Your yourself could
not have said that better." But notwithstanding that this is said in
the pastoral letter, it is again said in the catechism. No
ecclesiastical publication is more important: all Catholic children
are to learn this by heart, for the phrases they recite will be firmly
fixed in their memories. Bossuet's catechism is good enough, but it
may be improved, - there is nothing that time, reflection, emulation,
and administrative zeal cannot render perfect! Bossuet teaches
children "to respect all superiors, pastors, kings, magistrates, and
the rest." "But these generalities," says Portalis,[108] "no longer
suffice. They do not give the proper tendency to the subject's
submission. The object is to center the popular conscience on the
person of Your Majesty." Accordingly, let us be precise, make
appointments and secure support.
The imperial catechism, a great deal more explicit than the royal
catechism, adds significant development to the old one, along with
extra motives:
"We specially owe to our Emperor, Napoleon the First, love, respect,
obedience, fidelity, military service, and tributes ordained for the
preservation of the empire and his throne.
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