meet a conflict.

He had expressed a wish that the Emperor of Austria, several kings, and
a crowd of princes, should meet him at Dresden on his way: his desire
was fulfilled; all thronged to meet him--some led by hope, others
prompted by fear: for himself, his motives were to make sure of his
power, to exhibit and to enjoy it.

In this approximation with the ancient house of Austria, his ambition
delighted in exhibiting to Germany a family meeting. He imagined that
so brilliant an assemblage of sovereigns would advantageously contrast
with the isolated state of the Russian monarch; and that he would
probably be alarmed by so general a desertion. In fact, this assembly of
coalesced monarchs seemed to announce that this war with Russia was
European.

He was then in the centre of Germany, exhibiting to it his consort, the
daughter of its emperors, sitting by his side. Whole nations had quitted
their homes to throng his path; rich and poor, nobles and plebeians,
friends and enemies, all hurried to the scene. Their curious and anxious
groups were seen crowding together in the streets, the roads, and the
public places; they passed whole days and nights with their eyes fixed
on the door and windows of his palace. It was not his crown, his rank,
the luxury of his court, but him only, on whom they desired to feast
their eyes; it was a memento of his features which they were anxious to
obtain: they wished to be able to tell their less fortunate countrymen
and posterity, that they had seen Napoleon.

On the stage, poets so far degraded themselves as to make him a
divinity. It was in this manner that whole nations became his
flatterers.

There was, in fact, little difference between kings and people in the
homage of admiration; no one waited for the example of imitation; the
agreement was unanimous. Nevertheless, the inward sentiments were very
different.

At this important interview, we were attentive in observing the
different degrees of zeal which these princes exhibited, and the various
shades of our chieftain's pride. We had hoped that his prudence, or the
worn-out feeling of displaying his power, would prevent him from abusing
it; but was it to be expected that he, who, while yet an inferior, never
spoke, even to his superiors, but in the language of command, now that
he was the conqueror and master of them all, could submit to tedious and
minute details of ceremony? He, however, displayed moderation, and even
tried