he
occupied himself almost exclusively with regard to the means which he
held to be necessary to its attainment. The causes of the wars in which
he engaged were of little importance to him; but the immediate object of
all of them was the glory and aggrandizement of France; and to this
object his whole soul was devoted, and all the energies of the state
were directed.

In a general view, the imperial government may be said to have rested on
the following foundations.

In the first place, it rested on the principle which was universally
acted on, of giving active employment, and animating encouragement, to
all men of talents or enterprise--to all whose friendship might be
useful, or whose enmity might be dangerous. The conscription carried off
the flower of the youthful population; parents were encouraged to send
their children; if they shewed any superior abilities, to the military
schools, whence they were rapidly promoted in the army. The formation of
the garde d'honneur effectually prevented all danger from a numerous
class of men, whose circumstances might have enabled them to exert
themselves in opposing public measures. In the civil administration of
the country, it was the system of Napoleon, from the beginning of his
career, to give employment to all who might be dangerous, if their
services were not secured. The prefects of towns and _arrondissements_,
were generally men of intelligence and information regarding the
characters of the inhabitants; and the persons recommended by them to
the immense number of situations in the police, in the collection of
taxes, &c. were always men of activity, enterprise, and ability: Birth,
education, and moral character, were altogether disregarded, and
religious principle was rather considered a fault than a recommendation.

The consequence was, that the young, the bold, the active, the
enterprising, the independent, were either attached to the imperial
government, or at least prevented from exerting themselves in opposition
to it; while those whom family cares, or laborious occupations, or
habits of indolence, or want of energy of mind, rendered unfit for
resistance to any government, were the only people whose interest it
was to resist that of Napoleon.

In the next place, while much was done by these means to secure the
support of the most important part of the nation to the imperial
government, the most effectual precautions were taken to prevent danger
to it, from th