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＇78＇ 〃Correspondance de Napoleon I。；〃 vol。 XXX。； 550； 558。 （Memoirs
dictated by Napoleon at Saint Hélène。） … Miot de Melito； II。； 290。 …
D'Hausonvillc； 〃l'église Romaine et le Premier Empire；〃 passiM。 …〃
Mémorial。〃 〃Paris would become the capital of the Christian world； and
I would have governed the religious world as well as the political
world。〃
＇79＇ De Pradt； 23。
＇80＇ 〃Mémoires et Mémorial。〃 〃It was essential that Paris should
become the unique capital； not to be compared with other capitals。
The masterpieces of science and of art； the museums； all that had
illustrated past centuries； were to be collected there。 Napoleon
regretted that he could not transport St。 Peter's to Paris； the
meanness of Notre Dame dissatisfied him。〃
＇81＇ Villemain； 〃Souvenir contemporaines；〃 I。； 175。 Napoleon's
statement to M。 de Narbonne early in March； 1812； and repeated by him
to Villemain an hour afterwards。 The wording is at second hand and
merely a very good imitation； while the ideas are substantially
Napoleon's。 Cf。 his fantasies about Italy and the Mediterranean；
equally exaggerated （〃Correspondence；〃 XXX。； 548）； and an admirable
improvisation on Spain and the colonies at Bayonne。 … De Pradt。
〃Mémoires sur les revolutions d'Espagne；〃 p。130： 〃Therefore Napoleon
talked； or rather poetised； he Ossianized for a long time 。 。 。
like a man full of a sentiment which oppressed him； in an animated；
picturesque style； and with the impetuosity； imagery； and originality
which were familiar to him； 。 。 。 on the vast throne of Mexico and
Peru； on the greatness of the sovereigns who should possess them 。 。
。 。 and on the results which these great foundations would have on
the universe。 I had often heard him； but under no circumstances had I
ever heard him develop such a wealth and compass of imagination。
Whether it was the richness of his subject； or whether his faculties
had become excited by the scene he conjured up； and all the chords of
the instrument vibrated at once； he was sublime。〃
＇82＇ Roederer； III。； 541 （February 2； 1809）： 〃I love power。 But I
love it as an artist。 。 。 。 I love it as a musician loves his
violin； for the tones； chords； and harmonies he can get out of it。〃
CHAPTER II。 His Ideas； Passions and Intelligence。
I。 Intense Passions。
Personality and character during the Italian Renaissance and during
the present time。 … Intensity of the passions in Bonaparte。 … His
excessive touchiness。 … His immediate violence。 … His impatience；
rapidity； and need of talking。 … His temperament； tension； and faults。
On taking a near view of the contemporaries of Dante and Michael
Angelo； we find that they differ from us more in character than in
intellect。＇1＇ With us； three hundred years of police and of courts of
justice； of social discipline and peaceful habits； of hereditary
civilization； have diminished the force and violence of the passions
natural to Man。 In Italy； in the Renaissance epoch； they were still
intact； human emotions at that time were keener and more profound than
at the present day； the appetites were ardent and more unbridled；
man's will was more impetuous and more tenacious； whatever motive
inspired； whether pride； ambition； jealousy； hatred； love； envy； or
sensuality； the inward spring strained with an energy and relaxed with
a violence that has now disappeared。 All these energies reappear in
this great survivor of the fifteenth century； in him the play of the
nervous machine is the same as with his Italian ancestors； never was
there； even with the Malatestas and the Borgias； a more sensitive and
more impulsive intellect； one capable of such electric shocks and
explosions； in which the roar and flashes of tempest lasted longer and
of which the effects were more irresistible。 In his mind no idea
remains speculative and pure； none is a simple transcript of the real；
or a simple picture of the possible； each is an internal eruption；
which suddenly and spontaneously spends itself in action； each darts
forth to its goal and would reach it without stopping were it not kept
back and restrained by force＇2＇ Sometimes； the eruption is so sudden；
that the restraint does not come soon enough。 One day； in Egypt；＇3＇
on entertaining a number of French ladies at dinner； he has one of
them； who was very pretty and whose husband he had just sent off to
France； placed alongside of him； suddenly； as if accidentally； he
overturns a pitcher of water on her； and； under the pretence of
enabling her to rearrange her wet dress； he leads her into another
room where he remains with her a long time； too long； while the other
guests seated at the table wait quietly and exchange glances。 Another
day； at Paris； toward the epoch of the Concordat；＇4＇ he says to
Senator Volney： 〃France wants a religion。〃 Volney replies in a frank；
sententious way； 〃France wants the Bourbons。〃 Whereupon he gives
Volney a kick in the stomach and he falls unconscious； on being moved
to a friend's house； he remains there ill in bed for several days。 …
No man is more irritable； so soon in a passion； and all the more
because he purposely gives way to his irritation； for； doing this just
at the right moment； and especially before witnesses； it strikes
terror； it enables him to extort concessions and maintain obedience。
His explosions of anger； half…calculated； half…involuntary； serve him
quite as much as they relieve him； in public as well as in private；
with strangers as with intimates； before constituted bodies； with the
Pope； with cardinals； with ambassadors； with Talleyrand； with Beugnot；
with anybody that comes along；＇5＇ whenever he wishes to set an example
or 〃keep the people around him on the alert。〃 The public and the army
regard him as impassible； but； apart from the battles in which he
wears a mask of bronze； apart from the official ceremonies in which he
assumes a necessarily dignified air； impression and expression with
him are almost always confounded； the inward overflowing in the
outward； the action； like a blow； getting the better of him。 At Saint
Cloud； caught by Josephine in the arms of another woman； he runs after
the unlucky interrupter in such a way that 〃she barely has time to
escape〃；＇6＇ and again； that evening； keeping up his fury so as to put
her down completely； 〃he treats her in the most outrageous manner；
smashing every piece of furniture that comes in his way。〃 A little
before the Empire； Talleyrand； a great mystifier； tells Berthier that
the First Consul wanted to assume the title of king。 Berthier； in
eager haste； crosses the drawing…room full of company； accosts the
master of the house and； with a beaming smile； 〃congratulates him。〃＇7＇
At the word king； Bonaparte's eyes flash。 Grasping Berthier by the
throat； he pushes him back against the wall； exclaiming； 〃You fool！
who told you to come here and stir up my bile in this way？ Another
time don't come on such errands。〃 …