dominant impulses, in every branch of private or public life, is
immense, and constitutes a distinct and permanent social force of the
highest order. Every political calculation is unsound if it is omitted
or treated as something of no consequence, and the head of a State is
bound to comprehend the nature of it if he would estimate its
grandeur.



II. Napoleon's opinions and methods.

Napoleon's opinions on religion and religious belief. - His motives in
preferring established and positive religions. - Difficulty in
defining the limit between spiritual and temporal authority. - Except
in Catholic countries, both united in one hand. - Impossible to effect
this union in France arbitrarily. - Napoleon's way of attaining this
end by another process. - His intention of overcoming spiritual
authority through temporal interests.

This is what Napoleon does. As usual with him, in order to see deeper
into others, he begins by examining himself:

"To say from whence I came, what I am, or where I am going, is above
my comprehension. I am the watch that runs, but unconscious of
itself."

These questions, which we are unable to answer,

"drive us onward to religion; we rush forward to welcome her, for that
is our natural tendency. But knowledge comes and we stop short.