exterity; it was the virtual
restoration of an aristocracy, in the presence of a people who had raved
with the rage of frenzy against all titles, who had torn down the
coats-of-arms from the gates of the noblesse, and shattered and dug up
even the marbles of their sepulchres. A new military caste--a noblesse of
the sword--was now to be established. Republicanism had been already
"pushed from its stool," but this was the chain which was to keep it fixed
to the ground.

The ceremonial was held in the Hotel des Invalides; and all the civil pomp
of the consulate was combined with all the military display. The giving of
the crosses of honour called forth in succession the names of all those
gallant soldiers whose exploits had rung through Europe, in the campaigns
of the Alps and the Rhine. Nothing could be more in the spirit of a fine
historic picture, or in the semblance of a fine drama. The first men of
the French councils and armies stood, surrounded by the monuments of their
ancestors in the national glory--the statues of the Condes and Turennes,
whose memory formed so large a portion of the popular pride, and whose
achievements so solid a record in the history of French triumph. To those
high sources of sentiment, all that could be added by stately decoration
and religious solemnity was given; and in the chorus of sweet voices, the
sounds of martial harmony, the acclamations of the countless multitudes
within and without, and the thunder of cannon, was completed the most
magnificent, and yet the most ominous, of all ceremonials. It was not
difficult to see, that this day was the consecration of France to absolute
power, and of all her faculties to conquest. Like the Roman herald, she
had put on, in the temple, the robe of defiance to all nations. She was to
be from this day of devotement the nation of war. It was less visible, but
not less true, that upon the field of Marengo perished the Democracy, but
in that temple was sacrificed the Republic. The throne was still only in
vision; but its outline was clear, and that outline was colossal.

In my intercourse with the men of the new _regime_ I had associated
chiefly with the military. Their ideas were less narrowed by the circle of
Paris, their language was frank and free, and their knowledge was more
direct and extensive on the topic which I most desired to comprehend, the
state of their foreign conquests. I soon had reason to congratulate myself
on my choice. One of th