drunk more wine than usual, took away his cloak.  This defence per Baccho was completely successful.  An argument founded on the similarity between the conduct of the Syndic and the accused, could not but triumph, otherwise the little debauch of the former would have been condemned in the person of the latter.  This trial, which terminated so whimsically, nevertheless proves that the best and the gravest institutions may become objects of ridicule when suddenly introduced into a country whose habits are not prepared to receive them.

The Romans very wisely reserved in the Capitol a place for the gods of the nations they conquered.  They wished to annex provinces and kingdoms to their empire.  Napoleon, on the contrary, wished to make his empire encroach upon other states, and to realise the impossible Utopia of ten different nations, all having different customs and languages, united into a single State.  Could justice, that safeguard of human rights, be duly administered in the Hanse Towns when those towns were converted into French departments?  In these new departments many judges had been appointed who did not understand a word of German, and who had no knowledge of law.  The presidents of the tribunals of Lilbeck, Stade, Bremerlehe, and Minden were so utterly ignorant of the German language that it was necessary to explain to them all the pleadings in the council-chamber.  Was it not absurd to establish such a judicial system, and above all, to appoint such men in a country so important to France as Hamburg and the Hanse Towns?  Add to this the impertinence of some favourites who were sent from Paris to serve official and legal apprenticeships in the conquered provinces, and it may be easily conceived what was the attachment of the people to Napoleon the Great.

CHAPTER XIII.

1807-1808.

Disturbed state of Spain—­Godoy, Prince of the Peace—­Reciprocal accusations between the King of Spain and his son—­False promise of Napoleon—­Dissatisfaction occasioned by the presence of the French troops—­Abdication of Charles iv.—­The Prince of the Peace made prisoner—­Murat at Madrid—­Important news transmitted by a commercial letter—­Murat’s ambition—­His protection of Godoy—­ Charles iv, denies his voluntary abdication—­The crown of Spain destined for Joseph—­General disapprobation of Napoleon’s conduct—­ The Bourbon cause apparently lost—­Louis XVIII. after his departure from France—­As Comte de Provence at Coblentz—­He seeks refuge in Turin and Verona—­Death of Louis XVII—­Louis XVIII. refused an asylum in Austria, Saxony, and Prussia—­His residence at Mittan and Warsaw—­Alexander and Louis XVIII—­The King’s departure from Milan and arrival at Yarmouth—­Determination of the King of England—­M.  Lemercier’s prophecy to Bonaparte—­Fouche’s inquiries respecting Comte de Rechteren—­Note from Josephine—­New demands on the Hanse Towns—­Order to raise 3000 sailors in Hamburg.