Before he commenced his great operations on the Niemen and the Volga Napoleon made a journey to Dantzic, and Rapp, who was then Governor of that city, informed me of some curious particulars connected with the Imperial visit.  The fact is, that if Rapp’s advice had been listened to, and had been supported by men higher in rank than himself, Bonaparte would not have braved the chances of the Russian war until those chances turned against him.  Speaking to me of the Russians Rapp said, “They will soon be as wise as we are!  Every time we go to war with them we teach them how to beat us.”  I was struck with the originality and truth of this observation, which at the time I heard it was new, though it has been often repeated since.

“On leaving Dresden,” said Rapp to me, “Napoleon came to Dantzic.  I expected a dressing; for, to tell you the truth, I had treated very cavalierly both his custom-house and its officers, who were raising up as many enemies to France as there were inhabitants in my Government.  I had also warned him of all that has since happened in Russia, but I assure you I did not think myself quite so good a prophet.  In the beginning of 1812 I thus wrote to him:  ’If your Majesty should experience reverses you may depend on it that both Russians and Germans will rise up in a mass to shake off the yoke.  There will be a crusade, and all your allies will abandon you.  Even the King of Bavaria, on whom you rely so confidently, will join the coalition.  I except only the King of Saxony.  He, perhaps, might remain faithful to you; but his subjects will force him to make common cause with your enemies.  The King of Naples,” continued Rapp, “who had the command of the cavalry, had been to Dantzic before the Emperor.  He did not seem to take a more favourable view of the approaching campaign than I did.  Murat was dissatisfied that the Emperor would not consent to his rejoining him in Dresden; and he said that he would rather be a captain of grenadiers than a King such as he was.”

Here I interrupted Rapp to tell him what had fallen from Murat when I met him in the Champs Elysees “Bah!” resumed Rapp, “Murat, brave as he was, was a craven in Napoleon’s presence!  On the Emperor’s arrival in Dantzic the first thing of which he spoke to me was the alliance he had just then concluded with Prussia and Austria.  I could not refrain from telling him that we did a great deal of mischief as allies; a fact of which I was assured from the reports daily transmitted to me respecting the conduct of our troops.  Bonaparte tossed his bead, as you know he was in the habit of doing when he was displeased.  After a moment’s silence, dropping the familiar thee and thou, he said, ’Monsieur le General, this is a torrent which must be allowed to run itself out.  It will not last long.  I must first ascertain whether Alexander decidedly wishes for war.’  Then, suddenly changing the subject of conversation, he said, ’Have you not lately observed something