both the strength and the perfidy of Bonaparte, especially in
reference to Venice, which was disgracefully despoiled to pay the
expenses of the Italian wars. Among other things, the splendid bronze
horses, which, for six hundred years, had stood over the portico of
the church of St. Mark, to commemorate the capture of Constantinople
by the Venetian crusaders, and which had originally been brought from
Corinth to Rome by ancient conquerors, were removed to Paris to
decorate the Tuileries.

Bonaparte's journey from Italy to Paris, after Venice, with its
beautiful provinces, was surrendered to Austria, was a triumphal
procession. The enthusiasm of the Parisians was boundless; the public
curiosity to see him indescribable. But he lived in a quiet manner,
and assumed the dress of a member of the Institute, being lately
elected. Great _fetes_ were given to his honor, and his victories were
magnified.

[Sidenote: Invasion of Egypt.]

But he was not content with repose or adulation. His ambitious soul
panted for new conquests, and he conceived the scheme of his Egyptian
invasion, veiled indeed from the eyes of the world by a pretended
attack on England herself. He was invested, with great pomp, by the
Directory, with the command of the army of England, but easily induced
the government to sanction the invasion of Egypt. It is not probable
that Bonaparte seriously contemplated the conquest of England, knowing
the difficulty of supporting and recruiting his army, even if he
succeeded in landing his forces. He probably designed to divert the
attention of the English from his projected enterprise.

When all was ready, Bonaparte (9th May) embarked at Toulon in a fleet
of thirteen ships of the line, fourteen frigates, seventy-two brigs,
and four hundred transports, containing thirty-six thousand soldiers
and ten thousand sailors. He was joined by reinforcements at Genoa,
Ajaccio, Civita Castellana, and on the 10th of June arrived at Malta,
which capitulated without firing a shot; proceeded on his voyage,
succeeded in escaping the squadron of Nelson, and on the 1st of July
reached Alexandria. He was vigorously opposed by the Mamelukes, who
were the actual rulers of the country, but advanced in spite of them
to Cairo, and marched along the banks of the Nile. Near the Pyramids,
a great battle took place, and the Mamelukes were signally defeated,
and the fate of Egypt was sealed.

[Sidenote: Siege of Acre.]

But Nelson got inte