58 CARNOT. 



boudoir intrigue ; and because every one, I think, must 

 be glad to see the liistory of the incomparable campaign 

 of Italy purified from such a stain. I have thought, in 

 short, that I ought not to neglect to show you your col- 

 league discerning with infinite perspicacity the hero of 

 Eivoli, of Arcole, of Castiglione, through the bark of 

 timidity, of reserve, — let us out with the true word, of 

 awkwardness, — that everybody then remarked in the 

 protege of Barras. 



I foresee all the incredulity I should meet with, if I 

 were to venture on still farther extending the limits of 

 the influence that our colleague exercised over the Italian 

 campaign ; and yet, should I not have found, even in the 

 small number of official documents already known to the 

 public, under date of the 10th Floreal, year IV., for 

 example, a despatch from the head-quarters of Cherasco, 

 in which Bonaparte writes to Carnot : — " The armistice 

 concluded between the King of Sardinia and ourselves, 

 enables me to communicate through Turin, that is to say, 

 to spare half the journey ; / could therefore quickly re- 

 ceive YOUR ORDERS AND LEARN YOUR INTENTIONS, AS 

 TO THE DIRECTION TO BE GIVEN TO THE ARMY." A 



letter to the Minister of Finance, of the 2d Prairial, year 

 IV., dated from head-quarters at Milan, would afibrd the 

 following sentence : — " The Executive Dii-ectory, who 

 named me to the command of this army, has arranged 

 A PLAN OF offensive WARFARE which requires prompt 

 measures and extraordinary I'esources." 



The 2d of Prairial, year IV. (May 21, 1796,) Carnot 

 wrote thus to the young general: — "Attack Beaulieu 

 before reinforcements can reach liira ; do not neglect 

 any thing to prevent this junction ; you must not weaken 

 yourself before him, and above all, do not, by disastrously 



