—­[I recollect an anecdote which but too well depicts those disastrous times.  The Comte de Chaban, being obliged to cross France during the Reign of Terror, was compelled to assume a, disguise.  He accordingly provided himself with a smockfrock; a cart and horses, and a load of corn.  In this manner he journeyed from place to place till he reached the frontiers.  He stopped at Rochambeau, in the Vendomais, where he was recognised by the Marshal de Rochambeau, who to guard against exciting any suspicion among his servants, treated him as if he had really been a carman and said to him, “You may dine in the kitchen.”—­Bourrienne.]—­

The Hanseatic Towns, united to the Grand Empire professedly for their welfare, soon felt the blessings of the new organisation of a regenerating Government.  They were at once presented with; the stamp-duty, registration, the lottery, the droits reunis, the tax on cards, and the ‘octroi’.  This prodigality of presents caused, as we may be sure, the most lively gratitude; a tax for military quarters and for warlike supplies was imposed, but this did not relieve any one from laving not only officers and soldiers; but even all the chiefs of the administration and their officials billeted on them:  The refineries, breweries, and manufactures of all sorts were suppressed.  The cash chests of the Admiralty, of the charity houses, of the manufactures, of the savings-banks, of the working classes, the funds of the prisons, the relief meant for the infirm, the chests of the refuges, orphanages; and of the hospitals, were all seized.

More than 200,000 men, Italian, Dutch, and French soldiers came in turn to stay there, but only to be clothed and shod; and then they left newly clothed from head to foot.  To leave nothing to be wished for, Davoust, from 1812, established military commissions in all the thirty-second. military division, before he entered upon the Russian campaign.  To complete these oppressive measures he established at the same time the High Prevotal Court of the Customs.  It was at this time that M. Eudes, the director of the ordinary customs, a strict but just man, said that the rule of the ordinary customs would be regretted, “for till now you have only been on roses..”  The professed judgments of this court were executed without appeal and without delay.  From what I have just said the situation and the misery of the north of Germany, and the consequent discontent, can be judged.

During my stay in Hamburg, which on this occasion was not very long, Napoleon’s attention was particularly engaged by the campaign of Portugal, and his discussions with the Pope.  At this period the thunderbolts of Rome were not very alarming.  Yet precautions were taken to keep secret the excommunication which Pius vii. had pronounced against Napoleon.  The event, however, got reported about, and a party in favour of the Pope speedily rose up among the clergy, and more particularly among the fanatics.  Napoleon