universal suffrage. The mistake Napoleon III. made in
his after career, as well as in his "Idees napoleoniennes," was in
not perceiving that an empire without military glory would become
a pool of corruption, while vast military efforts, which would
embroil France with all Europe, would lose the support of the
_bourgeoisie_. "In short," as Louis Blanc has said, "he imagined
a despotism without its triumphs; a throne surrounded by court
favorites, but without Europe at its footstool; a great name, with
no great man to bear it,--the Empire, in short, _minus_ its Napoleon!"

During the months that Louis Napoleon passed in London he was maturing
the plot of a new enterprise. He was collecting round him his adherents,
some of them Carbonaro leaders, with whom he had been associated in
Italy. Some were his personal friends; some were men whose devotion
to the First Napoleon made them ashamed to refuse to support his
nephew, even in an insurrection that they disapproved; while some
were mere adventurers.

Very few persons were admitted to his full confidence; the affair
was managed by a clique, "the members of which had been previously
sounded; and in general those were set aside who could not embark
in the undertaking heart and hand."

By all these men Louis Napoleon was treated as an imperial personage.
To the Italians he stood pledged, and had stood pledged since 1831,
that if they helped him to ascend the throne of France, he would
fight afterwards for the cause of Italy. This pledge he redeemed
at Solferino and Magenta, but not till after some impatient, rash
Italians (believing him forsworn) had attempted his assassination.

In vain he was advised to wait, to let Louis Philippe's Government
fall to the ground for want of a foundation. He had made his decision,
and was resolved to adhere to it, not fearing to make that step
which lies between the sublime and the ridiculous.

The attempt had been in preparation ever since Louis Napoleon had
arrived in England. There were about forty of his adherents living
in London at his expense, awaiting the moment for action. What form
that action was to take, none of them knew.[1] It was resolved to
make the movement in the month of August, 1840. The prince calculated
that the remains of his great uncle, restored by England to France,
being by that time probably on their way from St. Helena, public
enthusiasm for the great emperor would be at its height, and that
he would have