The only thing worthy of remark in this letter would be the concluding sentence, in which the First Consul still affected to acknowledge the sovereignty of the people, were it not that the words “Citizens Consuls” were evidently foisted in with a particular design.  The battle was gained; and even in a trifling matter like this it was necessary that the two, other Consuls should feel that they were not so much the colleagues as the subordinates of the First Consul.

We returned to Milan, and our second occupation of that, city was marked by continued acclamations wherever the First Consul showed himself.  At Milan the First Consul now saw Massena for the first time since our departure for Egypt.  Bonaparte lavished upon, him the highest praises, but not higher than he deserved, for his admirable, defence of Genoa.  He named him his successor in the command of the army of Italy.  Moreau was on the Rhine, and therefore none but the conqueror of Zurich could properly have succeeded the First Consul in that command.  The great blow was struck; but there might still occur an emergency requiring the presence of a skillful experienced general, well acquainted with the country.  And besides, we could not be perfectly at ease, until it was ascertained what conditions would be adhered to by the Cabinet of Vienna, which was then entirely under the influence of the Cabinet of London.  After our return from the battle the popular joy was general and heartfelt not only among the higher and middle ranks of society, but in all classes; and the affection evinced from all quarters to the First Consul was unfeigned.  In what a tone of sincerity did he say to me one day, when returning from the parade, “Bourrienne, do you hear the acclamations still resounding?  That noise is as sweet to me as the sound of Josephine’s voice.  How happy and proud I am to be loved by such a people!”

During our stay at Milan Bonaparte had arranged a new government for Piedmont; he had ever since cherished the wish to unite that rich and fertile country to the French territory because some Piedmontese provinces had been possessed by Louis xiv.  That monarch was the only king whom the First Consul really admired.  “If,” said he one day, “Louis xiv. had not been born a king, he would have been a great man.  But he did not know mankind; he could not know them, for he never knew misfortune.”  He admired the resolution of the old King, who would rather bury himself under the ruins of the monarchy than submit to degrading conditions, after having commanded the sovereigns of Europe.  I recollect that Bonaparte was extremely pleased to see in the reports which he ordered to be made that in Casal, and in the valleys of Pignerol, Latour, and Luzerne, there still existed many traces of the period when those countries belonged to France; and that the French language was yet preserved there.  He already began to identify himself with the past; and abusing the old kings of France was not the way to conciliate his favour.