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direction　which　our　mode　of　thinking　has　taken。　Every　thing　with　us
has　fallen　asleep；　and　we　are　in　a　condition　of　almost　hopeless
stagnation。　The　old　poetry　of　fatherland；　honor；　and　heroism；　seems
to　be　almost　extinct　among　us；　we　are　asleep；　and　do　not　even　dream。
In　order　to　recover　our　senses；　a　conceited　tyrant；　who　will　mock　us
while　plundering　our　pockets；　is　an　indispensable　necessity。
Providence；　perhaps；　has　destined　Bonaparte　to　become　the　tyrant　who
is　to　awaken　Germany　from　its　slumber　by　means　of　cruelties；　he　is；
perhaps；　to　revive　among　the　Germans　love　of　honor；　liberty；　and
country；　he　is；　perhaps；　to　be　the　scourge　that　is　to　torture　us；　so
that　we　may　overcome　our　indolence；　and　that　our　true　national
spirit　may　be　aroused。　I　hope　the　tyrant　will　accomplish　this；　and
deliver　Germany。　God　knows　I　would　not　like　to　serve　him；　but　to　the
liberators　of　the　world　I　should　willingly　devote　my　ideas　and　my
feelings；　nay；　my　blood。　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme　d'Etat；〃
vol。　vii。；　pp。　39；　40。＇　Then　let　us　hope；　wait；　and　prepare。　Let　us
not　occupy　ourselves　with　Germany　as　it　might　be；　perhaps；　in　its
unity；　but　with　Germany　as　it　CAN　be　with　its　confederate　system。
The　Germans　are　not　qualified；　like　the　English　or　French；　to　live
in　a　single　great　state。　The　climate；　their　organization；　that
miserable　beer；　the　insignificant　participation　in　the　commerce　of
the　world；　prevent　it；　the　somewhat　phlegmatic　body　of　the　state
must　have　an　independent　life　in　each　of　its　parts；　the　circulation
issuing　from　a　single　head　would　be　too　imperceptible。　We　must　be
satisfied　with　the　glory　which　a　Joseph；　a　Frederick　the　Great；　and
the　enthusiasm　of　the　whole　people　gave　to　us；　and　if　the　next
struggle　should　terminate　successfully；　will　give　to　us　to　the
greatest　extent。　＇Footnote：　Ibid。；　vol。　vii。；　p。　46。＇　We　must
struggle　on　for　the　welfare　of　the　entire　people；　and　the
individuals　should　unite　into　one　great　harmonious　whole。　Like
myself；　you　consider　concord　between　Austria　and　Prussia　at　present
the　only　remedy　for　the　ills　of　Germany；　let　us；　therefore；　strive
for　it；　let　us　direct　our　whole　strength　to　this　point；　to　this
goal。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　do　so！〃　exclaimed　Gentz；　enthusiastically。　〃We　are　both
destined　and　able　to　be　the　champions　of　Germany；　let　us　fulfil　our
task。　No　matter　how　much　greater；　how　much　more　exalted　and
brilliant　your　name　may　be　than　mine；　for　my　part　I　am　proud　enough
to　believe　that　I　have　certain　talents　which　ought　to　unite　our
political　efforts。　Hence；　you　cannot　and　must　not　reject　and　neglect
me；　you　must　accept　the　hand　which　I　offer　you　for　this　great　and
holy　compact；　for　the　welfare　of　Germany。　We　must　keep　up　an　active
and　uninterrupted　correspondence　with　each　other；　and　freely　and
unreservedly　communicate　to　each　other　our　views　about　the　great
questions　of　the　day。　It　seems　to　me　wise；　necessary；　and　truly
patriotic　that　such　men　as　we　should　hold　timely　consultations　with
each　other　as　to　what　should　be　done；　and　how；　where；　and　by　whom　it
should　be　done。　The　wholesome　influence　we　may　exert；　stationed　by
fate　as　one　of　us　is　in　Berlin；　and　the　other　in　Vienna；　by
faithfully　uniting　our　efforts；　will　be　truly　incalculable。　Now　say；
my　friend；　will　you　conclude　such　a　covenant　with　me？　Shall　we　unite
in　our　active　love　for　Germany　in　our　active　hatred　against　France？〃

〃Yes；　we　will！〃　exclaimed　Johannes　Muller；　solemnly。　〃I　truly　love
and　venerate　you；　I　will　struggle　with　you　incessantly　until　we　have
reached　our　common　noble　goal。　Here　is　my　hand；　my　friend；　its　grasp
shall　be　the　consecration　of　our　covenant。　Perhaps　you　do　not　know
me　very　intimately；　but　we　must　believe　in　each　other。　All　our
studies；　all　our　intellectual　strength；　our　connections；　our
friendships；　every　thing　shall　be　devoted　to　that　one　great　object；
for　the　sake　of　which　alone；　so　long　as　it　may　yet　be　accomplished；
life　is　not　to　be　disdained。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　d'un　Homme
d'Etat；〃　vol。　vii。；　p。　40。＇

〃Yes；　be　it　so；〃　said　Gentz；　joyfully。　〃The　covenant　is　concluded；
and　may　God　bless　it　for　the　welfare　of　Germany！〃




CHAPTER　XLII。

THE　EMPEROR　NAPOLEON。


A　new　era　had　dawned　for　France！　On　the　eighteenth　of　May；　1804；　she
had　changed　her　title　and　commenced　a　new　epoch　of　her　existence。

On　the　eighteenth　of　May；　1804；　the　French　Republic　had　ceased　to
exist；　for　on　that　day　Bonaparte；　the　First　Consul；　had　become
Napoleon；　the　first　Emperor　of　France。　There　was　no　more　talk　of
liberty；　equality；　and　fraternity。　France　had　again　a　mastera
master　who　was　firmly　determined　to　transform　the　proud　republicans
into　obedient　subjects；　and　to　restore　law　and　order　if　necessary　by
means　of　tyranny。　Woe　to　those　who　wanted　to　remember　old　republican
France　under　the　new　state　of　affairs；　woe　to　those　who　called
Napoleon　Bonaparte　the　assassin　of　the　republic；　and　wished　to
punish　him　for　his　criminal　conduct！　George　Cadoudal　and　Pichegru
had　to　atone　with　their　lives　for　such　audacious　attempts；　and
Moreau；　Bonaparte's　great　rival；　was　banished　from　his　country。

Woe　to　those；　too；　who　hoped　that　the　old　royal　throne　of　the　fleur…
de…lis　would　take　the　place　of　the　dying　republic！　the　royalists　as
well　as　the　republicans　were　punished　as　traitors　to　their　country；
and　the　Duke　d'Enghien　was　executed　in　the　ditch　of　Vincennes
because　he　had　dared　to　approach　the　frontier　of　his　country。
Sentence　of　death　had　been　passed　upon　him　without　a　trial；　without
judgment　and　law；　and　even　the　tears　and　prayers　of　Josephine　had
been　unable　to　soften　Bonaparte's　heart。　The　son　of　the　Bourbons　had
to　die　the　death　of　a　traitor；　that　the　son　of　the　Corsican　lawyer
might　become　Emperor　of　France。

Europe　was　no　longer　strong　enough　to　punish　this　bloody　deed；　it
was　not　even　courageous　enough　to　denounce　it　and　to　ask　the　First
Consul；　Bonaparte；　by　virtue　of　what　right　he　had　ordered　his
soldiers　in　the　midst　of　peace　to　enter　a　German　state　in　order　to
arrest　there　the　guest　of　a　German　prince　like　a　common　felon；　and
to　have　him　executed　for　a　crime　which　was　never　proved　against　him。
The　sense　of　honor　and　justice　seemed　entirely　extinct　in　Germany；
and　the　princes　and　people　of　Germany　were　solely　actuated　by　the
all…absorbing　fear　lest　powerful　France　might　assume　a　hostile
attitude　toward　them。

Not　a　voice；　therefore；　was　raised　in　Germany　in　favor　of　the　Duke
d'Enghien；　and　against　a　violation　of　the　German　territory；　directly
conflicting　with　the　existing　treaties　and　the　tenets　of
international　law。　The　German　Diet；　upon　whom　it　was　incumbent　to
maintain　the　honor　and　rights　of　all　the　German　states；　received　the
news　of　this　bloody　deed　in　silence；　and　were　only　too　glad　that
none　of　the　members　of　the　empire　arose　in　order　to　complain　of　the
proceedings　of　France。　It　was　deemed　most　prudent　to　pass　over　the
matter；　and　to　accept　what　could　not　be　helped　as　an　accomplished
fact。

But　from　this　lazy　quiet　they　were　suddenly　startled　by　the　warnings
of　Russia　and　Sweden；　who；　having　warranted　the　maintenance　of　the
constitution　of　the　German　empire；　now　raised　their　voices；　and
loudly　and　emphatically　pointed　out　〃the　danger　which　would　arise
for　every　single　German　state　if　Germany　should　allow　measures　to　be
taken　which　threatened　her　quiet　and　safety；　and　if　deeds　of
violence　should　be　deemed　admissible　or　be　passed　over　without　being
duly　denounced。〃　＇Footnote：　Vide　Hausser's　〃History　of　Germany；〃
vol。　ii。；　p。　518。＇

A　sudden　panic　seized　the　German　Diet；　for　these　Russian　and　Swedish
voices　rendered　further　silence　out　of　the　question。　The　Diet　were；
therefore；　compelled　to　speak　out；　to　complain；　and　to　demand　an
apology　and　redress；　for　Russia　and　Sweden　required　it；　by　virtue　of
their　relation　to　the　empire；　foreign　powers　required　the　German
Diet；　much　to　its　dismay；　to　maintain　and　defend　the　honor　of
Germany。

But　the　Diet　dared　not　listen　to　them；　for　France　asked　them　to　be
silent；　it　threatened　to　consider　any　word　of　censure　as　a
declaration　of　war。　The　ministers　of　the　German　princes；　greatly
embarrassed　by　their　position　between　those　equally　imperious
parties；　found　a　way　not　to　irritate　either；　and　to　maintain　their
silence　and　impartiality；　they　DESERTED！　That　is　to　say；　the　German
Diet；　suddenly；　and　long　before　the　usual　time；　took　a　recess；　a
long　recess；　and　when　the　latter　had　at　length　expired；　the
unpleasant　affair　was　not　taken　up；　and　the　Diet　considered　a　more
important　question　of　the　day。　＇Footnote：　Ibid。；　p。　525。＇　This　more
important　question　was　to　congratulate　France　on　having　elected　an
emperor；　who；　as　the　Austrian　minister　said；　at　a　meeting　of　the
Diet；　〃was　so　precious　to　all　Europe；　and　by　whose　accession　to　the
throne　his　colleagues　could　only　feel　honored。〃

The　Diet　had　been　silent　about　the　assassination　of　the　Duke
d'Enghien；　but　they　spoke　out　and　proffered　their　congratulations
when　Bonaparte　had　become　emperor；　and　they　pretended　to　be　glad　to
hail　him　as　the　founder　of　a　new　dynasty。

Napoleon　Bonaparte；　therefore；　had　now　attained　his　object；　he　had
reestablished　the　throne　in　France；　he　had　placed　a　crown　on　h