their pay regularly received, were their | vey them beyond that river to Wilna, rations faithfully served out, had they the capital of Russian Poland. But all any complaints to make against their the care of the Emperor and his lieuofficers? Frequently he halted in the tenants was unable to provide subsistcentre of a regiment, and, calling the ence for such stupendous masses; the troops around him, inquired what com- carriages and cattle which had been seizmissions were vacant, and who were ed in Old Prussia, under a provision that most worthy to hold them. Having as- they should be sent back as soon as they certained the age, services, and wounds reached the Niemen, were still kept of those specified, he immediately ap- for service beyond that river, and the pointed them to the vacant situations unhappy owners resumed the road to in the presence of their comrades. Se- their homes, destitute either of money lecting one veteran from the ranks, he or provisions, and uttering the loudest would remind him of the victory of the complaints against the injustice with Pyramids; another he would himself which they had been treated. Pillage decorate with the cross of the Legion and disorder were already universal on of Honour, taken from his own breast, the flanks of the army; and it was easy for his courage on the field of Auster- to foresee that want of provisions would litz. To the standards of the distin- prove the great difficulty of the camguished regiments as they defiled past, paign. These difficulties, however, had riddled with shot and blackened with no sort of effect on the impassioned smoke, he bowed with respect. By at- mind of the Emperor. The masses tentions such as these, Napoleon gain- pressed on without intermission; coled the hearts of his soldiers, and pro- umn after column succeeded each other duced that enthusiastic attachment to in ceaseless march; and at length on his person, which, as much as the splen- the 23d June, before daybreak, the im dour of his military talent, distinguish- perial forces approached the river, which ed every period of his career. as yet was concealed by the great forest 72. At length he approached the of Pilwiski, and Napoleon immediately Niemen, and the numerous battalions mounted on horseback to reconnoitre of the grand army converged towards the banks. His horse suddenly fell as Kowno, which, being the extreme point he approached the shore, and he was of the salient angle where the Prussian precipitated on the sand. Some one projected into the Russian territory, exclaimed, "It is a bad omen-a Roseemed a favourable point for commenc- man would have retired;" but, withing operations. The infantry arrived out regarding the augury, he gave or in good order, and left but few strag- ders for the construction of three bridglers behind; but the cavalry and artil-ges, and retired to his quarters, humlery had already begun to suffer severely: the grass, the hay, the meadows, were soon entirely consumed by the enormous multitude of horses which passed along, and the succeeding col- 73. On the approach of night, the umns underwent often all the horrors following proclamation of the Emperor of famine from the devastation of those was read to the troops :- "Soldiers! which had preceded them. Two hun- the second war of Poland is commenced: dred and twenty thousand men, and a the first was terminated at Friedland hundred thousand horses, now concen- and Tilsit, when Russia swore an etertrated at the point of junction of four nal alliance with France, and war with different roads at Insterburg on the England. Now she violates her oaths. Pregel, presented a mass of combatants She refuses to give any explanation of unparalleled in modern times for their her strange conduct till the French efficiency and splendour. Before set- eagles have repassed the Rhine, leavting out for the Niemen, the troops ing our allies at her discretion. Fate were all served with provisions to con-drags her on-let her destinies be fulfil ming the tune, "Malbrook s'en va à la guerre," and repeating with martial emphasis the line, "Ne sait quand il reviendra." led. Does she imagine we are degenerated? Are we not still the soldiers of Austerlitz? We are placed between dishonour and war; our choice cannot be doubtful. Let us then advance, cross the Niemen, and carry the war into her own territory. The second Polish war will be as glorious as the first; but the peace we conclude shall be its own guarantee, and put an end to the fatal influence which for fifty years Russia has exercised in the affairs of Europe." The soldiers, grouped in circles, heard these animating words with enthusiasm, and immediately the signal to advance was given. Vast columns defiled out of the forest and hollows with which the banks of the river abounded, and pressed in silence to the margin of the stream; not a sound was heard but the measured tread of marching bands, not a light was suffered to shine on the vast and disciplined array of France. The troops halted and lay down on the edge of the river, too impatient to sleep, and eagerly gazing through the gloom at the Russian shore. 18 May 1861 Dublin APPENDIX. CHAPTER LXIV. TABLE showing the progressive Number of Commitments in England, Scotland, and Ireland in the undermentioned years. It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that, since 1836, some change, to conceal the fearful increase of Irish crime, has been made in the mode of making up the returns.-See PORTER'S Progress of the Nation, iii. 178-227. That the spread of the mere power of reading and writing by means of education has no tendency to check this alarming progress, is clear from the subjoined analysis of the state of education of criminals in England and Scotland in the six last years, as obtained from the parliamentary returns. The following Table exhibits the Progress of Crime in relation to Education in England for the last seven years, in centesimal proportions: -Parliamentary Criminal Tables for the Year 1842. Printed 5th May 1843. Preface, p. 7; and M'CULLOCH, Stat, of Great Britain, i. 476–7. NOTE B, p. 33. Table showing the amount of Bank Notes in Circulation from 1792 to 1815, with the commercial paper under discount at the Bank during the same period, and the gold and silver annually coined at the Bank: -MOREAU'S Tables; and PEBRER, 279. MARSHALL'S Digest, pp. 971, 147, 236. |