voked and injured, could not be induced, when in the routine of duty he became superintendant of the class, to report the misconduct of the boys by whose annoyance he himself had suffered. Rather than swerve from this point of honour, he preferred enduring imprisonment, which he submitted to on one occasion, for the space of three days (7).

These injuries and mortifications, though manfully supported, as they were felt to be unjust and found to be unavoidable, sunk deep into his youthful heart, which was disposed to overflows of feeling and ardent attachments. Their influence on his temper soon discovered itself by a change in his habits. From being sprightly, confident, and joyous, he became quiet, sensitive, and solitary; fonder of his books than of his schoolfellows (8). He naturally associated, in the same resentment, the wrongs inflicted on his native island with the sneers aimed at himself, and unconsciously infused the merit of public grief into his own puerile vexations. Thus was kindled that intense patriotism which animated his whole life; which warmed his boyish indignation; directed his youthful studies; inspired his greatest actions; and sanctified the dignity of his last request.

He was too capable of acquiring knowledge to be long insensible of its value. His application accordingly seemed less a matter of duty than of choice; and his attention to discipline to be directed more by a sentiment of order than by the force of rules. Studious and reserved, he was rather respected than popular in the school; but when he did engage in the sports or enterprises of the little republic, his strength and fertility of character made him at once its dictator.

The following anecdotes, relating to this period of his life, are accounted authentic.

Soon after his arrival at Brienne, with all his natural vivacity about him, he was shown into a hall in which was a portrait of the Duke of Choiseul. The sight of this minister, who had defrauded Corsica of independence, excited his indignation so strongly, that he indulged it in epithets of abuse, in defiance of the rank and power of its object, and in spite of the reprehension and menaces of the professors.

The first time he dined at the table of the principal, that person, with a view of trying the spirit of his guest, spoke ill of Paoli. The young Corsican interrupted him instantly, stoutly exclaiming

"Paoli is a great man, he loved his country, and I shall never forgive my father for consenting to the union of Corsica with France. He ought to have followed the fortunes of Paoli."

When some of the boys were reproaching him with his Corsican birth and accent, he expressed warmly to a friend this comprehensive menace - "I will do these French of yours all the harm I can:" a sense of power thus early quickening within him. His threat expired with the flash of temper which prompted it; for he befriended with unequalled liberality the companions of his early days: his only revenge consisted in excelling them.

In the severe winter of 1780, he persuaded his comrades to construct a fortress of snow; and applying rules drawn from the science of their common study, protected the work by regular fortifications. Passing from the duties of an engineer to the functions of a general, he divided the stripling band into two parties, and had the fortress attacked and defended with a degree of vigour and skill, which besides evincing his proficiency, was thought to exhibit a remarkable power of rousing and directing the energy of others.

On the days of the fêtes of Brienne, for the purpose of preventing an influx of strangers into the school, guards were mounted, with orders to admit no person without a pass. It happened once, when Bonaparte was thef oficer on duty, the portress, who was in the habit of selling milk, fruit, eggs, cakes, etc., to the students, counting on her personal consideration among them, presented herself without a pass; and, upon being stopped by the sentinel, loudly insisted on admittance. The sergeant of the guard reported the fact to Bonaparte, who, though only thirteen years of age, did not hesitate between the inclinations of the boy, and the duties of the officer; but, with that firmness of character, and aversion to disorder, for which he was always remarkable, called out in a tone of command,-"Remove instantly that woman, who is bringing here the license of a camp." This woman, who was named Hauté, he afterwards established with her husband comfortably at Malmaison.

A fair was to be held in the vicinity of Brienne, and the students were desirous of attending it; but, as they had quarrelled with the country people on a previous occasion, the professors issued an order confining them on the day of the approaching fair, within the gates of the college. This painful restriction excited the enter

prise and invention of young Bonaparte. Under his direction the students undermined a segment of the wall, conducting the operation so secretly, and adjusting it so nicely, that the saped space tumbled down on the morning of the fair; which, by this stratagem, they were enabled to visit without violating the order.

His superiority of genius and efficiency of character, while they secured his ascendancy in the school, and, generally, the respect of the faculty, seem to have been considered as reprehensible forwardness by illiberal observers. Accordingly, one of the teachers, taking advantage of some slight irregularity, condemned him to wear a penitential dress, and to dine on his knees at the door of the refectory. He uttered neither complaint nor supplication, yet felt the indignity so acutely, that, at the moment it was about to be inflicted, he fell into convulsions; distress overcoming the strength of his body, but not the fortitude of his mind. The principal of the school happening to pass by, and father Patrault, professor of mathematics, warmly interposing in behalf of his favourite pupil, he was rescued from the undeserved punishment, and the brutal pedagogue.

It is worthy of remark that Pichegru, who was a charity scholar at Brienne, was his tutor in the mathematical class, and that France was rearing together in one of her schools, the conqueror of Holland, and the dictator of Europe-the patriot who was the terror of Bourbons and foreigners, and the traitor who was a tool in their hands.

In matters of principle he manifested, even at Brienne, an inflexibility so striking that it made a lasting impression on Pichegru. In 1796, when this last was conspiring to betray his country, being consulted by a royalist agent upon the expediency of attempting to gain over the commander of the army of Italy, he bore unwilling testimony to his former comrade's integrity and firmness. "It would be a waste of time; I knew him at school; his character is inflexible; he has taken his side and will never change it."

The studies in which he excelled were those chiefly pursued in the school, and directly embraced in the profession of arms-mathematics, history, and geography. But as the instinct of power is the early consciousness of a vigorous mind, a desire of influence was probably one of his primary motives; and it is therefore reasonable to infer, without reference to his subsequent career,

that he might have been at Brienne, as ardent and successful in the study of eloquence and politics, as he was in acquiring the rudiments of war.

A lady who was conversing with him on the subject of his studies, mentioned the name of Turenne, reproaching the memory of that great general with having laid waste the Palatinate. "And why not, madam," eagerly demanded the future victor, "if it was necessary to the success of his designs?" This anecdote in the spirit of which may be discovered the embryo of that gigantic decision which was exemplified in his raising the siege of Mantua, as well as his ardent admiration of Turenne, shows how soon his understanding was capable of combining the extended reasoning of military policy, with the technical conclusions of the art of war (9).

From observations which dropped from him at St. Helena, it appears his powers of reflection were so active and strong in the season of early youth, that the sentiments of religious faith which the affection of his mother, and the piety of his uncle, had instilled into his childhood, became disturbed in the course of his fourteenth year, by those doubts of reason, from which ordinary minds are free, until they are infested by the pride of manhood.

In 1784, the Chevalier Keralio, who, as inspector-general of the military schools, was charged with the selection of pupils for promotion to the school of Paris, selected Bonaparte, though he was rather under the proper age, as one of the number to be sent from Brienne. As he was better acquainted with the sciences than the languages, the masters of the school proposed detaining him a year longer, in order that he might improve his knowledge of the classics, alleging that he was not yet fifteen. "No," replied M. de Keralio; "I know what I am doing; if I transgress the rule respecting age, it is not from favour to any particular family, for I am not acquainted with that of this lad; it is solely from regard to his merit. I discover in him a spark of genius which cannot be too carefully cherished." The chevalier, who was an author on tactics, had conceived a great affection for the young Corsican. Soon after the examination, this inspector of the school was advanced to other employment; but his successor adopted his decision, and Bonaparte, with four other students, was transferred in October, 1784, from the Royal school of Brienne, to that of Paris (10).

Marshal Ségur, was then minister of war. Among his official papers, there exists a minute under the head of the school of Brienne (a transcript of the report of M. de Keralio to the king), which shows that scientific acquirements were much less esteemed in the French army, when Bonaparte commenced, than when he ended his military life. For, after noting his age, size, and assiduity, and remarking, that he was tractable, honest, and grateful, the writer of the minute adds-“ would make an excellent seaman." It is remarkable that, when Washington was about the same age, a midshipman's warrant in the British navy was obtained for him; and he was prevented from becoming "an excellent seaman," solely by the timid objections of his mother (11). Had both or either of these suggestions been effectuated, how different from what it now is, might have been the state of the civilized world!

His faculties being developed by growth and strengthened by exercise, Bonaparte's superiority was more marked and impressive at the school of Paris even than it was at that of Brienne. The celebrated Monge, who was his instructor in geometry, formed a high opinion of his capacity. M. de l'Eguille, the professor of history, declared he would become a great man, and to his name in the class-book affixed this note, "A Corsican by birth and character; he will distinguish himself if favoured by circumstances,"―alluding probably to his vivacity of genius, ardent sensibility, and passionate application, which gave an unsocial cast to his character, and an oriental warmth and splendour to his elocution. The professor of belles lettres was so forcibly struck by this property of his style, that he at once imitated and described it, by calling his original and vivid amplifications, "blocks of granite issuing red hot from a volcano." As Bonaparte discovered no aptitude for the German language, the German teacher was no believer in his extraordinary intelligence, affirming, when told that he was already undergoing his examination for the artillery, that he "always thought mathematicians blockheads."

Study, the labour of most young minds, was, to his, recreation and seemed now to engross his faculties with the absorbing force of a passion. His preference for history continuing to prevail, Polybius and Arrian, but more especially Tacitus and Plutarch, were his favourite authors; one presenting to his mind admirable