ngers, pedlars, &c. But really, on a deliberate view of his system
of juggling and deception, I am inclined to believe, that it was one of
his most powerful engines. The people of France are not only the most
vain, but the most credulous in the world. To work on their feelings,
he kept in constant pay author of every description, from the man who
composed the Vaudeville, which was sold for half a sous, to the authors
of the many clever political pamphlets which daily appear in France: for
the dissemination of these, he had agents, not only in France, but in
distant countries. When he aimed at the subjugation of any part of the
continent, his first endeavour was always to disseminate seditious and
inflammatory pamphlets against its Government. It is never doubted in
France, that even in _England_, he had his emissaries.

Editors of newspapers, in every part of the globe, were in his pay. The
method in which the newspaper, called the Argus, was published, is an
extraordinary proof of this fact. The Argus, whose principal object was
to abuse the English, was first of all written in French, by one of the
"Commissaires de Police;" it was then translated into English, and a few
copies were circulated in this language, to keep up the idea, that it
was smuggled over from England; after these found their way, the French
copy, or in other words, the original, was widely circulated. A more
infamous trick can scarce be conceived. Extracts from this paper were,
by express order of Napoleon, published in every French paper. Nothing
was considered by him as beneath his notice. He encouraged dancing,
feasting, gaming. The theatres, concerts, public gardens, were under his
protection. The traiteurs, the keepers of caffes, of brothels, of
ale-houses, the limonadiers, and the wine-merchants, were his particular
favourites. His object in this was, to produce a degree of profligacy in
the public manners, and a disgust at industry; and the consequence was,
the resort of all ranks to the army, as the easiest and most lucrative
profession.

With regard to the many other causes which will suggest themselves to my
readers in reading a history of his campaigns, I shall say nothing; for
on all of these, as well as on the causes of his downfall, which I shall
merely enumerate, I leave them to make their own observations. I have
already been very tedious, and have yet much to observe on different
points of his character.

To the last rigorous meas