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

164 ~LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
beyond the frontiers of the country all those most King of Prussia announced the interest which they
devotedly interested in the preservation of the mo- took in the actual condition of the King of France;
narchv, had the utmost effect in precipitating the and intimated that, supposing the other nations
impending hostilities. The presence of so many appealed to should entertain feelings of the same
noble exiles, the respect and sympathy which their kind, they would, conjoined with those other powers,
misfortunes excited in those of the same rank, the use the most efficacious mefans to place Louis in a
exaggerated accounts which they gave of their own situation to establish in his dominions, on the basis
consequence, above all the fear that the revolution- of the most perfect liberty, a monarchical governary spirit should extend beyond the limits of France, mient, suitable to the rights of the sovereign, and the
and work the same effects in other nations, produced welfare of the people.
through the whole aristocracy of Germany a general This implied threat, which was to be conditionally
desire to restore them to their country and to their carried into effect in case other powers not named
rights by the iforce of arms, and to extinguish by should entertain the same sentinlents with the two
main force a spirit which seemed destined to wage sovereigns by whom it was issued, was well calcuvar against all established governments, and to lated to irritate, but far too vague to intimidate such
abolish the privileges which they recognized in their a nation as France. It showed the desire to wound,
higher classes. but showed it accompanied by the fear to strike;
The state of the expatriated French clergy, driven and, instead of inspiring respect, only awakened
from their home, and deprived of their means of indignation mingled with contempt.
subsistence, because they refused an oath imposed The emigrants were generally represented among
contrary to their ecclesiastical vows, and to their the people of France as men who, to recover their
conscience, added religious zeal to the general in- own vain privileges, were willing to lead a host of
terest excited by the spectacle, yet new to Europe, foreigners into the bosom of their country; and lest
of thousands of nobility and clergy c.mpelled to some sympathy with their situation, as men sufferforsake their country, and take refuge among aliens. ing for the cause to which'they had devoted themSeveral petty princes of the empire made a show selves, and stimulated by anxiety frl the fate of
of levying forces, and complained of a breach of their imprisoned king, should have moderated the
public faith, from the forfeiture of rights which indi- severity of this judgment, forgery was employed to
vidual princes of the Germanic body possessed in render their communication with the foreign moAlsace and Lorraine, and which, though sanctioned narchs still more odious and unpopular.
by the treaty of WYestphalia, the National Assembly The secret articles of a pretended treaty were
had not deemed worthy of exception from their referred to, by which it was alleged that Monsieur
sweeping abolition of feudal tenures. The emi- and the Count d'Artois had agreed to a dismembergrants formed themselves into armed corps at Tryves ment of France; Lorraine and Alsace being to be
and elsewhere, in which the noblest youths in restored to Austria, in consequence of her entering
France carried arms as privates, and which, if their into the counter-revolutionary league. The date of
number and resources had been in any proportion this supposed treaty was first placed at Pavia, and
to their zeal and courage, were qualified to bear a afterwards transferred to Pilnitz; but althlough it
distinguished part in deciding the destinies of the was at one time assumed as a real document in the
nation. Thus united, they gave way but too much British House of Commons, it is now generally
to the natural feelings of their rank and country, allowed to have had no existence.* In the meanmenaced the land fiotom which they had emigrated, while, as a calumny well adapted to the prejudices
and boasted aloud that it needed but one thrust of the time, the belief in such a secret compact be(botte) of' an Austrian general, to parry and pay came generally current, and excited the utmost inhome all the decrees of the National Assembly. dignation against the selfish invaders, and against
This'ill-timed anticipation of success was founded the exiles, who were supposed willing to dismember
in a great measure on the disorganization of the their native country, rather than submnit to a change
French army, which had been begun by the decay in its constitution adverse to their owvn selfish inof discipline during the progress of the Revolltion, terests.
and was supposed to be rendered complete by the A great deal of this new load of unpopularity was
emigration of' sutch numbers of officers as had joined transferred to tile account of the umnfortunate Louis,
the princes and their standards. It was yet to be who was supposed to instigate and support in prilealrned how soon such situations can be filled up, vate the attempts of his brotherls for engaging foreign
from the zeal and talent always found among the courts in his favour, while the queen, firom her relower classes, when critical circumstances offer a lationship to the Emperor of Austria, was univerreward to ambitioll. sally represented as a flury, urging him to revenge
Yet, while confident of success, the position of her loss of power on the rebellions people of France.
the emigrants wvas far fiorn being flattering0. Not- An Austrian committee was talked of as managing
withstanding their most zealous exertions, the princes the correspondence between these royal persons on
found their interest with foreign courts unable to the one part, and the foreign courts and emigrant
bring either kings or ministers nillingly or hastily princes on the other. This was totally groundless;
to tihe point wlich they desired. The nearest ap- but it is probable and natural that some intercourse
proach was by the declaration of Pilnitz,? in which,
with much diplomnatical caution, the Emperor and * See two-articles on the pretended treaties of Pavia and
Pilnitz, in the Anti.jacobin newspaper. They were, we
27th August, 1791. believe, written by the late Mr Pitt.