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work to Paoli。 Unable to get it published； he abridges it； and
dedicates the abridgment to Abbé Raynal； recapitulating in a strained
style； with warm； vibrating sympathy； the annals of his small
community； its revolts and deliverances； its heroic and sanguinary
outbreaks； its public and domestic tragedies； ambuscades； betrayals；
revenges； loves； and murders； … in short； a history similar to that of
the Scottish highlanders； while the style； still more than the
sympathies； denotes the foreigner。 Undoubtedly； in this work； as in
other youthful writings； he follows as well as he can the authors in
vogue … Rousseau； and especially Raynal； he gives a schoolboy
imitation of their tirades； their sentimental declamation； and their
humanitarian grandiloquence。 But these borrowed clothes； which
incommode him； do not fit him； they are too tight； and the cloth is
too fine； they require too much circumspection in walking； he does not
know how to put them on； and they rip at every seam。 Not only has he
never learned how to spell； but he does not know the true meaning；
connections； and relations of words； the propriety or impropriety of
phrases； the exact significance of imagery；＇19＇ he strides on
impetuously athwart a pell…mell of incongruities； incoherencies；
Italianisms； and barbarisms； undoubtedly stumbling along through
awkwardness and inexperience； but also through excess of ardor and of
heat；＇20＇ his jerking； eruptive thought； overcharged with passion；
indicates the depth and temperature of its source。 Already； at the
Academy； the professor of belles…lettres＇21＇ notes down that 〃in the
strange and incorrect grandeur of his amplifications he seems to see
granite fused in a volcano。〃 However original in mind and in
sensibility； ill…adapted as he is to the society around him； different
from his comrades； it is clear beforehand that the current ideas which
take such hold on them will obtain no hold on him。
Of the two dominant and opposite ideas which clash with each other； it
might be supposed that he would lean either to one or to the other；
although accepting neither。 … Pensioner of the king； who supported
him at Brienne； and afterwards in the Military Academy； who also
supported his sister at Saint…Cyr； who； for twenty years； is the
benefactor of his family； to whom； at this very time； he addresses
entreating or grateful letters over his mother's signature … he does
not regard him as his born general； it does not enter his mind to take
sides and draw his sword in his patron's behalf；' in vain is he a
gentleman； to whom； d'Hozier has certified； reared in a school of
noble cadets； he has no noble or monarchical traditions。＇22＇ … Poor
and tormented by ambition； a reader of Rousseau； patronized by Raynal；
and tacking together sentences of philosophic fustian about equality；
if he speaks the jargon of the day； it is without any belief in it。
The phrases in vogue form a decent； academical drapery for his ideas；
or serve him as a red cap for the club； he is not bewildered by
democratic illusions； and entertains no other feeling than disgust for
the revolution and the sovereignty of the populace。 … At Paris； in
April；1792； when the struggle between the monarchists and the
revolutionaries is at its height； he tries to find 〃some successful
speculation；〃＇23＇ and thinks he will hire and sublet houses at a
profit。 On the 20th of June he witnesses； only as a matter of
curiosity； the invasion of the Tuileries； and； on seeing the king at a
window place the red cap on his head； exclaims； so as to be heard； 〃
Che Caglione！〃 Immediately after this： 〃How could they let that rabble
enter！ Mow down four or five hundred of them with cannons and the rest
would run away。〃 On August 10； when the tocsin sounds； he regards the
people and the king with equal contempt； he rushes to a friend's house
on the Carrousel and there； still as a looker…on； views at his ease
all the occurrences of the day。＇24＇ Finally； the chateau is forced
and he strolls through the Tuileries； looks in at the neighboring
cafés； and that is all： he is not disposed to take sides； he has no
Jacobin or royalist inclination。 His features； even； are so calm 〃as
to provoke many hostile and distrustful stares； as someone who is
unknown and suspicious。〃 … Similarly； after the 31st of May and the
2nd of June； his 〃Souper de Beaucaire〃 shows that if he condemns the
departmental insurrection it is mainly because he deems it futile： on
the side of the insurgents； a defeated army； no position tenable； no
cavalry； raw artillerymen； Marseilles reduced to its own troops； full
of hostile sans…culottes and so besieged； taken and pillaged。 Chances
are against it： 〃Let the impoverished regions； the inhabitants of
Vivaris； of the Cevennes； of Corsica； fight to the last extremity； but
if you lose a battle and the fruit of a thousand years of fatigue；
hardship； economy； and happiness become the soldier's prey。〃＇25＇ Here
was something with which the Girondists could be converted！ … None of
the political or social convictions which then exercised such control
over men's minds have any hold on him。 Before the 9th of Thermidor he
seemed to be a 〃republican montagnard；〃 and we follow him for months
in Provence。 〃the favorite and confidential adviser of young
Robespierre；〃 〃admirer〃 of the elder Robespierre；＇26＇ intimate at Nice
with Charlotte Robespierre。 After the 9th of Thermidor has passed； he
frees himself with bombast from this compromising friendship： 〃I
thought him sincere；〃 says he of the younger Robespierre； in a letter
intended to be shown； 〃but were he my father and had aimed at tyranny；
I would have stabbed him myself。〃 On returning to Paris； after having
knocked at several doors； he takes Barras for a patron。 Barras； the
most brazen of the corrupt； Barras； who has overthrown and contrived
the death of his two former protectors。＇27＇ Among the contending
parties and fanaticisms which succeed each other he keeps cool and
free to dispose of himself as he pleases； indifferent to every cause
and concerning himself only with his own interests。 … On the evening
of the 12th of Vendémiaire； on leaving the Feydeau theatre； and
noticing the preparations of the sectionists；＇28＇ he said to Junot：
〃Ah； if the sections put me in command； I would guarantee to place
them in
the Tuileries in two hours and have all those Convention rascals
driven out！ 〃
Five hours later； summoned by Barras and the Conventionalists； he
takes 〃three minutes〃 to make up his mind； and； instead of 〃blowing up
the representatives；〃 he mows down the Parisians。 Like a good
condottière； he does not commit himself； considers the first that
offers and then the one who offers the most； only to back out
afterwards； and finally； seizing the opportunity； to grab everything。
… He will more and more become a true condottière； that is to say；
leader of a band； increasingly independent； pretending to submit under
the pret