The Second Funeral of Napoleon
Page: 40

for shoebuckles. Where, for instance, would the Empire of Napoleon
have been, if Ney and Lannes had never sported such a thing as a
coat-of-arms, and had only written their simple names on their
shields, after the fashion of Desaix's scutcheon yonder?--the bold
Republican who led the crowning charge at Marengo, and sent the best
blood of the Holy Roman Empire to the right-about, before the
wretched misbegotten imperial heraldry was born, that was to prove
so disastrous to the father of it. It has always been so. They
won't amalgamate. A country must be governed by the one principle
or the other. But give, in a republic, an aristocracy ever so
little chance, and it works and plots and sneaks and bullies and
sneers itself into place, and you find democracy out of doors. Is
it good that the aristocracy should so triumph?--that is a question
that you may settle according to your own notions and taste; and
permit me to say, I do not care twopence how you settle it. Large
books have been written upon the subject in a variety of languages,
and coming to a variety of conclusions. Great statesmen are there
in our country, from Lord Londonderry down to Mr. Vincent, each in
his degree maintaining his different opinion. But here, in the
matter of Napoleon, is a simple fact: he founded a great, glorious,
strong, potent republic, able to cope with the best aristocracies in
the world, and perhaps to beat them all; he converts his republic
into a monarchy, and surrounds his monarchy with what he calls
aristocratic institutions; and you know what becomes of him. The
people estranged, the aristocracy faithless (when did they ever
pardon one who was not of themselves?)--the imperial fabric tumbles
to the ground. If it teaches nothing else, my dear, it teaches one
a great point of policy--namely, to stick by one's party.

While these thoughts (and sundry others relative to the horrible
cold of the place, the intense dulness of delay, the stupidity of
leaving a warm bed and a breakfast in order to witness a procession
that is much better performed at a theatre)--while these thoughts
were passing in the mind, the church began to fill apace, and you