id and illustrious in
their capital, and were crowned in Notre-Dame. The Pope blessed them and
consecrated the diadems; but these were not placed on their heads by his
hand. That office, in either case, Napoleon himself performed.
Throughout the ceremonial his aspect was thoughtful: it was on a stern
and gloomy brow that he with his own hands planted the symbol of
successful ambition and uneasy power, and the shouts of the deputies
present, carefully selected for the purpose, sounded faint and hollow
amidst the silence of the people.

As a necessary sequel to these proceedings in Paris, the senators of the
Italian republic now sent in their humble petition, that their president
might be pleased to do them also the favour to be crowned as their king
at Milan. The Emperor proceeded to that city accordingly, and in like
fashion, on the 26th of May, 1805, placed on his own head the old iron
crown of the Lombard kings, uttering the words which, according to
tradition, they were accustomed to use on such occasions, "_God hath
given it me. Beware who touches it._"--Napoleon henceforth styled
himself Emperor of the French and King of Italy, but announced that the
two crowns should not be held by the same person after his death.

It was not, however, for mere purposes of ceremonial that he had once
more passed the Alps. The Ligurian republic sent the Doge to Milan to
congratulate the King of Italy, and also to offer their territories for
the formation of another department of the French empire. But this was a
step of his ambition which led to serious results.

Meanwhile Eugene Beauharnois, son to Josephine, was left Viceroy at
Milan, and the imperial pair returned to Paris.

[Footnote 47: To this period belong Sir W. Scott's song to the Edinburgh
Volunteers:--

"If ever breath of British gale
Shall fan the tricolor,
Or footstep of invader rude,
With rapine foul and red with blood,
Pollute our happy shore--
Then farewell home! and farewell friends!
Adieu each tender tie!
Resolved, we mingle in the tide
Where charging squadron furious ride,
To conquer or to die," &c.

And various sonnets of Mr. Wordsworth; such as--

"It is not to be thought of that the flood
Of British freedom," &c.

"Vanguard of liberty! ye men of Kent,
Ye children of a soil that doth advance
Its haughty brow against the coast of France,
Now is the time to prove your hardi