388 



E G Y P T. 



Kgvpu 



Arrivo at 

 Pirn. 



' r - -it. 



his army, with rapid movement*, toward Alexandria ; 

 and thence he led on his forces to attack the- Turkish 

 camp. 



Both wings of the Grand Signior's army were assail- 

 ed at once by detachments in advance, and C-ciier.il 

 Marat with his cavalry darted upon the centre. The 

 line-* were tliniwn into confusion, and most of the 

 Turkish army were either killed in the field, or drown- 

 ed in attempting to reach their ships. The liravery of 

 the Ottoman soldiers, and the determined skill of the 

 French, made the conflict dreadful. After gaining so 

 complete a triumph, General Bonaparte returned to 

 Grand Cairo. There he attempted to tranquillize the 

 people, and to establish a regular and subservient go- 

 vernment He had formerly professed himself attached 

 to die Mahommedan faith ; and here he celebrated n 

 rand festival of the prophet with much solemnity. 

 Having finished these arrangements, he returned to 

 Alexandria, professing that the situation of public af- 

 fairs required his presence, but really widi an intention 

 to embrace an opportunity of returning to France. 



In the port of Alexandria there were two frigates 

 lying at anchor, and ready for the sea. Some hopes, 

 aided by a natural wish, induced the friends of Bona- 

 parte to encourage an expectation, that the commander 

 in chief was meditating a return to Europe. No inti- 

 mation was given, not a hint dropped ; but upon the 

 morning of the 24th of August, by the dawn of day, 

 his attendants, trembling with expectation, were com- 

 manded to wait his pleasure upon the sea-shore. In- 

 .-tantly they were on board, and the vessels under sail, 

 with a fair wind, steered their course along the coast 

 of Africa. At length, having made for Corsica, they 

 anchored in one of its bays, on the first of September. 

 Upon setting sail from that island, they were seen and 

 chased by a British squadron. Gantheaume, who com- 

 manded die frigates, proposed to run back to Corsica : 

 but Bonaparte enjoined him to steer for a port in 

 France. The darkness of the night favoured their 

 escape; and upon the 14th of September 1799, they 

 arrived safely in die port of Frejus. 



Never was a plan conducted with so much secrecy, 

 and productive of such great events. A note was con- 

 veyed to General Kleber. which he was enjoined not 

 to open, till twenty-four hours after the frigate had 

 .-ailed. In that note, he appointed him commander in 

 chief of the French army in the East, and it contained 

 vules for the general management of public affairs. 

 When Bonaparte appeared at Paris, he was not cen- 

 'surcd for leaving his command ; nor durst the falling 

 authorities call his conduct in question. Change after 

 change had taken place in die French government, ac- 

 cording as successive parties had lost their influence ; 

 and lie arrived in France upon the eve of the seventh 

 revolution, when the Abl> , n-ojecting a new 



constitution for a new party, who were attempting to 

 ri-e into power. Discontentment ran through every 

 teparlment of the state; and the public successes had 

 l>een somewhat counteracted, by the reverses in Italy, 

 and the approach of Suwarrow with his hostile troops. 



At this momentous conjuncture, Bonaparte joined in 

 the project of Abb6 Sieves, and a form of govern- 

 ment was established, with a senate and various nomi- 

 nal authorities. To captivate the people, it had some 

 names and appointments similar to the popular govern- 

 ment of ancient Rome, and the office of first consul 

 was vested in Bonaparte. But neither the name nor 



uthority were commensurate with his ambition: History, 

 and harillg at length acquired additional influence, he 1 *""V^*' 

 vtu proclaimed eni|>eror of France. Considering the Kmpcrar of 

 elevation to which at thi^ time lie was raised, and the ' i-mcc. 

 state of degradation into which he has now fallen, we 

 shall quote the following passage from a character 

 which was drawn of this extraordinary mini in the 

 height of his power. 



Viewing Bonaparte in the exalted station of em- His chrac- 

 pcror where he now stands, we shall neither IK' dazzled lcr - 

 by the splendour of his rank, nor influenced by envy 

 at the greatness of his success ; but we shall end'eavour 

 to glance, without partiality, at the steps of his military 

 career, and form a true estimate of his character and 

 conduct. As a soldier, he is possessed of undaunted 

 courage, and no man ever questioned the daring intre- 

 pidity of his soul; but he is too violent in his passions 

 to enjoy that self-command, and hold those dclilierate 

 councils, which distinguish a great and characterise an 

 eminent commander. Few generals have equalled Bo- 

 naparte in point of lame or extent of conquests ; and it 

 is not our wish to deprive him of any jwrt of his well- 

 earned trophies. But it does not appear that hit merit 

 us a in'iierul, is fully commensurate ivith kit pftgrtti "> 

 a conqueror. The Italian states ha\e long been dc-ti- 

 tute of that martial spirit, which glowed in the legions 

 of Rome ; and having descended from the height of 

 military glory, they have sunk into die lap of indo- 

 lence, and laid themselves down on the couch of dU-i- 

 pation. They were tainted, too, by the prevalence of 

 democratic sentiments, and their resistance to the 

 French army was rather apparent than real. They 

 were not unwilling to become captives to those distin- 

 guished heroes, who promised diem liberty and sedu- 

 cing favours. 



" The armies of Germany were harassed by die nu- 

 merous forces of France ; for when both were fatigued 

 by severe combats, the French generals brought up ex- 

 tensive corps of reserve, and poured fresh troops upon 

 die exhausted forces of the enemy. But it has also been 

 suggested, that many of the Germans were dazzled widi 

 die professed, but false advantages of the French revo- 

 lution. As examples of Bonaparte's violence in times of 

 irritation and difficulty, we shall not appeal to instances 

 of indiscreet management in affairs of state ; but we 

 shall turn our recollection to St John d'Acre, and bring 

 to our remembrance the hojieless attacks upon die town 

 and fortress towards the end of the siege, when blood 

 was spilt, and lives sacrificed to disappointed ambi- 

 tion and frantic rage. Even the battle of Marengo was 

 indebted for its success to the effects of a daring at- 

 tempt, which has met with praise, because it was pros- 

 perous ; but if it had not terminated in a happy man- 

 ner, the rashness of die proceeding would have exposed 

 the general to pointed blame. Whether Bonaparte and 

 his family will be secured in the honours of a dirone, 

 or whether, in the course of events, they shall be hurled 

 from their grandeur, and levelled with the dust, are ar- 

 rangements of Providence, which lie concealed in die 

 destiny of heaven."* 



Bonaparte is unquestionably possessed of consider- 

 able military skill, " and a facility of turning to hij 

 own advantage every promising appearance ;" but 

 these qualities seem chiefly to be in full exercise 

 when his course is prosperous. A successful opposi- 

 tion deprives him of his usual discernment, and he is 

 governed by passion, rather than by cool discretion. 



Dr Wilson's Hittory f F.fypt, vol. iii. p. 240, 8+1, ic. 



