Page:Entertaining history of the early years of General Bonaparte (2).pdf/6

( 6  ) often more observing than they appear to be. Of this, curiosity is probably in them the only cause, being more eager in youth than advanced age; and a young person without troubling himself about the reason. which his faculties are not yet able to reach has hi' attention attracted and fixed only by that which strikes him. Bonaparte, with inclinations different from his companions, separated himself from us, and therefore became, naturely enough, the object of our observation.

I do not recollect that he ever shewed the slightest partiality in favour of any of his comrades ; gloomy and fierce to excess, almost always by himself one might say, that, newly issued from a forest and till then withdrawn from the fight of men, the now began, for the first time to feel the impressions of surprise and of suspicion.— Continually alone, averse like wife to all that is called children's plays and amuse- ments, he never was seen to share in the noisy mirth of his school fellows ! very far from that, if sometimes he came among them it was only to. find fault notwith- standing the known danger to which a boy pedagogue, inevitably exposes himself. by reprimanding his young companions. a danger of which his growing courage had early taught him not to be afraid; for when attacked by a number of our school-