as performed without any show of
molestation.

The results of the battle of Friedland were, however, as great as could
have been expected from any victory. On the retreat of Bennigsen towards
the Niemen, the unfortunate King of Prussia, evacuating Konigsberg,
where he now perceived it must be impossible to maintain himself, sought
a last and precarious shelter in the seaport of Memel; and the Emperor
Alexander, overawed by the genius of Napoleon, which had triumphed over
troops more resolute than had ever before opposed him, and alarmed for
the consequence of some decisive measure towards the re-organisation of
the Poles as a nation, began to think seriously of peace. Buonaparte, on
his part also, had many reasons for being anxious to bring hostilities
to a close. The Swedish king was in Pomerania, besieging Stralsund, and
hourly expecting reinforcements from England, which might have ended in
a formidable diversion in the rear of the French army. Schill, an able
partizan, was in arms in Prussia, where the general discontent was such,
that nothing by opportunity seemed wanting for a national insurrection
against the conquerors. The further advance of the French towards the
north could hardly have failed to afford such an opportunity. Neither
could this be executed, to all appearance, without involving the
necessity of proclaiming the independence of Poland; thereby giving a
character of mortal rancour to the war with Russia, and, in all
likelihood, calling Austria once more into the field. Under such
circumstances the minds of Napoleon and Alexander were equally disposed
towards negotiation: General Bennigsen sent, on the 21st of June, to
demand an armistice; and to this proposal the victor of Friedland
yielded immediate assent.

In truth over and above the parsimony of the court of St. James in
regard to subsidies, the recent conduct of the war on the part of
England had been so ill-judged, and on the whole so unfortunate, that
the Czar might be excused for desiring to escape from that alliance.
Almost the only occasion on which the character of the British arms had
been gloriously maintained, was the battle of Maida, in Calabria, fought
July the 4th, 1806--when Sir John Stuart and 7000 English soldiers
encountered a superior French force under General Regnier, and drove
them from the field with great loss. This was one of those rare
occasions on which French and English troops have actually crossed
bayonets--the ste