Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Volume IV

352

Journal de Bourdeaux, No. 1, March 14.

353

"M. de Metternich said, 'Here is Lord Aberdeen, the English ambassador: our intentions are common, we may, therefore, continue to explain ourselves before him.' When I came to the article about England, Lord Aberdeen observed, that the expressions liberty of commerce and rights of navigation were very vague. Metternich added, that these words might raise misunderstandings, and that it was better to substitute others. He took the pen, and wrote, that England would make the greatest sacrifices to obtain a peace on these foundations," (those previously described.) —Report of Baron St. Aignan.

354

"You must hear and observe every thing. You must discover the views of the allies, and write to me every day. Italy is yet untouched; before the lapse of a week I shall have collected troops sufficient to fight many battles. If I am seconded by the nation, the enemy are hastening to their destruction. If fortune should betray me, my resolution is taken: I cling not to the throne. I will neither disgrace the nation nor myself by subscribing dishonourable conditions." – Napoleon, Memoirs, tom. ii., p. 352; Manuscript de 1814, p. 66.

355

Bassano to Caulaincourt, Troyes, Feb. 5.

356

Manuscript de 1814 – "A narrative which, from the official situation (that of Secretary of the Cabinet of Napoleon) held by its author, is calculated," says Lord Burghersh, "to excite a greater degree of interest, and hereafter to be more relied upon, as an authority, than any other publication which has appeared on the side of the French army."

357

"Nangis, Feb. 17. – Providence has blessed our arms. I have made 30 or 40,000 prisoners. I have taken 200 pieces of cannon, a great number of generals, and destroyed several armies, almost without striking a blow: Your attitude ought still to be the same; but my intention is that you should sign nothing without my orders, because I alone know my own situation."

358

This alluded to the match, then supposed to be on the tapis, betwixt the late Princess Charlotte of Wales and the Prince of Orange. – S.

359

Lord Burghersh, Observations, p. 156.

360

Napoleon, Mémoires, tom. ii., p. 389.

361

See Journal, &c., par M. de Las Cases, tom. iv., pp. 47, 53, 60.

362

Manuscript de 1814, p. 186.

363

"There is a light cloud by the moon —'Tis passing, and 'twill pass full soon;If, by the time its vapoury sailHath ceased her shrouded orb to veil,Thy heart within thee is not changed,Then God and man are both avenged."Byron's Siege Corinth. – S.

364

For a copy of the Treaty, see Parl. Debates, vol. xxvii., p. 623.

365

In a MS. memorandum, Lord Burghersh denies the whole of this story. He distinctly states that Prince Wenceslaus of Lichtenstein was never sent to Buonaparte after the 23d of February; and that the account in the text misrepresents the feelings and intentions of the Emperor of Russia at the period to which it refers. Compare his "Operations" under the dates. – Ed. (1842.)

366

Napoleon, Mémoires, tom. ii., pp. 432-468; Manuscript de 1814, p. 296.

367

"The triumph, and the vanity,The rapture of the strife —The earthquake voice of victory,To thee the breath of life." – Byron.

368

Baron Fain, p. 213.

369

M. de Salazar, formerly aide-de-camp to the Duke of Ragusa, who had quitted the service, and retired into England, was one of those who gave information respecting a plan formed in France to carry off the Prince-Royal. He made a full communication on this subject to an illustrious personage in England, and to Baron de Rehausen, the Swedish minister at London, who immediately informed Count d'Engestrom of what had been revealed by M. de Salazar, as to the plots which Napoleon was laying against the personal safety of the Prince. In order to facilitate these communications, Baron de Rehausen was instructed to furnish M. de Salazar with money to enable him to go to Sweden. He arrived at Orebro during the diet of 1812, and was admitted to some private audiences, in which he repeated to the Prince the declarations which he had previously made to Baron de Rehausen and Count d'Engestrom.

370

It was from a similar motive that the Prince-Royal opened the ports of Sweden to all nations on the 15th August, 1812, Napoleon's birth-day, and that the peace with England was signed at the same time.