in the war, and cross the Danube.  Thus guarded, as he judged, against any chance of having his communications intercepted in the rear or flanks, Napoleon himself, with the main body, now moved on the capital of the German Emperor.  Austrian and Russian troops, to the number of 45,000, had been thrown together with the view of relieving Ulm, and advanced considerably for that purpose ere they heard of the treacherous capitulation of Mack.  They now retired again before the movement of Napoleon, halting, indeed, occasionally, and assuming the aspect of determination; but, whenever the outposts met, losing heart, and continuing their progress towards Moravia:—­for there, at length, the Czar, with his principal army, had made his appearance; and there, around that standard, every disposable force was now to be rallied.  The Emperor Francis himself, perceiving that Vienna was incapable of defence, quitted his capital on the 7th of November, and proceeded to Brunn, in Moravia, the headquarters of Alexander.

On the same evening Count Giulay reached Napoleon’s headquarters at Lintz, with proposals for an immediate armistice and negotiation.  Buonaparte refused to pause unless the Tyrol and Venice were instantly ceded to him.  These were terms to which the Austrian envoy had no authority to submit.  On the 13th of November, accordingly, the French entered Vienna, and Napoleon took up his residence in the castle of Schoenbrunn, the proud palace of the Austrian Caesars.  General Clarke was appointed governor of the city; and the Elector of Bavaria was gratified with a large share of the military stores and equipments found in its arsenals.

But the intoxication of this success was to be sobered by a cup of bitterness—­and from a hand which had already dashed more than one of Napoleon’s proudest triumphs.

When Buonaparte took up arms again, and devoted every energy of his mind to the descent upon England, Spain, the next maritime power after France, professed, indeed, neutrality,—­but by some of her proceedings raised the suspicion that her fleet was really destined to act along with that of the invader.  The English government resolved to bring this matter to the test:  and a squadron of four ships demanded a similar force of the Spaniards to yield themselves into their keeping as a pledge of neutrality.  The British squadron sent on such an errand ought, on every principle of policy and humanity, to have been much stronger than that which Commodore Moore commanded on this occasion.  The Castilian pride took fire at the idea of striking to an equal foe; and, unhappily, an action took place, in which three of the Spanish ships were captured, and one blown up.  This catastrophe determined, as might have been expected, the wavering counsels of Madrid.  Spain declared war against England, and placed her fleets at the command of the French Emperor.