Page:Entertaining history of the early years of General Bonaparte (2).pdf/7

( 7  ) fellows, whom his offensive raillieers had provoked. I have seen him repel with the utmost sang froid their blows and united efforts ! Thus so young, Bonaparte 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.

Bonaparte shewed very early the desire, lot rather the deed of liberty. The love of his country the island of Corsica, which he then considered as his native home, triumphed already over the sentiment of gratitude due to the bounty of the king. The idea or dependance appear to him degarding, he was humbled by it, and often indignant to be exposed to the mali- cious 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 whether from carelessness or dislike, he gave but little application to the study of the Latin tongue  This negligence ap- pears so much the more astonishing, as his