country, no
matter how numerous and well equipped, could resist a French army was
a problem he could not even entertain. The thing was too absurd; and if
Napoleon did not at that moment wield undisputed sway over the whole of
Europe, it was simply owing to his excess of moderation, and the willing
sacrifice of his ambition to his greater love of liberty.

I confess, if I were sometimes tempted to smile at the simplicity of the
honest soldier, I was more often carried away by his warm enthusiasm; so
frequently, too, did he interweave in his narrative the mention of those
great victories, whose fame was unquestionable, that in my assent to
the facts I went a great way in my concurrence with the inferences he
deduced from them. And thus we travelled on for several days in
advance of the division, regulating the halting-places and the billets,
according to the nature and facilities of the country. The towns and
villages in our "route" presented an aspect of the most profound peace;
and however strange it seemed, yet each day attested how completely
ignorant the people were of the advance of that mighty army that now, in
four vast columns of march, was pouring its thousands into the heart of
Germany. The Princes of Baden and Darmstadt, through whose territories
we passed, had not as yet given in their adherence to the Emperor; and
the inhabitants of those countries seemed perplexed and confused at
the intentions of their powerful neighbor, whose immense trains of
ammunition and enormous parks of artillery filled every road and blocked
up every village.

At length we reached Manheim, where a portion of the corps of Marechal
Davoust were in waiting to join us: and there we first learned, by the
imperial bulletin, the object of the war and the destination of the
troops. The document was written by Napoleon himself, and bore abundant
evidence of his style. After the usual programme, attesting his sincere
love for peace, and his desire for the cultivation of those happy and
industrious habits which make nations more prosperous than glorious,
it went on to speak of the great coalition between Russia and Austria,
which, in union with the "_perfide_ Albion," had no other thought nor
wish than the abasement and dismemberment of France. "But, soldiers!"
continued he, "your Emperor is in the midst of you. France itself in all
its majesty, is at your back, and you are but the advanced guard of a
mighty people! There are fatigues and pr