Page:Entertaining history of the early years of General Bonaparte (2).pdf/19

( 19  ) There was in that year, a promotion of severa! of the King’s pupils whom their progresses in the studies, had rendered worthy to be sent to the Military School of Paris: Bonaparte was of the number, his talents gave him value in the eyes of a gallant officer who himself owed his pre- ferment and his fortune to his own merit, and to the universal testimony of an irre- proachable conduct. On his arrival at Paris he testified his inclination to serve in the artillery, because this and the engineers were the only corps in France where interest and riches could not so easily usurp the place due to merit, He applied himself with an unwearied zeal to the mathematics which then became his principal study and was soon in a situation to go thro' the necessary examinations. He acquitted himself with credit and was then promoted to the rank of an officer in the regiment de la Fere, shortly before the revolution

From the principles which he had avow- ed so early, ii is natural to believe that Bonaparte, at that memorable epoch did not hesitate to declare in favour of inde- pendance. Always unalterable in his dislike of royalty, and devoted to love of history, his mission did not neglect so fav- ourable an opportunity to signalize himself as was presented by the revolution. It is in difficult situations that a strong mind can