LORD KEEPEH. CCl 



intellect, which, from consciousness of the imbecility and 

 wretchedness attendant upon ignorance, uses power to 

 promote merit and relieve wrongs. It passes by the par 

 ticular infirmities of those who contribute any thing to 

 the advancement of general learning: judging it fitter that 

 men of abilities should jointly engage against ignorance 

 and barbarism. This had many years before his promo 

 tion been stated by Bacon : &quot; Neither can this point 

 otherwise be; for learning endueth men s minds with a 

 true sense of the frailty of their persons, the casualty of 

 their fortunes, and the dignity of their soul and vocation : 

 so that it is impossible for them to esteem that any great 

 ness of their own fortune can be a true or worthy end of 

 their being and ordainment ; whereas the corrupter sort of 

 mere politicians, that have not their thoughts established 

 by learning in the love and apprehension of duty, nor ever 

 look abroad into universality, do refer all things to them 

 selves, and thrust themselves into the centre of the world, 

 as if all lines should meet in them and their fortunes; 

 never caring, in all tempests, what becomes of the ship of 

 state, so they may save themselves in the cockboat of their 

 own fortune.&quot; 6 



(i) &quot; Napoleon happened to see a captain or lieutenant-colonel of 

 engineers, who was modestly assisting in the fortifications of the place, 

 and with whom he entered into a discussion of certain points connected 

 with the business in which he was engaged. Shortly after, the officer 

 unexpectedly received a letter, informing him that he was appointed aid- 

 de-camp to the Emperor, and directing him to repair to the Tuileries, 

 to enter upon his duties. The poor officer was filled with astonishment ; 

 he thought he was dreaming, or that the letter had been misdirected. 

 He was so extremely diffident, and possessed so little knowledge of the 

 world, that this announcement of his promotion threw him into great 

 perplexity. He recollected having once seen me at Antwerp, and he 

 begged I would render him my assistance. Accordingly, on his arrival 

 in Paris, he came and assured me of his total ignorance of court manners, 

 and the embarrassment he felt in presenting himself to the Emperor, 



