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presence of the empress and the court； and again one month later；
August 16； 1804； on the anniversary of the Emperor's birth； in the
camp at Boulogne； facing the ocean and in full view of the flotilla
assembled to conquer England； before one hundred thousand spectators
and the entire army； to the roll of eighteen hundred drums。 No
ceremony； probably； was ever more exciting。 The eminent surgeon；
Larrey； then decorated； a man of austere virtue； spoke of it with
emotion to the end of his life and never alluded that unique day but
with a trembling voice。 On that day； nearly all the men of superior
and tried merit and talent in France＇46＇ are proclaimed； each with the
title proportionate his degree of eminence … chevaliers； officers；
commanders； grand…officers； and； later on； grand…eagles； each on the
same plane with his equals of a different class； ecclesiastics
alongside of laymen； civilians alongside of soldiers； each honored by
the company of his peers； Berthollet； Laplace and Lagrange alongside
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