andBonaparte，inallthevigourofhisgenius，wasoftensubjecttoaberrationsofjudgment;forthoughhisimaginationneverfailedhim，hisjudgmentwasfrequentlyatfault.
Thisfactmayservetoexplain，andperhapseventoexcusethefaultswithwhichtheFirstConsulhasbeenmostseriouslyreproached.Theactivityofhismindseldomadmittedofanintervalbetweentheconceptionandtheexecutionofadesign;butwhenhereflectedcoollyonthefirstimpulsesofhisimperiouswill，hisjudgmentdiscardedwhatwaserroneous.Thustheblindobedience，which，likeanepidemicdisease，infectedalmostallwhosurroundedBonaparte，wasproductiveofthemostfataleffects.ThebestwaytoservetheFirstConsulwasnevertolistentothesuggestionsofhisfirstideas，exceptonthefieldofbattle，wherehisconceptionswereashappyastheywererapid.Thus，forexample，MM.Maret，deChampagny，andSavaryevincedareadyobediencetoBonaparte’swishes，whichoftenprovedveryunfortunate，thoughdoubtlessdictatedbythebestintentionsontheirpart.TothisfatalzealmaybeattributedagreatportionofthemischiefwhichBonapartecommitted.Whenthemischiefwasdone，andpastremedy，Bonapartedeeplyregrettedit.HowoftenhaveIheardhimsaythatMaretwasanimatedbyanunluckyzeal！Thiswastheexpressionhemadeuseof.
M.deTalleyrandwasalmosttheonlyoneamongtheministerswhodidnotflatterBonaparte，andwhoreallyservedboththeFirstConsulandtheEmperor.WhenBonapartesaidtoM.deTalleyrand，\"Writesoandso，andsenditoffbyaspecialcourier，\"thatministerwasneverinahurrytoobeytheorder，becauseheknewthecharacteroftheFirstConsulwellenoughtodistinguishbetweenwhathispassiondictatedandwhathisreasonwouldapprove：inshort，heappealedfromPhilipdrunktoPhilipsober.WhenithappenedthatM.deTalleyrandsuspendedtheexecutionofanorder，Bonaparteneverevincedtheleastdispleasure.When，thedayafterhehadreceivedanyhastyandangryorder，M.deTalleyrandpresentedhimselftotheFirstConsul，thelatterwouldsay，\"Well，didyousendoffthecourier？\"——\"No，\"theministerwouldreply，\"ItookcarenottodosobeforeIshowedyoumyletter.\"ThentheFirstConsulwouldusuallyadd，\"UponsecondthoughtsIthinkitwouldbebestnottosendit.\"ThiswasthewaytodealwithBonaparte.WhenM.deTalleyrandpostponedsendingoffdespatches，orwhenImyselfhavedelayedtheexecutionofanorderwhichIknewhadbeendictatedbyanger，andhademanatedneitherfromhisheartnorhisunderstanding，Ihaveheardhimsayahundredtimes，\"Itwasright，quiteright.Youunderstandme：
Talleyrandunderstandsmealso.Thisisthewaytoserveme：theothersdonotleavemetimeforreflection：theyaretooprecipitate.\"FouchealsowasoneofthosewhodidnotonalloccasionsblindlyobeyBonaparte’scommands.Hisotherministers，ontheotherhand，whentoldtosendoffacourierthenextmorning，wouldhavemoreprobablysenthimoffthesameevening.Thiswasfromzeal，butwasnottheFirstConsulrightinsayingthatsuchzealwasunfortunate？
OfTalleyrandandFouche，intheirconnectionswiththeFirstConsul，itmightbesaidthattheonerepresentedtheConstituentAssembly，withaslightperfumeoftheoldregime，andtheothertheConventioninallitsbrutality.BonaparteregardedFoucheasacompletepersonificationoftheRevolution.Withhim，therefore，Fouche’sinfluencewasmerelytheinfluenceoftheRevolution.ThatgreateventwasoneofthosewhichhadmadethemostforcibleimpressiononBonaparte’sardentmind，andheimaginedhestillbehelditinavisibleformaslongasFouchecontinuedattheheadofhispolice.IamnowofopinionthatBonapartewasinsomedegreemisledastothevalueofFouche’sservicesasaminister.