the country, the whole mass of the youth, glowing with emulation, thronged round the standards, to bear, with joyful self-denial, unusual hardships, and resolved to brave death itself. Then the best strength of the people intrepidly joined the ranks of my brave soldiers, and my generals led with me into battle a host of heroes, who have shewn themselves worthy of the name of their fathers, and heirs of their glory. Thus we and our allies, attended by victory, conquered the capital of our enemy. Our banners waved in Paris-Napoleon abdicated his authority-liberty was restored to Germany, security to thrones, and to the world the hope of a durable peace. "This hope is vanished: we must again march to the combat. A perfidious conspiracy has brought back to France the man who for ten years together brought down upon the world unutterable miseries. The people, confounded, have not been able to oppose his armed adherents: though he himself, while still at the head of a considerable armed force, declared his abdication to be a voluntary sacrifice to the happiness and repose of France, he now regards this, like every other convention, as nothing; he is at the head of perjured soldiers, who desire to render war eternal; Europe is again threatened; it cannot suffer the man to remain on the throne of France, who loudly proclaimed universal empire to be the object of his continually renewed wars; who confounded all moral principle by his continued breach of faith; and who can, therefore, give the world no security for his peaceable intentions. "Again, therefore, arise to the combat! France itself wants our aid, and all Europe is allied with us. United with your ancient companions in victory, reinforced by the accession of new brethren in arms, you, brave Prussians, go to a just war, with me, with the princes of my family, with the generals who have led you to victory, The justice of the cause we defend will ensure us the victory. "I have ordered a general arming, according to my decree of September 3, 1814, which will be executed in all my dominions. The army will be completed; the volunteer companies of yagers be formed; and the landwehr called together, The youth of the chief classes of the citizens, from the age of twenty and upwards, are at liberty to join either the landwehr first called out, or the yager corps of the regular army. Every young man who has completed his seventeenth year, may, if possessing the requisite bodily strength, join the army of his own choice. I publish a particular regulation on this subject. Concerning the formation of the single corps, and of the landwehr, a notice will appear in every province from the constituted authorities. "Thus united, with all Europe in arms, we again enter the lists against Napoleon Buonaparte and his adherents. Arise, then, with God for your support, for the repose of the world, for order, for morality, for your king and country. "FREDERICK WILLIAM. "Vienna, April 7, 1815." This well-timed and energetic proclamation was not lost upon the Prussians; every heart glowed with indignation against the disturber of mankind; every soldier panted for a fresh opportunity of signalising himself against the restless and ambitious Corsican:-that opportunity soon occurred:-from the memorable plains of Waterloo the tyrant fled before the triumphant sons of Prussia; and the Prussian eagles were again destined to wave over the heads of the humbled Parisians. "The moral character of Frederick William," says a respectable writer, "is such as would do honour to the most affectionate and tender of sons, fathers, husbands, or brothers; and had it not been for his early and unfortunate predilection in favour of the French, his ministers, courtiers, and subjects, would at all times have been not only respected, but happy, had they taken their sovereign for their model, "It was formerly his daily custom to walk out for some hours, unescorted, attended only by an aide-decamp, or accompanied by one of his brothers; and the poorest of his subjects might approach him, not only without fear, but with confidence, The simplicity and regularity of his life also formed a striking contrast to that of his father and predecessor, "Frederick William was married to a beautiful and accomplished princess of the house of MecklenburgStrelitz, She, in the early part of her husband's reign, was much attached to the French interest; but, afterwards, was as hostile to it. She did not long survive the calamities of her country, but died, as is supposed, of a broken heart, on the 19th of July, 1810; leaving behind her three sons and three daughters." NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE. NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE was born on the 15th of August, 1769, at Ajaccio, a small town in the island of Corsica. He was said to be the eldest son of Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer of Italian extraction, by his wife Letitia Raniolini. General Count Marbœuf, who had conquered Corsica for the kingdom of France, and was appointed governor of the island, is, however, reported to have conceived an attachment for Letitia, disgraceful to her reputation, and dishonourable to her husband; and it is asserted that her connexion with the Count, whilst it confirmed the suspicions of her spouse, also gave him Napoleon for an heir. It is at all events certain, that Buonaparte became so much an object of the Count's protection, as to have been admitted, by his influence with the French minister at war, as an Eleve du Roi into the royal military school at Brienne, in the province of Champaigne. At this school Napoleon arrived in the year 1779, being then only ten years old. Notwithstanding his early age, however, he discovered a peculiar temper of mind. He avoided the juvenile amusements of the other pupils, and courted solitude and gloom; he devoted his attention to sedentary, rather than to active employments, and appeared entirely engaged in his own individual pursuits. He seldom exposed himself to his school-fellows; for, as he was only remarkable for his pride and moroseness, they repulsed his reprimands and railleries, by blows, which he received with indifference, and returned with saturnine coldness. A large plot of ground adjoining the school had been divided into a number of portions, which the boys were allowed to appropriate to such purposes as they thought proper. One of these was allotted to Buonaparte and two other lads: he succeeded in prevailing on his two partners to give up their right to participate in the amusements which their ground would have afforded, and, having thus excluded all claim on the part of any one else, he proceeded to lay it out into a garden, which he surrounded with a strong palisade, to render it difficult of access. The shrubs which he planted, some of which were formed into impenetrable arbours, also contributed to its seclusion from the grounds of the other boys, and increased the difficulties of their intrusion. To this spot, he frequently retired with his mathematical and scientific works, and, surrounded by these and other books, he meditated the reduction of the principles he had imbibed to practice. He planned the attack and defence of fortified places, the arrangement of hostile corps in order of battle, calculated the chances of success on the one part, and of defeat on the other; altered their position, and formed charges and victories upon paper, and on the ground. To the Genoese his hatred was inveterate: a young Corsican, on his arrival at the college, was presented to Buonaparte, by the other students, as a Genoese; the gloom of his countenance instantly kindled into rage, he darted upon the lad with vehemence, twisted his hands in his hair, and was only prevented from using further violence by the immediate interference of the stronger boys, who rescued the youth from his savage ferocity. The manners of Buonaparte were very remarkable pride was the prominent feature of his character; his conduct was austere; if he committed an error, it was the result of deliberation, and what would, in mature age, have been deemed a crime. His severity never for gave the offences of his companions. His resolves were immoveable, and his disposition was inflexibly obsti nate. Frequently engaged in quarrels, he was often the greatest sufferer; and though he was mostly singled out as an object of revenge, he never complained to his superiors of ill treatment: he meditated retaliation, however, in silence, and seldom failed to inflict a punishment accordant to his savage nature. The insurrection of the scholars against the masters were frequent, and Buonaparte, as marked by nature for a rebel, was invariably at the head of every insur.. rection. He was, therefore, generally selected as the principal leader, and suffered severe chastisement. On these occasions, he listened to reproach, to reproof, and to menaces, like the savages of America, without emotions of fear or surprise. He was never humiliated by those punishments that were intended to disgrace him, and raillery was equally received in sullen silence. The meetings of the pupils were on the plan of a military establishment. They formed themselves into companies, each under the command of a captain and "The pupils of the Military School were permitted every year, on the day of St. Louis, (the 25th of Au noisy demonstrations of joy, almost without restraint. All punishment was suspended, all subordination ceased, and generally some accident occurred before the day concluded. other officers, and the whole composed a battalion, with | a colonel at its head. The officers were elected by the boys, and decorated with the ornaments usually attach-gust,) to give themselves up to pleasure, and the most ed to the French uniform. Buonaparte was, at one time, chosen to the rank of captain; but he was soon afterwards summoned before a court-martial, which was called with all due formality, and, on the charges being proved against him, he was declared unworthy to command those comrades whose good-will he despised. He was accordingly stripped of the insignia of his command, and disgraced to the lowest rank in the battalion. "Such pupils as had attained fourteen years of age, had, by an ancient custom of the college, the privilege of purchasing a certain quantity of gunpowder; and, for a long time before the day arrived, these youths used to assemble to prepare their fire-works. They were also permitted to discharge small cannon, muskets, and other fire-arms, when and as often as they thought proper. "It was on St. Louis's day, in 1784, the last year of Buonaparte's remaining at the school, that he affected an entire indifference to the means which his comrades used for its celebration. They were all animation and Buonaparte now retired to his garden, resumed his former occupations, and appeared no more among his comrades until the winter of the year 1783, when the severity of the weather drove him from his retreat. The snow having fallen to a considerable depth, and a hard frost having set in, he resolved to open a winter-campaign upon a new plan. He called his fellow-pupils around him, and, collecting their garden-hilarity, activity and spirit. He was all gloom and taing implements, he put himself at their head, and they proceeded to collect large quantities of snow, which were brought to particular spots in the great court of the school, as he directed. Whilst they were thus occupied, he was busied in tracing the boundaries of an extensive fortification: they soon formed intrenchments, and afterwards engaged in erecting forts, bastions, and redoubts of snow. They laboured with activity, and Napoleon superintended their exertions. citurnity, thought, and reflection. Retired the whole of the day in his garden, he not only did not participate in the general rejoicing, but seemed to pursue his usual studies, without being disturbed by the noise. His comrades were too much engaged in their amusements to think of interrupting him, and would only have laughed at his strange behaviour, if an uncommon circumstance had not drawn upon him their attention and resentment. "Towards nine o'clock in the evening, about twenty of the young people were assembled in that garden which adjoined to his, in which the proprietor had pro The works were soon completed according to the ules of art. The curiosity of the people of Brienne was excited by the reports of their extent and scientific construction, and they went in crowds during the win-mised to entertain them with a show. It consisted of a ter to admire them. Buonaparte alternately headed the assailants and the opponents, and directed the operations. The weapons of the contending parties were snow-balls, and he continually kept up the interest by some military manoeuvre. These sports continued throughout the winter; and it was not until the sun of the month of March, 1784, liquified the fortress, that it was declared no longer tenable. The following acknowledgment is made by a writer, who, in many instances, has appeared to admire this scourge of the human species : "The rudeness of manners which Buonaparte displayed, and the violence of temper to which he was subject, were not at all softened or subdued previous to his quitting Brienne: his paroxysms of passion had sometimes amounted even to fury, and his anger was often so sudden and so uncontrollable, that few of his comrades would venture to hazard his displeasure. The following instance may be adduced of his extraordinary disposition. pyramid, composed of various fire-works; a light was applied, before a box, containing several pounds of gunpowder, had been removed. While the youths were admiring the effect of the fire-works, a spark entered the box, which instantly exploded; some legs and arms were broken, two or three faces miserably burned, and several paces of wall thrown down. The confusion was very great, and some of the lads, in their alarm, endeavoured to escape through the adjoining fence: they broke the palisades, and Buonaparte was seen, stationed on the other side, armed with a pick-axe, and pushing those back into the fire who had burst the fence. The blows which he bestowed on the unhappy fugitives, increased the number of the wounded!!" in one of the bastions of a small fort, called "Lieu Brune," which had been erected for the use of the pupils. It was there that he was often seen with the works of Vauban, Muller, Cohorn, and Folard, open before him, drawing plans for the attack and defence of this little fort, according to the rules of the military art. Having passed the usual examination, he was allowed to enter the regiment of artillery de la Fere, in garrison at Auxone, as lieutenant, in the month of July, 1785, and immediately proceeded to join the regiment. His attention to the theory of his profession was as unremitting as ever: he devoted part of the night to the study of military details, and passed most of the day in contemplating the fortifications of the garrison. In his occasional conversations with the officers of the regiment, he expressed opinions grossly factious; his ill-humour was seldom concealed against any regulations that checked the licentiousness of the people; and his opposition of sentiment to all the measures of the government by which he had been fostered and educated, was uniform and unchangeable. The death of Count Marboeuf, in the year 1786, deprived Buonaparte of his protection and influence; the advantages which he derived from that officer's pecuniary assistance were now at an end; and his pay, as a lieutenant, was scarcely adequate to support the appearance which he supposed his rank required. His dissatisfaction was increased by the narrowness of his income, and he anxiously awaited some terrible convulsion of the state, that might open a path to prefer ment. He was one day walking in the Champ de Mars with some young officers, and the conversation turned upon the state of public affairs. The ungrateful wretch declared, as usual, against his royal benefactor; and he disputed the point so obstinately, that, in a moment of loyal enthusiasm, his companions seized him, and were about to throw him headlong into an adjoining stream, when a momentary reflection made them perceive the great inequality of their number, and they instantaneously released him. Among the numerous persons who crowded to the French capital at the period of the revolution, expecting to derive some advantages from an open rupture with the court, was Buonaparte: he had left the regiment of artillery soon after the death of his patron, Count Marbœuf, and retired to his maternal home, in Corsica: he there found his mother a widow, in very indigent circumstances, and with several children dependent on her exertions for their support. Napoleon, it is probable, did not add to her incumbrances, though it is not likely that he contributed to her relief. Whilst he remained with his mother, he continued his application to study; but, though he returned to his books with increased ardour, it was chiefly because the experience he had had in his military capacity had confirmed his attachment to his profession: he did not labour here with that unremitting attention that he had done in his noviciate at the military school at Brienne. Ardently attached to military glory, Buonaparte did not miss so favourable an opportunity, as the popular discontents at Paris afforded him, of signalizing himself in favour of some party. A mind like his, formed for rebellion and scenes of blood, forces itself into notice when placed in difficult situations; and stands, undauntedly, the opponent and the mark of the object it has singled out for destruction. The danger of an early declaration, in the beginning of the disturbances, Buonaparte had disdained to shun; and he now hecame a furious revolutionist. He remained at Paris until the year 1790, when the discontents of the Corsicans occasioned an organization of troops in that island, and he was appointed to the command of a battalion of national guards at Ajaccio, his native town: there was little service, however, required of these levies, and Buonaparte had leisure to continue his military studies. The war which ensued, between France and the combined powers, opened a wide field for his observations: the operations of the contending armies afforded him an opportunity, which his advantageous situation enabled him to improve, of examining and maturing that system of warfare which subsequently enabled him to subjugate some of the fairest provinces of Europe. Having entered the corps of artillery, and served in it as a lieutenant, Buonaparte was recommended, by his countryman Salicetti, the deputy from Corsica, to Barras, who immediately gave him the command of the artillery destined for the reduction of the arsenal of Toulon. After the siege of Toulon, where he obtained the rank of general, he was sent to Nice, but was arrested there, by Beffroi, the deputy, who previously dis placed him from his command, on account of his sanguinary conduct towards the unhappy Toulonese. He was soon released; but he lost his command in the artillery, although he was not discharged the service : he was offered a command in the infantry, but refused to accept it. On being set at liberty he hastened to Paris, to lodge his complaints. Aubry, the representative, who was then at the head of the military department of the committee of public safety, refused him any thing more than the commission in the infantry which he had been before offered. Buonaparte demanded his discharge, which was refused: he then asked permission to retire | states-general; and, in June, 1791, he was chosen their to Constantinople, in all probability with a view of president, and in that capacity signed the proclamation serving in the Turkish army; but this was also refused. In the year 1794, he obtained the command of an expedition fitted out against Ajaccio, his native town, in the island of Corsica; but he was repulsed in the attempt, by one of his own relations, named Masteria, who was at that time in the British service, and had served under General Elliot, at the siege of Gibraltar. As it has been frequently asserted, and as often denied, that Buonaparte once came to England to solicit government for a commission in the British army; it may be proper to state that he was in England, but the ́object of his appearance here is not known. He lodged at a house in the Adelphi, in the Strand, and remained in London but a short time. This information was obtained from General Miranda, who asserts that he visited him in England at the time. It is probable, that the period when Buonaparte was here, was about the middle of the year 1793. to the French people, on the journey of the king to Varennes. He served under General Biron in April, 1792, and bore the rank of adjutant-general, when the French were defeated near Mons. He afterwards succeeded Custine in the command of the army of the Rhine; was suspended by the deputies in August, 1793, and, shortly after, arrested with his wife. He was consigned to the guillotine on the 23d of July, 1796; and if Robespierre had not followed him, a few days after, Madame Beauharnois would also have perished on the scaffold. In one of the thirty-six lists of persons destined by Fouquier Thionville to supply the guillotine for thirty-six successive days, appeared the name of Madame de Beauharnois; another list contained the name of Barras. On the 12th of August, 1794, she was released by Legendre. Barras caused the national seals to be taken off her house, in the Rue de Victoires, a few weeks after; and continued to honour her with his protection, by residing at her hotel, until October, 1795, when his appointment to the office of After Buonaparte had been displaced from the artillery, and after his ill success before Ajaccio, he re-director required that he should occupy the splendid mained in great obscurity, and was subject to consi- suite of apartments assigned him in the palace of the derable pecuniary embarrassment: his friends were not Luxembourg. numerous, and he was from time to time indebted for five or six livres to M. Guerin, a merchant at Marseilles; but the assistance he received from others was even more trifling than this. His prospects were dimmed by adversity, and he had no certain expectation of either employment or support, till the latter end of the year 1795, when Barras gave him the second command of the conventional troops destined to act against the insurgents of Paris. After the sanguinary struggle which terminated in the defeat of the Parisians, Napoleon, by the interest of Barras, was appointed second in command of the army of the interior; and afterwards, upon the resignation of his patron, the chief command was entrusted to him. The army of Italy was at this time without a commander-in-chief; and this important military appointment was destined to be filled by Buonaparte: his acceptance of it, however, was with the stipulation of his accepting the hand of Madame Josephine Beauharnois, who was the mistress of Barras. It seems that this lady, at the age of twenty-two, married the Viscount Alexander de Beauharnois, major in a royal French regiment of infantry: they were both descended from noble families, both natives of Martinique, and both educated in France. At the commencement of the French revolution, M. de Beauharnois was elected, by the nobility of the bailiwick of Blois, a deputy to the Barras, invested with the dignity of one of the chief magistrates of France, did not think proper to continue his intimacy with Madame Beauharnois. If their attachment had been mutual, it was either easily subdued, or it had suddenly subsided; for the lady agreed to an arrangement, which evinced her obedience to the wishes of her friend, and the self-command that she had acquired over her own feelings-she consented to marry Napoleon Buonaparte, the general of the interior, if the general himself could be induced to offer her his hand. The plan was formed; and Barras proceeded to effect its completion, by providing his mistress with a husband, and his friend with a wife. The successes which crowned the arms of this adventurer in his Italian expedition rather resembled a magical illusion than a series of realities. Descending across the Alps, like an impetuous torrent, his troops bore down and overpowered all resistance ;-the dukes of Parma and Modena, the kings of Naples and Sardinia, the Pope, and the Emperor of Germany, were all compelled to solicit peace, even on the humiliating conditions of ceding to the French republic their choicest treasures, and their richest works of art;—the ancient government of Venice was subverted; and, in consequence of some attempts of the Roman pontiff to throw off the yoke, he was deposed and exiled, and the tree of liberty was planted in his capital. The proclamations which Buonaparte issued to his army |