mense army and artillery, and furnished with contingents from every state in alliance with France, he invaded the territory of Russia, and advanced into the heart of the kingdom. The Russians retreated, destroying all means of support to the enemy; and a sanguinary battle took place (7th Sept. 1812) at Borodino, after which the city of Moscow was evacuated, and occupied by the troops of Buonaparte. Instead of the winter quarters and supplies so necessary to an enfeebled army being found in the ancient capital of the czars, it presented little save its bare walls, all else having been withdrawn or destroyed. To this dearth of all means of support was added a dreadful conflagration, which burst forth (14th Oct.) in all quarters, and compelled a precipitate retreat. The miseries which pursued the allied army in its return to France were found, in the unremitting pursuit of an enraged population, and an intensity of cold previously unknown even to the Russians themselves. The French army was almost annihilated, a miserable remnant only repassing the Niemen.

A. D. 1813. Upon reaching his capital, the emperor organised another army, and the campaign of Saxony was undertaken. Some successes at first attended the French arms, but Austria and Prussia again coalesced with Russia, and the fatal battle of Leipsic decided the fortune of Napoleon. The retreat was continued under the disadvantages of repeated desertions to the ranks of the enemy, and the frontiers of France were passed, every attempt to negotiate having failed. In the memorable campaign of 1814, though opposed to very superior numbers, the skill and energy of the

emperor enabled him to obtain brilliant though indecisive successes on various points; but the army could only maintain defensive warfare, and the capital fell by capitulation. On the 30th March the allied sovereigns entered Paris.

Buonaparte was then deposed from the imperial dignity, being compelled to abdicate unconditionally. The nation demanded the return of the Bourbons, and the brother of Louis XVI., who had long been a refugee in England, was called to the throne under the title of LOUIS XVIII.

Buonaparte received the sovereignty of the isle of Elba, with a revenue of six millions of francs.

CHAP. XXIV.

LOUIS XVIII. —]
-NAPOLEON RE-ENTERS PARIS. -BATTLE
OF WATERLOO. FATE OF BUONAPARTE.

DEATH

BATTLE OF NAVARINO.

REVOLT OF PARIS.
LOUIS-PHILIPPE.

THREATENED RUPTURE WITH ENGLAND.-DEATH OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.-THE SPANISH MARRIAGES. ODILLON BARROT.-PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE REFORM BANQUET. REVOLUTION OF 1848.DICATION OF THE KING. -THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

--

AB

On the 12th April, 1814, Monsieur, the brother of the king, was appointed lieutenant-general of the kingdom, and treated provisionally with the allied powers. On taking possession of the throne, Louis XVIII. ratified this treaty, which preserved to the nation the limits of 1792, with the exception of Sarrelouis and Landau; and, as a guarantee for their rights, gave a constitutional charter to France.

Peace now seemed re-established, when Napoleon suddenly quitted Elba, and, with an inconsiderable force, landed at Cannes, in France. His feeble escort soon swelled to a numerous army, his old companions in arms flocking to his standard. In March, 1815, he entered Paris, and was once more acknowledged emperor. Louis XVIII. quitted his capital, and removed his court to Ghent.

The allied sovereigns determined upon again declaring war against Napoleon, and he on his part,

foreseeing that great exertions would be required to sustain his power, unceasingly laboured to organise his forces, and at length at the head of a well-appointed and powerful army, he advanced into Belgium and attacked the Prussians at Fleurus. In this hard contested battle the French were successful, but the duke of Wellington, who, with the English forces, had taken up his position in the neighbourhood of Brussels, sustained the onset of Napoleon during the obstinate and sanguinary struggle of the 18th June, at Waterloo, and completely routed the enemy, deciding the fate of the war. The remains of the French army were pursued by the Prussians under marshal Blucher, and Paris was again occupied by the allies.

After this defeat Buonaparte abdicated in favour of his son, but this conditional surrender was not accepted. Unable to escape out of France, and hoping to find an asylum in England, he gave himself up to the captain of an English man-of-war, and was conveyed to Plymouth. It was then decided that he should be exiled to the island of St. Helena, where he died in March, 1821. His remains were brought to France in 1840, and deposited in the chapel of the Invalides.

Louis XVIII., on entering his capital a second time, treated again with the allied powers, who exacted a contribution of 700,000,000 francs towards the expenses of the war, besides the cession of Sarrelouis, Phillippeville, and Landau. Several fortresses also were to be garrisoned by the troops of the coalesced states for the space of three years, as security for the due observance of the treaty, and the maintenance of general tranquillity.

The royalist party, which preponderated in the

chambers, sanctioned measures that, although in appearance rigorous, were still deemed requisite to the safety of the nation. The desertion of some of the principal military officers was punished with death. Amongst the most celebrated and lamented were marshal Ney and colonel Labedoyère. A disposition was likewise shown to efface some articles of the charter; but the king, too prudent and sagacious not to foresee the danger of such a step, dissolved the chamber and dismissed his ministers; and their successors administered the government in a more liberal spirit.

In February, 1820, the duke de Berri, nephew of Louis XVIII., was assassinated by Louvel, at the moment of quitting the Opera. This event greatly strengthened the ultra-royalist party, and the birth of the duke de Bordeaux, the posthumous son of the duke de Berri, which happened shortly after the death of Buonaparte, still further contributed to their importance. The ministry of Monsieur de Villele was supposed to aim at the re-establishment of the ancient régime.

Since the return of Louis XVIII., France had been at peace, but, as an ally of Ferdinand of Spain, she was called upon to interfere in an insurrection which had deprived that monarch of his crown. This contest was unimportant and of short duration, and was scarcely terminated when the death of Louis XVIII. took place, 16th September, 1824, in the 68th year of his age.

A.D. 1824-1830. CHARLES X. Monsieur the count d'Artois succeeded his brother as Charles X. This prince was ill-fitted to maintain the balance between