They stand confounded and agape before the universal competence of this wonder genius.

"He's more than a man" exclaimed the administrators of Dusseldorf to Beugnot.[4141] "Yes," replied Beugnot, "he's the devil!" In effect, he adds to mental ascendancy the ascendancy of force; we always see beyond the great man in him the terror-striking dominator; admiration begins or ends in fear; the soul is completely subjugated; enthusiasm and servility, under his eye, melt together into one sentiment of impassioned obedience and unreserved submission.[4142] Voluntarily and involuntarily, through conviction, trembling, and fascinated, men abdicate their freedom of will to his advantage.

The magical impression remains in their minds after he has departed.

Even absent, even with those who have never seen him, he maintains his prestige and communicates it to all who command in his name.

Before the prefect, the baron, the count, the councilor of state, the senator in embroidered uniform, gilded and garnished with decorations, every municipal or general council loses his free will and becomes incapable of saying no, only too glad if not obliged to say yes "inopportunely," to enter upon odious and disagreeable undertakings, to simulate at one's own expense, and that of others, excessive zeal and voluntary self-sacrifice, to vote for and hurrah at patriotic subscriptions of which it must contribute the greatest portion and for supplementary conscriptions[4143] which seize their sons that are except or bought out of service.[4144] It allows itself to be managed; it is simply one of the many wheels of our immense machine, one which receives its impulsion elsewhere, and from above, through the interposition of the prefect .-- But, except in rare cases, when the interference of the government applies it to violent and oppressive schemes, it is serviceable; fixed in position, and confining itself to turning regularly and noiselessly in its little circle, it may, in general, still render the double service demanded of it in the year IX, by a patriotic minister.