"Why did I stop and sign the preliminaries of Leoben?
Because I played vingt-et-un and was satisfied with twenty." His insight into (dramatic) character is that of the most sagacious critic.
"The 'Mahomet' of Voltaire is neither a prophet nor an Arab, only an impostor graduated out of the Ecole Polytechnique."-- "Madame de Genlis tries to define virtue as if she were the discoverer of it."-- (On Madame de Stael): "This woman teaches people to think who never took to it, or have forgotten how."-- (On Chateaubriand, one of whose relations had just been shot): "He will write a few pathetic pages and read them aloud in the faubourg Saint-Germain; pretty women will shed tears, and that will console him."-- (On Abbe Delille): "He is wit in its dotage."-- (On Pasquier and Mole): "I make the most of one, and made the other."-- Madame de Remusat, II., 389, 391, 394, 399, 402; III., 67.] [Footnote 1165: Bourrienne, II., 281, 342: "It pained me to write official statements under his dictation, of which each was an imposture." He always answered: "My dear sir, you are a simpleton--you understand nothing!"-- Madame de Remusat, II., 205, 209.] [Footnote 1166: See especially the campaign bulletins for 1807, so insulting to the king and queen of Prussia, but, owing to that fact, so well calculated to excite the contemptuous laughter and jeers of the soldiers.] [Footnote 1167: In "La Correspondance de Napoleon," published in thirty-two volumes, the letters are arranged under dates .-- In his '"Correspondance avec Eugene, vice-roi d'Italie," they are arranged under chapters; also with Joseph, King of Naples and afterwards King of Spain.

It is easy to select other chapters not less instructive: one on foreign affairs (letters to M.de Champagny, M de Talleyrand, and M.
de Bassano); another on the finances (letters to M.Gaudin and to M.
Mollien); another on the navy (letters to Admiral Decres); another on military administration (letters to General Clarke); another on the affairs of the Church (letters to M.Portalis and to M.Bigot de Preameneu); another on the Police (letters to Fouche), etc .-- Finally, by dividing and distributing his letters according as they relate to this or that grand enterprise, especially to this or that military campaign, a third classification could be made .-- In this way we can form a concept of the vastness of his positive knowledge, also of the scope of his intellect and talents.Cf.especially the following letters to Prince Eugene, June II, 1806 (on the supplies and expenses of the Italian army); June 1st and 18th, 1806 (on the occupation of Dalmatia, and on the military situation, offensive and defensive).

To Gen.

Dejean, April 28, 1806 (on the war supplies); June 27, 1806 (on the fortifications of Peschiera) July 20, 1806 (on the fortifications of Wesel and of Juliers).--"Mes souvenirs sur Napoleon", p.

353 by the Count Chaptal: "One day, the Emperor said to me that he would like to organize a military school at Fontainebleau; he then explained to me the principal features of the establishment, and ordered me to draw up the necessary articles and bring them to him the next day.