expected. "Look at the clergy,"[107] said the First Consul to
Roederer; "every day shows that in spite of themselves their devotion
to the government is increasing, and much beyond their anticipation.
Have you seen the pastoral declaration of Boisgelin, archbishop of
Tours? . . . He says that the actual government is the legitimate
government, that God disposes of thrones and kings as he pleases and
that he adopts the chiefs whom the people prefer. Your yourself could
not have said that better." But notwithstanding that this is said in
the pastoral letter, it is again said in the catechism. No
ecclesiastical publication is more important: all Catholic children
are to learn this by heart, for the phrases they recite will be firmly
fixed in their memories. Bossuet's catechism is good enough, but it
may be improved, - there is nothing that time, reflection, emulation,
and administrative zeal cannot render perfect! Bossuet teaches
children "to respect all superiors, pastors, kings, magistrates, and
the rest." "But these generalities," says Portalis,[108] "no longer
suffice. They do not give the proper tendency to the subject's
submission. The object is to center the popular conscience on the
person of Your Majesty." Accordingly, let us be precise, make
appointments and secure support.

The imperial catechism, a great deal more explicit than the royal
catechism, adds significant development to the old one, along with
extra motives:

"We specially owe to our Emperor, Napoleon the First, love, respect,
obedience, fidelity, military service, and tributes ordained for the
preservation of the empire and his throne. . . For God has raised him
up for us in times of peril that he might restore public worship and
the holy religion of our fathers and be its protector."