were the effect of a real hesitation on the part of the Auftrian cabinet, or affumed only in order to delude the French government to give time for new arrangements, the impreffion made was iuch, that peace with Auftria was confidered as a thing affured, and the price of its attainment stated with confidence, and fubmitted to with regret. Thefe hopes and regrets were, however, equally without foundation. Neither the mediation of the king of Pruffia, who is stated to have been the firft intermediary between France and the Auftrian cabinet, nor the letters addreffed immediately from Bonaparte to the emperor, nor the frequent difpatches communicated by Moreau to prince Charles, nor thofe tranfmitted by the prince of Colleredo, were of any avail: the influence of the British miniftry overthrew the combined efforts of thofe different negotiators; and the pacific machinations of prince Charles were diffipated by the warlike refolves, of the emprefs and the minifter Thugut. The meffage of the king of England to the parliament, (February 13) informing it that his majefty was at that moment employed in making engagements with the emperor of Germany, the elector of Bavaria, and other princes of the empire, to fupport the common cause, and asking preliminary fupplies, fcarcely diffipated the illufion.

The chief conful's communications with prince Charles were still kept up, and his aide-de-camp was ftill at the archduke's quarters, though he was prohibited going to Vienna. The profpects of peace began, however, to fade gradually away; but what entirely darkened them was the arrival of general Kray at Donaufchingen, (16th of February) to fuperfede prince

Charles in the command of the army in Suabia. The archduke, whofe influence with the emperor had caufed his hesitation in favour of the confular propofitions, and who had ftruggled with fome ap pearance of fuccefs against the em prefs's party, was completely dif graced.

To cover the humiliation arifing from the lofs of the imperial favour, and to foften the indignation of the public, which was ftrongly excited in favour of this young prince, he was invefted with the title of governor of Bohemia. The almost univerfal demonftrations of regret which accompanied his departure, both from Vienna and the army, was a striking evidence, not only of the perfonal eftimation in which he was held, but of the state of public opinion refpecting the carrying on the war. As this prince had received in the English parliament the honourable appellation of the Sa viour of Germany, from the minifter whofe further projects he was now difgraced for oppofing, and as his conduct otherwife entitles him to the esteem of his contemporaries, it is not uninterefting to give a short fketch of his perfon and character. The archduke Charles is of a middle ftature; well made, but thing light hair, high forehead, large blue eyes, an aquiline nofe, pale lips, round chin, and of a fresh and rofy complexion. The found of his voice is clear and melodious; his look pleafing, and wears the cha racter of goodnefs. His port is noble and fimple; majestic, but without oftentation. He carries the moderation and fimplicity of his table to frugality, but enlivens it by the amiablenefs of his manners, and the gaiety of his converfation. His plan of life is invariably regular;' he rifes very early, and confecrates

- the

The first moments to devotion; the reft of his time till dinner is occupied with the bufinefs of the day, which he never quits without finishing. After his repaft, ne takes two hours of recreation, which he paffes in reading, or playing on the piano forte; after which, if the feafon admits, he rides or walks, pays vifits, or goes to the theatre. He avoids all kinds of tumultuous pleafure; and, restraining his amufements to thofe which are pure and intellectual, forms at once the fa- tire and model of a court, where his morals and heroifm are as little copied as bis pacific difpofitions, which were fpurned at and rejected.

ed.

As the appeal was once more made to the fword, the French government, conquered in negotiation, was forced to accept the challenge. The determination for war on the part of the coalefced powers was communicated officially to the legiflative body by a meffage, (7th March.) in which difappointment at the rejection of the negotiation, and indignation against the English government, were ftrongly mark"Frenchmen," fay the confuls," you have been anxious for peace; your government has defired it with fill greater ardour. Its first fteps, its most conftant wishes, have been for its attainment. The Englith miniftry has betrayed the fecret of its horrible policy. To difmember France, deftroy its marine and its ports, ftrike it out from the chart of Europe, or lower it to the rank of fecondary powers; to keep every nation on the continent divided from each other, in order to gain poffeffion of the trade of the whole, and enrich itself with their fpoils; to obtain this horrible triumph it is that England fcatters its gold, becomes prodigal of its promifes, and multiplies its intrigues." After affuring the legislative body

that neither the gold, the promifes, nor the intrigues of England, fhould ever influence the powers of the continent, the meffage further declared, that if any power remained refractory, the first conful, who had promifed peace, would put himself. at the head of the armies to march and obtain it; but that in the midst. of battles and triumphs he wouldinvoke peace, and fwear to fight only for the happiness of France and the repofe of the world.

This meffage was followed by two decrees, of the first of which the fecond article was a call, in the name of honour, on fuch of the military as had obtained their retreat, on veterans who were yet in a condition to enter on a campaign, on all young men of the requifition and confcription, to join their refpective regiments before the 5th of April, and thofe who belonged to no corps to prefent themselves at the head-quarters at Dijon, where they were to receive their arms and accoutrements, and be reviewed by the first conful in the courfe of the month. Such as were willing to accompany the firft conful as volunteers were enjoined to fignify their intentions by infcribing their names at their respective præfects. The fecond decree ftated the formation of an army of referve at Dijon of 60,000 men, which was to be commanded by the chief conful in perfon.

After a difcuffion, in which the conduct of the English government was animadverted on with nearly the fame feverity, and more refpeét than is ufual in fimilir cafes in the British parliament, the anfwer of the legislature was an echo to the meffage. The tribunate alfo emitted a with that the first conful might return at once a conqueror, and a reftorer of peace.

While thefe negotiations were 0 2 carrying

moft difficult article yet remained to be arranged, which was the proper choice of inftruments to put the machine in motion. This object was far from being well attained, No offices in the new government required a greater union of talents and probity than that of the præfectures, which was the reprefentation in every department of the confular power and dignity; and as the whole executive power of the territory over which the præfects prefided was delegated to them, fubject however to the control of government, it became an object of importance to the governed that thefe places fhould be filled by individuals of acknowledged character and respectability. The majority were without doubt of this defcription: but a great number of departments had to lament, that their concerns were entrusted to men, fome of whom had become celebrated only from the reproach annexed to their names as coryphées of the jacobin faction; while others perceived with regret that the republican order of things had received but little fupport in the nomination of individuals whofe fentiments were known to be hoftile to its establish ment, but whofe intereft led them to wear the mafk, and whom the fame motive would lead to drop it when a favourable occafion appeared. This mixture of characters formed part of that fyftem of impartiality, or, as it was called, of fufion, which was adopted in order to reconcile the contending parties, and call into action whatever of talent was found in each; a motive laudable enough, had the views of either party been always directed exclufively towards the public good, whatever errors might have taken place in the execution; but which deferved reprobation when this political to

leration thus confounded. fervility and honour, vice and virtue; beftowing on each equal confidence, of which the governed were to reap, according as the præfect named fhould fall to their lot, the benefit or the mischievous effects. Another object ftill more important than this arrangement of provincial adminiftration was next fubmitted to the legislature. This was the organifation of the civil and criminal courts of juftice. Whatever benefits might have refulted to France from the changes which had taken place during the revolution in every part of its government, the judiciary order had been the moft deranged and degraded. The vices which marked the parliaments throughout France were multiplied in the organifation which took place after their diffolution. The whole fyftem was tainted with the old vice of chicane and corrup tion, to which was fuperadded the turbulent theory of popular election. At no time was juftice worfe adminiftered than when the people took the management into their own hands; when the office of judge, one of the most folemn and facred that fociety has inftituted, became, from the familiarity with which it was treated, a mark of degradation, and the purfuit of the loweft intrigue. It was to remedy the numberlefs vices that encumbered this inftitution, that a law for its reformation was prefented to be difcuffed and approved by the legiflative body.

According to the prefent regulation a primary tribunal is inftituted in each communial arrondiffement, which is to take cognisance of civil matters, and of the correctional police. The feat of these tribunals is in general fuch as was occupied heretofore by the correctional tri

bunals.