behind. The splendid palace
constructed on the plans of Gabriel early in the eighteenth century
still stands to attest the King's design of lodging his gentlemen
cadets in a style worthy of their high birth, and of educating them in
manners as well as of instructing them. The domestic arrangements had
been on a par with the regal lodgings of the corps. So far had matters
gone in the direction of elegance and luxury that as we have said the
establishment was closed. But it had been reopened within a few
months, about the end of 1777. While the worst abuses had been
corrected, yet still the food was, in quantity at least, lavish; there
were provided two uniforms complete each year, with underwear
sufficient for two changes a week, what was then considered a great
luxury; there was a great staff of liveried servants, and the officers
in charge were men of polished manners and of the highest distinction.
At the very close of his life Napoleon recalled the arrangements as
made for men of wealth. "We were fed and served splendidly, treated
altogether like officers, enjoying a greater competence than most of
our families, greater than most of us were destined to enjoy." At
sixteen and with his inexperience he was perhaps an incompetent judge.
Others, Vaublanc for example, thought there was more show than
substance.

[Footnote 7: This is the date given by himself on the
slip of paper headed "Epoques de ma vie" and contained
in the Fesch papers, now deposited in the Laurentian
Library at Florence. Here and there the text is very
difficult to decipher, but the line "Parti pour l'ecole
de Paris, le 30 Octobre 1784" is perfectly legible. Las
Cases, in the Memorial, Vol. I, p. 160, represents
Napoleon as quoting Keralio in declaring that it was not
for his birth or his attainments but for the qualities
he discerned in the boy that he sent him with imperfect
preparation to Paris.]

Be that as it may, Bonaparte's defiant scorn and habits of solitary
study grew stronger together. It is asserted that his humor found vent
in a preposterous and peevish memorial addressed to the minister of
war on the proper training of the pupils in French military schools!
He may have written it, but it is almost impossible that it should
ever have passed beyond the walls of the school, even, as is cl