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Montebello。） 〃Such are substantially the most remarkable expressions
in this long discourse which I have recorded and preserved。〃
＇37＇ Miot de Melito； I。 184。 （Conversation with Bonaparte； November
18； 1797； at Turin。） 〃I remained an hour with the general tête…à…tête。
I shall relate the conversation exactly as it occurred； according to
my notes； made at the time。〃
＇38＇ Mathieu Dumas； 〃 Mémoires；〃 III。； 156。 〃It is certain that he
thought of it from this moment and seriously studied the obstacles；
means； and chances of success。〃 （Mathieu Dumas cites the testimony of
Desaix； who was engaged in the enterprise）： 〃It seems that all was
ready； when Bonaparte judged that things were not yet ripe； nor the
means sufficient。〃 … Hence his departure。 〃He wanted to get out of
the way of the rule and caprices of these contemptible dictators；
while the latter wanted to get rid of him because his military fame
and influence in the army were obnoxious to them。
＇39＇ Larevellière…Lepaux （one of the five directors on duty）；
〃Mémoires；〃 II。； 340。 〃All that is truly grand in this enterprise； as
well as all that is bold and extravagant； either in its conception or
execution； belongs wholly to Bonaparte。 The idea of it never occurred
to the Directory nor to any of its members。 。 。 。 His ambition and his
pride could not endure the alternative of no longer being prominent or
of accepting a post which； however eminent； would have always
subjected him to the orders of the Directory。〃
＇40＇ Madame de Rémusat； I。； 142。 〃Josephine laid great stress on the
Egyptian expedition as the cause of his change of temper and of the
daily despotism which made her suffer so much。〃… 〃Mes souvenirs sur
Napoleon；〃 325 by the count Chaptal。 （Bonaparte's own words to the
poet Lemercier who might have accompanied him to the Middle East and
there would have learned many things about human nature）： 〃You would
have seen a country where the sovereign takes no account of the lives
of his subjects； and where the subject himself takes no account of his
own life。 You would have got rid of your philanthropic 'notions。〃
＇41＇ Roederer； III。； 461 （Jan。 12； 1803）
＇42＇ Cf。 〃The Revolution；〃 Vol。 p。 773。 （Note I。； on the situation； in
1806； of the Conventionalists who had survived the revolution。） For
instance； Fouché is minister； Jeanbon…Saint…André； prefect； Drouet （de
Varennes）； sub…prefect； Chépy （of Grenoble）； commissary…general of the
police at Brest； 131 regicides are functionaries； among whom we find
twenty one prefects and forty…two magistrates。 … Occasionally； a
chance document that has been preserved allows one to catch 〃the man
in the act。〃 （〃Bulletins hebdomadaires de la censure； 1810 and 1814；〃
published by M。 Thurot； in the Revue Critique； 1871）： 〃Seizure of 240
copies of an indecent work printed for account of M。 Palloy； the
author。 This Palloy enjoyed some celebrity during the Revolution；
being one of the famous patriots of the Faubourg Saint…Antoine。 The
constituent Assembly had conceded to him the ownership of the site of
the Bastille； of which he distributed its stones among all the
communes。 He is a bon vivant； who took it into his head to write out
in a very bad style the filthy story of his amours with a prostitute
of the Palais…Royal。 He was quite willing that the book should be
seized on condition that he might retain a few copies of his jovial
production。 He professes high admiration for； and strong attachment
to His Majesty's person； and expresses his sentiments piquantly； in
the style of 1789。〃
＇43＇ Mémorial；〃 June 12； 1816。
＇44＇ Mathieu Dumas； III。； 363 （July 4； 1809； a few days before
Wagram）。 … Madame de Rémusat；〃 I。； 105： 〃I have never heard him
express any admiration or comprehension of a noble action。〃 … I。； 179：
On Augustus's clemency and his saying； 〃Let us be friends； Cinna；〃 the
following is his interpretation of it： 〃I understand this action
simply as the feint of a tyrant； and approve as calculation what I
find puerile as sentiment。〃… 〃Notes par le Comte Chaptal〃： 〃He
believed neither in virtue nor in probity； often calling these two
words nothing but abstractions； this is what rendered him so
distrustful and so immoral。 。 。 。 He never experienced a generous
sentiment； this is why he was so cold in company； and why he never had
a friend。 He regarded men as so much counterfeit coin or as mere
instruments。〃
＇45＇ M。 de Metternich； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。； 241。 … 〃Madame de Rémusat；〃 I。；
93： 〃That man has been so harmful （si assommateur de toute vertu。。。）
to all virtue。〃 … Madame de Sta？l； 〃Considerations sur la Revolution
Fran？aise； 〃 4th part； ch。 18。 （Napoleon's conduct with M。 de Melzi；
to destroy him in public opinion in Milan； in 1805。）
＇46＇ Madame de Rémusat； I。； 106； II。； 247； 336： 〃His means for
governing man were all derived from those which tend to debase him。 。
。 。 He tolerated virtue only when he could cover it with ridicule。〃
＇47＇ Nearly all his false calculations are due to this defect；
combined with an excess of constructive imagination。 … Cf。 De Pradt；
p。94： 〃The Emperor is all system； all illusion； as one cannot fail to
be when one is all imagination。 Whoever has watched his course has
noticed his creating for himself an imaginary Spain； an imaginary
Catholicism； an imaginary England； an imaginary financial state； an
imaginary noblesse； and still more an imaginary France； and； in late
times； an imaginary congress。〃
＇48＇ Roederer； III。； 495。 （March 8； 1804。）
＇49＇ Ibid。； III。； 537 （February 11； 1809。）
＇50＇ Roederer； III。； 514。 （November 4； 1804。）
＇51＇ Marmont； II。； 242。
＇52＇ Correspondance de Napoléon；〃 I。 （Letter to Prince Eugéne； April
14； 1806。）
＇53＇ M。 de Metternich； I。； 284。
＇54＇ Mollien； III。； 427。
＇55＇ 〃Notes par le Comte Chaptal〃： During the Consulate； 〃his opinion
not being yet formed on many points； he allowed discussion and it was
then possible to enlighten him and enforce an opinion once expressed
in his presence。 But； from the moment that he possessed ideas of his
own； either true or false； on administrative subjects； he consulted no
one； 。 。 。 he treated everybody who differed from him in opinion
contemptuously； tried to make them appear ridiculous； and often
exclaimed； giving his forehead a slap； that here was an instrument far
more useful than the counsels of men who were commonly supposed to be
instructed and experienced。 。 。 For four years； he sought to gather
around him the able men of both parties。 After this； the choice of
his agents began to be indifferent to him。 Regarding himself as strong
enough to rule and carry on the administration himself； the talents
and character of those who stood in his way were discarded。 What he
wanted was valets and not councillors。 。 。 The ministers were simply
head…clerks of the bureaus。 The Council of State served only to give
form to the decrees emanating fro