Page:The Prince.djvu/20

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INTRODUCTION.



When the star of Buonaparte arose, it was mistaken for a meteor that blazes for a moment, and is seen no more; from its continuance, however, the world condescended to dignify it by the appellation of a comet, rapidly approaching its perihelion; yet here again they were mistaken: and after several mutations of opinion, they seem agreed to apply the epithet of Jupiter and his satellites to Buonaparte and his vassal kings. Of the beauty, aptitude, or force of the comparison, we will not offer an opinion. It is a matter of small moment whether we denominate him in the language of our Journals, "a Corsican adventurer," "an upstart," "a soldier of fortune," or, in the language of adulation with which his subjects ever salute him when he appears,

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