Reminiscences of Malte-Brun. 393 
leon’s head-quarters. The articles there printed, which an- 
nounced that the battles of Brienne and Epernay were victo- 
ries obtained by the French, and that the army of Blucher 
had been completely broken up, were, as was confidently as- 
serted, the compositions of Malte-Brun. When I heard this 
at the head-quarters of Blucher, recollections of the early days 
I had spent at Copenhagen recurred to my mind with renewed 
freshness ; and it was singular to reflect how Malte-Brun and 
myself were now engaged on opposite sides in the mighty 
warfare of foreign nations. 
I afterwards met Malte-Brun in Paris, in the district inha- 
bited by men of letters, in the Rue St Jacques, and he still 
had his boyish appearance, but now wore a white cockade. 
He lived very respectably ; and his little wife, a native of Laon, 
was an interesting, pleasing person. I do not remember if 
they had been long married, but they were very affectionate to 
each other. The following day he gave asplendid dejewner, at 
which there were several scientific men, and among others 
Cuvier, whom I had already visited; Humboldt had sent an 
apology. He was unfeignedly happy to see me after so long 
a separation, and expressed himself freely regarding his posi- 
tion. He would not admit that he had accompanied the im- 
perial head-quarters, although I heard the report confirmed 
by several scientific men. I soon remarked that he had la- 
vished on this breakfast a large portion of the sum which he 
had at his command. It was evident that his circumstances 
were extremely straitened, and at last he made no conceal- 
ment of it. ‘“ Brun,” I said, “it must be disagreeable to 
change your political opinions so frequently. You left Den- 
mark as a democrat, nay, almost a demagogue, in order to be- 
come the political servant of Napoleon ; you now wear a white 
cockade ; and though the protection, nay, even the honour, 
with which the conquerors of France shew you, should conti- 
nue, yet, in a few years, the country will rise up, acting as a 
mighty kingdom, and, feeling itself oppressed by a dynasty 
forced upon it, will supplant it by another. You will then have 
to wear a cockade of a different colour, in place of the white, 
which, I think, you have adopted prematurely and too hastily. 
It is doubtful if you will be able to hold out under the Bourbons ; 
