the victories of Abercrombie destroyed a fatal prejudice which had, of
recent days, gained ground,--that the military of Great Britain were
unfit to cope with those of revolutionary France. Nor should it be
forgotten, that if Abercrombie had the glory of first leading English
soldiers to victory over the self-styled _Invincibles_ of Buonaparte, he
owed the means of his success to the admirable exertions of the Duke of
York, in reforming the discipline of the service as commander-in-chief.

On learning the fate of Egypt, Buonaparte exclaimed, "Well, there
remains only the descent on Britain;" and, in the course of a few weeks,
not less than 100,000 troops were assembled on the coasts of France. An
immense flotilla of flat-bottomed boats was prepared to carry them
across the Channel, whenever, by any favourable accident, it should be
clear of the English fleets; and both the soldiery and the seamen of the
invading armament were trained and practised incessantly, in every
exercise and manoeuvre likely to be of avail when that long-looked-for
day should arrive. These preparations were met, as might have been
expected, on the part of the English government and nation. Nelson was
placed in command of the Channel fleet; and the regular army was
reinforced on shore by a multitude of new and enthusiastic volunteers;
men of all parties and ranks joining heart and hand in the great and
sacred cause. Lord Nelson, more than once, reconnoitred the flotilla
assembled at Boulogne, and, at length, attempted the daring movement of
cutting out the vessels, in the teeth of all the batteries. The boats
being chained to the shore, crowded with soldiery, and placed
immediately under the fortifications, the attempt was unsuccessful; but
the gallantry with which it was conducted struck new terror into the
hearts of the French marine, and, Nelson continuing to watch the Channel
with unsleeping vigilance, the hopes of the First Consul, ere long,
sunk.

The successes of the English in the Baltic and in Egypt were well
calculated to dispose Napoleon for negotiation: and the retirement of
Mr. Pitt, who was considered throughout Europe as the author and very
soul of the anti-revolutionary war, was not without its influence. On
the other hand, Napoleon's mighty successes against the German emperor
had been followed up this same year by the march of a French and Spanish
army into Portugal, in consequence of which that last ally of England
had been co