ens.--" But," he is to say later, "I only half succeeded.
That was one of my finest conceptions";[6177] M. de Fontanes and the
other university men did not comprehend this or want to comprehend it.
Napoleon himself could give only a moment of attention to his school
work, his halting-spells between two campaigns;[6178] in his absence,
"they spoiled for him his best ideas"; "his executants "never perfectly
carried out his intentions. "He scolded, and they bowed to the storm,
but not the less continued on in the usual way." Fourcroy kept too much
of the Revolution in mind, and Fontanes too much of the ancient regime;
the former was too much a man of science, and the latter too much a
man of letters; with such capacities they laid too great stress on
intellectual culture and too little on discipline of the feelings. In
education, literature and science are "secondary" matters; the essential
thing is training, an early, methodical, prolonged, irresistible
training which, through the convergence of every means--lessons,
examples and habits--inculcates "principles," and lastingly impresses
on young souls "the national doctrine," a sort of social and political
catechism, the first article of which commands fanatical docility,
passionate devotion, and the total surrender of one's self to the
Emperor.[6179]

*****

[Footnote 6101: (and obviously the aim of all other dictatorships.
(SR.))]

[Footnote 6102: Pelet de la Lozere, 161. (Speech by Napoleon to the
Council of State, March 11, 1806.)]

[Footnote 6103: Our last son entered the French School system at the age
of 5 in 1984 and his school record followed him from school to school
until he left 13 years later with his terminal exam, the Baccalaureat.
(SR.)]

[Footnote 6104: What a wonderful procedure, it was to be copied and
used by all the dominant rulers of the 20th century. Taine's book is,
however, not to be let into immature hands, so no wonder it was hardly
ever referred to by those who had profited by it. (SR.)]

[Footnote 6105: A. de Beauchamp, Recueil des lois et reglements sur
l'enseignement superior, 4 vol. ( (Rapport of Fourcroy to the Corps
Legislatif, May 6, 1806.) "How important it is... that the mode of
education admitted to be the best should add to this advantage, that
of being uniform for the whole Empire, teaching the same knowledge,
inculcating the same principles on individuals who must live together in
the same society, forming in some way but