Emperor of Austria, granting a free passage through
his territories to the armies of his son-in-law. However, during several
months following, the negotiations between the Czar and Napoleon
continued; and more than once there appeared considerable likelihood of
their finding an amicable termination. The tidings of Lord Wellington's
successes at Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos were calculated to temper the
ardour of Buonaparte's presumption; and for a moment he seems to have
felt the necessity of bringing the affairs of the Peninsula to a point,
ere he should venture to involve himself in another warfare. He, in
effect, opened a communication with the English government, when the
fall of Badajos was announced to him; but before the negotiation had
proceeded many steps, his pride returned on him in its original
obstinacy, and the renewed demand, that Joseph should be recognised as
King of Spain, abruptly closed the intercourse of the diplomatists.

Such being the state of the Peninsula, and all hope of an accommodation
with England at an end, it might have been expected that Napoleon would
have spared no effort to accommodate his differences with Russia, or, if
a struggle must come, to prepare for it, by placing his relations with
the other powers, capable of interfering on one side or the other, on a
footing favourable to himself. But here also the haughty temper, which
adversity itself could never bend, formed an insurmountable and fatal
obstacle. To gain the cordial friendship of Sweden was obviously, from
the geographical position of that country, and the high military talents
of Bernadotte, an object of the most urgent importance; yet the Crown
Prince, instead of being treated with as the head of an independent
state, was personally insulted by the French resident at Stockholm, who,
in Bernadotte's own language, "demeaned himself on every occasion as if
he had been a Roman proconsul, dictating absolutely in a province." In
his anxiety to avoid a rupture, Bernadotte at length agreed to enforce
the "continental system," and to proclaim war against England. But these
concessions, instead of producing hearty goodwill, had a directly
contrary effect. England, considering Sweden as an involuntary enemy,
disdained to make any attempt against her; and the adoption of the
anti-commercial edicts of Napoleon was followed by a multiplicity of
collisions between the Swedish coasters and the Imperial _douaniers_,
out of which arose leg