feeling that no
emotion of the heart ever influenced him."

In all that Madame de Stael says of Napoleon, there is an evident
feeling of pique, and of mortified vanity. Hitherto triumphant in
society, she now met with one upon whom all her powers were tried in
vain. An opportunity of testing this occurred at an early period.
Bonaparte proposed to the Directory the invasion of Switzerland;
upon which she sought a conference with him, in the hope of turning
him from his purpose. He viewed the interference as impertinent,
and the matter entirely out of a woman's province: from deference
to her reputation, however, he entered into a discussion of the
matter, and, having said as much as he thought ought to convince her,
turned the conversation to other subjects, much to Madame de Stael's
mortification, who could not bear to be treated like a mere woman.

When Bonaparte became first consul, Madame de Stael did not hesitate
to express openly her dissatisfaction at his rising power. Joseph
Bonaparte, of whom she was fond, remonstrated with her. "My brother,"
said he, "complains of you. 'Why,' said he, yesterday, 'does not
Madame de Stael attach herself to my government? What does she want?
The payment of the money due her father? She shall have it. To remain
in Paris? I will permit it. In short, what does she want?'" "The
question is not what I want," replied Madame de Stael, "but what I
think."

There was one thing which operated as a check on her, and that was,
the fear of being obliged to leave Paris. The possibility of such a
catastrophe filled her with wretchedness. Away from the society and
the excitements of that capital, she was the victim of _ennui_: her
own brilliant powers of mind furnished her with no protection; she had
no internal resources for happiness. Hear her own confession: "In this
point was I vulnerable. The phantom of _ennui_ forever pursues me;
fear of it would have made me bow before tyranny, if the example of my
father, and the blood which flowed in my veins, had not raised me
above such weakness."

The "dispensation of _ennui_" she viewed as the most terrible exercise
of Bonaparte's power. But even her fear of it would not control the
ruling passion: she continued to discourse on politics, though to a
constantly diminishing audience, and to excite those with whom she
possessed influence to oppose the measures of government, until the
forbearance of that government was exhausted, and she received