LV. which, ushered in at first by brilliant victories, was destined CHAP. in the end to thin their ranks by its carnage, and overwhelm their honour by its disasters. 1808. 6. conferences The Emperor Alexander set out before Napoleon, and on his way paid a melancholy visit to the King and Queen Its secret object, and of Prussia at Königsberg. Proceeding on his route, he tenor of the rapidly traversed the Prussian states, received with marked held there. gratification the honours paid to him by the French troops; took Marshal Lannes with him in his own carriage, and expressed publicly to the French officers the satisfaction which he felt "at finding himself among such brave men, such renowned warriors." Proceeding in this manner, and received, wherever he passed, with the utmost distinction by the French authorities, he arrived at Weimar late on the evening of the 26th September, and found every- Sept. 26. thing prepared for his reception by his brother the Grandduke Constantine, and the French ambassador Caulaincourt, who had arrived two days before. Meanwhile Napoleon, in more than regal state, was leisurely advancing from Paris, surrounded by the sovereigns, princes, and ministers of Germany, enjoying the secret satisfaction of exhibiting the Russian Autocrat, awaiting his arrival in an inconsiderable town of Germany, above five hundred miles distant from the nearest point of his dominions. At ten o'clock on the morning of the 27th, he made his public entry into Erfurth, and, after reviewing the troops, proceeded on horseback to meet Alexander, who had left Weimar at the same hour to approach his august ally. traverse France without giving you a moment's repose. Soldiers! I have need LV. 1808. CHAP. The two sovereigns met on the highway, between the villages of Ottsted and Nora, near a remarkable pear-tree, which is still to be seen on the road-side. Alexander immediately descended from his carriage; Napoleon alighted from his horse, and the two monarchs embraced with the strongest marks of mutual esteem. The French Emperor was decorated with the order of St Andrew of Russia, the Russian bore the grand badge of the Legion of Honour on his bosom. Magnificent presents were interchanged on both parts; side by side the two Emperors rode into Erfurth, amidst the roar of artillery, the cheers of multitudes, and the thundering acclamations of ten thousand soldiers. When they arrived at the hotel prepared for the Czar, the monarchs again embraced, and ascended the stairs arm in arm. Napoleon requested Alexander to give the watchword of the day; he complied, and it was "Erfurth and confidence." The two sovereigns dined together, and in the evening a general 299, 303. illumination evinced the intoxicating joy of the inhabitants, 1* 1 Thib, vii. 61. Mont. Bign. viii. 25, 26. Thiers, ix. 7. Fêtes and spectacles at Erfurth, No adequate idea can be formed of the greatness of Napoleon's power, or the almost irresistible sway which he had acquired in northern and central Europe, but by those who witnessed the pomp and deference with which he was surrounded at Tilsit and Erfurth, and four years afterwards at Dresden. Environed by a brilliant cortège of marshals, generals, diplomatists, and staff-officers, he was at the same time the object of obsequious attention to a crowd of princes and inferior potentates, who depended on his breath for their political existence or nominal independence. All the beauty, rank, and distinction of Germany were assembled. Seventy princes or independent sovereigns were in attendance; and literally it might be said, that the monarchs of Europe watched *The place between Ottsted and Nora, where this remarkable meeting took place, is still shown to travellers.- Personal Observation. LV. 1808. for a favourable sign from the mighty conqueror's cham- CHAP. berlains. In the midst of all this magnificence, however, he did deserved homage to the aristocracy of intellect : in one of the assemblies of all the potentates of Europe, he addressed Wieland and Goethe next after the Emperor Alexander, and before any of the corps of kings and princes who were watching for a look. The two Emperors spent the forenoons together, conversing on the public affairs of Europe and the separate plans of administration for their vast dominions; they then rode out in company to a review or inspection of their respective troops, dined alternately with each other, and in the evening went to the same box at the theatre. A brilliant band of the most distinguished French performers had come from Paris to grace the conference, and during a fortnight the theatre 1 Thib. vii. of Erfurth, resplendent with illustrious men and beautiful 61, 70. Las women, beheld the masterpieces of Racine and Corneille performed by the talents of Talma, Saint Pris, Mademoi- viii. 26. selles Duchesnois and Bourgoin, besides a host of inferior 315, 316. performers.1* The attentions of Alexander and Napoleon to each other at Erfurth, though delicate, were got up with so much anxiety, as to convey to the spectators the impression that the intimacy of Tilsit had somewhat declined, and that a feeling of which they were on every occasion so very solicitous to give public demonstration, could not in reality have a very deep foundation. On one occasion Alexander expressed great admiration of a singularly beautiful dressing-case and breakfast set of porcelain and gold in Napoleon's sleeping apartment: they were sent to him as a present on the same evening. At the representation of Edipe on October 3, when the line was repeated, "L'amitié d'un grand homme est un bienfait des dieux," Alexander turned to Napoleon, and presented to him his hand. A few days after, the Czar, when preparing to go into the salle-à-manger to dinner, perceived that he had forgotten his sword. Napoleon immediately unbuckled his own, and presented it to him." I accept it as a mark of your friendship," replied Alexander: "your Majesty may be well assured I shall never draw it against you." In the midst of all his grandeur, Napoleon had sufficient greatness of soul and true discernment to attempt no concealment of his origin. At dinner one day the conversation turned on the Golden Bull, and the primate of Germany insisted that it had been published in 1409.-"I beg your pardon," observed Napoleon; "When I was a second lieutenant of artil Cas. iv. 232. Hard. x. 239. Bign. Thiers, ix. CHAP. 1808. 8. field of Jena. 1 Ante, ch. 2 Thib. vii. 61, 76. 354. On the 6th October the whole court proceeded to Weimar, where they were magnificently entertained by the Grand-duke of that place; and Napoleon enjoyed And on the the satisfaction of conversing with Goethe, Wieland, and the other illustrious men who have thrown an imperishable lustre over German literature. On the 7th, the august party visited the field of Jena. An elegant temple had been constructed by the Grand-duke on the highest summit of the Landgrafenberg, the scene of Napoleon's frigid bivouac two years before, on the night before the xliii. § 41. battle;1 and a little lower down were a number of tents, of sumptuous construction, where the Emperor and his cortège of kings were entertained, and from whence he pointed out to Alexander the line of the different movements which, on that memorable spot, had led to the overthrow of the Czar's most cherished projects. At length, after seventeen days spent together in the closest intimacy, the two Emperors, on the 14th October, the Las Cas. iv. anniversary of the battle of Jena, rode out together to the spot where they had met on the 27th September; they there alighted from their horses, and walked side by side for a few minutes in close conversation, and then,2 lery, I was three years at Valence, and there I had the good fortune to lodge with a learned person, in whose library. I learned that and many other valuable details. Nature has given me a memory singularly tenacious of figures." Mademoiselle Bourgoin, whose personal charms were equal to her talents as an actress, attracted the particular notice of the Emperor Alexander; and he inquired of Napoleon if there would be any inconvenience in his forming her personal acquaintance. "None whatever," replied Napoleon, except that it would be a certain mode of making you thoroughly known to all Paris. The day after to-morrow, at the post hour, the most minute particulars of your visits to her will be despatched: and soon there will not be a statuary in Paris who will not be in a situation to model your person from head to foot."-This hint had the effect of cooling the rising passion of the Russian Emperor, who, with all his admiration for the fair sex, had an extreme apprehension of such a species of notoriety. It was at Erfurth that Napoleon made the memorable observation to Talma on his erroneous view of the character of Nero, in the Britannicus of Racine-viz. that the poet had not represented him as a tyrant in the commencement of his career; and that it was not till love, his ruling passion at the moment, was thwarted, that he became violent, cruel, and oppressive.-See LAS CASES, iv. 232; and THIBAUDEAU, vii. 61, 65, 71. 232. Hard. x. 239. Thiers, ix. 329. Alexander CHAP. embracing, bade each other a final adieu. But it was neither to amuse themselves with reviews and theatrical representations, nor to make proposals to Austria and England, which they were well aware would not be listened to, that the two Emperors had come so far and remained together so long. It was with no view to peace, but, on the contrary, with a distinct prophetic anticipation of an approaching resumption of hostilities, that the conference of Erfurth took place. Napoleon clearly perceived that Austria was about to take advantage of his immersion in the Peninsular war, and of the extraordinary preparations which England was making for a Continental campaign, to renew the contest in Germany; and it was to Russia alone that he could look for a sure guarantee of the peace of the north of Europe during the arduous crisis which was approaching. Albeit internally convinced of the necessity of a fearful contest in the end with the power of France, Alexander was not less sensible of the importance of gaining time for the preparations for it. He was strongly impressed with the conviction, that the peculiar and national interests of Russia were in the mean time chiefly to be promoted by remaining firm in the French alliance, and that, when the evil day did come, the best pre * In one of their conversations, Alexander strongly represented to the French Emperor the resistance which he experienced in his senate from the aristocratic chiefs, in his projects for the public good. "Believe me," said Napoleon, "how large soever a throne may be, it will always be found too small for two masters."-MONTGAILLARD, vi. 354. LV. Though Austria was not admitted as a party to the conference at Erfurth, Baron Vincent, envoy of the cabinet of Vienna, came with a letter from the Emperor Francis on the subject of the armaments on either side in southern Germany; and a joint memorial was presented by the Emperors of France and Russia, proposing a termination of hostilities to the government of Great 1 See infra, Britain. But these important state papers will more fitly come under conchap. lvi. sideration in the succeeding chapters, which treat specifically of the affairs of and lvii. Austria and England at this momentous crisis of their history.1 |