Bonaparte immediately ordered them to clear the Orangery. At his word, the grenadiers advanced with fixed bayonets, and the deputies escaped by the windows and through the adjacent woods.

The republic was now no more, save in name only. On the evening of this eventful day, the council of the ancients, and about fifty of the scattered five hundred, abolished the directory, and established in its place three consuls, who, with two committees chosen from each council, were charged with the task of preparing a new constitution. These consuls were, Bonaparte, and his two partisans of the late directory, Sièyes and Ducos, the very men who concerted together to bring about this new revolution.

"Thus," says a modern writer, "the French revolution closed its agitated career, almost in the point from whence it set out-in despotism." The French had hoped much good would arise from their new-born liberty, but the conqueror of Italy and Egypt, with one fell blow, dashed their hopes to the ground. The whole system, from its earliest dawn, was founded in faction; but the directory was the most arbitrary of all the successive governments of the revolution. From that source proceeded its own downfal, and that of the republic. By the directory, the troops were made the janissaries of power, and it only remained for a master-spirit to place himself at their head, to sweep all before him—to enslave that nation whose watchword was, Liberty!" It is well said, by the poet Wordsworth :

"That, unless above himself he can
Erect himself, how poor a thing is man!"

CHAPTER III.

THE CONSULATE.

A.D. 1799-1804.

THE first step of the consulate was to instal themselves in the palace of the Luxembourg. Having effected this, they proceeded to the arrangement of a more definite order of things. The law of hostages, and that of forced laws, were abolished-permission was given to the emigrant priests to return-and rigorous measures were adopted against fifty-eight extreme republicans. Thus far they agreed; but when they began to discuss the new constitution, Bonaparte manifested his absolute character, and a rupture occurred. It was proposed by the abbé Sièyes, that the new constitution should consist of two principles of authority-the popular, and the sovereign the former, to consist of the nation, divided into two classes, the higher and the lower; and the latter, to take the title of "grand elector." The popular authority, according to his plan, were to choose their own notables, re-electing them every two years; and the sovereign source of authority was to select a set of ministers, and a council of state, with whom he was never to

interfere. Such were the leading features of the new constitution which Sièyes proposed, and, as all power was thereby invested in the council of state, and the grand elector to be a mere cypher, it did not meet with the views of Bonaparte. Nor could the palace of Versailles, a large revenue, and the offer of the grand electorship, change his views; and accordingly, Sièyes was induced to accept a large sum of money, and a splendid mansion at Versailles, to retire, and leave the framing of the constitution to Bonaparte.

The new constitution, framed by Bonaparte on the retirement of Sièyes, was as follows:-in the first place, there was to be a first consul, possessed of the full executive power, and two others were to be associated with him, merely to deliberate and advise with him on affairs of moment. In the second place, the first consul was to appoint a senate, and that senate was to form a tribunate, the members of both which bodies were to receive handsome salaries, and to continue in office during life. Despotic as this scheme was, when it was sent to the primary assemblies, it acquired nearly four millions of votes, and was therefore adopted: so extended was the popularity of Bonaparte.

It followed, as a matter of course, that Bonaparte should be the first consul; and soon after, he took up his residence in the Tuilleries, in that capacity. He associated with him Cambacèrès and Le Brun, as assistant consuls, while Talleyrand was reinstated as minister for foreign affairs, and Fouché, who was a terrorist, was preserved at the head of the police. Such was the new constitution of France-a constitution, which might

have emanated from a sultan for its despotic tendency.

On assuming the office of chief magistrate, Bonaparte seems to have desired peace, probably with a view of securing himself in his position. To this end he made overtures to England, but they were rejected with scorn. Austria, also, supplied with British money, resolved upon another campaign, with German contingents from Bavaria, and other petty princes.

Previous to taking the field, Bonaparte sought by conciliatory measures to quell the spirit of insurrection which had so long showed itself in the provinces. By a personal interview with the Vendean and Chouan chiefs, he succeeded in effecting this, and he then proceeded to the struggle with his foreign foes.

The first consul directed all his forces towards the Rhine and the Alps, Moreau commanding the army of the former, and Bonaparte himself that of the latter. At this time general Melas, at the head of 130,000 Austrian forces, occupied Italy to the foot of the Alps, with the exception of Genoa, where Massena still held out against them. It was against these that Bonaparte directed his steps. He left Paris on the 6th of May, 1800, with an army of 40,000 men, and marching into Switzerland he crossed Mount St. Bernard, as Hannibal had done in the days of the ancients. Having effected this with great difficulty he traversed the valley of Aosta, and following the course of the Dora and the Po, entered Milan and Pavia, and was therefore in the rear of the Austrian army.

The first operation of Bonaparte was to seize,

through his generals, the various towns on the Po, which was effected. As Murat was taking Piacenza a courier was intercepted, who bore tidings of the fall of Genoa. On hearing of this misfortune, Bonaparte at once resolved to march upon Melas and offer him battle. The Austrian general was surprised to find Bonaparte in Italy, and wondered how his cannon had passed the Alps; but nothing daunted at this show of bold daring, he concentrated his forces at Alexandria for the strife, whilst Ott, his lieutenant, was sent to surprise the advanced posts of the French as they passed the Po. These measures were of no avail. Ott was completely routed at Montebello by Lannes, at the head of his advanced guard; and on the 14th of June Bonaparte gained a victory over Melas, at Marengo, which placed the whole of Italy at his feet. On gaining this victory an armistice was agreed on between Bonaparte and the Austrians, the terms of which were that the imperial armies should retire behind the Mincio.

"Hark! 'tis the note of joy: the trumpet's voice
Swells in the air, and bids the world rejoice.
From street to street an artificial light,

The blaze of torches glitters on the night;

Loud peals of triumph rend the startled sky;

Rejoice! it is the shout of victory!

Rejoice! o'er thousands in untimely graves,
Rejoice! for conquest rides the crimson waves."

Such a scene as the poet here represents was witnessed in Paris on the return of Bonaparte from his fresh conquests in Italy. The whole population were in ecstasies of admiration and joy. They set up the conqueror for their idol.

This was