aution, and indicative of the
time. Till then he had run all risks, and might have been the victim of
any daring hand. The very countenance of the First Consul was historic; it
was as characteristic as his career. It exhibited the most unusual
contrast of severity and softness; nothing sterner than the gathering of
his brow, nothing more flattering than his smile. On this occasion we had
them both in perfection. To the general diplomatic circle his lip wore
the smile. But when he reached the spot where the British ambassador
stood, we had the storm at once. With his darkest frown, and with every
feature in agitation, he suddenly burst out into a tirade against
England--reproaching her with contempt of treaties; with an absolute
desire for war; with a perpetual passion for embroiling Europe; with
forming armaments in the midst of peace; and with challenging France to an
encounter which must provoke universal hostilities. The English ambassador
listened in silence, but with the air of a high-spirited man, who would
concede nothing to menace; and with the countenance of an intelligent one,
who could have easily answered declamation by argument. But for this
answer there was no time. The First Consul, having delivered his diatribe,
suddenly sprang round, darted through the crowd, rushed through a portal,
and was lost to the view. That scene was decisive. I saw that war was
inevitable. I took my friend's advice, ordered post-horses, and within the
twenty-four hours I saw with infinite delight the cliffs of Dover shining
in the dawn.

I am not writing a history. I am merely throwing together events separated
by great chasms, in the course of a life. My life was all incident;
sometimes connected with public transactions of the first magnitude,
sometimes wholly personal; and thus I hasten on to the close of a public
career which has ended, and of an existence diversified by cloud and
sunshine, but on the whole happy.

The war began; it was unavoidable. The objects of our great adversary have
been since stripped of their disguise. His system, at the time, was to
lull England by peace, until he had amassed a force which would crush her
at the outbreak of a war. A few years would have concentrated his
strength, and brought the battle to our own shores. But there are higher
impulses acting on the world than human ambition; the great machine is not
altogether guided by man. England had the cause of nations in her charge;
her princi