vitiated taste demanded only sycophants and slaves. Yet his penetration into real character, enabled him generally to select and confirm men in public situations whose talents peculiarly qualified them for such appointments. Public works of utility and grandeur were either commenced, or vigorously prosecuted; and it must be allowed, that in this particular instance, he identified the real and permanent interests of France with his own personal glory. The anti-commercial system was enforced with the greatest sincerity abroad, but wisely relaxed at home, by the system of granting licences. As if satiated with the military fame he had acquired, he abandoned his project of returning to Spain, where, in his absence, the fortune of the war had been chequered, but where, in every instance, British valour had prevailed over French impetuosity.

We regret that our limits in the present work will not allow us to follow the Fabius of England, soon to become her Scipio in the bright path of his achievements; but the monuments of a glory like his do not rest upon the ephemeral foundation of a memoir. They are constructed on the solid basis of the gratitude of his country, and the admiration of his contemporaries. The latest posterity will recur to them with pride and exultation.

One cause of Napoleon's inactivity is to be sought in the resolution he had formed to repudiate Josephine, (whose age precluded the possibility of his having an heir to the empire,) and marry another wife. This unjustifiable measure, adopted on the plea of state necessity, rivetted the attention of all Europe. In a full assembly of the senate, the marriage was dissolved, and Josephine was content to assume the title and enjoy the revenues of Dowager Empress. It is due to this woman to state, that in the high rank to which her husband's genius and fortune had raised her, she had borne her faculties meekly: that he lost in her a faithful friend and a sagacious counsellor; the unhappy and oppressed, a zealous, and often a successful advocate; one whose timely interposition arrested the arm of lawless power, when uplifted

to crush and to destroy. The frailties of her youth have been forgotten, and her memory will long be cherished, and respected by the French nation.

Napoleon did not hesitate in the choice of Josephine's successor. Who that successor would be was a problem that excited the curiosity of Europe; and when the riddle was expounded, astonishment succeeded to curiosity. The Archduchess Maria Louisa, the daughter of the Emperor Francis, whom Napoleon had thrice humbled to the dust, was the destined bride. This princess, in her nineteenth year, eminently accomplished, and possessed of considerable personal attractions, is said to have received and accepted the honour not only with resignation, but even pleasure. Had not Napoleon been previously married, or had he been freed by the stroke of death from the shackles of a former engagement, this rumoured predilection would not have excited any rational wonder. The conqueror of continental Europe, whose diadem was encircled with the halo of almost uninterrupted victory, himself the creator of kings, and the arbiter of the fate of nations, eminently endowed, when he chose to display them, with many of those brilliant qualities which captivate the hearts of women, although he would have been at first considered by the Archduchess as the implacable enemy of her house, yet feelings of admiration might, and probably did, speedily succeed to those of terror and disgust. To give additional splendour to the embassy sent to Vienna to demand the Archduchess, the Prince of Neufchatel (the right arm of Napoleon, as he was termed) was selected. Every point having been previously adjusted, Maria Louisa repaired to France. Napoleon proceeded to the frontiers to receive and welcome her. The nuptials were celebrated with all possible magnificence at Paris, on the 11th of March, 1810. Four queens, the consorts of as many sovereigns raised to that rank by Napoleon, supported the train of the bride. With his usual policy, Napoleon availed himself of the occasion to propitiate the army; he promised to bestow a portion of 600 franes (about 307. sterling,) upon 6000 young girls, who should espouse, on the day of his mar

riage, as many soldiers, recommended for their good conduct by their officers. Innumerable fêtes succeeded. His vanity, his ambition, and his senses being alike gratified by this splendid alliance, Buonaparte no longer displayed that marvellous and unrelaxing energy which had astonished and terrified mankind. For a long period business was an irksome distraction. It was now Hercules with the distaff of Omphale.

The year 1811 was distinguished by the dethronement of the King of Sweden. This prince had strenuously opposed Napoleon in all his projects, not only in the field, but in the cabinet, and by repeated proclamations; but neither his talents, resources, nor the position of circumstances, favoured his designs. The war still lingered between Sweden and France, all the disadvantages of which recoiled on the latter power. A strong party was formed against the King. He was deposed, and his uncle, the Duke of Sudermania, raised to the throne. The succession was settled upon the Prince of Augustenburg, on the demise of the reigning King: this prince dying soon after without issue, the crown was rendered elective. Many candidates presented themselves; but the choice of the Swedish Diet, assembled at Orebro, fell on Marshal Bernadotte, Prince of Porto Corvo, formerly a serjeant in the French army in India at the siege of Cuddalore, and brother-in-law of Joseph Buonaparte, the titular King of Spain. In contemplating the results of his extraordinary elevation, who does not recognize that Almighty wisdom, which moulds to its beneficent purposes the various and jarring elements of which humanity is composed.

In the course of this year the hopes of Napoleon were crowned by the birth of a son, who was created King of Rome; and now a second opportunity was afforded of consolidating his power, by returning to the paths of moderation and justice; but, pursued by a blind fatality, he undertook a war with Russia, in opposition, as it should appear, to the plainest dictates of a sound and enlightened policy; and fell into the like error which gave rise to the misfortunes of Charles V. and Philip II., namely, the undertaking of different

enterprizes at the same time, which exceeded the physical resources of his empire, great as they were, even when wielded by himself.

It will be recollected, that after the treaty of Tilsit, a powerful French army was stationed in the Duchy of Warsaw, and occupied the maritime fortresses of Prussia. By this measure a continual check was opposed to the designs of Russia, who beheld herself straightened and overawed: hence a natural and increasing jealousy. It is generally known, that, at the treaty of Tilsit, the Emperor of Russia engaged to close the ports of his dominions against British commerce. This requisition was to be common to both powers, who were the principal parties to that treaty. Out of France it was strictly enforced by Napoleon; but in the interior of that country it was modified by the system of licences. The Emperor Alexander was naturally desirous of mitigating to his subjects the rigour of this anti-commercial restriction; but on this head Napoleon was inflexible. The breach between the two courts grew daily wider, and was aggravated by the insult wantonly offered by Napoleon to Alexander, in the seizure of the territories of the Duke of Oldenburgh, brother-in-law to the latter prince. War now became inevitable, and both parties prepared for the conflict. On the side of Napoleon, the army which he assembled was prodigious, greater probably than had ever been beheld in Europe since the invasion of Attila. It was composed of troops of all nations, and amounted to 400,000 infantry and 60,000 cavalry, well equipped, perfectly disciplined, and marching, as they conceived, under the banner of their great leader, to an assured conquest.

In the beginning of May, 1812, Napoleon having dictated a decree of the senate, which called into activity within the limits of the empire (now swelled by the incorporation of so many states) 60,000 national guards, left Paris with the Empress, and proceeded to Dresden, where he met the Emperor and Empress of Austria, and almost all the sovereigns of Germany. He left that city June 7th, and having reviewed the greater part of his troops on the plains of Friedland, he gave orders to

cross the Niemen. The memorable passage of this river was effected on the 23d and 24th of June, and the French army then plunged into the deserts of Russia.

On the part of the Russians, the plan of the campaign was strictly defensive. Accordingly, their army retreated, destroying what they could not remove, and avoiding a general action. The main Russian force was divided into two bodies, acting separately, but in close correspondence with each other.

Aware of this arrangement, Napoleon skilfully moved a portion of his army in such a direction as to enable it to interpose between the two great Russian divisions.

It appears to have been a part of his plan not only to have separated these corps, but, by a rapid counter-march, to have surrounded and destroyed them. He complained in his bulletins that his officers, Davoust and Prince Poniatowski, did not pursue the Russians with sufficient vigour; but a different version of the causes of the failure of this masterly scheme has been given by the Russians. They represent that no impression was made upon the rear guards of the Russian army; but that, on the contrary, the French were repulsed with severe loss, in many encounters.

Having thus made his dispositions for the opening of the campaign, Napoleon proceeded to Wilna, the metropolis of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where he remained for many days, occupying himself with the reestablishment of the ancient kingdom of Poland. In the mean time his army advanced in different columns; some in the direction of Smolensko, others towards the Dwina. A confederation having been entered into at Wilna to re-unite the scattered fragments of the Polish monarchy, (under one administration,) Napoleon, dissatisfied with the conduct of the officer he had directed to pursue the enemy, rejoined the army, which, by this time, had made deep inroads into the Russian empire. The King of Naples (Murat), who commanded the cavalry, accompanied by other French corps, arrived on the banks of the Dwina, where the Russians occupied the entrenched camp of Drissa; from this