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

APPENDIX. 805
meciials were wvritten, the object of which was to as far as Genoa, and who, to be a Tulenne, wanted
prove how advantageous for us was the existing go- nothing but opportunity and a more extensive field,
vernmnent. and to demonstrate that any change would reminded his companions in glory, that this was
be contrary to the wish of the nation. At this time the time to acquire additional fame,-that their
the city of Ajaccio obtained some knowledge of country in danger had need, not of intrigues, which
what was going on. This city roused herself, form- he knew nothing about, but of fire and sword. At
ed her national guard, organized her committee. the sound of so general an explosion, Gaffory reThis unexpected incldent alarmed you-the fermen- turned to the insignificance from which he had been
tation spread in all directions. You persuaded the brought, so mal-a-prop)os, by intrigues;-he tremministers, over whom you had gained some ascen- bled in the fortress of Corte. Narbonne fled from
dancy in relation to the affairs of Corsica, that it Lyons, to hide in Rome his shame, and his infernal
was of importalnce to send thither your father-in- projects. A few days afterwards Corsica is united
law, M. Gaffiry, with a command; and imlmedi- to France, Paoli recalled; and in an instant the
ately we saw M. Gaffory, a worthy precursor of prospect changes, and opens to your view a course
M. Narbonne, endeavouring, at the head of his of events which you could not-have dared to hope
troops, to maintain by force that tyranny which his for.
late father, of glorious memory, had resisted and I beg your pardon, sir; I took up my pen to deconfounded by his genius. Innumerable blunders fend you; but my heart revolts against so uniform a
left no room fior concealing your father-in-law's me- system of treason and atrocity. What! did you, a
diocrity of talent; he possessed no other art but son of the same country, never feel anything for
that of making himself enemies. The people rallied her? What! did your heart experience no emotion
against him on every side. In this imminent danger at the sight of the rocks, the trees, the houses, the
you lifted up your eyes, and saw Narbonne! Nat- spots which were the scenes of your infant amuse
bonne, profiting by a moment of favour, had laid meats? CWhen you calne into the world, your coun
the plan of establishing firmly, in an island which try nourished you with her fruits; when you came
he had wasted with unheard-of cruelty, the des- to the years of reason, she placed her hopes in you;
potism which oppressed it. You laid your heads to- she honoured you with her confidence; she said to
gether; the plan was determined on; five thousand you," My son, you see the wretched state to which
men received orders; commissions for increasing I am reduced by the injustice of men;-through my
by a battalion the provincial regiment were pre- native vigour, I am recovering a degree of strength
pared; Narbonne set out. This poor nation, tn- which promises me a speedy and infallible recovery;
armed and disheartened, without hope and without but I am again threatened! Fly, my son, hasten to
resource, is delivered into the hands of her exe- Versailles; inform the great king of everything,
cutioner. dissipate his suspicions, request his friendship."
O unhappy countrymen! Of what odious trea- Well! a little gold made you betray her confichery were you to be the victims! You would not dence; and fobrthwith, for a little gold, you were
perceive it till it was too late. How were you, seen, like a parricide., tearing open her bosom. Ah,
without arms, to resist ten thousand men? You sir, I am far from wishing you ill; but there is an
would yolurself have signed the act of your degra- avenging conscience! Your countrynmen, to whoml
dation; hope would have been extinguished; and you are an object of horror, will enlighten France
days of uninterrupted misfortune would have sac- as to your character. The wealth, the pensions, the
ceeded. Emancipated France would have looked fruits of your treasons, will be taken fi-om you. In
upon you with contempt; afflicted Italy with in- the decrepitude of old age and poverty, in the frightI dignation; and Europe, astonished at this unex- fill solitude of wickedness, you will live long enough
anlpled degree of degradation, would have effaced to become a prey to the torments of conscience.
from her annals the traits which do honour to your Thle father will point you out to his soin, the master
character. But your deputies front the Coammons to his pupil, saying, " Young people, learn to repenetrated the design, and informled you of it in spect your country, virtue, fidelity, and hummanity.?1
time. A king, whose only wish was the happiness And you, respectable and unhappy woman, whose
of his ipeople, being well informed on the subject youth, beauty, and innocence were vilely prostiby M. La Fayette, that steady friend of liberty, tuted, does your pure and chaste heart beat under
dissipated the intrigues of a perfidious minister, a hand so criminal? In those moments in which nawho was certainly impelled by the desire of ven- ture gives the alarm to love, when, withdrawn from
geantce to do you injury. Ajaccio showed resolution the chimeras of life, unmingled pleasures succeed
in liher uaddress, in which was described with such each other with rapidity, when the mind, expanded
energy the miserable state to which you were re- by the fire of sentiment, enjoys only the pleasure of
duced ly the most oppressive of governments. causing enjoyment, and feels only the pleasure of
Bastia, till then stupified as it were, awoke at the exciting feeling,-in those moments you press to
s<)und of danger, and took up arms with that reso- your heart, you become identified with that cold
lutioui for wvhich she has been always distinguished. and selfish man, who has never deviated from his
Ardina came from Paris to B3alagne, full of those character, and who, in the course of sixty years, has
senrtiments wvlich lead men to the boldest enter- never known anything but the care of his own inprises. With arms in one hland, and the decrees terest, an instinctive love of destruction, the most
iof the National Assembly in the other, lie made infamous avarice, the base pleasures of sense! By
tile Opubiic enenmies tremble. Achilles Meulrati, the and by, the glare of honours, the trappings of riches,
conqueror o Caprlana, who hadl carried desolatiol will disappear; you will be loaded with general