Page:Entertaining history of the early years of General Bonaparte (1).pdf/7

 milleries bad provoked, I have ſeen him repel, with the utmoſt ſang-froid, their blows and united efforts! Thus, ſo young, Boneparte ſeemed to diſdain, to be no more but a child, as if he had already foreſeen that deſtiny would one day call him to ſurmount the greateſt obſtacles.

B ſhewed very early the deſire, or rather the need of liberty. The love of his country (the Iſland of Corfica, which he then conſidered as his native home) triumphed already over the ſentiment of gratitude due to the bounty of King. The idea of dependance appeared to him degrading; he was humbled by it; and often indignant to be expoſed to the malicious witticiſms of his comrades on the union of Corſica to the monarchy of France." I hope to be able," replied he, in the tone of an offended ſpirit, "I hope to be able, one day, to reſtore it to freedom?" Unconſcious then, that he was to be called in a few years to fix the power of France itſelf, and decide the fate of the other great ſtates of Europe.

His firſt ſteps in learning were not marked by any extraordinary progreſs; and wheher from careleſſneſs or diſlike, he gave but little application to the ſtudy of the latin tongue. This negligence appears ſo much the more aſtoniſhing, as his deſire of inſtruction and occupation very ſoon, became in him a real