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NAPOLEON BONAPARTE MEMOIRS: The Rise of a Military Genius, Power & Empire — Volume 1 · SECRETS OF SUCCESS & WEALTH: Hidden Laws of Money, Power & Success

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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, Volume one, Chapter one, seventeen sixty nine to
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seventeen eighty three. Authentic date of Bonaparte's birth, His family ruined by the
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Jesuits, his taste for military amusements, sham siege at the college of Brienne,
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the porter's wife and Napoleon, My intimacy with Bonaparte at college, his
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love for the mathematics, and his dislike of Latin. He defends Polly and
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blames his father. He is ridiculed by his comrades, ignorance of the monks,
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distribution of prizes at Brienne, Madame de Monteson, and the Duke of
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Orleans report of m. Correalio on Bonaparte. He leaves Brienne. Napoleon Bonaparte
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was born at a Yacho in Corsica on the fifteenth of August seventeen sixty nine.
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The original orthography of his name was Bunaparte, but he suppressed the hue
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during his first campaign in Italy. His motives for so doing were merely to
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render the spelling conformable with the pronunciation and to bridge his signature. He signed
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Bunaparte even after the famous thirteenth Vendemier. It has been affirmed that he was
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born in seventeen sixty eight, and that he represented himself to be a year
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younger than he really was. This is untrue. He always told me the
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ninth of August was his birthday, and as I was born on the ninth
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of July seventeen sixty nine, our proximity of age served to strengthen our union
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and friendship when we were both at the Military College of Brienne. The false
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and absurd charge of Bonaparte having misrepresented his age is decidedly refuted by a note
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in the Register of M. Burton, sub Principle of the College of Brienne,
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in which it is stated that M. Napoleon de Buniparte, a choir
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born in the city of Ayacho in Corsica, on the fifteenth of August seventeen
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sixty nine, left the Royal Military College of Brienne on the October seventeenth,
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seventeen eighty four. The stories about his low extraction are alike devoid of foundation.
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His family was poor, and he was educated at the public expense,
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an advantage of which many honorable families availed themselves. A memorial addressed by his
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father, Charles Buonaparte to the Minister of War, states that his fortune had
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been reduced by the failure of some enterprise in which he had engaged, and
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by the injustice of the Jesuits, by whom he had been deprived of an
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inheritance. The object of this memorial was to solicit a sub lieutenant's commission for
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Napoleon, who was then fourteen years of age, and to get Lucian entered
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a pupil of the military college. The minister wrote on the back of the
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memorial, give the usual answer if there be a vacancy, and on the
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margin are these words. This gentleman has been informed that his request is inadmissible
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as long as his second son remains at the School of Brienne. Two brothers
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cannot be placed at the same time in the military schools. When Napoleon was
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fifteen, he was sent to Paris until he should attain the requisite age for
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entering the army. Lucian was not received into the College of Brienne, at
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least not until his brother had quitted the military school of Paris. Bonaparte was
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undoubtedly a man of good family. I have seen an authentic account of his
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genealogy, which he obtained from Tuscany. A great deal has been said about
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the civil dissensions which forced his family to quit Italy and take refuge in Corsica.
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On this subject, I shall say nothing. Many and various accounts have
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been given of Bonaparte's youth. The following interesting trade of Napoleon's childhood is derived
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from the memoirs of the de Chess d'ar brains. He was one day accused
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by one of his sisters of having eaten a basketful of grapes, figs,
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and citrons, which had come from the garden of his uncle the Cannon.
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None but those who were acquainted with the Bonaparte family can form any idea of
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the enormity of this offense. To eat fruit belonging to the uncle the Cannon
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was infinitely more criminal than to eat grapes and figs, which might be claimed
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by anybody else. An inquiry took place. Napoleon denied the fact and was
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whipped. He was told that if he would beg pardon, he should be
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forgiven. He protested that he was innocent, but he was not believed.
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If I recollect rightly, His mother was at the time on a visit to
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m de Marboeuf or some other friend. The result of Napoleon's obstinacy was that
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he was kept three whole days on bread and cheese, and that cheese was
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not braccho. However, he would not cry. He was dull but not
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sulky. At length. On the fourth day of his punishment, a little
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friend of Marianne Bonaparte returned from the country, and on hearing of Napoleon's disgrace,
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she confessed that she and Marianne had eaten the fruit. It was now
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Marianne's turn to be punished. When Napoleon was asked why he had not accused
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his sister, he replied that though he suspected that she was guilty, yet
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out of consideration to her little friend, who had no share in the falsehood,
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he had said nothing. He was then only seven years of age dot
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He has been described in terms of enthusiastic praise and exaggerated condemnation. It is
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ever thus with individuals who, by talent or favorable circumstances, are raised above
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their fellow creatures. Bonaparte himself laughed at all the stories which were got up
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for the purpose of embellishing or blackening his character in early life. An anonymous
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publication entitled The History of Napoleon Bonaparte from his Birth to his last abdication,
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contains perhaps the greatest collection of false and ridiculous details about his boyhood. Among
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other things, it is stated that he fortified a garden to protect himself from
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the attacks of his comrades, who a few lines lower down are described as
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treating him with esteem and respect. I remember the circumstances which probably gave rise
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to the fabrication inserted in the work just mentioned. They were as follows.
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During the winter of seventeen eighty three to eight four, so memorable for heavy
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falls of snow, Napoleon was greatly at a loss for those retired walks and
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outdoor recreations in which he used to take much delight. He had no alternative
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but to mingle with his comrades and for exercise, to walk with them up
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and down a spacious hall. Napoleon, weary of this monotonous promenade, told
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his comrades that he thought they might amuse themselves much better with the snow in
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the great courtyard if they would get shovels and make hornworks, dig trenches,
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raise parapets, cavaliers, et cetera. This being done, said he,
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we may divide ourselves into sections form a siege, and I will undertake to
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direct the attacks. The proposal, which was received with enthusiasm, was immediately
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put into execution. This little sham war was carried on for the space of
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a fortnight, and did not cease until a quantity of gravel and small stones
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having got mixed with the snow of which we made our bullets. Many of
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the combatants besiegers as well as besieged, were seriously wounded. I well remember
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that I was one of the worst sufferers from this sort of grape shot fire.
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It is almost unnecessary to contradict the story about the ascent in the balloon.
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It is now very well known that the hero of that headlong adventure was
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not young Bonaparte, as has been alleged, but one of his comrades,
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stood Ante Chambin, who was somewhat eccentric. Of this. His subsequent conduct
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afforded sufficient proofs Bonaparte's mind was directed to objects of a totally different kind.
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He turned his attention to political science during some of his vacations. He enjoyed
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the society of the abbey Reynal, who used to converse with him on government
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legislation, commercial relations, et cetera. On festival days, when the inhabitants
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of Brienne were admitted to our amusements, posts were established for the maintenance of
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order. Nobody was permitted to enter the interior of the building without a card
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signed by the Principle or vice prince. The rank of officers or sub officers
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was conferred according to merit, and Bonaparte one day had the command of a
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post when the following little adventure occurred, which affords an instance of his decision
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of character. The wife of the porter of the school. This woman named
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Hote, was afterwards placed at Malmazone with her husband. They both died as
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concierge's of Malmazone. This shows that Napoleon had a memory. Dot Bourienne,
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who was very well known because she used to sell milk, fruit, et
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cetera to the pupils, presented herself one Saint Louis day for admittance to the
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representation of the death of Caesar Corrected, in which I was to perform the
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part of Brutus as the woman had no ticket and insisted on being admitted without
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one. Some disturbance arose. The sergeant of the post reported the matter to
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the officer Napoleon Bonaparte, who, in an imperious tone of voice, exclaimed,
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send away that woman who comes here with her camp. This was in
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seventeen eighty two. Bonaparte and I were eight years of age when our friendship
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commenced. It speedily became very intimate, for there was a certain sympathy of
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heart between us. I enjoyed this friendship and intimacy until seventeen eighty four,
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when he was transferred from the military college of Brienne to that of Paris.
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I was one among those of his youthful comrades who could best accommodate themselves to
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his stern character, His natural reserve, his disposition to meditate on the conquest
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of Corsica, and the impressions he had received in childhood respecting the misfortunes of
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his country and his family, led him to seek retirement and rendered his general
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demeanor, though in appearance only somewhat unpleasing. Our equality of age brought us
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together in the classes of the mathematics and Bell's lettre. His ardent wish to
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acquire knowledge was remarkable from the very commencement of his studies. When he first
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came to the college, he spoke only the Corsican Diale elect and the Sieur
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dupuis. He afterwards filled the post of librarian to Napoleon at Malmazone, who
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was vice principle before Father Burton, gave him instructions in the French language.
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In this he made such rapid progress that in a short time he commenced the
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first rudiments of Latin. But to this study he evinced such a repugnance that
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at the age of fifteen he was not out of the fourth class. There
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I left him very speedily, but I could never get before him in the
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mathematical class, in which he was undoubtedly the cleverest lad at the college.
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I used sometimes to help him with his Latin themes and versions, in return
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for the aid he afforded me in the solution of problems, at which he
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evinced a degree of readiness and facility which perfectly astonished me. When at Brienne,
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Bonaparte was remarkable for the dark color of his complexion, which subsequently the
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climate of France somewhat changed for his piercing and scrutinizing glance, and for the
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style of his conversation, both with his master and comrades. His conversation almost
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always bore the appearance of ill humor, and he was certainly not very amiable.
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This I attribute to the misfortunes his family had sustained, and the impressions
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made on his mind by the conquest of his country. The pupils were invited
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by turns to dine with Father Burton, the head of the school, one
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day, it being Bonaparte's turn to enjoy this indulgence. Some of the professors
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who were at table designedly made some disrespectful remarks on Powlly, of whom they
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knew the young Corsican was an enthusiastic admirer. Powlly observed, Bonaparte was a
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great man. He loved his country, and I will never forgive my father,
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who was his adjutant, for having concurred in the union of Corsica with
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France. He ought to have followed Powlly's fortune and have fallen with him.
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The di Chess Dia Brands, speaking of the personal characteristics of Bonaparte in youth
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and manhood, says Severia told me that Napoleon was never a pretty boy,
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as Joseph was. For example, his head always appeared too large for his
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body, a defect common to the Bonaparte family. When Napoleon grew up,
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the peculiar charm of his countenance lay in his eye, especially in the mild
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expression it assumed in his moments of kindness. His anger, to be sure,
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was frightful, and though I am no coward, I never could look
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at him in his fits of rage without shuddering. Though his smile was captivating,
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yet the expression of his mouth, when disdainful or angry, could scarcely
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be seen without terror. But that forehead which seemed formed to bear the crowns
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of a whole world, those hands of which the most coquettish women might have
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been vain, and whose white skin covered muscles of iron. In short of
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all that personal beauty which distinguished Napoleon as a young man, no traces were
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discernible in the boy. Severia spoke truly when she said that, of all
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the children of Senor Letitia, the Emperor was the one from whom future greatness
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was least to be prognered. Susticated generally speaking, Bonaparte was not much liked
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by his comrades at Brienne. He was not social with them and rarely took
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part in their amusements. His country's recent submission to France always caused in his
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mind a painful feeling, which estranged him from his schoolfellows. I, however,
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was almost his constant companion. During play hours, he used to withdraw
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to the library, where he read with deep interest works of history, particularly
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Polybius and Plutarch. He was also fond of Arianus, but did not care
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much for Quintus Gercius. I often went off to play with my comrades and
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left him by himself in the library. The temper of the young Corsican was
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not improved by the teasing he frequently experienced from his comrades, who were fond
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of ridiculing him about his Christian named Napoleon and his country. He often said
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to me, I will do these French all the mischief I can, And
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when I tried to pacify him, he would say, but you do not
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ridicule me. You like me. Father Petralled, our mathematical professor, was
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much attached to Bonaparte. He was justly proud of him as a pupil.
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The other professors in whose classes he was not distinguished, took little notice of
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him. He had no taste for the study of languages, polite literature,
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or the arts. As there were no indications of his ever becoming a scholar,
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the pedants of the establishment were inclined to think him stupid. His superior
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intelligence was, however, sufficiently perceptible, even through the reserve under which it
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was veiled. If the monks to whom the superintendence of the establishment was confided,
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had understood the organization of his mind, if they had engaged more able
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mathematical professors, or if we had had any incitement to the study of chemistry,
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natural philosophy, astronomy, et cetera, I am convinced that Bonaparte would
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have pursued these sciences with all the genius and spirit of investigation which he displayed
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in a career more brilliant, it is true, but less useful to mankind.
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Unfortunately, the monks did not perceive this, and were too poor to
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pay for good masters. However, after Bonaparte left the college, they found
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it necessary to engage two professors from Paris. Otherwise the college would have fallen
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to nothing. These two new professors M. M. Durfort in desponse finished
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my education, and I regretted that they did not come sooner. The often
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repeated assertion of Bonaparte having received a careful education at Brienne is therefore untrue.
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The monks were incapable of giving it him, And for my own part,
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I must confess that the extended information of the present day is to me a
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painful contrast with the limited course of education I received at the military college.
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It is only surprising that the establishment should have produced a single able man.
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Though Bonaparte had no reason to be satisfied with the treatment he received from his
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comrades, yet he was above complaining of it, And when he had the
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supervision of any duty which they infringed, he would rather go to prison than
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denounce the criminals. I was one day his accomplice in omitting to enforce a
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duty which we were appointed to supervise. He prevailed on me to accompany him
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to prison, where we remained three days. We suffered this sort of punishment
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several times, but with less severity. In seventeen eighty three, the Duke
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of Orleans and Madame de Montesen visited Brienne, and for upwards of a month.
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The magnificent chateau of the Comte de Brienne was a Versailles in miniature.
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The series of brilliant entertainments which were given to the August travelers made them almost
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forget the royal magnificence they had left behind them. The Prince and Madame de
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Monteson expressed a wish to preside at the distribution of the prizes of our college
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Bonaparte, and I won the prizes in a class of mathematics, which,
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as I have already observed, was the branch of study to which he confined
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his attention and in which he excelled. When I was called up for the
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seventh time, Madame de Montesen said to my mother, who had come from
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Sens to be present at the distribution, pray, Madam, crown your son
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this time. My hands are a weary. There was an inspector of the
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military schools, whose business it was to make an annual report on each pupil,
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whether educated at the public expense or paid for by his family. I
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copied from the report of seventeen eighty four, a note which was probably obtained
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surreptitiously from the War Office. I wanted to purchase the manuscript, but Lewis
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Bonaparte bought it. I did not make a copy of the note which related
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to myself, because I should naturally have felt diffident in making any use of
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it. It would, however, have served to show how time and circumstances
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frequently reversed the distinctions which arise at school or college. Judging from the reports
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of the Inspector of Military Schools, young Bonaparte was not, of all the
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pupils at Brienne in seventeen eighty four, the one most calculated to excite prognostics
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future greatness and glory. The note to which I have just alluded, and
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which was written by M. De Correlio, then Inspector of the Military Schools,
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describes Bonaparte in the following terms. Inspection of Military Schools one thousand,
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seven hundred and eighty four report made for his majesty by M. Decorrelio M.
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De Bunaparte Napoleon born August fifteenth, seventeen sixty nine. Height four feet
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ten inches ten lines, is in the fourth class, has a good constitution,
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excellent health, character, obedient, upright grateful conduct, very regular,
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has been always distinguished by his application to mathematics. He knows history and geography
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very passibly. He is not well up in ornamental studies or in Latin,
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in which he is only in the fourth class. He will be an excellent
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sailor. He deserves to be passed on to the Military School of Paris.
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Father Burton, however, opposed Bonaparte's removal to Paris because he had not passed
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through the fourth Latin class, and the regulations required that he should be in
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the third. I was informed by the Vice Principle that a report relative to
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Napoleon was sent from the College of Brienne to that of Paris, in which
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he was described as being domineering, imperious, and obstinate. Napoleon remained upwards
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of five years at Brienne from April seventeen seventy nine till the latter end of
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seventeen eighty four. In seventeen eighty three, the Chevalier Correalio, sub inspector
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of the military schools, selected him to pass the year following to the Military
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School at Paris, to which three of the best scholars were annually sent from
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each of the twelve provincial military schools of France. It is curious, as
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well as satisfactory, to know the opinion at this time entertained of him by
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those who were the best qualified to judge. His old master. Lu Gill,
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professor of history at Paris, boasted that in a list of the different
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scholars he had predicted his pupil's subsequent career. In fact, to the name
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of Bonaparte, the following note is added, a Corsican by birth and character,
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he will do something great if circumstances favor him. Menge was his instructor
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in geometry, who also entertained a high opinion of him. M. Bauer,
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his German master, was the only one who saw nothing in him,
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and was surprised at being told he was undergoing his examination for the artillery.
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Haslett. I knew Bonaparte well, and I think M. The Corelio's report
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of him was exceedingly just, except perhaps that he might have said he was
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very well as to his progress in history and geography, and very backward in
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Latin. But certainly nothing indicated the probability of his being an excellent seaman.
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He himself had no thought of the navy. Bourienne is certainly wrong as to
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Bonaparte having no thought of the navy. In a letter of seventeen eighty four
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to the Minister of War, his father says of Napoleon that, following the
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advice of the Comte de Marboeuff, he has turned his studies towards the navy,
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and so well has he succeeded, that he was intended by m the
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Correlio for the School of Paris and afterwards for the Department of Toulone. The
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retirement of the former Professor Correlio has changed the fate of my son. It
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was only on the failure of his intention to get into the navy that his
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father, on July fifteenth, seventeen eighty four, applied for permission for him
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to enter the artillery, Napoleon, having a horror of the infantry, where
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he said they did nothing. It was on the success of this application that
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he was allowed to enter the School of Parts. Oddly enough, in later
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years, on August thirtieth, seventeen ninety two, having just succeeded in getting
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himself reinstated as captain after his absence overstaying leave, he applied to pass into
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the Artillery de la Mariine. The application was judged to be simply absurd and
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was filed with this note s R. Sans reponse. In consequent quents of
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M. De Correlio's report, Bonaparte was transferred to the Military College of Paris,
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along with mim Montarby, de Dampierre, de Castres, de Comminges,
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and de Lagier de Belcourt, who were all, like him, educated at
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the public expense, and all at least as favorably reported. What could have
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induced Sir Walter Scott to say that Bonaparte was the pride of the college,
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that our mathematical master was exceedingly fond of him, and that the other professors
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in the different sciences had equal reason to be satisfied with him. What I
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have above stated, together with the report of M. De Correlio, bare
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evidence of his backwardness in almost every branch of education except mathematics. Neither was
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it, as Sir Walter affirms, his precocious progress in mathematics that occasioned him
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to be removed to Paris. He had attained the proper age, and the
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report of him was favorable. Therefore, he was very naturally included among the
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number of the five who were chosen. In seventeen eighty four, in a
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biographic full account of Bonaparte, I have read the following anecdote. When he
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was fourteen years of age, he happened to be at a party where some
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one pronounced a high eulogium on Turin, and a lady in the company observed
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that he certainly was a great man, but that she should like him better
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if he had not burned the Palatinate. What signifies that, replied Bonaparte,
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if it was necessary to the object he had in view. This is either
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an anachronism or a mere fabrication. Bonaparte was fourteen in the year seventeen eighty
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three. He was then at Brienne, where certainly he did not go into
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company, and least of all the company of ladies.