The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

314 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
shown in a thousand actions; and it became too troops should be safely transported to France, with
usual to place it in contrast with the failure of our their-arms and baggage. This was on the 28th of
expeditions on shore. But it was afterwards found June, and the convention had scarce been signed,
that our soldiers could assume the same superiority, when the English army was reinforced in a manner
whenever the plan of the campaign offered them a which showed the bold and successful combination
fair field for its exercise. Such a field of action was of measures under which the expedition had been
afforded by the Egyptian expedition. undertaken.
This undertaking was the exclusive plan of an ill- An army of seven thousand men, of whom two
requited statesman, the late Lord Melville, who had thousand were sepoys, or native Indian troops, were
difficulty in obtaining even Mr Pitt's concurrence in disembarked at Cosseir, on the Red Sea, and, dea scheine, of a character so much more daring than tached firom the Indian settlements, now came to
Britain had lately entertained. The expedition was support the European part of the English invasion.
resolved upon by the narrowest possible majority in'hlle Egyptians sawv, with the extremity of wonder,
the cabinet; and his late majesty interposed his con- native troops, many of them niosleinah, who worsent in terms inferring a solemn protest against the shiped in the mosques, and observed the ritual enrisk about to be incurred. " It is with the utmost joined by the Prophet, perfectly accomplished in
reluctance, (such, or nearly such, vere the words the European discipline. The lower class were
of George III.) thA;t I consent to a measure, which inclined to think, that this singular reinforcement
sends the flower of my army upon a daingerous ex- had been sent to them in consequence of Mahompedition against a distant province." * The event, med's direct and miraculous interposition; only
however, showed, that in arduous circumstances, their being commanded by English officers did not
the daring gamne, if previously well considered, is favour this theory.
often the most successful. In consequence of these reinforcements, and his
On the 8th of March, 1801, General Sir Ralph own confined situation under the walls of AlexanAbercrombie, at the head of an army of seventeen dria, Menou saw himself constrained to enter into
thousand men, landed in Egypt, in despite of the a. convention for surrendering up the province of
most desperate opposition by the enemy. The ex- Egypt. He was admitted to the same terms of comcellence of the troops was displayed by the extreme position which had been granted to Belliard; and
gallantry and calmnness with which, landing through thus the war in that quarter was, on the part of
aheavy surtf; they instantly formed and advanced Great Britain, triumphantly concluded.
againt the enemy. On the 21st of March, a general The conquest of this disputed kingdom, excited
action took place. The French cavalry attempted a strong sensation both in France and Britain; but
to turn the British flank, and made a desperate the news of the contest being finally closed by
charge for that purpose, but failed in their attempt, Menou's submission, are believed to have reached
and were driven back with great loss. The Fr-ench the former country some time before the English
were defeated, and compelled to retreat on Alex- received them. Bonaparte, on learning the tidings,
andria, under the valls of which they hoped to is reported to have said, " Well, there remains now
maintain thllernseles.: But the British suffered an no alternative but to make the descent on Britain."
irreparable loss in their lamented commander, Sir But it seems to have occurred to him presently
Ralph Abercroimbie, who was imortally wounded in afterwards, that the loss of this disputed province
the course of this action. In this gallant ieteran his might, instead of bring an aroumeint for carrying the
country long regretted one of the best generals, anid war to extremity, be considered as the removal of
one of the worthiest and most ammiable men, to whom an obstacle to a treaty of peace.
she ever gave birth.
The command descended on General HIutchinson, CHAPTER XLI.
who was soon joined by the Capitan Pacha, with a
Turkish army. The recollections of Aboukir and Preparations made for the Invasion o.f Briftain.-Nelsonm
Heliopolis, joined to the remonstrances and counsels put in command of tje sea.-Atlack of ti~e Boulogne Floof their English allies, induced the Turks to avoid a tilla.-Pitt leaves the ministry-succeedeed by Mru Addinggeneral action, and confine themselves to skirmishes, ton.-Negotiations for peace.-J-ist punis.mlent of
by which system the French were so closely watch- England, in regard to the conquered setlexlents of the
ed, and their communications so effectually de- eneny-Forced to restore them all, saze Ceylon mid
stroyed, that General Belliard, shut up in a for- T -inidad.-Malta is placed under the guarantee of a
tilied camp in Cairo, cut off fioom Alexandria, and neutralpower.-Preliminaries of pasce signed-Joy of
the English populace, and doubts of the better classes.threatened with insurrection writhin the place, was, wia was *Treaty of Amiens signed.-The ambitious projects of
compelled to capitulate, under condition that his Napoleon, nevertheless,proceedivithout interruptionAt an after priod, the good king made the following lE xtension of his power in Italy-He is appointed consul
a w.nifiia W. en Lord t 1etvite. for life, with the power of naming his successor-His
act-nowlelgmi( tofhis mistake. W\len Lord Melville was
cut of power, his majes!v c*i I him the honour to visit him
at Wimbledon. an(t partook of some refreshment. On that
occasion the king t ook an opportunity to fill a glass of wine, As the wolpds of the first cnsul appeared to nan(d havin.z mnade time company do the same, lie gave as timate, preparations were resumed on the French
his toast. " The lealf l; of the courageous minister, who, coast for the invasion of Great Britain. Boulogne,
szillnst the otpinion of many of his colleagues, and even the and every harbour along the coast, was (crowded
remlolstlsrinces of lis kilnz, hal dared to conceive and carry with fiat-bottomed boats, and the shores covered
6ireougll tile Egypltian expeditionl" ltil calmlps of the men designed apparently to fill
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