Hehadnotasteforthestudyoflanguages，politeliterature，orthearts.Astherewerenoindicationsofhiseverbecomingascholar，thepedantsoftheestablishmentwereinclinedtothinkhimstupid.Hissuperiorintelligencewas，however，sufficientlyperceptible，eventhroughthereserveunderwhichitwasveiled.Ifthemonkstowhomthesuperintendenceoftheestablishmentwasconfidedhadunderstoodtheorganisationofhismind，iftheyhadengagedmoreablemathematicalprofessors，orifwehadhadanyincitementtothestudyofchemistry，naturalphilosophy，astronomy，etc.，IamconvincedthatBonapartewouldhavepursuedthesescienceswithallthegeniusandspiritofinvestigationwhichhedisplayedinacareer，morebrilliantitistrue，butlessusefultomankind.Unfortunately，themonksdidnotperceivethis，andweretoopoortopayforgoodmasters.However，afterBonaparteleftthecollegetheyfounditnecessarytoengagetwoprofessorsfromParis，otherwisethecollegewouldhavefallentonothing.Thesetwonewprofessors，MM.DurfortandDesponts，finishedmyeducation;andIregrettedthattheydidnotcomesooner.Theoften—
repeatedassertionofBonapartehavingreceivedacarefuleducationatBrienneisthereforeuntrue.Themonkswereincapableofgivingithim;
and，formyownpart，ImustconfessthattheextendedinformationofthepresentdayistomeapainfulcontrastwiththelimitedcourseofeducationIreceivedattheMilitaryCollege.Itisonlysurprisingthattheestablishmentshouldhaveproducedasingleableman.
ThoughBonapartehadnoreasontobesatisfiedwiththetreatmenthereceivedfromhiscomrades，yethewasabovecomplainingofit;andwhenhehadthesupervisionofanydutywhichtheyinfringed，hewouldrathergotoprisonthandenouncethecriminals.
Iwasonedayhisaccompliceinomittingtoenforceadutywhichwewereappointedtosupervise.Heprevailedonmetoaccompanyhimtoprison，whereweremainedthreedays.Wesufferedthissortofpunishmentseveraltimes，butwithlessseverity.