cy;" an occasional eulogy
would appear, too, upon the "native good sense and right feeling of John
Bull" when not led captive by appeals to his passions and prejudices;
and at last a wish more boldly expressed that the two countries, whose
mission it should be to disseminate civilization over the earth, could
so far understand their real interest as to become "fast friends,
instead of dangerous enemies."

The accession of the Whigs to power in England was the cause of this
sudden revolution. The Emperor, when First Consul, had learned to
know and admire Charles Fox,--sentiments of mutual esteem had grown up
between them,--and it seemed now as if his elevation to power were
the only thing wanting to establish friendly relations between the two
countries.

How far the French Emperor presumed on Fox's liberalism,--and the strong
bias to party inducing him to adopt such a line of policy as would run
directly counter to that of his predecessors in office, and thus dispose
the nation to more amicable views towards France,--certain it is that he
miscalculated considerably when he built upon any want of true English
feeling on the part of that minister, or any tendency to weaken, by
unjust concessions, the proud attitude England had assumed at the
commencement and maintained throughout the entire Continental war.

A mere accident led to a renewal of negotiations between the two
countries. A villain, calling himself Guillet de la Grevilliere, had
the audacity to propose to the English minister the assassination of
Napoleon, and to offer himself for the deed. He had hired a house at
Passy, and made every preparation for the execution of his foul scheme.
To denounce this wretch to the French minister of foreign affairs,
Talleyrand, was the first step of Fox. This led to a reply, in which
Talleyrand reported, word for word, a conversation that passed between
the Emperor and himself, and wherein expressions of the kindest nature
were employed by Napoleon with regard to Fox, and many flattering
allusions to the times of their former intimacy; the whole concluding
with the expression of an ardent desire for a good understanding and
a "lasting peace between two nations designed by nature to esteem each
other."

Although the whole scheme of the assassination was a police stratagem
devised by Fouche to test the honor and good faith of the English
minister, the result was eagerly seized on as a basis for new
negotiations; and from th