kings, the new ruler underlines[6150] among "the
bases of education," "the precepts of the Catholic religion," and this
phrase he writes himself with a marked intention; when first drawn
up, the Council of State had written the Christian religion; Napoleon
himself, in the definitive and public decree, substitutes the narrowest
term for the broadest.[6151] In this particular, he is politic, taking
one step more on the road on which he has entered through the Concordat,
desiring to conciliate Rome and the French clergy by seeming to give
religion the highest place.--But it is only a place for show, similar to
that which he assigns to ecclesiastical dignitaries in public ceremonies
and on the roll of precedence. He does not concern himself with
reanimating or even preserving earnest belief: far from that:

"it should be so arranged," he says,[6152] "that young people may be
neither too bigoted nor too incredulous: they should be adapted to the
state of the nation and of society."

All that can be demanded of them is external deference, personal
attendance on the ceremonies of worship, a brief prayer in Latin
muttered in haste at the beginning and end of each lesson,[6153] in
short, acts like those of raising one's hat or other public marks of
respect, such as the official attitudes imposed by a government, author
of the Concordat, on its military and civil staff. They likewise, the
lyceans and the collegians, are to belong to it and do already, Napoleon
thus forming his adult staff out of his juvenile staff.

In fact, it is for himself that he works, for himself alone, and not
at all for the Church whose ascendancy would prejudice his own; much
better, in private conversation, he declares that he had wished
to supplant it: his object in forming the University is first and
especially "to take education out of the hands of the priests.[6154]
They consider this world only as a vehicle for transportation to the
other," and Napoleon wants "the vehicle filled with good soldiers for
his armies," good functionaries for his administrations, and good,
zealous subjects for his service.--And, thereupon, in the decree which
organizes the University, and following after this phrase written for
effect, he states the real and fundamental truth.

"All the schools belonging to the University shall take for the basis of
their teaching loyalty to the Emperor, to the imperial monarchy to which
the happiness of the people is confided and to