[21] Yung， II.， 329， 331. (Narrated by Lucien， and report to Louis XVIII.)[22] "Nouvelle relation de l'Itinéraire de Napoléon， de Fontainebleau à l'Ile de l'Elbe，" by Count Waldberg-Truchsees， Prussian commissioner (1885)， pp.22， 24， 25， 26， 30， 32， 34， 37. - The violent scenes， probably， of the abdication and the attempt at Fontainebleau to poison himself had already disturbed his balance. On reaching Elba， he says to the Austrian commissioner， Koller， "As to you， my dear general， Ihave let you see my bare rump." - Cf. in "Madame de Rémusat，" I.， 108， one of his confessions to Talleyrand： he crudely points out in himself the distance between natural instinct and studied courage. - Here and elsewhere， we obtain a glimpse of the actor and even of the Italian buffoon； M. de Pradt called him "Jupiter Scapin." Read his reflections before M. de Pradt， on his return from Russia， in which he appears in the light of a comedian who， having played badly and failed in his part， retires behind the scenes， runs down the piece， and criticize the imperfections of the audience. (De Pradt， p.219.)[23] The reader may find his comprehension of the author's meaning strengthened by the following translation of a passage from his essay on Jouffroy (Philosophes classiques du XIXth Siécle，" 3rd ed.)：
"What is a man， master of himself？ He is one who， dying with thirst， refrains from swallowing a cooling draft， merely moistening his lips：
who insulted in public， remains calm in calculating his most appropriate revenge； who in battle， his nerves excited by a charge， plans a difficult maneuver， thinks it out， and writes it down with a lead-pencil while balls are whistling around him， and sends it to his colonels. In other words， it is a man in whom the deliberate and abstract idea of the greatest good is stronger than all other ideas and sensations. The conception of the greatest good once attained， every dislike， every species of indolence， every fear， every seduction， every agitation， are found weak. The tendency which arise from the idea of the greatest good constantly dominates all others and determines all actions." TR.
[24] Bourrienne， I. 21.
[25] Yung， 1.， 125.
[26] Madame de Rémusat， I.， 267. - Yung， II.， 109. On his return to Corsica he takes upon himself the government of the whole family.
"Nobody could discuss with him， says his brother Lucien； he took offence at the slightest observation and got in a passion at the slightest resistance. Joseph (the eldest) dared not even reply to his brother."[27] Mémorial， August 27-31， 1815.
[28] "Madame de Rémusat，" I.， 105. - Never was there an abler and more persevering sophist， more persuasive， more eloquent， in order to make it appear that he was right. Hence his dictations at St. Helena； his proclamations， messages， and diplomatic correspondence； his ascendancy in talking as great as through his arms， over his subject and over his adversaries； also his posthumous ascendancy over posterity. He is as great a lawyer as he is a captain and administrator. The peculiarity of this disposition is never submitting to truth， but always to speak or write with reference to an audience， to plead a cause. Through this talent one creates phantoms which dupe the audience； on the other hand， as the author himself forms part of the audience， he ends in not along leading others into error but likewise himself， which is the case with Napoleon.
[29] Yung， II.， 111. (Report by Volney， Corsican commissioner， 1791.
- II.， 287. (Mémorial， giving a true account of the political and military state of Corsica in December， 1790.) - II.， 270. (Dispatch of the representative Lacombe Saint-Michel， Sept. 10， 1793.) - Miot de Melito I.，131， and following pages. (He is peace commissioner in Corsica in 1797 and 1801.)[30] Miot de Melito， II.， 2. "The partisans of the First consul's family . . . regarded me simply as the instrument of their passions， of use only to rid them of their enemies， so as to center all favors on their protégés."[31] Yung.， I.， 220. (Manifest of October -31， 1789.) - I.， 265.
(Loan on the seminary funds obtained by force， June 23， 1790.) - I.， 267， 269. (Arrest of M. de la Jaille and other officers； plan for taking the citadel of Ajaccio.) - II.， 115. (letter to Paoli， February 17， 1792.) "Laws are like the statues of certain divinities - veiled on certain occasions." - II.， 125. (Election of Bonaparte as lieutenant-colonel of a battalion of volunteers， April1， 1792.) The evening before he had Murati， one of the three departmental commissioners， carried off by an armed band from the house of the Peraldi， his adversaries， where he lodged. Murati， seized unawares， is brought back by force and locked up in Bonaparte's house， who gravely says to him "I wanted you to be free， entirely at liberty；you were not so with the Peraldi." - His Corsican biographer (Nasica， "Mémoires sur la jeunesse et l'enfance de Napoléon，") considers this a very praiseworthy action[32] Cf. on this point， the Memoirs of Marshal Marmont， I.， 180， 196；the Memoirs of Stendhal， on Napoleon； the Report of d'Antraigues (Yung， III.， 170， 171)； the "Mercure Britannique" of Mallet-Dupan， and the first chapter of "La Chartreuse de Parme，" by Stendhal.
[33] "Correspondance de Napoléon，" I. (Letter of Napoleon to the Directory， April 26， 1796.) - Proclamation of the same date： "You have made forced marches barefoot， bivouacked without brandy， and often without bread."[34] Stendhal， "Vie de Napoléon，" p. 151. "The commonest officers were crazy with delight at having white linen and fine new boots. All were fond of music； many walked a league in the rain to secure a seat in the La Scala Theatre. . . . In the sad plight in which the army found itself before Castiglione and Arcole， everybody， except the knowing officers， was disposed to attempt the impossible so as not to quit Italy." - " Marmont，" I.， 296： "We were all of us very young， . . .
all aglow with strength and health， and enthusiastic for glory. . . .