ANECDOTES OF NAPOLEON. 303 



The desire of studying so eccentric a youth attached me lo 

 Buonaparte. Assuredly I was his dupe ; but, if civilisation has ren- 

 dered dissimulation an essential quality, Buonaparte possessed it in 

 the highest degree. I must be permitted to assert that Cromwell 

 and Mazarin were sincere and plain-dealing men compared with 

 Napoleon. From his leaving Brienne to his ascending the throne, 

 he dissimulated in every thing, both his moral and physical qualities. 



One day, I surprised him at a window looking and very naturally 

 smiling at the amusements of the pupils who were in the courts. On 

 his countenance the desire of mingling with them was apparent. 

 On a sudden he turned, and saw that I observed him. Vexation 

 and shame lowered in his features ; but he adroitly strove to impose 

 on me, and for the moment was successful. " I was examining," 

 said he, " this mass of young harebrains, who, in their most pre 

 cious agfe, amuse themselves with nothinsfs : and what are their 

 pleasures? They fatigue and emaciate themselves in casting a ball 

 of which they could not even mathematically develop the surface. 

 Certainly their age requires relaxation ; but are there none more 

 noble than those they afford themselves? Walking, conversation, 

 the aspect of the heavens, and the inspection of plants, such are the 

 relaxations worthy of youth and susceptible of casting it in the vast 

 mould of genius. How I pity them !" 



Buonaparte was an atheist in the full force of the word. His god- 

 father, Paoli, wrote to him thus in 1791 : " Your father, with whom 

 I combated at San Fiorenzo, was a brave man ; I expected yet 

 more from you ; but the principles you have just professed in the 

 face of your fellow-citizens prove lo me that you do not even respect 

 the God that created you." 



Paoli thus expressed himself on the occasion of a discourse which 

 Buonaparte had pronounced In the club ofCalvi, Dec. 2, 1791. Here 

 are some extracts from this discourse, found among the papers of 

 the deceased Arena: — 



" Friends, ti-uth tears veils asunder, dashes idols down, and un- 

 masks jugglers; thanks to liberty, we know what to determine on 

 with regard to the Divinity. Is there a God? Let us believe it; 

 but let us confess that he regards not our disputes, nor perhaps our- 

 selves. If it were otherwise, never would a tyrant have seen two 

 suns." 



Of the hypocrisy of Napoleon, I was persuaded by the events I 

 am about to narrate. 



I had become acquainted with a young girl whom I loved vvitii 

 the utmost purity. I know not how Napoleon became informed of 

 my connection; but one day that I spoke to him, he addressed lo 

 me this strange discourse: "Sir, in the most precious age of life, 

 I would keep aloof from all which could corrupt my heart and 

 youth : we can no longer see each other; your attachment to a 

 girl who cannot be your wife places a barrier of brass between us. 

 Imitate other imprudent youths — delight yourself with the torments 

 you are preparing for the incautious maiden who is about to believe 

 your oallis and be i)olluted in your arms — drink deliciously of her 

 tears, and then come to insult my scruples. Treat my severity as 



