at his call.  But Buonaparte was withheld from resorting to this effectual means of annoyance by various considerations; of which the chief were these:  first, he could not emancipate Poland without depriving Austria of a rich and important province, and consequently provoking her once more into the field:  and secondly, he foresaw that the Russian Emperor, if threatened with the destruction of his Polish territory and authority, would urge the war in a very different manner from that which he was likely to adopt while acting only as the ally of Prussia.  In a word, Napoleon was well aware of the extent of the Czar’s resources, and had no wish at this time to give a character of irremediable bitterness to their quarrel.

Though, however, he for these and other reasons refrained from openly appealing in his own person to the Poles as a nation, Buonaparte had no scruple about permitting others to tamper, in his behalf, with the justly indignant feelings of the people.  Some of the heroic leaders of the Poles, in the struggles for their expiring independence, had long been exiles in France—­not a few of them had taken service in her armies.  These men were allowed, and encouraged, to address themselves to the body of their countrymen, in language which could hardly fail to draw eager and enthusiastic recruits to the French standard, and increase mightily the perplexities of the Russian counsels.  Nor did Napoleon scruple to authorise the circulation of an appeal of like tendency, bearing falsely[56] the venerated signature of Kosciusko.  “Dear countrymen and friends,” said the forgery, “arise! the Great Nation is before you—­Napoleon expects, and Kosciusko calls on you.  We are under the AEgis of the Monarch who vanquishes difficulties as if by miracles, and the re-animation of Poland is too glorious an achievement not to have been reserved for him by the Eternal.”  Dombrowski and Wibichi, two Polish officers in Buonaparte’s own army, sent forward from Berlin, on the 8th of the same month, a proclamation, which commenced in these words:—­“Poles!  Napoleon, the Great, the Invincible, enters Poland with an army of 300,000 men.  Without wishing to fathom the mystery of his views, let us strive to merit his magnanimity. I will see (he has said to us) whether you deserve to be a nation. Poles! it depends then on yourselves to exert a national spirit, and possess a country.  Your avenger, your restorer is here.  Crowd from all quarters to his presence, as children in tears hasten to behold a succouring father.  Present to him your hearts, your arms.  Rise to a man, and prove that you do not grudge your blood to your country!” Lastly, in one of Napoleon’s own bulletins, the following ominous sentences were permitted to appear:—­“Shall the Polish throne be re-established, and shall the Great Nation secure for it respect and independence?  Shall she recall it to life from the grave?  God only, who directs all human affairs, can resolve this great mystery!” These appeals produced various eager addresses from Poland—­and Buonaparte prepared to visit that country, though not as her liberator.