the clamours of the people
converted it into another fete for Napoleon.

It has already been said that as early as October, 1797, the Directory
announced their intention of committing an army, destined for the
invasion of England, to the conqueror of Italy. He wholly disapproved of
their rashness in breaking off the negotiations of the preceding summer
with the English envoy, Lord Malmesbury, and, above all, of the insolent
abruptness of that procedure.[22] But the die was cast; and he willingly
accepted the appointment now pressed upon him by the government, who, in
truth, were anxious about nothing so much as to occupy his mind with the
matters of his profession, and so prevent him from taking a prominent
part in the civil business of the state. Solely owing to his celebrity
two of his brothers were already distinguished members of the
legislative bodies; and there could be no doubt that the gates of either
would fly open for his own admission, if he chose it, on the next
election.

Whatever views of ulterior ambition might have opened themselves to
Napoleon at this period, he well knew that the hour was not yet come, in
which he could serve his purpose better than by the pursuit of his
military career. According to De Bourienne, he had for some time
flattered himself that the law, which prevented a person so young as he
from being a director, might be waived in his favour; not doubting, we
may conclude, that such colleagues as Barras and Rewbell would soon sink
into the mere ministers of his will: but the opposition to this scheme
was so determined that it was never permitted to be proposed openly. The
Directory were popular with no party; but there were many parties; and,
numerically, probably the royalists were the strongest. The pure
republicans were still powerful: the army of Italy was distant and
scattered; that of the Rhine, far more numerous, and equally well
disciplined, had its own generals--men not yet in reputation
immeasurably inferior to himself; and, having been less fortunate than
their brethren in Italy, and consequently acquired less wealth, it was
no wonder that the soldiery of the Rhine regarded the others, if not
their leader, with some little jealousy. In Napoleon's own language,
"the pear was not yet ripe."

He proceeded, therefore, to make a regular survey of the French coast
opposite to England, with the view of improving its fortifications, and
(ostensibly at least) of selecting the best