to be reduced to three, and that Lucien, Joseph, and M.
de Talleyrand were to divide among them the different portfolios. Lucien
helped to circulate these reports, and this increased the First Consul's
dissatisfaction at his conduct. The letters from Madrid, which were
filled with complaints against him, together with some scandalous
adventures, known in Paris, such as his running away with the wife of a
'limonadier', exceedingly annoyed Bonaparte, who found his own family
more difficult to govern than France.

France, indeed, yielded with admirable facility to the yoke which, the
First Consul wished to impose on her. How artfully did he undo all that
the Revolution had done, never neglecting any means of attaining his
object! He loved to compare the opinions of those whom he called the
Jacobins with the opinions of the men of 1789; and even them he found too
liberal. He felt the ridicule which was attached to the mute character
of the Legislative Body, which he called his deaf and dumb assembly. But
as that ridicule was favourable to him he took care to preserve the
assembly as it was, and to turn it into ridicule whenever he spoke of it.
In general, Bonaparte's judgment must not be confounded with his actions.
His accurate mind enabled him to appreciate all that was good; but the
necessity of his situation enabled him to judge with equal shrewdness
what was useful to himself.

What I have just said of the Senate affords me an opportunity of
correcting an error which has frequently been circulated in the chit-chat
of Paris. It has erroneously been said of some persons that they refused
to become members of the Senate, and among the number have been mentioned
M. Ducis, M. de La Fayette, and the Marechal de Rochambeau. The truth
is, that no such refusals were ever made. The following fact, however,
may have contributed to raise these reports and give them credibility.
Bonaparte used frequently to say to persons in his salon and in his
cabinet; "You should be a Senator--a man like you should be a Senator."
But these complimentary words did not amount to a nomination. To enter
the Senate certain legal forms were to be observed. It was necessary to
be presented by the Senate, and after that presentation no one ever
refused to become a member of the body, to which Bonaparte gave
additional importance by the creation of "Senatoreries."--[Districts
presided over by a Senator.]--This creation took place in the beginning
of 18