advice
from the minister of police to retire for a short time into the
country. This she terms the commencement of a series of persecutions
by Bonaparte--a reproach which is not deserved; for it could not be
expected that any government, much less one whose power was not yet
established, would submit to a constant opposition, which exhibited
itself not only in epigrams, always a most powerful weapon in France,
but, as she herself confesses, in direct political intrigues; the
interference, too, being by one who had small claims to be called a
Frenchwoman. She was the daughter of a Swiss, and the wife of a Swede,
of which latter character she more than once made use to secure her
own personal safety and that of her friends. What course could the
government have adopted of a milder character? There was no personal
violence, nor threat of any: she was banished from the theatre of her
hostile influence, and forbidden to circulate her works there.

Not long after the banishment of Madame de Stael from Paris, Bonaparte
passed through Switzerland, on his way to Italy. Having expressed a
wish to see Necker, the latter waited on him. After a two hours'
conversation, the aged minister left Napoleon, fascinated, like all
who approached him, by his powers of pleasing, and gratified, as well
by this mark of respect, as by the permission which he obtained for
his daughter to reside at Paris.

The publication of her work on "Literature" restored Madame de Stael
to popularity. Her _salons_ were again crowded, but chiefly with
foreigners, for she still remained upon bad terms with the first
consul. "She pretends," said he, "to speak neither of politics nor of
me; yet it happens that every one leaves her house less attached to me
than when they went in. She gives them fanciful notions, and of the
opposite kind to mine." Wounded vanity had no doubt a large share in
producing her state of feeling. Upon him, as we have before seen, all
her powers of fascination were exerted in vain. Indeed, he seems, in
his treatment of her, to have been wanting in his usual tact. She was
one day asked to dine in company with him. As she had heard that he
sometimes spoke sarcastically of her, she thought he might perhaps
address to her some of these speeches, which were the terror of the
courtiers. She prepared herself, therefore, with various repartees.
But Bonaparte hardly appeared conscious of her presence, and her
consolation for the neglect was the c