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for being settled at the peace of Tilsit: while expeditions from Great-Britain were sent out into every quarter of the world.

The great affairs of nations fall naturally into two classes, according to the physical divisions of the year into Summer and Autumn; and Winter and Spring: the former division, the season of action in the field ; the latter, that of deliberation and debate in the councils of states, and sovereign princes. In the year 1807, two campaigns were to be described, and an account given of the business and debates of two sessions of the British parliament.-The first campaign was terminated by the long cessation of arms, at least of field-operations, which succeeded to the horrible battle of Eylau : the second, that which was opened in the beginning of June, and terminated in the armistice that followed the decisive battle of Friedland. To trace, if possible, among scenes so various, such relations and dependences as might help to weave them into some kind of narrative, more interesting than an assemblage of facts arranged in the mere order of time, was a task neither easy, nor to be performed in haste, or without waiting a little for the developement of time. And the advantages we have derived from this æconomy, which we hope will appear manifest in the History of Europe, will also, we trust, apologize for the late publication of the present volume.

Such an apology for tardy publication, may not probably, according to present appearances, occur soon again. The Continent of Europe, notwithstanding the glorious efforts of Austria and many parts of Spain, appears to be sinking fast into a state of degradation, and the servility, monotony, and barbarism of a military government.—But wherever Liberty, carrying in her train all that gives grace, dignity, and value to life, takes up her abode, it will be our business to attend her: without however being inattentive to the situation, character, and fate, of the unfortunate nations she may leave behind. .

London, 18th of October, 1809.

THE

THE

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For the YEAR 1807.

THE

HISTORY

OF

EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

General Aspect of Europe.-Resources of the opposite Belligerent Powers and Views.-Fragility of Confederations.-Generat Maxims and Measures of Buonaparte.-Position and Strength of the French and Russian Armies.-Military Force remaining to the King of Prussia after the Battles of Jena and Pultusk.-The general Plans of the opposite Armies.-Battles of MohringenBergfried-Deppen-Hoff-and Fylau.-Retreat of the French on the Vistula-and of the Russians behind the Pregel.

A

T the commencement of 1807, every eye was fixed on the coasts of the Baltic. It was here that the destinies of Europe were to be decided, as they had been in, former periods, on those of the Mediterranean. The genius and the resources of the north were brought into conflict with those of the south. A mighty contest was to be decided by arms between Alexander empe. VOL. XLIX.

ror of Russia, and the king of Prus sia on the one part, and, on the other, Buonaparte emperor of France, and king of Italy. The latter derived support from the nations whom he had subdued or intimidated,---Italy, Spain, Holland, and a great part of Germany: the former depended on the aid of Sweden, and the cordial and vigorous co-operation of Great Britain. B.

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There was another ally more power ful than either of the two just mentioned, on which the Russians might, and no doubt did reckon, namely, a rigorous climate to which they themselves were inured, but which might prove fatal to soldiers from France, Spain, and Italy. The enemy too, in proportion as he should advance into Poland, or beyond it, would be drawn into difficulties and dangers on the line of his operations, in territories, with the nature or ground of which he could not be well acquainted, and farther and farther removed from supplies and reinforcements. The Russians, on the contrary, would receive reinforcements and stores both by land and sea from Russia, Sweden, and England. The young and heroic king of Sweden, emulating his ancestor the great Gustavus Adolphus, with the aid both of a sub. sidy, and troops from England, might march an army through the Lower Saxony, from Dantzig and Colberg, as far as Hamburgh. This army, augmented in its progress by insurgents, in Hesse, Hanover, and the Prussian dominions, might pass the Elbe, and establish a war in the centre of Germany; where if he should be able to maintain himself for any length of time, he might

reasonably expect to be joined by the Austrians.-Such, it may be presumed, were the considerations that encouraged and determined the court of St. Petersburg to undertake and to persevere in the war with France. The battle of Pultusk, though bloody and obstinately contested, was indecisive: and it must be admitted that if the nations, on whose favour and co-operation the Russians depended, had understood and pursued their respective, as well as their common interest, and harmoniously joined in one well-concerted plan of action, their design might not have proved abortive.

It is, however, not physical, but moral force that governs the world : bold conception, a just discrimination between difficulty and impossibility, profound combination, unity of design, promptitude and rapidity of action. It was not physical force, but sublime genius and an ascendancy over the minds of men, that gave energy and success to the measures of Alexander of Macedon, Hannibal, and Julius Cæsar. All great results spring from small, + and, at first, imperceptible origins; one constant impulsion, constantly and uniformly accelerating. In confederations there is generally something that misgives; something false

* In consequence of the exactions of the French, there had broken out in the territory of flesse, a very considerable insurrection of about 10,000 men consisting principally of disbanded soldiers and peasants. Those among them who had served as non-commissioned officers, were appointed officers. They then armed themselves by seizing all the muskets, swords, and pieces of artillery they could lay their hands on. The insurrection had begun to extend itself to Hanover and Saxony, when this honest effervescence of German indignation was calmed by the prudent and paternal remonstrances of the prince of Hesse.

+ Natura in minimis maxima.---Pliny. The kingdoms of the earth are in this respect like the kingdom of heaven, i. e. of Jesus Christ: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Mark xiii, 31-8.

I

and hollow. It is seldom even pos. and ministers, he endeavoured, if he sible for the confederating parties could not at once induce them to to form, as emergencies arise, a con.' acquiesce in his plans, at least to cert of wills in time, and seldomer occupy, and distract their minds, still that they submit without re- and by an appcarance of negotiation, serve to the will of one dictator. to sow the seeds of mutual discord The fragility of confederations had between the powers confederated, been proved by three coalitions or that might be inclined to conagainst the ruler of France, and the federate against him. At the same issue of a fourth was now to be added time that he was busily employed to the number.

in forming the confederation of the Buonaparte, sensible of the dise Rhine, that is, in the extension of advantages of being placed at so his own power, and preparing for great a distance from France, as the the extension of his conquests, he countries between the Vistula and amused Russia and England with a the Niemen, was in the first place, negotiation for peace, which he pro. and above all things, attentive to the fessed to have always uppermost in means of conveyance, or what in the his mind and heart, but which he really French armies is called the Ambu- contemplated not as an end, but a lance. On the great roads between means: the means of renewing war the Rhine and the Vistula, hundreds with greater advantage. He laboured and thousands of carriages were by all means, to detach the king of every where to be seen, going or re- Sweden from the cause of his allies, turning from 'Thorn and Warsaw. by professions of goodwill, respect, Travellers unacquainted with the and admiration, and even by dis. state of public affairs in Germany memberments in his favour, of Prus. and Poland, might have supposed sia and Denmark. He roused the that the continued motion on the Turks to war against Russia, and bighways was occasioned by a entered into a negotiation for 'an flourishing internal commerce. From alliance offensive and defensive with the countries that lay at his mercy, the emperor of Persia. Ambassa. Buonaparte drew provisions, and dors were seen in his camp from forage, and even additions to his Ispahan and Constantinople. military force, while, at the same Whether he really harboured the time, one body of troops after extravagant design of sending a another continued to march for his French army through Persjå to support from the frontier of France. Hindostan, or no, may reasonably

Buonaparte was also, in a very para be doubted: but an embassy from ticular manner, attentive to the com- Persia to the emperor of France, missary department. The different had an imposing air of widely ex. corps and divisions of his army were tended and formidable influence, sure to find bread, at least, in abun. and might have an effect in any fu. dance, and, as much as possible, ture negotiation for peace, on the every comfort required by a rigorous councils

of Russia and England. climate. Being intimately ac. On every occasion when a hapquainted with the interests and views py stage-effect might be produced, of the courts of Europe, and the he was careful to produce it. Eighty. individual sharacters of favourites four pieces of cannon taken from the

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Russian generals Kamenskoy, Ben- altogether incredible, and beyond nigsen, and Buxhoevden, in the bat. all doubt intended only for the tles of Czarnowo, Nasielsk, Pultusk, eyes or ears of the young conscripts. and Golymin, were ranged before They were called to the field of the palace of the republic of War- glory, which was represented as

And that the effect which the dangerous only to their enemies. sight of so grand a triumph was Buonaparte, at the same time, in. fitted to produce might be the famed the military ardour of his greater, it was observed, “That troops, and the whole French nation, they were the very same that the with whose character he was thoRussians drew along the streets of roughly acquainted, through their that city with so much ostentation, characteristical vanity and love of when lately they marched through distinction. Though naturally of them to meet the French.” In order a reserved, saturnine, and sullen to heighten the exultation, it was humour, he would now and then, in stated, that 5,000 prisoners had meetings with his principal officers, heen sent to France, that 2,000 had and others, assume a familiar talk escaped in the first moments of con. ative humour, and make many sarfusion, and 1,500 entered among the castic observations on the characPolish troops. Thus had the battles ter and conduct of his enemies. He with the Russians cost them a great indulged in many gasconades, magpart of their artillery, all their bag. nifying the prowess of Frenchmen, gage, and from 25,000 to 30,000 and the power and resources of men, killed, wounded, or priso. France, beyond all measure or mo.

It is well known that ga- deration. The same tone of exulzettes are strongly inclined to tation, braggadocio, and confidence, magnify advantages gained on one appeared in all his gazettes or maniside, and exaggerate losses sustained festoes which were called bulletins : on the other.

This is deemed the object of all which was not only good policy: and so, no doubt, it is, to keep up and exalt the courage of when the statements do not alto. the French, but to strike awe and gether exceed the bounds of proba. terror into other nations. Though bility. But this bias, at the period by birth an Italian, he acted to the · now spoken of, had been carried to life the part of a rcal and true born a pitch of extravagance, on the side Frenchman, and always, identified of the Russian as well as the French his own personal interests and glory generals, altogether uuprecedented with those of France. To the

That the French accounts were French he represented his power more to be depended on in general and influence as established in the than the Russian, was clear from the entire submission or friendly dispoevidence of facts. But that their sition and attachment, though in successes, obtained not without an truth it was in the weakness and folly obstinate and bloody contest, and of almost all the nations on the thousands on thousands killed on continent; and to those nations, the part of the Russians, were at. again, he represented his throne as tended in so many instances with firmly established in the confidence, such trifling losses on that of the love, and admiration of the French. French, as is stated by them, is He played off France against the

world,

32 ners,

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