(1) When Buonaparte left the Chamber of Deputies to go and fight his
last fatal battle, he advised them not to be debating the forms of
Constitutions when the enemy was at their gates. Benjamin Constant
thought otherwise. He wanted to play a game at _cat's-cradle_ between
the Republicans and Royalists, and lost his match. He did not care, so
that he hampered a more efficient man than himself.
(2) A thorough fitness for any end implies the means. Where there is a
will, there is a way. A real passion, an entire devotion to any object,
always succeeds. The strong sympathy with what we wish and imagine
realises it, dissipates all obstacles, and removes all scruples. The
disappointed lover may complain as much as he pleases. He was himself to
blame. He was a half-witted, _wishy-washy_ fellow. His love might be as
great as he makes it out; but it was not his ruling passion. His fear,
his pride, his vanity was greater. Let any one's whole soul be steeped
in this passion; let him think and care for nothing else; let nothing
divert, cool, or intimidate him; let the _ideal_ feeling become an
actual one and take possession of his whole faculties, looks, and
manner; let the same voluptuous hopes and wishes govern his actions in
the presence of his mistress that haunt his fancy in her absence, and I
will answer for his success. But I will not answer for the success of 'a
dish of skimmed milk' in such a case.--I could always get to see a fine
collection of pictures myself. The fact is, I was set upon it. Neither
the surliness of porters nor the impertinence of footmen could keep me
back. I had a portrait of Titian in my eye, and nothing could put me out
in my determination. If that had not (as it were) been looking on me
all the time I was battling my way, I should have been irritated or
disconcerted, and gone away. But my liking to the end conquered my
scruples or aversion to the means. I never understood the Scotch
character but on these occasions. I would not take 'No' for an answer.
If I had wanted a place under government or a writership to India, I
could have got it from the same importunity, and on the same terms.