"I will do these French all the mischief I can;" and when I tried to
pacify him he would say, "But you do not ridicule me; you like me."

Father Patrauld, our mathematical professor, was much attached to
Bonaparte. He was justly proud of him as a pupil. The other professors,
in whose classes he was not distinguished, took little notice of him.
He had no taste for the study of languages, polite literature, or the
arts. As there were no indications of his ever becoming a scholar, the
pedants of the establishment were inclined to think him stupid. His
superior intelligence was, however, sufficiently perceptible, even
through the reserve under which it was veiled. If the monks to whom the
superintendence of the establishment was confided had understood the
organisation of his mind, if they had engaged more able mathematical
professors, or if we had had any incitement to the study of chemistry,
natural philosophy, astronomy, etc., I am convinced that Bonaparte would
have pursued these sciences with all the genius and spirit of
investigation which he displayed in a career, more brilliant it is true,
but less useful to mankind. Unfortunately, the monks did not perceive
this, and were too poor to pay for good masters. However, after
Bonaparte left the college they found it necessary to engage two
professors from Paris, otherwise the college would have fallen to
nothing. These two new professors, MM. Durfort and Desponts, finished my
education; and I regretted that they did not come sooner. The often-
repeated assertion of Bonaparte having received a careful education at
Brienne is therefore untrue. The monks were incapable of giving it him;
and, for my own part, I must confess that the extended information of the
present day is to me a painful contrast with the limited course of
education I received at the Military College. It is only surprising that
the establishment should have produced a single able man.