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

701.: LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
by some of our legislators, and that they were so, is to a change of government, may, on hearing quoted
a complete proof that Bonaparte understood the names of respectability and celebrity who adopted
temper of our nation. To suppose that, during his the latter alternative, exclaim against French verten months of retirement, his mind was actively satility, a glance at J3ritain during the frequen:t
employed upon the miseries of the negroes, or the changes of the 17th century may induce us to exdeplorable state of ignorance to which his own change the exclamation of poor France! for that of
measures, and the want of early instruction, had re- poor hunian nature! The professors of Cromwvell's
duced the youth of France, would argue but little days, who piously termed themselves followers of'
acquaintance with his habits of ambition. To be- Providence, because they complied with every
lieve, on the contrary, that he would, at his first change that came uppermost; and the sect of timearrival in France, make any apparent sacrifices servers, including the honest patriot, who complainwhich might attract the good-will of his powerlfl ed at the Restoration that he had complied with
and dangerous nleighbours, is more consonant with seven forms of government during the year, but lost
his schemes, his interest, and his character. The his office by being too late of adhering to the last,path which he chose to gain the esteem of Britain would have made in their day a list equally ]ong,
was by no means injudicious. The abolition of and as entertaining, as the celebrated Dictionnaire
negro slavery, and the instruction of the poor, have des Girouettes. In matters dependent upon a sudden
(to the honour of our legislature) been frequent and breeze of sentiment, the mercurial Frenchman is
anxious subjects of deliberation in the House of more apt to tack about than the phlegmatic and
Commons; and to mankind, whether individually or slowly-moved native of Britain; blt when the steady
collectively, no species of flattery is more pleasing trade-wind of interest prevails for a long seadon,
than that of assent and imitation. It is not a little men in all nations and countries show the same irto the credit of our country, that the most avowed resistible disposition to trim their sails by it; and
enemy of Britain strove to cultivate our good opi- in politics as in morals, it will be well to pray
nion, not by any offers of national advantage, but by against being led into temptation.
appearing to concur in general measures of bene- Besides those attached to him by mere interest,
volence, and attention to the benefit of society. Yet, or from gratitude and respect for his talents, Napoupon the whole, the character of Napoleon was too leon had now among his adherents, or rather allies,
generally understood, and tile purpose of his ap- not as a matter of choice, but of necessity, the'aparent approximation to British sentiments too ob- cobin party, who had been obliged, though anl\ ilviously affetcted, for serving to make any general or lingly, to adopt him as the head of a goverlnnelt,
serious impression in his favour. which they hoped to regenerate. To these;erue to
WVith Austria, Napoleon acted differently. He be added a much larger and more respectable bdy,l
was aware that no impression could be made on the who, far from encouraging his attempt, Iad testified
Emperor Francis, or his minister Metternich, and themselves anxious to oppose it to the last, but wlho,
that it had become impossible, with their consent, conceiving the cause of the Bourbons entirely lost,
that he should ful.fil his promise of presenting his were willing to adhere to Bonaparte, on condition of
wife and son to the Feople on the Champ-de-Mai. obtaining a free constitution for France. Many of
Stratagem remained the only resource; and some these acted, of course, on mixed motives; but if
Frenchmen at Vienna, with those in Maria Louisa's we were asked to form a definition of them, vwe
train, formed a scileme of carrying off the Empress should be induced to give the same, lwhich, layilng
of France and her child. The plot was discovered aside party spirit, we would ascribe to a right Engand prevented, and the most public steps were irn- lish whig, whomn we conceive to be a mean of sense
mediately taken, to show that Austria considered and moderation, a lover of laws and liberty, whose
all ties with Bonaparte as dissolved for ever. Maria chief regard to particular princes and fitnilies is
Louisa, by her father's commands, laid aside the founded on what he apprehends to be the public
arms and liveries of ler husband, hitherto displayed good; and who differs from a sensible tory so little,
by her attendants andl carriages, and assumed those that there is no great chance of their disputing u1pon
of the housef of Austria. This decisive event put an any iinl)ortant constitutional question, if it is fltiily
end to every hoipe so lung cherished by Napoleon, stated to both!. Such, we believe, is the difference
that lie mighlt find sonme means of regaining the betwixt rational constitutionalists and royalists in
friendship of his lither-in-law. France; and undoubtedly, vhile all the feelings of
Nor did the other powers in Europe show thein- the latter induced them to eye with abhorrence the
selves mllore ac'cessible to his advances. He was, domiination of a usurper, there must have been nalny
therefore, educed to his own partisans in the of the former, who, fearing danger to the independFrench nation, -and those won over from other par- ence of France from the intervei tion of foreiggn
ties, iwhoim lie miighlit be able to add to them. powers, conceived, that by advocating the cause
The arniy ihad sufficiently shown themselves to be of Napoleon, they were in sonie degree makilng a
his own, 1upon grounds which are easily appreciated. virtue of necessity, and playing an indifferent ganlle
The ost of pIublic oflficial persons, to whonm the with as much skill as the curds they held wiotld
inline tlnder which they exercised their offices was permit. Many patriotic and sensible mreln, whto hlid
indilfferent, provided the salary continued to be at- retained a regard for liberty during all tile goserltltached to theua, formlled a large and influential body. ments and all the anarchies which had subsisted lbr
And although we, whlo have never, by such nuta- twenty years, endeavoured now to frarne a systu in
tinUs (f our political system, been put to the trial of of government, grounded upon something like I;e. —
ejitier abanriiotiiiu our meains of living, or submitting dom, upon the diffilculties of Bonaparte. t1r. ss, 1.....