h the Paris papers
were allowed to publish was freely discussed, and a confidential letter
from Paris sometimes furnished food for the conversation of a whole week.

While I was with Bonaparte he often talked to me about the life in the
Chateaux, which he considered as the happiest for men with sufficient
income and exempt from ambition. He knew and could appreciate this sort
of life, for he often told me the period of his life which he remembered.
with the greatest pleasure was that which he had passed in a Chateau of
the family of Boulat du Colombier near Valence. Bonaparte set great
value on the opinion of the Chateaux, because while living in the country
he had observed the moral influence which their inhabitants exercise over
their neighbourhood. He had succeeded to a great degree in conciliating
them, but the news of the death of the Due d'Enghien alienated from him
minds which were still wavering, and even those which had already
declared in his favour. That act of tyranny dissolved the charm which
had created hope from his government and awakened affections which had as
yet only slumbered. Those to whom this event was almost indifferent also
joined in condemning it; for there are certain aristocratic ideas which
are always fashionable in a certain class of society. Thus for different
causes this atrocity gave a retrograde direction to public opinion, which
had previously been favourably disposed to Bonaparte throughout the whole
of France.

The consequences were not less important, and might have been disastrous
with respect to foreign Courts. I learned, through a channel which does
not permit me to entertain any doubt of the correctness of my
information, that as soon as the Emperor Alexander received the news it
became clear that England might conceive a well-founded hope of forming a
new coalition against France. Alexander openly expressed his
indignation. I also learned with equal certainty that when Mr. Pitt was
informed of the death of the French Prince he said, "Bonaparte has now
done himself more mischief than we have done him since the last
declaration of war."

--[The remark made on this murder by the astute cold-blooded Fouche
is well known. He said, "It was worse than a crime--it was a
blunder!"--Editor of 1836 Edition.]--

Pitt was not the man to feel much concern for the death of any one; but
he understood and seized all the advantages afforded to him by this great
error of policy comm