HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



[67 



such power, much was to be hoped 

 or feared. If his arrival at Frejus 

 struck Europe with astonishment, 

 and raised a general expectation 

 of some approaching and important 

 changes in affairs political and mi- 

 litary, the presage was confirmed 

 and ratified by the proceedings at 

 St. Cloud, and the subsequent con- 

 stitution, formed so suddenly, as 

 has been said, by an union of phi- 

 losophy with the bayonet. 



The glory of the French arms 

 having fallen considerably into the 

 wane, while the conqueror of Italy 

 had become an adventurer, with 

 various fortune, but never without 

 renown in Egj'pt, he now appeared 

 on his return, to be the only arbiter, 

 who could change the course of 

 affairs, and decide the destinies of 

 France. As in our researches into 

 the history of ancient Gaul, before 

 the Christian sera, we are guided 

 solely by the commentaries of Julius 

 Caesar, and every where contem- 

 plate that renowned scholar and sol- 

 dier, as the principal figure in the 

 various scene ; so, in relating the 

 war of 1 800, one seems as if he were 

 writing the memoirs, and following 

 throughout, the designs, actions, 

 and fortune of Buonaparte. 



Scarcely had that fortunate 

 usurper, set his foot on the land of 

 France, when he perceived the 

 staggering state of the interior of 

 that kingdom, and learned the con- 

 sequences of the defeats which the 

 French had suffered in Italy. They 

 had been driven by the Austrians 

 and Russians, from all the places 

 which he himself had conquered. 

 Of these defeats he could not arrest 

 either the course or the progress. 

 They were continued, as wUl by 

 and by be related, to the end of 

 1799> and even somewhat beyond it. 



It would have appeared awkward 

 and mortifying to that ambitious 

 hero, to have placed himself imme- 

 diately at the head of an army, 

 beaten, discouraged, and ruined. 

 He contented himself for the pre- 

 sent, with transmitting to them 

 addresses after addresses, which 

 served, at least, the purpose of call- 

 ing him to their remembrance. 

 But "he entertained, at the same 

 time, more extensive views. He 

 knew how to appreciate and avail 

 himself of the new enthusiasm in 

 his favour: that enthusiasm of 

 which every one knows the French 

 nation is so highly susceptible. He 

 conceived the brightest hopes of 

 personal glory, and a renovation of 

 the weakened strength of the na- 

 tion. In order to succeed in these 

 designs, he deemed it sufficient to 

 seize the reins of government, 

 ready to drop of themselves, from 

 the feeble hands of its weak admi- 

 nistrators. He had the boldness to 

 do so, and they had not the courage 

 to resist him. 



Here it is natural to pause and 

 consider if his rivals in power had 

 succeeded in that anarchical and 

 tumultuous resistance which they 

 did oppose to him, what the ad- 

 vantages would have been to France. 

 From the success of Buonaparte, it 

 is evident that the French nation 

 had, by this time, become sensible 

 that they stood in need of a master. 

 And, as they were not yet suffici- 

 ently enlightened by experience, 

 to perceive that a hereditary chief 

 was the best, as such a chief alone 

 could prevent the evils of future 

 changes, Buonaparte, being a stran- 

 ger, and deriving no family conse- 

 quences from any relationship to 

 crowned heads, was as good as any 

 other. In the opinion, however, of 



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