.

Supposing that Buonaparte knew that the capital was thus uncovered, and
knew that he still retained the same superiority in numbers over the
Archduke as he had in Styria, then his advance against the heart of the
Austrian States was no longer without purpose, and its value depended on
the value which the Austrians might place on preserving their capital.
If that was so great that, rather than lose it, they would accept the
conditions of peace which Buonaparte was ready to offer them, it became
an object of the first importance to threaten Vienna. If Buonaparte
had any reason to know this, then criticism may stop there, but if this
point was only problematical, then criticism must take a still higher
position, and ask what would have followed if the Austrians had resolved
to abandon Vienna and retire farther into the vast dominions still left
to them. But it is easy to see that this question cannot be answered
without bringing into the consideration the probable movements of the
Rhine Armies on both sides. Through the decided superiority of numbers
on the side of the French--130,000 to 80,000--there could be little
doubt of the result; but then next arises the question, What use would
the Directory make of a victory; whether they would follow up their
success to the opposite frontiers of the Austrian monarchy, therefore
to the complete breaking up or overthrow of that power, or whether they
would be satisfied with the conquest of a considerable portion to
serve as a security for peace? The probable result in each case must
be estimated, in order to come to a conclusion as to the probable
determination of the Directory. Supposing the result of these
considerations to be that the French forces were much too weak for the
complete subjugation of the Austrian monarchy, so that the attempt might
completely reverse the respective positions of the contending Armies,
and that even the conquest and occupation of a considerable district of
country would place the French Army in strategic relations to which they
were not equal, then that result must naturally influence the estimate
of the position of the Army of Italy, and compel it to lower its
expectations. And this, it was no doubt which influenced Buonaparte,
although fully aware of the helpless condition of the Archduke, still to
sign the peace of Campo Formio, which imposed no greater sacrifices on
the Austrians than the loss of provinces which, even if the campaign
took th