The masquerade of official dresses was not the only one which Bonaparte summoned to the aid of his policy.  At that period of the year VIII. which corresponded with the carnival of 1800, masques began to be resumed at Paris.  Disguises were all the fashion, and Bonaparte favoured the revival of old amusements; first, because they were old, and next, because they were, the means of diverting the attention of the people:  for, as he had established the principle that on the field of battle it is necessary to divide the enemy in order to beat him, he conceived it no less advisable to divert the people in order to enslave them.  Bonaparte did not say ‘panem et circenses’, for I believe his knowledge of Latin did not extend even to that well-known phrase of Juvenal, but he put the maxim in practice.  He accordingly authorised the revival of balls at the opera, which they who lived during that period of the Consulate know was an important event in Paris.  Some gladly viewed it as a little conquest in favour of the old regime; and others, who for that very reason disapproved it, were too shallow to understand the influence of little over great things.  The women and the young men did not bestow a thought on the subject, but yielded willingly to the attractions of pleasure.  Bonaparte, who was delighted at having provided a diversion for the gossiping of the Parisian salons, said to me one day, “While they are chatting about all this, they do not babble upon politics, and that is what I want.  Let them dance and amuse themselves as long as they do not thrust their noses into the Councils of the Government; besides, Bourrienne,” added he, “I have other reasons for encouraging this, I see other advantages in it.  Trade is languishing; Fouche tells me that there are great complaints.  This will set a little money in circulation; besides, I am on my guard about the Jacobins.  Everything is not bad, because it is not new.  I prefer the opera-balls to the saturnalia of the Goddess of Reason.  I was never so enthusiastically applauded as at the last parade.”

A Consular decision of a different and more important nature had, shortly before, namely, at the commencement of Nivose, brought happiness to many families.  Bonaparte, as every one knows, had prepared the events of the 18th Fructidor that he might have some plausible reasons for overthrowing the Directors.  The Directory being overthrown, he was now anxious, at least in part, to undo what he had done on the 18th Fructidor.  He therefore ordered a report on the persons exiled to be presented to him by the Minister of Police.  In consequence of this report he authorised forty of them to return to France, placing them under the observation of the Police Minister, and assigning them their place of residence.  However, they did not long remain under these restrictions, and many of them were soon called to fill high places in the Government.  It was indeed natural that Bonaparte, still wishing, at least in appearance, to found his government on those principles of moderate republicanism which had caused their exile, should invite them to second his views.