“No sooner had he arrived in Holland than, fancying that nothing could be finer than to have it said that he was thenceforth a true Dutchman, he attached himself entirely to the party favourable to the English, promoted smuggling, and than connived with our enemies.  It became necessary from that moment watch over him, and even threaten to wage war against him.  Louis then seeking a refuge against the weakness of his disposition in the most stubborn obstinacy, and mistaking a public scandal for an act of glory, fled from his throne, declaiming against me and against my insatiable ambition, my intolerable tyranny, etc.  What then remained for me to do?  Was I to abandon Holland to our enemies?  Ought I to have given it another King?  But is that case could I have expected more from him than from my own brother?  Did not all the Kings that I created act nearly in the same manner?  I therefore united Holland to the Empire, and this act produced a most unfavourable impression in Europe, and contributed not a little to lay the foundation of our misfortunes” (Memorial de Sainte Helene)]—­

CHAPTER XVIII.

1809.

Demands for contingents from some of the small States of Germany—­ M. Metternich—­Position of Russia with respect to France—­Union of Austria and Russia—­Return of the English to Spain—­Soult King of Portugal, and Murat successor to the Emperor—­First levy of the landwehr in Austria—­Agents of the Hamburg ’Correspondent’—­ Declaration of Prince Charles—­Napoleon’s march to Germany—­His proclamation—­Bernadotte’s departure for the army—­Napoleon’s dislike of Bernadotte—­Prince Charles’ plan of campaign—­The English at Cuxhaven—­Fruitlessness of the plots of England—­Napoleon wounded—­Napoleon’s prediction realised—­Major Schill—­Hamburg threatened and saved—­Schill in Lubeck—­His death, and destruction of his band—­Schill imitated by the Duke of Brunswick-Oels—­ Departure of the English from Cuxhaven.

Bonaparte, the foundations of whose Empire were his sword and his. victories, and who was anxiously looking forward to the time when the sovereigns of Continental Europe should be his juniors, applied for contingents of troops from the States to which I was accredited.  The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was to furnish a regiment of 1800 men, and the other little States, such as Oldenburg and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, were to furnish regiments of less amount.  All Europe was required to rise in arms to second the gigantic projects of the new sovereign.  This demand for contingents, and the positive way in which the Emperor insisted upon them, gave rise to an immense correspondence, which, however, was unattended by any result.  The notes and orders remained in the portfolios, and the contingents stayed at home.