That was one of my finest conceptions";[6177] M. de Fontanes and the other university men did not comprehend this or want to comprehend it. Napoleon himself could give only a moment of attention to his school work, his halting-spells between two campaigns;[6178] in his absence, "they spoiled for him his best ideas"; "his executants "never perfectly carried out his intentions. "He scolded, and they bowed to the storm, but not the less continued on in the usual way." Fourcroy kept too much of the Revolution in mind, and Fontanes too much of the ancient régime; the former was too much a man of science, and the latter too much a man of letters; with such capacities they laid too great stress on intellectual culture and too little on discipline of the feelings. In education, literature and science are "secondary" matters; the essential thing is training, an early, methodical, prolonged, irresistible training which, through the convergence of every means--lessons, examples and habits--inculcates "principles," and lastingly impresses on young souls "the national doctrine," a sort of social and political catechism, the first article of which commands fanatical docility, passionate devotion, and the total surrender of one's self to the Emperor.[6179] ***** [Footnote 6101: (and obviously the aim of all other dictatorships. (SR.))] [Footnote 6102: Pelet de la Lozère, 161. (Speech by Napoleon to the Council of State, March 11, 1806.)] [Footnote 6103: Our last son entered the French School system at the age of 5 in 1984 and his school record followed him from school to school until he left 13 years later with his terminal exam, the Baccalaureat. (SR.)] [Footnote 6104: What a wonderful procedure, it was to be copied and used by all the dominant rulers of the 20th century. Taine's book is, however, not to be let into immature hands, so no wonder it was hardly ever referred to by those who had profited by it. (SR.)] [Footnote 6105: A. de Beauchamp, Recueil des lois et réglements sur l'enseignement supérior, 4 vol. ( (Rapport of Fourcroy to the Corps Législatif, May 6, 1806.) "How important it is... that the mode of education admitted to be the best should add to this advantage, that of being uniform for the whole Empire, teaching the same knowledge, inculcating the same principles on individuals who must live together in the same society, forming in some way but one body, possessing but one mind, and all contributing to the public good through unanimity of sentiment and action."] [Footnote 6106: Pelet de la Lozère, 154.] [Footnote 6107: A. de Beauchamp, ibid. (Decree of March 7, 1808.)--Special and collateral schools which teach subjects not taught in the lycées, for example the living languages, which are confined to filling a gap, and do not compete with the lycées, are subject to previous authorization and to university pay.] [Footnote 6108: Pelet de la Lozère, p. 170. (Session of the Council of State, March 20, 1806).]