determination and promptitude,
is the representative of England, who is shown in the act of drawing his
sword.

Napoleon (we need not say) did not exactly act as the caricaturist
describes: he endeavoured to re-establish relations with the foreign
powers. On the 14th of April, however, Coulaincourt, the minister of
foreign affairs, published his report to the emperor, giving an account
of the result of the applications which had been made to foreign courts.
From this it appeared that while no communication was permitted with the
actual government of France, all the allied powers were diligently
making preparation for war. "In all parts of Europe at once," said the
minister, "they are arming, or marching, or ready to march." The powers,
of course, were acting strictly within the terms of their expressed
declaration to make "neither peace nor truce with Bonaparte." The
emperor's practical reply to this declaration was made in the Champ de
Mars on the 1st of June. Descending from his throne, he distributed the
imperial eagles to the troops of the line and the national guards as
they marched past, and swore to defend them at the hazard of their
lives, and to suffer no foreigners to dictate laws to their country. All
this time reinforcements were being despatched from England without
intermission, and the Duke of Wellington had arrived to take command of
the troops, native and foreign, in Belgium. There was nothing left for
Napoleon except to fight. In the latter end of May, the headquarters of
the French army of the north was established at Avesnes, in French
Flanders; while, in the apprehension of an invasion by the allied armies
on that part, Laon and the Castle of Guise were put in a defensive
condition. On the 12th of June Bonaparte left Paris, accompanied by
Marshal Bertrand and General Drouet, and proceeded to Laon.

TRI-COLOURED "EAGLES."

At this point we meet with a piece of George Cruikshank's handiwork
which is curious as indicative of the spirit which pervaded England at
this momentous period. I am not at present in a position to refer to a
newspaper of the period; but it would appear from the sketch referred to
that, on or about the very day that Napoleon left Paris to join the
splendid army which six days afterwards was so disastrously routed at
Waterloo, a city fete was held at the Mansion House, at which that
eccentric and sturdy nationalist, Sir William Curtis, whose face and
figure were a fortune t