become
soldiers through patriotism； or who have left their families to
prevent these from becoming suspect； one half repose on the
battlefield or have left the hospital only for the cemetery； 〃the
muscadin＇41＇ died from the first campaign。〃 In any event； for them and
their younger brothers； for the children beginning to learn Latin and
mathematics； for all who hoped to pursue liberal professions； for the
entire generation about to receive either a superior； a common； or
even a primary instruction； and hence to furnish brains prepared for
intellectual work； there was a lack of this for ten years。 Not only
were the endowments which provided for instruction confiscated but the
educational staff； nearly all ecclesiastic； was one of the most
proscribed among those proscribed。 Whilst military requisition and the
closing of the schools suppressed the pupils； massacres； banishment；
imprisonment； destitution and the scaffold suppressed the teachers。
Whilst the ruin of universities and colleges did away with theoretical
apprenticeship； the ruin of manufactures and of trade abolished
practical apprenticeship。 Through the long interruption of all
studies； general instruction as well as special competency became rare
product in the market。 … Hence it is that； in 1800； and during the
three or four following years； whoever brought to market either one
the other of these commodities was certain of a quick sale；＇42＇ the
new government needed them more than anybody。 The moment the seller
made up his mind； he was bought； and； whatever he may be； a former
Jacobin or a former émigré； he is employed。 If he brings both
commodities and is zealous； he is promptly promoted； if； on trial； he
is found of superior capacity； he will； like Mollien； Gaudin；
Tronchet； Pasquier and Molé； attain to the highest posts； for he finds
scarcely any competitors。 These he would have had had things followed
their usual course； it is the Revolution which has cleared the ground
around him； without that the road would have been obstructed；
competent candidates would have swarmed。 Reckon； if possible； how many
men of talent who were destroyed； royalists； monarchists； feuillants；
Girondists and even Jacobins。 They were the élite of the noblesse； of
the clergy； of the bourgeoisie； of the youth and those of riper age。
Thus rid of their most formidable rivals the survivors pursue their
way at top speed； the guillotine has wrought for them in advance； it
has effected openings in their own ranks； made by bullets in every
battle in the ranks of the army； and； in the civil hierarchy as in the
military hierarchy； merit； if demonstrated by services； or not
arrested by death； reaches the highest summit in very few years。
The prizes offered on these summits are splendid； no attraction is
lacking。 The great trainer who displays them has omitted none of the
seductions which excite and stimulate an ordinary mind。 He has
associated with the positive values of power and wealth every value
incident to imagination and opinion； hence his institution of
decorations and the Legion of Honor。＇43＇
〃They call it a toy；〃＇44＇ said he； 〃 but men are led by toys。 。 。
Frenchmen are not changed by ten years of revolution。 。 。 。 See how
the people prostrate themselves before foreign decorations： they have
been surprised by them and accordingly do not fail to wear them。 。 。 。
The French cherish but one sentiment； honor： that sentiment； then；
requires nourishing … they must have honors。〃
A very few are satisfied with their own achievements； ordinary men
are not even content with the approbation they perceive in the eyes of
others： it is too intermittent； too reserved； too mute； they need fame
that is brilliant and noisy； they want to hear the constant hum of
admiration and respect whenever they appear or whenever their name is
mentioned。 Even this does not suffice； they are unwilling that their
merit should rest in men's minds in the vague state of undefined
greatness； but that it should be publicly estimated； have its current
value； enjoy undisputed and measured rank on the scale above all other
lesser merits。 … The new institution affords complete satisfaction to
all these exigencies of human and French nature。 On the 14th of July；
1804；＇45＇ the anniversary of the taking of the Bastille； Napoleon
administers the oath to the legionaries and； after a solemn mass；
distributes the insignia under the dome of the Invalides in the
presence of the empress and the court； and again one month later；
August 16； 1804； on the anniversary of the Emp