memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第6节

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temporarily　interred　at　Leipsic；　with　all　the　honours　due　to　the
illustrious　deceased。　　A　modest　stone　marks　the　spot　where　the　body　of
the　Prince　was　dragged　from　the　river。　　The　Poles　expressed　a　wish　to。
erect　a　monument　to　the　memory　of　their　countryman　in　the　garden　of　M。
Reichenbach；　but　that　gentleman　declared　he　would　do　it　at　his　own
expense；　which　he　did。　　The　monument　consists　of　a　beautiful　sarcophagus；
surrounded　by　weeping　willows。　　The　body　of　the　Prince；　after　bring
embalmed；　was　sent　in　the　following　year　to　Warsaw；　and　in　1816　it　was
deposited　in　the　cathedral；　among　the　remains　of　the　Kings　and　great　men
of　Poland。　　The　celebrated　Thorwaldsen　was　commissioned　to　execute　a
monument　for　his　tomb。　　Prince　Poniatowski　left　no　issue　but　a　natural
son；　born　in　1790。　　The　royal　race；　therefore　existed　only　in　a
collateral　branch　of　King　Stanislas；　namely；　Prince　Stanislas；　born　in
1754。




CHAPTER　XXX。

1813

　　　　　Amount　of　the　Allied　forces　against　NapoleonTheir　advance　towards
　　　　　the　RhineLevy　of　280；000　menDreadful　situation　of　the　French　at
　　　　　MayenceDeclaration　of　the　Allies　at　FrankfortDiplomatic
　　　　　correspondentsThe　Due　de　Bassano　succeeded　by　the　Duke　of　Vicenza…
　　　　　…The　conditions　of　the　Allies　vaguely　acceptedCaulaincourt　sent　to
　　　　　the　headquarters　of　the　AlliesManifesto　of　the　Allied　powers　to
　　　　　the　French　people。Gift　of　30；000；000　from　the　Emperor's　privy
　　　　　purse　Wish　to　recall　M。　de　TalleyrandSingular　advice　relative　to
　　　　　WellingtonThe　French　army　recalled　from　SpainThe　throne　resigned
　　　　　JosephAbsurd　accusation　against　M。　LaineAdjournment　of　the
　　　　　Legislative　BodyNapoleon's　Speech　to　the　Legislative　BodyRemarks
　　　　　of　Napoleon　reported　by　Cambaceres。

When　the　war　resumed　its　course　after　the　disaster　of　Leipsic　I　am
certain　that　the　Allied　sovereigns　determined　to　treat　with　Napoleon　only
in　his　own　capital；　as　he；　four　years　before；　had　refused　to　treat　with
the　Emperor　of　Austria　except　at　Vienna。　　The　latter　sovereign　now
completely　raised　the　mask；　and　declared　to　the　Emperor　that　he　would
make　common　cause　with　Russia　and　Prussia　against　him。　　In　his
declaration　he　made　rise　of　the　singular　pretext；　that　the　more　enemies
there　were　against　Napoleon　there　would　be　the　greater　chance　of　speedily
obliging　him　to　accede　to　conditions　which　would　at　length　restore　the
tranquillity　of　which　Europe　stood　so　much　in　need。　　This　declaration　on
the　part　of　Austria　was　an　affair　of　no　little　importance；　for　she　had
now　raised　an　army　of　260；000　men。　　An　equal　force　was　enrolled　beneath
the　Russian　banners；　which　were　advancing　towards　the　Rhine。　　Prussia　had
200；000　men；　the　Confederation　of　the　Rhine　150；000：　in　short；　including
the　Swedes　and　the　Dutch；　the　English　troops　in　Spain　and　in　the
Netherlands；　the　Danes；　who　had　abandoned　us；　the　Spaniards　and
Portuguese；　whose　courage　and　hopes　were　revived　by　our　reverses；
Napoleon　had　arrayed　against　him　upwards　of　a　million　of　armed　men。
Among　them；　too；　were　the　Neapolitans；　with　Murat　at　their　head！

The　month　of　November　1813　was　fatal　to　the　fortune　of　Napoleon。　　In　all
parts　the　French　armies　were　repulsed　and　driven　back　upon　the　Rhine；
while…in　every　direction；　the　Allied　forces　advanced　towards　that　river。
For　a　considerable　time　I　had　confidently　anticipated　the　fall　of　the
Empire；　not　because　the　foreign　sovereigns　had　vowed　its　destruction；　but
because　I　saw　the　impossibility　of　Napoleon　defending　himself　against　all
Europe；　and　because　I　knew　that；　however　desperate　might　be　his　fortune；
nothing　would　induce　him　to　consent　to　conditions　which　he　considered
disgraceful。　　At　this　time　every　day　was　marked　by　a　new　defection。　　Even
the　Bavarians；　the　natural　Allies　of　France；　they　whom　the　Emperor　had
led　to　victory　at　the　commencement　of　the　second　campaign　of　Vienna；　they
whom　he　had；　as　it　were；　adopted　on　the　field　of　battle；　were　now　against
us；　and　were　the　bitterest　of　our　enemies。

Even　before　the　battle　of　Leipsic；　the　consequences　of　which　were　so
ruinous　to　Napoleon；　he　had　felt　the　necessity　of　applying　to　France　for
a　supply　of　troops；　as　if　France　had　been　inexhaustible。　　He　directed　the
Empress　Regent　to　make　this　demand；　and　accordingly　Maria　Louisa
proceeded　to　the　Senate；　for　the　first　time；　in　great　state：　but　the
glories　of　the　Empire　were　now　on　the　decline。　　The　Empress　obtained　a
levy　of　280；000　troops；　but　they　were　no　sooner　enrolled　than　they　were
sacrificed。　　The　defection　of　the　Bavarians　considerably　augmented　the
difficulties　which　assailed　the　wreck　of　the　army　that　had　escaped　from
Leipsic。　　The　Bavarians　had　got　before　us　to　Hanau；　a　town　four　leagues
distant　from　Frankfort；　there　they　established　themselves；　with　the　view
of　cutting　off　our　retreat；　but　French　valour　was　roused；　the　little　town
was　speedily　carried；　and　the　Bavarians　were　repulsed　with　considerable
loss。　　The　French　army　arrived　at　Mayence；　if；　indeed；　one　may　give　the
name　of　army　to　a　few　masses　of　men　destitute；　dispirited；　and　exhausted
by　fatigue　and　privation。　　On　the　arrival　of　the　troops　at　Mayence　no
preparation　had　been　made　for　receiving　them：　there　were　no　provisions；
or　supplies　of　any　kind；　and；　as　the　climax　of　misfortune；　infectious
epidemics　broke　out　amongst　the　men。　　All　the　accounts　I　received
concurred　in　assuring　me　that　their　situation　vas　dreadful：

However；　without　counting　the　wreck　which　escaped　from　the　disasters　of
Leipsic；　and　the　ravages　of　disease；　without　including　the　280；000　men
which　had　been　raised　by　a　'Senatus…consulte；　on　the　application　of　Maria
Louisa；　the　Emperor　still　possessed　120；000　good　troops；　but　they　were　in
the　rear；　scattered　along　the　Elbe；　shut　up　in　fortresses　such　as
Dantzic；　Hamburg；　Torgau；　and　Spandau。　　Such　was　the　horror　of　our
situation　that　if；　on　the　one　hand；　we　could　not　resolve　to　abandon　them；
it　was　at　the　same　time　impossible　to　aid　them。　　In　France　a　universal
cry　was　raised　for　peace；　at　whatever　price　it　could　be　purchased。　　In
this　state　of　things　it　may　be　said　that　the　year　1813　was　more　fatal　to
Napoleon　than　the　year　1812。　　The　disasters　of　Moscow　were　repaired　by
his　activity　and　the　sacrifices　of　France；　but　the　disasters　of　Leipsic
were　irreparable。

I　shall　shortly　speak　of　some　negotiations　in　which；　if　I　had　chosen；　I
might　have　taken　a　part。　　After　the　battle　of　Leipsic；　in　which　France
lost；　for　the　second　time；　a　formidable　army；　all　the　powers　allied
against　Napoleon　declared　at　Frankfort；　on　the　9th　of　November；　that　they
would　never　break　the　bonds　which　united　them；　that　henceforth　it　was　not
merely　a　Continental　peace；　but　a　general　peace；　that　would　be　demanded；
and　that　any　negotiation　not　having　a　general　peace　for　its　object　would
be　rejected。　　The　Allied　powers　declared　that　France　was　to　be　confined
within　her　natural　limits；　the　Rhine；　the　Alps；　and　the　Pyrenees。　　This
was　all　that　was　to　remain　of　the　vast　Empire　founded　by　Napoleon；　but
still　it　must　be　allowed　it　was　a　great　deal；　after　the　many　disasters
France　had　experienced；　and　when　she　was　menaced　with　invasion　by
numerous　and　victorious　armies。　　But　Napoleon　could　not　accede　to　such
proposals；　for　he　was　always　ready　to　yield　to　illusion　when　the　truth
was　not　satisfactory　to　him。

According　to　the　proposals　of　the　Allies　at　Frankfort；　Germany；　Italy；
and　Spain　were　to　be　entirely　withdrawn　from　the　dominion　of　France。
England　recognised　the　freedom　of　trade　and　navigation；　and　there
appeared　no　reason　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　her　professed　willingness　to
make　great　sacrifices　to　promote　the　object　proposed　by　the　Allies。　　But
to　these　offers　a　fatal　condition　was　added；　namely；　that　the　Congress
should　meet　in　a　town；　to　be　declared　neutral；　on　the　right　bank　of　the
Rhine；　where　the　plenipotentiaries　of　all　the　belligerent　powers　were　to
assemble；　but　the　course　of　the　war　was　not　to　be　impeded　by　these
negotiations。〃

　　　　　＇This；　system　of　negotiating　and　advancing　was　a　realization　of
　　　　　Metternich's　idea　copying　Napoleon's　own　former　procedure。　　〃Let　us
　　　　　hold　always　the　sword　in　one　head；　and　the　olive　branch　in　the
　　　　　other；　always　ready　to　negotiate；　but　only　negotiating　whilst
　　　　　advancing。　　Here　is　Napoleon's　system：　may　he　find　enemies　who　will
　　　　　carry　on　war　。　　。　　。　　as　he　would　carry　it　on　himself。〃　（Metternich
　　　　　vol。　ii。　　p。　346）。＇

The　Due　de　Bassano　（Maret）；　who　was　still　Minister　for　Foreign　Affairs；
replied；　by　order　of　Napoleon；　to　the　overtures　wade　by　the　Allies　for　a
general　Congress；　and　stated　that　the　Emperor　acceded　to　them；　and　wished
Mannheim　to　be　chosen　as　the　neutral　town。　　M。　Metternich　replied　in　a
note；　dated　Frankfort；　the　25th　of　November；　stating　that　the　Allies　felt
no　difficulty　in　acceding　to　Napoleon's　choice　of　Mannheim　for　the
meeting　of　the　Congress；　but　as　M。　de　Bassano's　letter　contained　no
mention　of　the　general　and　summary　bases　I　have　just　mentioned；　and　which
had　been　communicated　to　M。　de　St。　Aignan　at　Frankfort；　M。　Metternich
stated　that　the　Allies　wished　the　Emperor　Napoleon　to　declare　his
determination　respecting　those　bases；　in　order　that　insurmountable
diffi