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

LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
1Oth, twken Austria joins the allies.-Sudden placability they seized. But now, it was an ordinary thing to
of Napoleon at this period-Ascribed to the news of the see one body of soldiers treading down and destrovbattle of Vittoria. ing the provisions, for want of which the next battalion was perhaps starving. The courage and energy
Toxg victories of Lutzen and Bautzen were so of the French soldier were the same, but the reclulnexpected and so brilliant, that they completely lection of former dis'tresses had made him more selfdazzled all those who reposed a superstitious con- ish and more wasteful, as well as more ferocious.
fidence il Bonaparte's star, who conceived that they Those who saw matters under this disad vantaueous
again sav it reviving in all the splendour of its first light, went so far, though friends both to France
rising. 3But the expressions of Augereau to Fouch6, and Napoleon, as to wish that neither the battle of
Iat sl entz, as the latter passed te join Bonaparte at Lutzen or Bautzen had been fought, since they beI)resden, show what was the sense of Napoleon's camte, in their consequences, the greatest obstacles
i best officers. " Alas!" he said, " our sun has set. to a settled pacification. Even Eugene Beauharnais
H low little do the two actions of which they make used this despairing language. It is true, they also much at Paris resemble our victories in Italy, lowed that these memorable conflicts had sustained,
when I taught Bonaparte the art of war which lie or even elevated, the emperor's military character,
now abuses! How much labour has been thrown and that there was some truth in the courtly speech
away only to win a few marches onward! At of Narbonne, who, when Napoleon desired to know?Lutzen our centre was broken, several regiments what the people at Vienna thought of these actions,
disbanded, and all was lost but for the Young replied, "Some think you an angel, sire; som6e a
Guard. We have taught the allies to beat us. devil; but all agree you are more than man." But,
After such a butchery as that of Bautzen, there according to the sentiments of such persons, these
were no results, no cannon taken, no prisoners made. encomiums on a point of the emperor's character,
The enemy everywhere opposed us with advantage, which had before rendered him sufficiently feared,
and we were roughly handled at Reichembach, the and sufficiently hated, were only calculated to elevery day after the battle. Then one ball strikes off vate his mind above prudential considerations, and
Bessieres, another Duroc; Duroc, the only friend to render his chance of effecting a permanent reconhe had in the world. Bruyeres and Kirgener are ciliation with other nations more difficult, if not
swept away by spent bullets. What a war! it will altogether impossible. The maxim of Europe at
make an end of all of us. He will not make peace; present seemed to beyou know him as well as I do; he will cause himself Odi accipitrem qui semper vivit in armis.'
to be surrounded by half a million of men, for, believe
me, Austria will not be more faithful to him than A point was now reached, when Bonaparte's talents
Prussia. Yes, he will remain inflexible, and unless as a soldier were rather likely to disturb a negotiahe be killed (as killed he will not be), there is an tion, which an opinion of his moderate views in
end of all of us." future, could such have been entertained on planIt was, indeed, generally observed, that though sible grounds, would certainly have influenced
t he French troops had all their usual brilliancy of favourably. This was particularly felt by Austria,
courage, and although their emperor showed all his who, after having received so many humiliations
customary talent, the former effect of both upon the from Napoleon, seemed now to be called upon to
allies seemedin a great measure lost. The rapidity decide on his destiny. The views of that power
with which Bonaparte's soldiers made their attacks could not be mistaken. She desired to regain Iler
was now repelled with steadiness, or anticipated lost provinces, and her influence in Gernmauy, and
with yet superior alertness; so that the French, unquestionably would use.this propitious hour to obwho, during their course of victory, had become so tain both. But then she desired still farther, fori the
secure as to neglect the precautions of sentinels and preservation'of her donminion and of her influence,
patrols, now frequently suffered for their careless- that France should desist from her dream of' absoness. On the other hand, the allies chose their days lute dominion, and Napoleon from those extravagant
and hours of battle, continued the conflict as long as claims of universal royalty, which he had hitherto
they found convenient, suspended it when it became'broadly acted upon. To what purpose, was asked
nnfavourable, and renewed it when they saw cause. by the friends of peace, could it avail Bonaparte to
There was an end to the times when a battle de- maintain large armies in Germany? To what purcided the fate of a campaign, and a campaign the pose keep possession of thle fortified to wns, even on
course of the war. the eastern frontier of that empire, excepting to show,
It was also seen, that though Bonaparte had been that, whatever temporary advaltage Napoleon mlight
able to renew the numbers of his army, by an un- look for in an alliance with Austria, it was no part
paralleled effort of exertion, it was not even in his of his plan to abandon his conquests, or to sink
power to restore the discipline which the old soldiers from his claims of suprerne dominion, into a cohad lost in the horrors of the Russian retreat, and ordinate prince, among the independent sovereigns
which the young levies had never acquired. The of Europe.
Saxons and Silesians felt that the burdens which If he meant to prosecute the war, they urged, that
the presence of an armed force always Inust inflict, his lingering in Saxony and Prussia woull certainly
were no longer mitigated by the species of discipline induce Austria to join the coalition against him; and
which the French soldiers had formerly exercised that, supposing Dresden to be the pivot of his opeamongst themselves, and which secured against
wvaton outrage, and waste of the plunder which I hate the hawk who always lives in war.