the rear of the Grand Army in Flanders exposed her to the full force of its onset on the Danube.  But though his genius pales before the fiery comet of Napoleon, it shines with a clear and steady radiance when viewed beside that of the Continental statesmen of his age.  They flickered for a brief space and set.  His was the rare virtue of dauntless courage and unswerving constancy.  By the side of their wavering groups he stands forth like an Abdiel: 

  “Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,
  His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal: 
  Nor number nor example with him wrought
  To swerve from truth or change his constant mind,
  Though single.”

While English statesmanship was essaying the task of forming a Coalition Ministry under Fox and Grenville, Napoleon with untiring activity was consolidating his position in Germany, Italy, and France.  In Germany he allied his family by marriage with the now royal Houses of Bavaria and Wuertemberg.  He chased the Bourbons of Naples from their Continental domains.  In France he found means to mitigate a severe financial crisis, and to strengthen his throne by a new order of hereditary nobility.  In a word, he became the new Charlemagne.

The exaltation of the South German dynasties had long been a favourite project with Napoleon, who saw in the hatred of the House of Bavaria for Austria a sure basis for spreading French influence into the heart of Germany.  Not long after the battle of Austerlitz, the Elector of Bavaria, while out shooting, received from a French courier a letter directed to “Sa Majeste le Roi de Baviere et de Suabe."[63] This letter was despatched six days after a formal request was sent through Duroc, that the Elector would give his daughter Augusta in marriage to Eugene Beauharnais.  The affair had been mooted in October:  it was clinched by the victory of Austerlitz; and after Napoleon’s arrival at Munich on the last day of the year, the final details were arranged.  The bridegroom was informed of it in the following laconic style:  “I have arrived at Munich.  I have arranged your marriage with the Princess Augusta.  It has been announced.  This morning the princess visited me, and I spoke with her for a long time.  She is very pretty.  You will find herewith her portrait on a cup; but she is much better looking.”  The wedding took place at Munich as soon as the bridegroom could cross the Alps; and Napoleon delayed his departure for France in order to witness the ceremony which linked him with an old reigning family.  At the same time he arranged a match between Jerome Bonaparte and Princess Catherine of Wuertemberg.  This was less expeditious, partly because, in the case of a Bonaparte, Napoleon judged it needful to sound the measure of his obedience.  But Jerome had been broken in:  he had thrown over Miss Paterson, and, after a delay of a year and a half, obeyed his brother’s behests, and strengthened the ties connecting Swabia with France.  A third alliance was cemented by the marriage of the heir to the Grand Duchy of Baden with Stephanie de Beauharnais, niece of Josephine.