NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 1211, 11 June 1880, Page 6

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

Bonaparte was of low stature and rather illproportioned ; his bust was too long, and so shortened the rest of his figure. He had thin chestnut hair, his eyes were grayish blue, and his skin, which was yellow while he was slight, became in late years a dead white, without any colour. His forehead, the setting of his eye, the line of his nose — all that was beautiful, and reminda one of an antique medallion. His mouth, which was thinlipped, became agreeable when he laughed ; his teeth were regular ; his chin was short, and his jaw heavy and square. He had wtllformed hands and feet, and- thought a good deal of them. When he was excited with anger, his looks were fierce and menacing ; but it was dfficult not to like him when he laughed, his countenance improved so much. Gravity was the foundation of his character — not the gravity of a dignified and noble manner, but that which arises from profound thought. Tn j'outh he was a dreamer ; later in lifo he became a moody, and later still a habitually ill-tempered man. Bonaparte was deficient in education and in manners; he did not know how to make a bow, how to rise, or how to sit down. Although very re~ malleable for certain intellect uul gifts, no man was ever less lofty of soul. Thnru was no <rener(iait3 r , no true greatnees in him, anl he was never known to admire or comprehend a fine action. He always regarded every indication of a good feeling with suspicion ; by did not value sincerity, and he did not hesi-> tale to say that he recognised the superiority of a man by the greater or the less degree of cleverness with which ha used the art of lying. The intellect of Bonaparte was most remarkable. It would be difficult to find a more powerful or comprehensive mind. It owed nothing to education, tor in reality he was ignorant, reading but little, and that hurriedly. But he quickly seized upon the little he learned, and his imagination developed it so extensively that he might easily have passed for a well-educated man. — • Memoirs of Madame de Remusat.'