as ever put in print, in which he and
his coadjutors figured as the base contracting parties. And the more
he urged that the book was a libel against himself, the more O'Meara
demanded that the action against him should be brought, and for very
substantial reasons it never was. The Duke of Wellington said of Sir
Hudson, "He was a stupid man. A bad choice and totally unfit to take
charge of Bonaparte." And the great French Chieftain has left on
record his contemptuous opinion of the Duke, as I have already said.
"Un homme de peu d'esprit sans generosite, et sans grandeur d'ame."
(He was a poor-spirited man without generosity, and without greatness
of soul.) "Un homme borne." (A man of limited capacity.) His opinion
of Nelson was different, although our Admiral had hammered the French
sea power out of existence and helped largely to shatter any hope
Napoleon may have had of bringing the struggle on land to a successful
conclusion.

But these tragic happenings did not bring repose to the nations. Pitt
died in 1806, so he missed seeing the fulfilment of his great though
mistaken ambition. Who can doubt, as I have said, that the lack of
diplomatic genius in preventing the spreading of the Napoleonic wars
has been the means of creating other wars, and especially the greatest
of all, in which the whole world is now engaged!

That Napoleon himself was averse to a conflict which would involve all
Europe and bring desolation in its train is shown by the following
letter, written by his own hand, to George III. How different might
the world have been to-day had the letter been received in the same
spirit in which it was conceived.

SIR AND BROTHER,--Called to the throne of France by Providence,
and the suffrages of the Senate, the people, and the Army, my
first sentiment is a wish for peace. France and England abuse
their prosperity. They may contend for ages, but do their
Governments well fulfil the most sacred of their duties, and
will not so much bloodshed uselessly, and without a view to any
end, condemn them in their own consciences? I consider it no
disgrace to adopt the first step. I have, I hope, sufficiently
proved to the world that I fear none of the chances of war,
which presents nothing I have need to fear; peace is the wish of
my heart, but war has never been inconsistent with my glory. I
conjure your Majesty not to deny yourself the happiness of
giving peace to