HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



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clan, before he had a personal inter- 

 view with aLhe Sieyes : a circum- 

 stance, which, undoubtedly, seems 

 to strengthen the opinion of those* 

 who affirm that no secret correspon- 

 dencehad taken place between these 

 important personages ; though this 

 apparent shyness, in a question re- 

 lating to political dexterity, might 

 possibly be accounted for otherwise; 

 but all this is of little moment. — 

 Certain it is, that Buonaparte was 

 caressed, flattered, and courted by 

 both parties, but that he himself 

 did not court any. With politi- 

 cians, though civil and polite, he 

 was distant and reserved : close 

 himself, while he listened to the 

 reports, and put many questions 

 to others. But while he was thus 

 grave and guarded in his inter- 

 courses with both the moderate and 

 Jacobinical ])arty, he was open, 

 frank, and studious above all things, 

 by all means to maintain his interest 

 and po])ularity in the army. Every 

 officer of distinction he treated with 

 studied I'espect ; every private that 

 came in his waj', as has been above 

 noticed, with affability and conde- 

 scension. The directory and the 

 councils determined to do honour to 

 Buonaparte by a splendid feast, in 

 the church of St. Sulpice, trans- 

 formed into the Temple of Victory. 

 This intention being intimated to 

 the general, he Tf^tjuested that ge- 

 neral Morcau might also be invited, 

 andconjoined with himself in every 

 sentiment intended to be expressed 

 by tliat entertainment : it is need- 

 less to add, that his request was 

 complied with. He was anxious to 

 prevent any sentiments of rivalry 

 and opposition, on the part of Mo- 

 rcau, and to gain his confidence and 

 favour. These commanders met 

 together for the fii-st time in their 



lives, at the house of Guhier, pre- 

 sident of the directory. " General," 

 said Buonaparte, " I had several of 

 your lieutenants in Egypt, and they 

 are very distinguished officers." The 

 bright lustre of Moreau's reputation 

 was yet inferior to the dazzling 

 splendour of Buonaparte's fame 

 and character. In the judgment of 

 many military critics he was not 

 inferior, but in the public eye he 

 was secondary ; and being a man of 

 a natural easiiress, as weU as probity 

 of disposition, and less ambitious 

 and daring, he was content to be 

 among the first in the train of the 

 favourite of fortmie. 



It was for some time questioned 

 whether the genius of Buonaparte 

 would, in like manner, gain an as- 

 cendancy over that of abbe Sieyes, 

 and which of these men would take 

 the lead in settling a new govern- 

 ment, and in its administration when 

 settled. Both were men of deep 

 reflection and combination of ideas ; 

 both remarkable for taciturnity, the 

 natural concomitant of profound and 

 incessant meditation ; both possessed 

 many partisans, and great authority 

 of the state; yet, on the whole, 

 their character and condition were 

 not marked by so many circumstan- 

 ces of resemblance as of discrimina- 

 tion. Sieyes was a metaphysician, 

 melancholy, irascible, suspicious, 

 and cautious. He was endowed 

 with a quick discernment of men, 

 things, and circumstances, and <•*■ 

 pable of turning conj unctures to dif- 

 ferent purposes, provided that he 

 had time to overcome rising obsta- 

 cles to his plans, not by force but 

 by intrigue, or as he himself al- 

 leged, by operating on the minds, 

 and convincing the understandings 

 of men, and to weave his complicated 

 web in the dark, and without dis^ 



