gentry of the island; and as such, Charles | family was endowed, in the usual acceptaMarie Buonaparte, the father of Napoleon tion of the word, with talent; but in orBuonaparte, was sent to France by Count dinary circumstances, not one of them, Marbœuf, in the deputation from the Corsi- except Napoleon Buonaparte, would have can noblesse, relative to the differences risen above the sphere of mediocrity, and which had arisen between the two French most of them would have remained below generals who commanded in Corsica, M. de it. Caroline assumed the mental superiority Marbœuf and M. de Narbonne Pelez, to over her sisters, that Napoleon Buonaparte Louis XVI. Indeed, the name of Buona- did over the male branch of the family. parte stands high in the Golden Book of Jerome had no pretension to intellectual Bologna, a work written by one of the endowment; and his conduct, character, ancestors of the family, printed at Cologne and personal appearance were in accordance in the year 1656, and is now in the Royal with his mental pretensions: his appearance Library of Paris, which contains a genealogy was so mean and unprepossessing, that his of the Buonapartes, carried back to a very brother told him one day, after he had enremote period. He was called Napoleoni, rolled him in the monarchical list of the after one of the Italian Buonaparte family. Napoleonic dynasty-"If the majesty of A saint Napoleoni once flourished in the kings was stamped upon their foreheads, Romish calendar, but having disappeared you might travel incognito; you would by some accident or neglect, was, in com- never be discovered." pliment to his imperial namesake, restored by the pope to his former rank and station among the canonized, by the title of St. Napoleon des Ursins; and as the date of his festival had been forgotten, the birthday (August 15th) of the victorious soldier was assigned for the celebration: thus, as it has been naïvely observed, the protegé "had the rare honour of promoting a patron;" and received some reparation for the taunts to which he had been frequently subject while at Brienne, where he had been often twitted by his comrades with his supposed descent from the obsolete saint. On his mother's side, his descent was equally honourable. The family of Ramolini, to which she was allied, is one of the most ancient in the republic of Genoa.* The family of Napoleon Buonaparte may be said to be literary. Napoleon Buonaparte was the author of The Supper of Beaucaire, a pamphlet descriptive of the state of parties in the south of France. While in garrison at Valence, in Dauphiné, and then only seventeen years old, he obtained the prize (a gold medal), offered by the academy of Lyons, for the best theme on Raynal's question-"What are the principles and constitutions best calculated to advance mankind to the highest possible degree of happiness?" The manuscript of this essay, which was supposed to have been lost, was, when Napoleon Buonaparte was seated on the imperial throne, presented to him by Talleyrand, who had obtained it out of the records of the academy, and, no doubt, thought to please his master and conciliate his favour by the act; but as the tract abounded in sentiments on liberty, and arguments in its favour, Napoleon Buonaparte had no sooner cast his eye over a few pages, than he threw it into the fire, exclaiming--" One When Napoleon Buonaparte had climbed to sove- more honoured by the stock of Buonaparte. My reign power, his flatterers were willing to assign him family ought not to date its origin from any era but a lofty pedigree. As he could afford to disregard all that of the 18me Brumaire." The day of the Secthe lustre of patrician birth, his reply to the Emperor tions is equally characteristic of his lofty sense of of Austria, who appeared desirous of assigning a personal merit. His opinion of the contemptible regal origin or pedigree to his son-in-law, was- adulation and the gross incense of sycophantic "I am the Rodolf of my race," alluding to the flatterers was strongly displayed, when Denou prefounder of the Austrian family, Rodolf of Haps-sented him, after the battle of Wagram, the design burg. On a similar occasion, he silenced a profes- of a medal, representing an eagle strangling a leosional genealogist, with "Friend, my patent dates from Monte Notte," an allusion to the first battle he gained. His observation to the poet Ems, who offered to compose for him a genealogy, in which proofs should be adduced, sufficient to convince the most incred alous, that he was sprung from the kings of the Ostragoths-"I thank you; but I find myself | The subject of this memoir was the second-born child of a family of thirteen. The name of his elder brother was Joseph; those of his other brothers were Lucien, Louis, and Jerome. His sisters were Eliza, Pauline, and Caroline. The whole pard, as allusive of the superiority of the French over the English. "What?" said Napoleon Buonaparte, "strangling the leopard! There is not a spot on the sea on which the eagle dare show himself. This is base adulation. It would have been nearer the truth to represent the eagle as choked by the leopard!" can never observe everything." While in strong proneness to solitude and meditagarrison at Douay, he employed his leisure tion;† he displayed great intelligence, rapid time in writing, on the model of his favourite comprehension, and considerable energy Plutarch, the lives of those Corsicans who of mind and character. His own dehad distinguished themselves by their de- scription of his character contains great votion to the interests of the land of their truth and expressiveness :-"I was an birth; and, during the same period, he also obstinate and an inquisitive child. I was composed a brief history of Corsica, and extremely headstrong: nothing overawed entered into a treaty with Joly, the book-me-nothing disconcerted me. I made myseller of Dôle, for its publication; but the self formidable to the whole family. My undertaking was never put into execution, brother Joseph was the one with whom I on account of his regiment being ordered was the oftenest embroiled: he was bitten, into another garrison. He is said to have beaten, abused. I went to complain before composed an heroic poem, to stimulate his he had time to recover from his confusion. countrymen to endeavour the regeneration I had need to be on the alert; our mother of the land of his birth; but nothing more would have repressed my warlike humour: is recorded of his poetical efforts than the she would not have put up with my camention of the design.* His Mémoires, prices." This auto-portrait of his disposidictated at St. Helena, is the last of his tion exhibits very characteristic traits of his accredited works. Joseph published a little future character and conduct. Both in novel, entitled Moina. Lucien's literary childhood and manhood, whether aggresproductions are an epic poem, entitled sor or aggrieved, he generally gained his Charlemagne, or the Church Delivered; point by his finesse, duplicity, and subtile Stellina, a novel; and Cerneide, or Corsica knowledge of human nature, as well as Saved, a poem. The publications of Louis by his great activity and celerity of enterare, Maria, or the Torments of Love, or, as it prise. was entitled in a new edition, Maria, or the The character which he has given of his Dutch Woman; and Historic Documents on ungovernable temper and disposition to the Government of Holland. Neither of assume the mastery over others, forcibly the productions of the literary imperial developed itself in after-life, especially after family possess much merit. Had Napoleon Buonaparte, however, devoted himself to literary composition, he would no doubt have obtained no mean position among authors. Logical accuracy was the great characteristic of his mind. He was one of the profoundest thinkers of modern times. In early childhood, Napoleon Buonaparte gave indications of superior talent, with a • This was not the only effort that Napoleon Buonaparte displayed of his devotion to the muse of poetry. His marriage with Maria Louisa gave an opportunity for its exhibition. When the emperor visited Holland, a Dutch burgomaster, to display his loyalty and poetical inspiration, affixed on the triumphal arch, under which Buonaparte was to pass, the following distich :- "Il n'a pas fait un sottise En épousant Marie Louise," (He has made no mistake in marrying Maria Louisa.) Napoleon Buonaparte, perceiving the poetical effusion, called the burgomaster to him, and said-" So they cultivate poetry here." "Sire, I compose some verses," was the answer. "Ah! it is you--take a pinch of snuff," the emperor rejoined, at the same time presenting the box and the snuff, saying — "Quand vous y prendrez une prise Kappelez vous de Marie Louise." (Whenever you take a pinch, remember Maria Louisa.) + When quite a child, being in a party of young folk, he retired to a corner of the room with a book, he had obtained sovereign power. Such while the rest were dancing and amusing themselves. On calming his imperious and irascible temper of the kind are unworthy the dignity of but Joséphine. In his earliest childhood, historical narration. as he has himself said, he exhibited indicaWhen he attained manhood, this supetions of that disposition and direction of riority was of a more positive and deterfeeling which incline their possessor to minate character, and was frequently recogassume a superiority over his fellow-crea- nised by his contemporaries. "This man," tures, and to take the lead in the direction said a close and sagacious observer of chaof affairs. He was by nature a despot. racter, "will create a new era in the world." "Master of a school, or upon a throne; In a letter, addressed by Joséphine to a chief of a squadron, or a corporal on guard; friend on her approaching marriage with at Paris or at Kamtschatka-everywhere he Napoleon Buonaparte, occur the following would," as one of his biographers has words:-"I admire the general's courage; honestly acknowledged, "have been a the extent of his information on every subtyrant." His superiority of character was ject on which he converses; his shrewd inearly felt; and many were the previsions telligence, which enables him to understand entertained of his future greatness and the thoughts of others before they are exeminence. Among the admissible class of pressed; but I confess I am somewhat these predictions, that of his great uncle, fearful of the control which he appears Lucien Buonaparte, archdeacon of Ajaccio,* anxious to exercise over everything around is the most deserving of notice. That ec- him. His scrutinising glance has in it someclesiastic, calling the children about his thing singular, which is felt even by the death-bed, to take farewell and bless them, directors: it really awes them; therefore, it addressed to them these memorable words: may well be supposed to intimidate a -"You, Joseph, are the eldest, but Napo- woman."-(Mémoires de Joséphine.) Even leon is the head of the family: remember Paoli's remark, whether uttered as indicamy words." Whenever Napoleon Buona- tive of his superior pretensions, or mercly parte mentioned this injunction of his uncle, to cajole and win him to his purpose, is he used laughingly to say:-"This was a remarkable :- "This young man is cut from true disinheritance; it was the scene of the antique; he is one of Plutarch's men." Jacob and Esau." This remarkable dis- Even in his youth his superiority of inteltinction, Las Casas (Memorial de Ste lect was felt and acknowledged. M. de Helene on Journal de la Vie Privée de Keraglion, inspector of the college of l'Empereur) tells us, was bestowed on him Brienne, inscribed on the margin of the by his uncle on account of his grave and report of his examination, opposite to the reflective character, and sound exercise of signature of Napoleon Buonaparte, the fol- | reason he displayed at a very early age. lowing testimony:-"A Corsican by chaThe same author has (and the panegy-racter and birth. If favoured by circumrically-inclined biographers of the emperor have subsequently reiterated the tale), with great particularity, stated the remarkable previsions of his hero's greatness, indicated from the circumstance of his birth taking place on a temporary couch, covered with tapestry, representing the heroes of the Iliad, to which his mother was obliged to have recourse from the sudden supervention of her labour while attending at the solemnization of mass on a festival. But stories "The archdeacon of Ajaccio was an excellent old man. Good, generous, and intelligent: he was a father to us, and re-established the affairs of the family, which our father's fondness for pleasure had deteriorated. He was rich, but did not like to part with his money. He strove hard to persuade us that he had not saved anything. You well know,' he would say, that I have it not: your father's extravagance has left me nothing. At the same time, he would authorise me to sell a head of cattie, or a hamper of wine: it was all a pretence. We had discovered a bag of money; and being piqued at stances, this young man will rise high." When scarcely eighteen years of age, his talents and acquirements were so highly appreciated by the Abbé Raynal, that he considered him one of the ornaments of his scientific déjeuners. When about ten years old, he accompanied his father in the deputation from the Corsican noblesse to the French king, and was placed (April 23rd, 1779) in the Royal Military School at Brienne, into hearing him preach up poverty, while he had pieces of gold in his pockets, resolved to play him a trick. Pauline was quite young: we gave her the lesson; she drew out the bag; the doubloons rolled out, and covered the floor. We burst out into fits of laughter, while the good old man was almost choked with rage and confusion. Our mother came in, scolded, picked up the pieces of gold, and the archdeacon fell to protesting that the money was not his own. We knew what course to follow in this respect, and took care not to contradict him."--Las Casas, Memorial de Ste Helène, ou Journal de la Vie Privée de l'Empereur. which the Count of Marbœuf had procured | sions as mimiced war was extreme; and him admission.* While in that establish- the skill he displayed in his miniature forment, he was distinguished for his assiduous tifications and investments, and the tact attention to his studies. To adopt his own and dexterity in directing the mock encounwords, he "wanted to learn, to know every-ters and Lilliputian warfare of the attacking thing, and to distinguish" himself. He and defensive parties, attracted the notice "devoured all the books that came in his way." His devotion to mathematics, history, geography, military science, and general literature, was remarkable; but he made little progress in Latin, holding a very low position in the fourth form when even fifteen years' old. His favourite authors were Plutarch, Polybius, Arrian, Tacitus, and Ossian; the works of Vauban, Müller, Cohorn, and Folard. He was of very reserved manners, and mixed but little in the pastimes of his school-fellows; but his love for such diver-expose abuses. and admiration of all observers. In 1783, he was sent to the Royal Military School at Paris, where his conduct and attention to his studies were the same as they had been at Brienne. While at that establishment, he addressed a memorial to the vice-principal, Bérton, on the imperfect discipline and economy of that academy. Even at that early age, and in the subordinate condition. in which he was placed, he could not restrain his uncontrollable disposition to detect and COMMENCEMENT OF HIS MILITARY CAREER. WHEN sixteen years of age, he was examined by the celebrated La Place, and obtained the brevet of a second lieutenancy in the artillery regiment La Fère.§ IIe joined his regiment at Valance, in Dauphiné, and while in garrison in that place, competed for the prize-medal offered for the best answer to Raynal's question. In 1792, he became captain of artillery; and, in 1793, having obtained leave of absence, he visited Corsica. While in that island, he was importuned by Paoli (who had been appointed by the Constituent Assembly to the command in chief in Corsica) to join the intended effort to reassert the independence of Corsica. To • His eldest sister, Pauline, was also educated at the academy of Ste Cyr, which was a foundation into which only young ladies of noble family were admitted. 66 † He was a great favourite with his teachers, who all, except one, had a high opinion of his abilities. That person was the dull, heavy M. Bauer, German master at the military school of Paris, who formed a contemptuous opinion of his abilities because he did not make much advanceraent in the German language. One day, Napoleon Buonaparte not being in his place, M. Bauer inquired where he was, and being told that he was attending his examination in the class of artillery-"Oh! so he does learn something," said the discriminating German. Why, sir, he is the best mathematician in the school," was the reply of one of the class. "Ah!" rejoined Bauer, "I have always heard it remarked, that none but a fool could learn mathematics." Even M. Keraglion, the inspector of the college, notwithstanding his high opinion of his intellectual endowment, formed a misapprehension of the bent of his genius. In his report presented to the king on Buonaparte's leaving Brienne, he states-" He would make an excellent marine." attach him to his interest, he appointed him On visiting Brienne, when he had risen to power, he called on an old woman in the neighbourhood who had sold him milk and fruit while he was at that establishment, and asked her if she remembered a boy of the name of Buonaparte? Yes," was her reply. Did he always pay her for what he had of her?" "She believed so; perhaps a few sous might have been left." Napoleon Buonaparte presented her with a purse of gold, in discharge of any outstanding debt between them. 66 § Mademoiselle Permon, afterwards Duchess of Abrantes, one of his earliest female acquaintances, mentions, that he came to her parents' home on the day on which he first put on his uniform, in the highest spirits, as is usual with young men on such an occasion; and that her younger sister, who had just left boarding-school, was so struck with his comical appearance, in the enormous boots which were at that time worn by the artillery, that she immediately burst into an immoderate fit of laughter, saying-he resembled nothing so much as Puss-inBoots. As a proof that he retained no rancour for her raillery, he, a few days afterwards, presented her with an elegant bound copy of Puss-in-Boots. obscure corner, to which he still wished to tion, by the insurgents, to Marseilles, which confine it, had got a kingdom for a stage, was defended by the partisans of the Bourand nations to behold the swelling act." bons, who had refused to acknowledge the He turned a deaf ear to the entreaties and supremacy of the republican form of governpersuasions of the veteran chief, and joined ment. It was while engaged in this duty, the French party, under the command of he composed and published the pamphlet Salicetti. His first service was the capture entitled The Supper of Beaucaire, which, of the small fortress, called the Torre di as has been before stated, was descriptive of Capitello, near Ajaccio. On account of his the state of parties in that part of France, departure from the national cause, he and and was designed as a vindication of the his family were banished from Corsica, and politics of the Jacobins. For the services their property confiscated. The family re- he had rendered by his sword and his pen, tired to Marseilles, and Napoleon Buona- he was appointed by the government to the parte returning to Paris, soon joined his command of the artillery of the army beregiment at Auxonne, in Burgundy. Hav-sieging Toulon, under the direction of Geneing been about this time recommended by ral Carteaux, that city, like many of the chief his countryman, Salicetti, to the notice of towns in the south of France, having risen Barras, he rapidly passed through the in insurrection against the revolutionary various grades of promotion, obtained a colo- government, and had invited the combined. nelcy, and was employed in the south of English, Spanish, and Neapolitan squadrons France in preventing the convoys of ammuni- which were on the coast, to its aid. SIEGE AND SURRENDER OF TOULON. The commandant of artillery, on his arrival | comments on it, pointing out its unscienat head-quarters, found that the measures and operations adopted for the reduction of the fortress, were not only erroneous, but absolutely impracticable. The position of the batteries was not only wrong and useless, but they had been constructed two gunshots' distance from the walls, and three from the English shipping. The balls, also, were heated at so great a distance, that they became cold before they reached the guns. He pointed out these errors (in addition to that of attacking the body of the place, instead of the forts situated on the Hauteur de Grasse and the mountain of Faron) to Carteaux; but that vain coxcomb, who had been a music-master, told him, that his assistance was not wanted, but that he was welcome to stay and partake in his glory, without sharing the fatigue. But Carteaux's wife had more sense and penetration than her empty-pated husband. "Do let this young man have his way," said she; "he really must know more about the matter than you if he succeeds, you will get the credit." As the music-general was obstinate, and would not listen to advice, Napoleon Buonaparte requested him to give his instructions in writing, that they might be taken as a guide in arranging the measures necessary to support the attack. When he had obtained the document, he made marginal tific and impractical nature, and transmitted it to the Committee of the Convention. The consequence was Carteaux's recall, and the appointment of Doppet, who had practised as a physician. On the medical general's arrival, he found that the commandant of artillery had collected a train of 200 guns, and had constructed batteries capable of commanding the two forts of La Grasse (or, as the English termed it, "Little Gibraltar," on account of its strength and its commanding the narrow passage between the port and the Mediterranean) and Malbosquet, and of sweeping the harbour and roadstead. The representatives of the people (Barras, Salicetti, and the younger Robespierre--persons who had been deputed by the government to watch and report the proceedings of the generals), visiting these works, and finding that a large battery which the commandant of artillery had caused to be formed behind Malbosquet, but which he kept carefully concealed from the enemy by the cover of a plantation of olives-intending it for a ruse to distract the attention of the enemy as to the actual attack intended, by opening its fire for the first time, when the attack should be made for the possession of Little Gibraltar-had been made use of, ordered, in the absence of the commandant, an immediate cannonade, and the English, at the same |