in. A new coalition was soon
formed against France, consisting of England, Russia, Prussia and
Sweden. Alexander eagerly entered into this coalition, hoping for an
opportunity to acquire that military fame which, in this lost world,
has been ever deemed so essential to the reputation of a sovereign.
The remonstrance of Napoleon, with Russia, was noble and unanswerable.

"Why," said he, "should hostilities arise between France and Russia?
Perfectly independent of each other, they are impotent to inflict
evil, but all-powerful to communicate benefits. If the Emperor of
France exercises a great influence in Italy, the tzar exerts a still
greater influence over Turkey and Persia. If the cabinet of Russia
pretends to have a right to affix limits to the power of France,
without doubt it is equally disposed to allow the Emperor of the
French to prescribe the bounds beyond which Russia is not to pass.
Russia has partitioned Poland. Can she then complain that France
possesses Belgium and the left banks of the Rhine? Russia has seized
upon the Crimea, the Caucasus, and the northern provinces of Persia.
Can she deny that the right of self-preservation gives France a right
to demand an equivalent in Europe?

"Let every power begin by restoring the conquests which it has made
during the last fifty years. Let them reestablish Poland, restore
Venice to its senate, Trinidad to Spain, Ceylon to Holland, the Crimea
to the Porte, the Caucasus and Georgia to Persia, the kingdom of
Mysore to the sons of Tippoo Saib, and the Mahratta States to their
lawful owners; and then the other powers may have some title to insist
that France shall retire within her ancient limits. It is the fashion
to speak of the ambition of France. Had she chosen to preserve her
conquests, the half of Austria, the Venetian States, the States of
Holland and Switzerland and the kingdom of Naples would have been in
her possession. The limits of France are, in reality, the Adige and
the Rhine. Has it passed either of these limits? Had it fixed on the
Solza and the Drave, it would not have exceeded the bounds of its
conquests."

In September, 1806, the Prussian army, two hundred thousand strong,
commenced their march for the invasion of France. Alexander had also
marshaled his barbarian legions and was eagerly following, with two
hundred thousand of the most highly disciplined Russian troops in his
train. Napoleon contemplated with sorrow the rising of this new storm