Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
uncovered, the Abbe Vignale repeated the usual prayers, and the body was
let down into the grave with the feet to the east. The artillery then
fired three salutes in succession of fifteen discharges each. The
Admiral's vessel had fired during the procession twenty-five minute guns
from time to time. A huge stone, which was to have been employed in
the building of the new house of the Emperor, was now used to close his
grave, and was lowered till it rested on a strong stone wall so as not
to touch the coffin. While the grave was closed the crowd seized upon
the willows, which the former presence of Napoleon had already rendered
objects of veneration. Every one was ambitious to possess a branch or
some leaves of these trees which were henceforth to shadow the tomb of
this great man, and to preserve them as a precious relic of so memorable
a scene. The Governor and Admiral endeavoured to prevent this outrage,
but in vain. The Governor, however, surrounded the spot afterwards with
a barricade, where he placed a guard to keep off all intruders. The
tomb of the Emperor was about a league from Longwood. It was of a
quadrangular shape, wider at top than at bottom; the depth about twelve
feet. The coffin was placed on two strong pieces of wood, and was
detached in its whole circumference.
The companions of Napoleon returned to France, and the island gradually
resumed its former quiet state, while the willows weeping over the grave
guarded the ashes of the man for whom Europe had been all too small.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
A sect cannot be destroyed by cannon-balls Ability in making it be
supposed that he really possessed talent Absurdity of interfering with
trifles Admired him more for what he had the fortitude not to do Always
proposing what he knew could not be honourably acceded to An old man's
blessing never yet harmed any one Animated by an unlucky zeal Buried for
the purpose of being dug up Calumny such powerful charms Cause of war
between the United States and England Conquest can only be regarded as
the genius of destruction Demand everything, that you may obtain nothing
Die young, and I shall have some consolatory reflection Every time we
go to war with them we teach them how to beat us Every one cannot be
an atheist who pleases Go to England. The English like wrangling
politicians God in his mercy has chosen Napoleon to be his
representative on earth Grew more angry as his anger was less regarded
Had neither learned nor forgotten anything I have made sovereigns,
but have not wished to be one myself I do not live--I merely exist
Ideologues Immortality is the recollection one leaves Kings feel they
are born general: whatever else they cannot do Kiss the feet of Popes
provided their hands are tied Let women mind their knitting Malice
delights to blacken the characters of prominent men Manufacturers
of phrases More glorious to merit a sceptre than to possess one Most
celebrated people lose on a close view Necessary to let men and things
take their course Nothing is changed in France: there is only
one Frenchman more Put some gold lace on the coats of my virtuous
republicans Religion is useful to the Government Rights of misfortune
are always sacred Something so seductive in popular enthusiasm Strike
their imaginations by absurdities than by rational ideas Submit to
events, that he might appear to command them Tendency to sell the skin
of the bear before killing him That consolation which is always left
to the discontented The boudoir was often stronger than the cabinet The
wish and the reality were to him one and the same thing Those who are
free from common prejudices acquire others To leave behind him no traces
of his existence Treaties of peace no less disastrous than the wars
Treaty, according to custom, was called perpetual Trifles honoured with
too much attention Were made friends of lest they should become enemies
When a man has so much money he cannot have got it honestly Would enact
the more in proportion as we yield Yield to illusion when the truth was
not satisfactory