irs of Europe."
The address, in which the Czar announced the termination of his
negotiations, was in a far different tone. After stating the innumerable
efforts he had made to preserve peace, without losing for Russia the
character of an independent state, he invoked the aid of Almighty
Providence as "the witness and the defender of the true cause;" and
concluded in these words--"Soldiers, you fight for your religion, your
liberty, and your native land. Your Emperor is amongst you; and God is
the enemy of the aggressor."

Buonaparte reviewed the greater part of his troops on the field of
Friedland; and having assured them of still more splendid victories over
the same enemy, issued his final orders to the chief officers of his
vast army. Hitherto the Poles had had no certain intelligence of the
object which Napoleon proposed to himself. As soon as no doubt remained
on that score, the Diet at Warsaw sent both to him and to the King of
Saxony, to announce their resolution to seize this opportunity of
re-establishing the ancient national independence of their dismembered
country. We have already mentioned the circumstance which compelled the
Emperor to receive this message with coldness. He was forced to
acknowledge that he had guaranteed to Austria the whole of her Polish
provinces. It was therefore impossible for him to take part in the
re-establishment of Old Poland:--"Nevertheless," added he, with
audacious craft, "I admire your efforts; I even authorise them. Persist;
and it is to be hoped your wishes will be crowned with success."

This answer effectually damped the ardour of the Poles; and thenceforth,
with a few exceptions, the eminent and influential men of the nation
were mere observers of the war. If any doubt as to Napoleon's treachery
could have remained after his answer to the Diet, it must have been
wholly removed when the plan of his campaign transpired, and the
Austrian auxiliaries were known to be stationed on the right of his
whole line. On them, as it seemed, the march through Volhynia was thus
devolved, and no clearer proof could have been afforded that it was
Napoleon's desire to repress every symptom of a national insurrection in
Lithuania. The inhabitants, had French soldiers come amongst them, might
have been expected to rise in enthusiasm; the white uniform of Austria
was known to be hateful in their eyes, in the same degree, and for
precisely the same reason, as the Russian green.

The disposi