"Nobody could discuss with him, says his brother Lucien; he took offence at the slightest observation and got in a passion at the slightest resistance.

Joseph (the eldest) dared not even reply to his brother."] [Footnote 1227: Memorial, August 27-31, 1815.] [Footnote 1228: "Madame de Remusat," I., 105 .-- Never was there an abler and more persevering sophist, more persuasive, more eloquent, in order to make it appear that he was right.

Hence his dictations at St.
Helena; his proclamations, messages, and diplomatic correspondence; his ascendancy in talking as great as through his arms, over his subject and over his adversaries; also his posthumous ascendancy over posterity.
He is as great a lawyer as he is a captain and administrator.

The peculiarity of this disposition is never submitting to truth, but always to speak or write with reference to an audience, to plead a cause.
Through this talent one creates phantoms which dupe the audience; on the other hand, as the author himself forms part of the audience, he ends in not along leading others into error but likewise himself, which is the case with Napoleon.] [Footnote 1229: Yung, II., 111.

(Report by Volney, Corsican commissioner, 1791 .-- II., 287.) (Memorial, giving a true account of the political and military state of Corsica in December, 1790.)--II., 270.