1 76 Constant's Memoirs of Buonaparte. []AuG. 



sufficiently known to the reader. As to Eugene, I have had convincing 

 proofs that Buonaparte never ceased to regard him with the tenderness of a 

 father." 



Napoleon, who had been elevated to the throne principally by the 

 devotion of his army, felt the necessity of encouraging amongst their 

 ranks a spirit of enthusiastic attachment to his person. It was his policy 

 to conciliate the affections, not only of his officers, but even of the hum- 

 blest of his soldiers, by well-timed acts of indulgence, and by expressions 

 of approbation often amounting to a degree of familiarity which will 

 doubtless astonish the Lord Johns and Thomases composing the elite of 

 our British disciplinarians. We quote an instance : 



" This mention of the kind feeling entertained by the first consul towards 

 the humblest soldiers in the ranks, reminds me of the following occurrence 

 which took place at Malmaison. Early one morning Buonaparte strolled 

 from the chateau in the direction of Marly. He was dressed, as usual, in a 

 grey riding-coat, and accompanied by General Duroc. As they walked and 

 chatted together, they observed a labouring man guiding his plough as he 

 approached them. ' Hark you, good man/ said the first consul, suddenly 

 stopping, ( your plough is not straight ; you seem to be ignorant of your 

 trade/' It would puzzle you to teach it me,' said the countryman, eying 

 the well-dressed strangers from head to foot. ' Not in the least/ ' Aye, aye, 

 well, try/ replied Hodge, giving his place to the first consul, who, seizing 

 the handle of the plough, and driving on the horses, commenced his lesson. 

 So awkward, however, was the experimental agriculturist, that the furrow 

 soon swerved most unconscionably from a right line. ' Come, come/ said 

 the peasant, roughly seizing the first consul by the arm, and resuming his 

 place, ' your work is not worth a button : every man his trade ; stick to 

 yours/ Buonaparte continued his walk, having first remunerated the peasant 

 for his moral lesson by putting two or three louis into his hand, as a com- 

 pensation for the loss of his time. The labourer, astonished at the amount 

 of the donation, hastily quitted his plough, and related his adventure to 

 a farmer's wife whom he met on his road. The latter having obtained a 

 description of the stranger's costume, guessed that the generous donor was 

 the first consul, and communicated her discovery to her simple companion. 

 The honest rustic was at first stupified with amazement; but the next 

 morning, arming himself with resolution, and attired in his best, he made 

 his appearance at Malmaison, and demanded to speak with Napoleon, to 

 thank him, as he said, for his handsome present. 



" On my acquainting the first consul with the arrival of his visitor, he 

 ordered him to be immediately introduced to his presence. While I went 

 forward to announce him, the peasant, to use his own expression, had taken 

 his courage in both hands, to prepare himself for the important interview. 

 On my return, I found him standing in the middle of the anti-chamber, (he 

 had not dared to sit upon the benches, which, though of the most ordinary 

 description, were in his eyes magnificent,) and cogitating in what form of 

 words he might best express his gratitude to the first consul. As I led the 

 way, he followed me on tiptoe with the utmost precaution, and with a look 

 of anxiety directed every now and then towards the carpet : and when I at 

 length opened the door of the cabinet, he requested me, with a profusion of 

 bows and scrapes, to go in first. When Buonaparte had no particular reason 

 for secresy, he seldom closed the door of his private cabinet. On this 

 occasion, he made me a sign to leave it open, so that I could distinctly see 

 and hear every thing that took place. 



" On his entrance, the peasant began by making a profound obeisance to 

 M. de Bourrienne, who, seated at a writing-table placed in the recess of one 

 of the windows, had his back turned towards the door. The courtesy, there- 

 fore, was unfortunately thrown away. The first consul, leaning backwards 



