tion.
The prodigious variations of fortune which he has experienced, the
activity of his life, the immense commercial operations in which he has
been engaged; the extent and the boldness of his enterprises, render it
necessary, in forming a judgment of M. Ouvrard, to examine his conduct
with due care and deliberation. The son of a stationer, who was able
merely through his own resources to play so remarkable a part, could be
no ordinary man. It may be said of M. Ouvrard what Beaumarchais said of
himself, that his life was really a combat. I have known him long, and I
saw much of him in his relations with Josephine. He always appeared to
me to possess great knowledge of the world, accompanied by honourable
principles, and a high degree of generosity, which added greatly to the
value of his prudence and discretion. No human power, no consideration,
not even the ingratitude of those whom he had obliged, could induce him
to disclose any sacrifice which he had made at the time when, under the
Directory, the public revenue may be said to have been always at the
disposal of the highest bidder, and when no business could be brought to
a conclusion except by him who set about it with his hands full of money.
To this security, with which M. Ouvrard impressed all official persons
who rendered him services, I attribute the facility with which he
obtained the direction of the numerous enterprises in which he engaged,
and which produced so many changes in his fortune. The discretion of M.
Ouvrard was not quite agreeable to the First Consul, who found it
impossible to extract from him the information he wanted. He tried every
method to obtain from him the names of persons to whom he had given those
kind of subsidies which in vulgar language are called sops in the pan,
and by ladies pin money. Often have I seen Bonaparte resort to every
possible contrivance to gain his object. He would sometimes endeavour to
alarm M. Ouvrard by menaces, and at other times to flatter him by
promises, but he was in no instance successful.

While we were at the Luxembourg, on, as I recollect, the 25th of January
1800, Bonaparte said to me during breakfast, "Bourrienne, my resolution
is taken. I shall have Ouvrard arrested."--"General, have you proofs
against him?"--"Proofs, indeed! He is a money-dealer, a monopoliser; we
must make him disgorge. All the contractors, the provision agents, are
rogues. How have they made their fortunes? At the expense of the