[Footnote 135:  “F.O.,” Russia, No. 69.  Soult told Lord Holland ("Foreign Reminiscences,” p. 185) that Bennigsen was plotting to murder the Czar, and he (S.) warned him of it.]

[Footnote 136:  “Lettres inedites de Talleyrand,” p. 468; also Garden, vol. x., pp. 205-210; and “Ann.  Reg.” (1807), pp. 710-724, for the British replies to Austria.]

[Footnote 137:  Canning to Paget ("Paget Papers,” vol. ii., p. 324).  So too Canning’s despatch of July 21st to Gower (Russia, No. 69).]

[Footnote 138:  Stadion saw through it.  See Beer, p. 243.]

[Footnote 139:  “Nap.  Corresp.,” No. 11918.]

[Footnote 140:  Ib., No. 12028.  This very important letter seems to me to refute M. Vandal’s theory ("Nap. et Alexandre,” ch. i.), that Napoleon was throughout seeking for an alliance with Austria, or Prussia, or Russia.]

[Footnote 141:  Canning to Paget, May 16th, 1807 ("Paget Papers,” vol. ii., p. 290).]

[Footnote 142:  Garden, vol. x., pp. 214-218; and Gower’s despatch of June 17th. 1807 (Russia, No. 69).]

[Footnote 143:  All references to the story rest ultimately on Bignon, “Hist. de France” (vol. vi., p. 316), who gives no voucher for it.  For the reasons given above I must regard the story as suspect.  Among a witty, phrase-loving people like the French, a good mot is almost certain to gain credence and so pass into history.]

[Footnote 144:  Tatischeff, “Alexandre I et Napoleon” (pp. 144-148).]

[Footnote 145:  Reports of Savary and Lesseps, quoted by Vandal, op. cit., p. 61; “Corresp.,” No. 12825.]

[Footnote 146:  Vandal, p. 73, says that the news reached Napoleon at a review when Alexander was by his side.  If so, the occasion was carefully selected with a view to effect; for the news reached him on, or before, June 24th (see “Corresp.,” No. 12819).  Gower states that the news reached Tilsit as early as the 15th; and Hardenberg secretly proposed a policy of partition of Turkey on June 23rd ("Mems.,” vol. iii., p. 463).  Hardenberg resigned office on July 4th, as Napoleon refused to treat through him.]

[Footnote 147:  “Corresp.,” No. 12862, letter of July 6th.]

[Footnote 148:  Tatischeff (pp. 146-148 and 163-168) proves from the Russian archives that these schemes were Alexander’s, and were in the main opposed by Napoleon.  This disproves Vandal’s assertion (p. 101) that Napoleon pressed Alexander to take the Memel and Polish districts.]

[Footnote 149:  “Erinnerungen der Graefin von Voss.”]

[Footnote 150:  Probably this refers not to the restitution of Silesia, which he politely offered to her (though he had previously granted it on the Czar’s request), but to Madgeburg and its environs west of the Elbe.  On July 7th he said to Goltz, the Prussian negotiator, “I am sorry if the Queen took as positive assurances the phrases de politesse that one speaks to ladies” (Hardenberg’s “Mems.,” vol. iii., p. 512).]