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The base unmanly exultation of those amongst us who designate this execution by epithets properly bestowed only on acts of wise and vigorous policy, not such as bespeak conscious weakness and fear, deserves only to be noticed, in order to show the taint which spreads through all the partisans of this accursed legitimacy, so as to corrupt every principle of candour, clemency, confidence, and true courage, even in the breasts of those who breathe the happy air of freedom, and feed on the generous fruits of her salubrious soil. No sooner has a general benevolence in favour of the rights of nations been worked into a disposition inclined towards families or individuals in their royal capacities, than a proportionate contraction displays itself in every sentiment, and gives even to actions in themselves praiseworthy, a character of selfishness inconsistent with true dignity. "The man who fights for an individual is a slave; the hero is he that combats for his country." The personal exposure of each is the same: the difference is made by the comparative insignificance of the cause, and the inferiority of the object of the pensioner to that of the patriot.

There is no appendage of a king entirely, or, perhaps, in some cases, at all contemptible, except his courtiers, in whom "the divinity that doth hedge him” does by no means consist; for these are, by common consent, and long usage, delivered over to the hatred and raillery of all mankind, in every country where human reason has made the slightest progress. How then is it that so many men, even in our land of freedom and common sense, seduce themselves into as slavish an admiration and respect for certain crowned heads, as could be commanded from the most abject and insignificant followers of these royal despised retinues? This is being panders to our own abasement, without the honour, the reward, or the expediency, which give a countenance, or, at least, an excuse, to the servility of those who are born the property of others, and can diminish their own disgrace only by magnifying the power and importance of him to whom they belong. Besides, it is observable, that being ourselves supposed to enjoy the privileges of the purest independence, this base part taken by our writers and politicians gives to the national character an air of cruelty and selfishness, as if we exulted in, and would willingly contemplate, the pro traction of evils from which we ourselves are free.

LETTER XVIII.

Paris, May 31.

THE Champ de Mai is fixed for to-morrow. The Square Vendôme is full of the deputations from the different corps of the army, who are to assist at this ceremony, and the General Caffarelli told a friend of mine yesterday that there were not less than fifty thousand regular troops in and about the vicinity of the capital, to secure the public tranquillity, and to prevent a catastrophe, as well as to form part of the army of reserve. The imperial guards are still in Paris, and are generally reviewed on Sundays, together with such regiments as happen to be passing through the capital. On Sunday (yesterday) I was in the Tuilleries, where five regiments of the line and four of the young guard, together with a body of recruits, were paraded before the Emperor. Napoleon stood for some time immediately under the window of the council of state, in which I was placed, and gave me the opportunity of observing one or two circumstances which I hope you will not think too trifling to deserve mention. It was a very hot day, and he was standing in the shade of the building as the regiments passed, but, looking up, he advanced a pace or two, and placed himself in the sun, as it appeared to me and those who were with me, evidently because he observed that he alone was protected from the heat. A battalion of the guard coming up, Napoleon stepped forwards to them, and, whilst they were filing, marched with his hands behind, absolutely confounded with and amongst the soldiers. Some regiments of the line were then drawn up in front, and presented arms: he walked along close to them, and, seeing a grenadier with a petition in his hand, stopped before him, took the paper, talked for two minutes to him, and ended by pulling the man's nose. A little af terwards a colonel running up to him with some news, which he communicated with a laugh, the Emperor raised himself on tiptoe, and interrupted him by giving him a sound box on the ear, with which the officer went away, smiling and shewing his cheek, which was red with the blow. I started at the sight, of which I knew neither the cause nor consequence, but was satisfied by a general officer, who informed me that such friendly flaps were not unusual with the Emperor, and that he himself had seen other instances of this singular familiarity. On one occasion, a soldier, at a review, shouted vive l'Empereur, the whole line being silent, when Napoleon went up to him, and, asking him

how many campaigns he had served, added, "how happens it you have not been promoted?" The soldier answered-on m'a fait la queue trois fois pour la croix. "Eh bien," replied the Emperor, "je te donne la queue," and, giving him a slap in the face, conferred upon him the cross of the legion of honour. At his first interview with General Rapp since his return, he gave him that sort of blow vulgarly called a punch in the stomach, crying-quoi, coquin, tu voudras me tuer ?"* alluding to this general's being named by the king to a military division when the Emperor came from Elba.

These manners may appear gross and vulgar, but certainly they have succeeded completely with the French soldiery; for both on the present occasion and at other reviews, I have remarked an enthusiasm, an affection, a delight apparent in the countenances of the troops at the sight of their general, which no parent can command in the midst of his family. The Emperor continued his inspection until six o'clock, having reviewed about fifteen thousand men, and, lastly, the cavalry of the guard, amongst which were distinguished the Polish lancers who attended him at Elba. The colonel of these troops seemed intoxicated with pride and satisfaction, whilst he rode by the side of Napoleon down the line of his small squadron, and took care, when the Emperor passed in the rear, to face round and salute him again, contrary, I believe, to all discipline. The mamelukes of the guard are now reduced to about forty, and have deviated considerably from the true costume of that body. Nearly all of them are French. Rustan wisely deserted his master at his abdication.†

Of the French troops I shall only say that their appearance, to my eyes, is more military than that of any soldiers in the world, and that the old guard might pass for the representatives of the gentry of France. It is impossible to view them without admiration and regret. The guard will not leave the capital until immediately previous to the departure of the Emperor: the royalists assert that he dares not trust to his capital without them. The proceedings of these persons are such as would justify more violent measures than have hitherto been pursued. They have lately dispersed a paper, called Address to the National Guards, dated from Ghent, in which those troops are advised to deliver Napoleon to the allies; also a similar paper, called the Cry of Alarm, copies of which have been struck off in Paris, at the house of a lady, who has been arrested. Messrs.

What, rogue, were you going to kill me?

Napoleon's valet was a still honester epitome of worldly attachment: he wrote to his former master, when at Elba, and told him "If he should ever be fortunate (heureux), he, the valet, would be happy to serve him again."

Gautier, father and son, a celebrated physician and advocate, have likewise been imprisoned, together with others, whose friends therefore exclaim that the proscriptions are renewed. The disturbances in the departments continue, particularly in Poitou. Fifty of the 26th regiment have been killed near Bessieres, and the insurrection in La Vendée has assumed so serious an appearance that General Lamarque and five-and-twenty thousand picked troops have been sent to that quarter. Some battalions of the young guard were dispatched in post carriages to the general's army a few days ago. I mention these facts because the public papers have not been very explicit on this head. The superintendants of the journals could not be expected to admit intelligence which would so much disquiet the public mind. With respect to La Vendée, however, it should be considered as an enemy's country, nor will it be thought very formidable when it is recollected how long two millions of these royalists in arms were ineffectual against the rising republic. The most decisive national spirit is, on the other hand, shown in other quarters, and especially in the protestant departments. Some alarms in Gard, of an insurrection of the Bourbonists, immediately assembled 10,000 of the national guards, and General Gilly easily collected 25,000 peasants from the mountains for the immediate suppression of another royalist movement. But I cannot flatter you with hopes that any real uneasiness is felt on account of these distant dissentions: and although the frondeurs, an abundant party at present at Paris, do not fail to lament the want of unanimity, every one is aware that there will be no want of that virtue amongst the troops who will decide the great cause in the plains of Belgium. Strange as it may appear, there are yet some few individuals who entertain hopes of peace, notwithstanding the finishing stroke seems to be preparing for the general confederacy against France, by the efforts made to add Switzerland to the grand alliance. It was hoped for a moment in Paris, that the Swiss might be induced to assist in the defence of the French frontier, by way of protecting their own neutrality. But the utmost now hoped for is, that she will add none of her forces to the combined armies. However, no blood has, it appears, yet been spilt, except by the Prussians at Liege, who seem to have opened the campaign against the Saxon revolters. Swords have been drawn also in Paris, in a literary quarrel, between Mr. Montlosier, author of the treatise on "the French monarchy," and Mr. de Constant; when the former being run through the pen-hand, no further mischief ensued. With this exception, no commotion or contest of any kind has disturbed the peace, although such are the blind rumours and whispered apprehen

sions of the saloons of this capital, that I was in an apartment the other evening, where the explosion of some fire-works at the gardens of Tivoli was at first taken for the fusillade of an insurrection.

LETTER XIX.

Paris, June 2.

MR. B-and myself were present yesterday at the assembly of the Champ de Mai, of which, though a detailed account will soon be seen in your English papers, I cannot help telling what we ourselves witnessed.

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On the 31st, the discharge of a hundred cannons from the bridge of Jena had announced the eve of the ceremony, and a similar salute was fired at daylight the next morning. A programma of the fête, together with the order from the minister of police, was fixed to the walls, and cried, to prevent the occurrence of accidents, which are very rare on these occasions, "for they do these things," it must be confessed, "better in France." We had previously visited the building prepared for the assemblage, which was a vast pentagonal semicircular amphitheatre of painted wood and canvas work, at the upper end of the Champ de Mars, and immediately in front of the military school. The amphitheatre was open on all sides, and separated in the middle by a space, in which was a structure covered with a canopy, containing an altar, and seats for priests, musicians, and other performers of the mass. There were nominal divisions made by the wooden pillars of the building, surmounted by large wooden eagles, under which were written the names of the departments, the enumeration of which associated itself, in my mind, in a very lively manner, with the extent and power of the empire.

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A structure of the same materials was raised against the face of the military school, covered with a square canopy in the middle, and jutting out into oblong wings on each side. Under the canopy, a flight of carpeted steps descended from the principal window in the first story of the building, and about half way tween the window and the ground was a platform for the throne. This structure formed as it were the chord, of which the amphitheatre was the arc. Besides these preparations, there was a bare pyramidical platform, with an ascent on each side of a flight of steps, fifteen feet high, about a hundred yards in front of the amphitheatre; or, it ought to be called, at the back of it, on

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