On 12 March 1811, the students of an imperial lyceum in Paris received for the subject of composition the speech of Louis de Fontanes① to Napoleon on his return from his campaign against Austria. This speech was a tissue of eulogies from beginning to end.
One of the young students quitted his form, went up to the professor, and delivered to him his notebook, on which he had written a quotation from J B Rousseau②: "And can I force my lips to praise a ferocious hero, born for the misfortune of mankind?"
When Napoleon was informed of the circumstance, he asked, "Has this young man any talents? Does he promise to become a good soldier?" On being told that he was one of the ablest students of the class, Napoleon said, "Very well, let him give vent to his passion. I shall present him with a handsome epaulet, and he will one day become one of my best officers."
一八一一年三月十二日，巴黎一所王室書院的學生接到作文題目，文章要以路易．德封塔納①致拿破崙的講詞為據。那篇講詞，徹頭徹尾是歌頌剛從奧地利征戰回來的拿破崙。
一個年輕學生離開座位，走到教授跟前，展示他的筆記本，其上寫了盧梭②的一句話：「我怎能強違良心，歌頌為患人類的殘暴英雄？」
拿破崙聽到這件事，問道：「那年輕人的才能怎樣？可以成為出色軍人嗎？」言事者說那年輕人是個優秀學生，拿破崙就說：「那很好，由他發洩一下激烈情懷吧。我會委任他做軍官。他有一天會成為我的得力助手。」
①路易．德封塔納是法國詩人兼政客。
②盧梭是法國詩人兼劇作家，一七四一年去世。