Napoleon takes the field against Prussia-Positions of the Prussian and French armies-Battle of Jena-The French enter Berlin-The new Parliament meets-Bill passed for the Abolition of the Slave Trade-Proceedings which resulted in a change of Ministry-A great Constitutional Question-The new Administration-Parliament dissolved-Battle of Eylau-Cold encouragement of England to the Allies-Expeditions to various pointsExpedition to the Dardanelles-Its failure, and that of other Turkish expeditionsExpedition against Buenos Ayres-Its lamentable results-General Whitelock-Meeting of the new Parliament-Battle of Friedland-Peace between Russia and France-Treaty of Tilsit-Secret articles of the Treaty become known to the British government-The Danish fleet-Expedition to Copenhagen-Bombardment-Surrender of the Fleet,

On the night of the 25th of September, Napoleon, accompanied by the empress, and by Talleyrand, left Paris. There was something more important to accomplish than remaining at the Tuileries for the mystification of lord Lauderdale. The French emperor proceeded with his usual rapidity to Mayence; and from Mayence to Wurtzbourg, where German potentates and German generals came to bow before his greatness. Around him was his army of a hundred and fifty thousand men, divided into nine corps. There were three Prussian armies, of which the principal army of fifty-five thousand men was commanded by the king in person, with his nephew, the duke of Brunswick, as his lieutenant-general. This was the famous general who advanced into France at the beginning of the Revolution, and raised a spirit of age. in the people, that, begun in patriotism and a passion for liberty, degenerated into a passion for conquest. The duke was now seventy-one years He had resigned the command of the Prussian and Austrian forces in 1793, and for thirteen years had been looking upon the great contests of Europe without taking any part in the struggle. The issue of one of the most tremendous conflicts of a time when the whole system of military tactics was changed, was now confided to a pupil of Frederick the Great. He was confronted with Napoleon, with Bernadotte, Davoust, Soult, Lannes, Ney,

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POSITIONS OF THE PRUSSIAN AND FRENCH ARMIES.

[1806.

Augereau, Murat, Bessières, Lefebvre,-commanders who were formed in a school of warfare which, utterly disregarding the routine of the parade ground, and the systematic and slow manœuvres of a past time, rapidly concentrated large masses for the attack of an enemy, indifferent to the amount of carnage in their own ranks so that the opposing force was annihilated. The ancient duke had some notions that he had discovered the secret of French success. He was for advancing against Napoleon's legions, and boldly attacking them. But time was an important element in these calculations. The Prussians, before they moved to attack, were holding councils of war; discussing plans; attempting to negotiate; and, as a preliminary to pacific overtures, desiring the haughty emperor immediately to withdraw his troops beyond the Rhine, and to commence his retreat on the 8th of October. Napoleon replied by an instant march into Saxony, after issuing a proclamation to his soldiers which concluded by saying that the Prussians would find that the hostility of "the great people" was more terrible than the tempests of the ocean.

The Prussian armies were posted on the Saale, in the vicinity of Erfurt, Gotha, and Eisenach. The outposts of the Prussians and French were close to each other on the 8th of October. Battles of separate divisions had been fought, as the Prussians advanced to meet their antagonists. They were compelled to relinquish the offensive system, which was incompatible with the tardiness and irresolution of their commanders. All that bravery could do would be done. All that patriotism could do would be stimulated into chivalrous enthusiasm, when the beautiful queen of Prussia rode from rank

to rank of the soldiery, and exhorted them to fight for their country. Bonaparte sneered at the queen in one of his bulletins: "We seem to behold Armida in her madness setting fire to her own palace." But something, without which patriotism and bravery are of little avail, was wanting to Prussia. On the night of the 13th of October the Prussian watch-fires extended for six leagues. The fires of the French under Napoleon spread over a small space, of which the central fires lighted up the summit of the Landgrafenberg on which Napoleon bivouacked. On the morning of the 14th of October he attacked that portion of tae Prussian army which, under