Napoleon Bonaparte 489 and this habit came to his aid when he wanted to recognize a soldier and to give him the pleasure of a cheering word from his general. He spoke to the subalterns in a tone of good-fellowship, which delighted them all, as he reminded them of their common feats of arms. Afterwards when his armies became so numerous and his battles so deadly, he disdained to exercise this kind of fas- cination. Besides, death had extinguished so many remem- brances that in a few years it became difficult for him to find any great number of the companions of his early exploits ; and when he addressed his soldiers before lead- ing them into battle, it was as a perpetually renewed pos- terity to which the preceding and destroyed army had bequeathed its glory. But even this somber style of en- couragement availed for a long time with a nation which believed itself to be fulfilling its destiny while sending its sons year after year to die for Bonaparte. BIBLIOGRAPHY Youth of Bonaparte : F< hknier, Napoleon, Chaps. I and II, pp. 1-37. A. Refer First Italian Campaign : 1'ournier, Chapter V, pp. 72-1 10 ; Iviii. men. History of Modem Europe. Chapter III, pp. 74-103. The Egyptian Expedition: Fournif.r, Chapter VI, pp. 111-153. Overthrow of the Directory and Establishment of the Consulate : Fournier, Chapter VII, pp. [54-187; Fyffe, Chapter IV, pp. 104-144. [For the general bibliography of the Napoleonic period, see close of the following chapter.]
