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CHAPTER XXVIII.

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Great and common men-Portrait of Bonaparte-The varied expression of his countenance-) e-His convulsive shrug-Presentiment of his corpulency-Partiality for bathing-His temperance—His alleged capability of dispensing with sleep-Good and bad news-Shaving, and reading the journals— Morning business—Breakfast—Coffee and snuff—Bonaparte's idea of his own situation-His ill opinion of mankind-His dislike of a tête-à-tête-His hatred of the Revolutionists-Ladies in white-Anecdotes-Bonaparte's tokens of kindness, and his droll compliments-His fits of ill humourSound of bells-Gardens of Malmaison-His opinion of medicine - His memory-His poetic insensibility-His want of gallantry-Cards and conversation-The dress-coat and black cravat-Bonaparte's payments-His religious ideas-His obstinacy.

IN perusing the history of the distinguished characters of past ages, how often do we regret that the historian should have portrayed the hero rather than the man! We wish to know even the most trivial habits of those whom great talents and vast reputation have elevated above their fellowcreatures. Is this the effect of mere curiosity, or rather is it not an involuntary feeling of vanity which prompts us to console ourselves for the superiority of great men by reflecting on their faults, their weaknesses, their absurdities; in short, all the points of resemblance between them and common men? For the satisfaction of those who are curious in details of this sort, I will here endeavour to paint Bonaparte, as I saw him, in person and in mind, to describe what were his tastes and habits, and even his whims and caprices.

Bonaparte was now in the prime of life, and about thirty. The person of Bonaparte has served as a model for the most skilful painters and sculptors; many able French artists have successfully delineated his features, and yet it may be

His

said that no perfectly faithful portrait of him exists. finely-shaped head, his superb forehead, his pale countenance, and his usual meditative look, have been transferred to the canvas; but the versatility of his expression was beyond the reach of imitation. All the various workings of his mind were instantaneously depicted in his countenance; and his glance changed from mild to severe, and from angry to good-humoured, almost with the rapidity of lightning. It may truly be said that he had a particular look for every thought that arose in his mind.

Bonaparte had beautiful hands, and he was very proud of them; while conversing he would often look at them with an air of self-complacency. He also fancied he had fine teeth, but his pretension to that advantage was not so well founded as his vanity on the score of his hands.

When walking, either alone or in company with any one, in his apartments or in his gardens, he had the habit of stooping a little, and crossing his hands behind his back. He frequently gave an involuntary shrug of his right shoulder, which was accompanied by a movement of his mouth from left to right. This habit was always most remarkable when his mind was obsorbed in the consideration of any profound subject. It was often while walking that he dictated to me his most important notes.1 He could 1 Napoleon always walked while dictating. He sometimes began while seated, but at the first word he rose. He began walking in the room where he was, and walked up and down it. This promenade lasted all the time he was dictating. As he entered into his subject he experienced a sort of "tic,” consisting in a movement of his right arm, which he twisted, while pulling with his hand the lining of the cuff of his coat. Still, his delivery was not quickened by this movement, his step was also slow and measured.

If

Expressions came without effort to render his thoughts. If they were sometimes incorrect, this very incorrectness added to their energy, and always marvellously depicted to the mind what he wished to say. . . . Napoleon seldom wrote himself. Writing was a fatigue for him. His hand could not follow the rapidity of his conception. His writing was an assemblage of indecipherable characters without connection. Half of the letters of each word were deficient. He could not read it over himself, or would not take the trouble to do so. any explanation were asked of him, he retook his draft, which he tore or threw into the fire, while he dictated afresh, giving the same ideas, but with different expressions and words. His spelling was incorrect, though he knew well enough to point out errors in the writings of others. . . . In figures, where there is absolute and positive exactness Napoleon also committed errors. It is, however, right to say that these errors were not always committed undesignedly. For instance, he always increased the total of the number of men composing his

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endure great fatigue, not only on horseback but on foot; he would sometimes walk for five or six hours in succession without being aware of it.

When walking with any person whom he treated with familiarity he would link his arm into that of his companion, and lean on it.

He used often to say to me, "You see, Bourrienne, how temperate, and how thin I am; but, in spite of that, I cannot help thinking that at forty I shall become a great eater, and get very fat. I foresee that my constitution will undergo a change. I take a great deal of exercise; but yet I feel assured that my presentiment will be fulfilled." This idea gave him great uneasiness, and as I observed nothing which seemed to warrant his apprehensions, I omitted no opportunity of assuring him that they were groundless. But he would not listen to me, and all the time I was about him, he was haunted by this presentiment, which, in the end, was but too well verified.

His partiality for the bath he mistook for a necessity. He would usually remain in the bath two hours, during which time I used to read to him extracts from the journals and pamphlets of the day, for he was anxious to hear and know all that was going on. While in the bath he was continually turning on the warm water to raise the temperature, so that I was sometimes enveloped in such a dense vapour that I could not see to read, and was obliged to open the door.1

Bonaparte was exceedingly temperate, and averse to all excess. He knew the absurd stories that were circulated about him, and he was sometimes vexed at them. It has been repeated, over and over again, that he was subject to battalions, regiments, and divisions. Whatever representations were made to him he repulsed the evidence, and obstinately persisted in his voluntary error in calculation. His writing was illegible, and he detested any writings which were difficult to read. His notes, or the few lines he happened to write, and which did not require any effort of the mind, were generally exempt from faults of spelling, except in certain words which were always wrong. For instance, he wrote "cabinet" as "gabinet" (Meneval, tome iii. pp. 118-121).

1 At St. Helena he is said to have continued in the bath three hours at a time. May not his immoderate use of baths of very high temperature have contributed to produce the premature corpulency which he so greatly dreaded? I recollect having several times hinted such a possibility to him.-Bourrienne.

attacks of epilepsy; but during the eleven years that I was almost constantly with him I never observed any symptom which in the least degree denoted that malady. His health was good and his constitution sound. If his enemies, by way of reproach, have attributed to him a serious periodical disease, his flatterers, probably under the idea that sleep is incompatible with greatness, have evinced an equal disregard of truth in speaking of his night-watching. Bonaparte made others watch, but he himself slept, and slept well. His orders were that I should call him every morning at seven. I was therefore the first to enter his chamber; but very frequently when I awoke him he would turn himself, and say, “Ah, Bourrienne! let me lie a little longer." When there was no very pressing business I did not disturb him again till eight o'clock. He in general slept seven hours out of the twenty-four, besides taking a short nap in the afternoon.1

1 Bonaparte rose at uncertain hours, but ordinarily at seven o'clock. When he awoke in the night he sometimes began to work, or he bathed, or ate. His awakening was generally melancholy, and appeared painful. Not infrequently he had convulsive spasms in the stomach, which made him vomit. Sometimes he seemed much disquieted by such attacks, as if he dreaded having been poisoned, and then there was great difficulty to prevent him increasing this tendency by trying all he could to excite the vomiting. I have this detail from Corvisart, his chief physician (Rémusat, tome ii. p. 335).

Napoleon knew that I (Meneval) did not possess the precious faculty enjoyed by him of sleeping at will, and that it was impossible for me to sleep during the day. After any work which had occupied part of the night he recommended me to take a bath, and often he himself gave orders for preparing one for me. Sometimes he passed entire days without working, and still he did not leave his palace or even his cabinet. He seemed puzzled how to employ his time on such days of an idleness which was only apparent, for if the body were inactive his mind was not. He would pass an hour with the Empress, then return, sit on his sofa and sleep, or appear to sleep, for some moments. He would then sit on a corner of my desk, or on the arm of my chair, sometimes on my knees, he would put his arm round my neck, and amuse himself by gently pulling my ear, or striking me on the shoulder or cheek. He talked disjointedly of himself, his fancies, his organisation, of me, or of any plan he had in his head. He liked to jest on one, but never in a rough or disagreeable manner, but, on the contrary, laughingly and with real kindness. . . . He read aloud, then he closed the book and walked up and down, declaiming. . . The passages he repeated with the

most pleasure were

When he was tired of reading poetry he would sing with a strong but false voice (Meneval, tome iii. pp. 124-126).

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GOOD NEWS CAN WAIT.

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Among the private instructions which Bonaparte gave me, one was very curious. "During the night," said he, enter my chamber as seldom as possible. Do not awake me when you have any good news to communicate with that there is no hurry. But when you bring bad news, rouse me instantly; for then there is not a moment to be lost."

This was a wise regulation, and Bonaparte found his advantage in it.

As soon as he rose his valet de chambre shaved him and dressed his hair. While he was being shaved I read to him the newspapers, beginning always with the Moniteur. He paid little attention to any but the German and English papers. "Pass over all that," he would say, while I was perusing the French papers; "I know it already. They say only what they think will please me." I was often surprised that his valet did not cut him while I was reading; for whenever he heard anything interesting he turned quickly round towards me.2

When Bonaparte had finished his toilet, which he did with great attention, for he was scrupulously neat in his person, we went down to his cabinet. There he signed the

1 Often enough I took the morning papers to the Emperor, and while he finished dressing I read to him the articles he pointed out to me, or those I believed likely to attract his attention. They almost always caused him to make some observations. His chief physician, Corvisart, 'or his surgeon-in-ordinary Ivan, sometimes were present at his toilet. The Emperor liked challenging Corvisart about medical matters, and he always did so by sallies and bitter remarks against doctors. Corvisart, while acknowledging the uncertainty of medicine, defended its utility with arguments strong enough to often stop the sarcasms of his antagonist on his very lips (Meneval, tome i. pp. 143, 144).

2 It was Constant's task to shave Bonaparte, and he thus speaks of the difficulties he experienced in the discharge of this duty :

"While I was shaving him he would often converse, read the journals, move restlessly in his chair, or turn round suddenly, so that I was obliged to observe the utmost caution in order to avoid cutting him. Luckily that misfortune never occurred to me. When by chance he was not engaged in conversation or reading, he would sit as motionless as a statue, and I could not get him to raise, lower, or incline his head to facilitate my operation. He had a singular whim of having only one side of his face soaped and shaved at once; and he would not allow me to proceed to the other side until the first was finished" (Mémoires de Constant).

Constant adds that Bonaparte could not shave himself until he instructed him in the mode of holding and applying the razor; but that, owing to his natural impatience and hastiness of manner, he never attempted the operation without severely cutting himself.