not less perverse than the Convention, had retained the horrible 21st of January among the festivals of the Republic.  One of Bonaparte’s first ideas on attaining the possession of power was to abolish this; but such was the ascendency of the abettors of the fearful event that he could not venture on a straightforward course.  He and his two colleagues, who were Sieyes and Roger Ducos, signed, on the 5th Nivose, a decree, setting forth that in future the only festivals to be celebrated by the Republic were the 1st Vendemiaire and the 14th of July, intending by this means to consecrate provisionally the recollection of the foundation of the Republic and of liberty.

All was calculation with Bonaparte.  To produce effect was his highest gratification.  Thus he let slip no opportunity of saying or doing things which were calculated to dazzle the multitude.  While at the Luxembourg, he went sometimes accompanied by his ‘aides de camp’ and sometimes by a Minister, to pay certain official visits.  I did not accompany him on these occasions; but almost always either on his return, after dinner, or in the evening, he related to me what he had done and said.  He congratulated himself on having paid a visit to Daubenton, at the Jardin des Plantes, and talked with great self-complacency of the distinguished way in which he had treated the contemporary of Buffon.

On the 24th Brumaire he visited the prisons.  He liked to make these visits unexpectedly, and to take the governors of the different public establishments by surprise; so that, having no time to make their preparations, he might see things as they really were.  I was in his cabinet when he returned, for I had a great deal of business to go through in his absence.  As he entered he exclaimed, “What brutes these Directors are!  To what a state they have brought our public establishments!  But, stay a little!  I will put all in order.  The prisons are in a shockingly unwholesome state, and the prisoners miserably fed.  I questioned them, and I questioned the jailers, for nothing is to be learned from the superiors.  They, of course, always speak well of their own work!  When I was in the Temple I could not help thinking of the unfortunate Louis XVI.  He was an excellent man, but too amiable, too gentle for the times.  He knew not how to deal with mankind!  And Sir Sidney Smith!  I made them show me his apartment.  If the fools had not let him escape I should have taken St. Jean d’Acre!  There are too many painful recollections connected with that prison!  I will certainly have it pulled down some day or other!  What do you think I did at the Temple?  I ordered the jailers’ books to be brought to me, and finding that some hostages were still in confinement I liberated them.  ‘An unjust law,’ said I, ’has deprived you of liberty; my first duty is to restore it to you.’  ‘Was not this well done, Bourrienne?’ As I was, no less than Bonaparte himself, an enemy to the revolutionary laws, I congratulated him sincerely; and he was very sensible to my approbation, for I was not accustomed to greet him with “Good; very good,” on all occasions.  It is true, knowing his character as I did, I avoided saying anything that was calculated to offend him; but when I said nothing, he knew very well how to construe my silence.  Had I flattered him I should have continued longer in favour.