ts, when
individuals are left more than usually to their own reflections, that
his star seemed to enlighten him with its most brilliant illumination:
it exhibited to him the different ruling genii of the vanquished
nations, in silence awaiting the moment for avenging their wrongs; the
dangers which he was about to confront, those which he left behind him,
even in his own family: it showed him, that like the returns of his
army, the census of the population of his empire was delusive, not so
much in respect to its numerical as to its real strength; scarcely any
men were included in it but those who were old in years, or worn out in
the service, and children--few men in the prime of life. Where were
they? The tears of wives, the cries of mothers answered! bowed in
sadness to the earth, which, but for them, would remain uncultivated,
they cursed the scourge of war as identified in his person.

Nevertheless, he was about to attack Russia, without having subjected
Spain; forgetting the principle of which he himself so often supplied
both the precept and example, "never to strike at two points at once;
but on one only, and always in mass." Wherefore, in fact, should he
abandon a brilliant, though uncertain position, in order to throw
himself into so critical a situation, that the slightest check might
ruin every thing; and where every reverse would be decisive?

At that moment, no necessity of position, no sentiment of self-love,
could prompt Napoleon to combat his own arguments, and prevent him from
listening to himself. Hence he became thoughtful and agitated. He
collected accounts of the actual condition of the different powers of
Europe; he ordered an exact and complete summary of them to be made; and
buried himself in the perusal: his anxiety increased; to him of all men,
irresolution was a punishment.

Frequently was he discovered half reclined on a sofa, where he remained
for hours, plunged in profound meditation; then he would start up,
convulsively, and with an ejaculation, fancying he heard his name, he
would exclaim, "Who calls me?" Then rising, and walking about with
hurried steps, he at length added, "No! beyond a doubt, nothing is yet
sufficiently matured round me, even in my own family, to admit of so
distant a war. It must be delayed for three years!" And he gave orders
that the summary which reminded him of the dangers of his position
should be constantly left on his table. It was his frequent subject of
c