these early Italian campaigns. In ingenuity of plan, 22 celerity of movement, 23audacity of assault, he far outshone all his adversaries; and while in the main he showed no hesitation in carrying out the brigandlike orders of the 24 Directory, he does not appear to have appropriated a single penny to himself. It was power that he cared for, not gold.

In December, 1797, Napoleon returned to Paris, where he was received with the utmost enthusiasm. At this time there was much talk, and probably some vague design on the part of the Directory, of invading England, and Napoleon was appointed commander-in-chief of the invading army. This was not however carried out, and Napoleon was sent with a fleet containing 30,000 soldiers to invade Egypt. At this time France was at peace with Turkey; the invasion of Egypt, a Turkish dependency, was therefore an act utterly 25unjustifiable, and reminds us, not of European warfare, but rather of the irruption of a horde of barbaric Tartars.

The French soon became masters of Egypt, but only for a time, for the English fleet under Nelson was pursuing that of the French and doing it great damage. Nelson utterly destroyed the French fleet in 26 Aboukir Bay, and so cut off Napoleon from communication with Europe.

Finding his position far from comfortable, Napoleon left his army under the command of Kleber, and returned to France.

At Paris he found the greatest of confusion prevailing. He soon mastered the state of affairs,

overthrew the Directory, and became First Consul or chief ruler of France. Napoleon displayed extraordinary vigour as an 27administrator, but he knew well that his genius was essentially military, and that his most dazzling and influential triumphs were those won on the battle-field.

Napoleon's policy in Italy irritated the British government, and as remonstrances were ineffectual, war was declared against France on the 18th of May, 1803. The English fleet scoured the seas, 28 paralysing the commerce of France; while Napoleon threatened to invade England, and assembled a large army at 29 Boulogne. At the same time Napoleon assumed the title of Emperor, and caused himself to be crowned king of Italy.

This policy of aggrandisement alarmed the nations of Europe, and a coalition was formed between England, Russia, Austria, and Sweden, Napoleon acted with amazing celerity. 32 Concentrating his widely-scattered forces at 33 Mainz, he marched at once across Bavaria, and in less than a month entered the capital of Austria. France was 34electrified, the rest of Europe was thunderstruck. But a more glorious triumph was yet to come. Hurrying north, he gave battle to the combined forces of Russia and Austria at Austerlitz. The contest was tremendous, but the victory was complete, and the Austrians had to sue for peace.

In 1806 Prussia assumed a 35 hostile attitude, but Napoleon absolutely annihilated the power of Prussia at the battle of 37 Jena, and five days later

entered Berlin. A quarrel arising with the princeregent of Portugal, a war ensued with that country and Spain. The whole royal family of Spain fell into the hands of Napoleon, who made his brother Joseph king of Spain. This led to the famous Peninsular war, in which the English under the Duke of Wellington took so prominent a part.

In 1812 Napoleon declared war against Russia; and, in spite of the advice of his most prudent counsellors, resolved to invade that country. He entered Russia with an army of half a million of men; the Russian generals retreated before the invading host, deliberately wasting the country and carrying off the supplies, but avoiding as far as possible all engagements, their design being to surround Napoleon in the heart of the country, and by the help of famine and the rigours of a northern winter to annihilate him in his hour of weakness. Napoleon followed up the retreating foe with reckless resolution. He risked everything on the chance of striking some overwhelming blow. In his march 100,000 of his men dropped off, dead, sick, or captured by the swarms of 38 Cossacks that hung upon his flanks. When he reached Moscow, then the chief city of Russia, the inhabitants had deserted it. A fire broke out, which raged three days and left Moscow a heap of ruins. Napoleon was obliged to commence his retreat, and the course taken by his army was marked by dead and dying men. When he left Russia his army was reduced to 25,000 men. Early the next year he raised another army and

marched into Germany, but the Russian campaign had broken the spell of terror which his name had till then exercised. The spirit of all Europe was thoroughly roused. A conviction was somewhat unconsciously seizing every mind, that the world had had enough of Buonaparte. For some time he was successful in winning battles, but at last the allied armies drove him back to Paris, where he was compelled to abdicate the throne of France. He was conveyed in a British ship to the island of Elba, where he was kept as a royal prisoner.

After ten months Napoleon made his escape to France; the army went over to him in a body. At the head of 125,000 men he marched towards Belgium, where the English and Prussian forces were assembling. The campaign lasted only a few days. On the 16th of June, 1815, Napoleon defeated the Prussians under Marshal Blucher at Ligny, which compelled Wellington to fall back upon Waterloo, where, on the 18th, was fought the most memorable and decisive battle of modern times. It resulted in the utter and 39irretrievable ruin of Napoleon.

The despot returned to Paris, where the House of Representatives fiercely insisted on his abdication. They further demanded that he should leave the country for ever, and he retired to 40 Rochefort, with the design of embarking for the United States. Finding escape from the Allies impossible, he voluntarily surrendered to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon, claiming the protection of British laws! The British government, however, resolved to con

fine him for life on the islet of St. Helena, a lonely rock in the Southern Atlantic, 1000 miles from the coast of Africa. Here he lived nearly six uneventful years. He expired the 5th of May, 1821, and was buried with military honours. At the earnest request of a great number of the French people, his remains were removed to France in the year 1840.

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1 Brienne, a small town in the department of Aube, northcentral France. 2 Valence, the capital of the department of Drome, in South France. 'undemonstrative, quiet; not expressing openly his thoughts or feelings. enthusiasm, passionate ardour or eagerness in favour of a person or cause. 5 king, Louis the Sixteenth, beheaded by the French people 1793. red cap, badge of the republicans. fatuously, foolishly; like a silly person. ennui, (pronounced ong-nwe'), a feeling of weariness and disgust; listlessness; weariness; lassitude. Lombardy, a district in North Italy. 10 unscrupulous, not scrupulous ; unrestrained; unprincipled; ruthless. commissary, a deputy; a commissioner; especially an officer having charge of the food and clothing department. 12 Pavia, a town in Lombardy. 13 extortion, exaction ; that which is taken from another by force. 14 savant (pronounced sa-vong'), a man of learning; one versed in literature and science, 15 spoliation, act of plundering; robbery; destruction in time of war. 16 subsequent, following; those coming after. 17 campaign, the time that an army keeps the field. MSS., (pronounced manuscripts), books or pamphlets written with the hand. 19 flushed, animated or filled with joy. 20 overtures, offers. 21 ceded, yielded; gave up; surrendered. 2 celerity, swiftness; speed; quickness; rapidity. 23 audacity, boldness; in a manner showing contempt of law. 24 Directory, the assembly which governed France. 25 unjustifiable, contrary to justice and right. 28 Aboukir Bay, this action is usually called the Battle of the Nile. 27 adminis trator, one who administers, or directs, or makes laws. 28 paralysing, causing a cessation or stoppage, as paralysis in the limbs prevents motion. Boulogne, a seaport in North France. 30 aggrandisement, making greater and greater in power, rank, etc. 31 coalition, union; league. 32 concentrating, bringing together; uniting closely. 33 Mainz or Mayence; a fortress on the Rhine. electrified, amazed; excited as if by an electric shock.

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